The International law firm of Dorsey & Whitney LLP is pleased to announce that Douglas S. Lang, Of Counsel in the Dallas, Texas office, has been named a 2019 Texas Trailblazer by the Texas Lawyer magazine.

Whether through his leadership, civic involvement, or writings, Doug’s vocal and staunch support of mentorship, professionalism, ethics, and civility within the legal profession has had a unique and lasting impact on members of the Bar throughout Texas and our country. Doug has been passionate these principles throughout his career, first in private practice and then for over 16 years as an appellate judge, as a Justice serving on the Texas 5th District Court of Appeals in Dallas.

His belief in these principles often translated into specific actions targeted at improving ethics and civility among members of the legal profession.  To name only a few examples, as Chair of the prestigious Bar-related Texas Center for Legal Ethics, Doug and his colleagues worked to instill a strong sense of ethics and civility in the everyday conduct of lawyers as well as in their representation of clients.  Then, as a former president of the Dallas Bar Association, Doug continued that bellwether work by playing a leading role in establishing the Dallas Bar Association’s Transition to Law Practice Program that provides mentoring opportunities for young lawyers. Recently, Doug served as chair of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.  That commission is responsible for considering complaints regarding the conduct of judges.  In short, his career has been characterized by an unflagging devotion to Taking the High Road—a fundamental precept that Doug exemplifies on a daily basis.

Doug is the author of “Deeds, Not Words—Mentors as Guiding Lights of Integrity in the Legal Profession,” a compilation of mentoring experiences recounted to him by a variety of judges, bar leaders, and successful attorneys. Among the many law review articles Doug has authored, one, entitled “The Role of Law Professors: A Critical Force in Shaping Integrity and Professionalism,” stands out.  In that article, Doug advocates that law professors make special, concentrated efforts to instruct students about the necessity of civil and ethical conduct in the practice of law.  His goal in each of these writings was to reinforce the message he has conveyed throughout his career: Always act with dignity, civility, professionalism and respect for all with whom you deal. Doug has been, and continues to be a frequent speaker at continuing education seminars around the country on substantive legal topics as well as on the topics of legal ethics and civility.  He is a true Trailblazer.