March 6, 2023
News
Spencer Fane is pleased to announce John Browning has earned the Texas Bar Foundation’s 2023 Outstanding Law Review Article Award.
This honor, presented annually, recognizes an outstanding article published in any Texas law review during the preceding year, and which relates to the legal profession, the practice of law, or substantive law as applied to the practice of law; its regulation, discipline, availability; its improvement or advancement; its future or past. John’s winning article, Judged by the (Digital) Company You Keep: Maintaining Judicial Ethics in an Age of Likes, Shares, and Follows, was published in Volume 12 of the St. Mary’s Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics. The article examines how judges’ seemingly benign conduct on social media – retweeting or sharing an article, “liking” a post, following an individual or entity on Twitter, etc. – can violate canons of judicial conduct and create an appearance of impropriety or bias.
John will formally receive his award at the Texas Bar Foundation’s black-tie event on June 23, in conjunction with the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting in Austin. In addition, the St. Mary’s University School of Law will receive a $1,000 donation in honor of John for publishing his article.
At Spencer Fane, John – a former Texas appellate justice – focuses on civil litigation and appeals in state and federal court, representing a wide variety of industries. A nationally recognized thought leader on law and technology, John is the author of five books and more than 50 law review articles. He also serves as Chair of the Institute for Law and Technology at The Center for American and International Law.
Founded in 1965 by attorneys determined to assist the public and ignore the profession, the Texas Bar Foundation has become the largest charitably funded bar foundation in the country. The Texas Bar Foundation relies on the contributions of its fellows to improve the lives of Texans.
