Delegation Leaders are selected by the professional association to represent the members and the goals of the association.  Delegation leaders provide the initial vision and guidance in the development of the professional program. Delegation Leaders assist in facilitating the professional dialog, greeting hosts and representing the delegation members while in the field.

Richard Pena, Delegation Leader

Richard Pena was elected by his peers to serve as the President of the State Bar of Texas from 1998-1999. He served as President of the American Bar Foundation and was on the Board of Governors for the American Bar Association. He is also past president of the Travis County Bar Association, former Chair of the Texas Bar Foundation, and former Chair of the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation. He was a director to the State Bar of Texas and a State Delegate to the ABA. Richard has received three Presidential Citations from the State Bar of Texas for his meritorious service to the profession and has been selected a member of the prestigious American Inns of Court as well as receiving the Distinguished Lawyer Award presented by the Austin Bar Association in 2007. The Texas Bar Journal recognized him as 1 of 20 “trailblazers” in the February 2014 issue. He also was the recipient of the 2010 Difference Makers Award presented by the ABA General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Division. In early 2020, Richard received the Spirit of Excellence Award in the ABA Commission on racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession.  

Richard is a national leader in the legal field, and is active in the American Bar Association, where he led the Texas Delegation to the ABA. He has also been active in the American Bar Foundation, where he was previously on the Board of Directors. He served as Chair of the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, which is the preeminent attorney group in the country with membership limited to one third of one percent (1/3 of 1%) of the lawyers in America. Richard has been on the Advisory Board of People to People Ambassadors Program and has led Delegations of Texas and U.S. Lawyers to numerous countries including, Turkey, South Africa, China, Tibet, Cuba, Vietnam, Cambodia, Egypt, India, Israel, and Brazil. He was also Chair of a U.S.-Russian Joint Conference on the Rule of Law in St. Petersburg, Russia.  In 2006 he received the Eisenhower Achievement Award from the program for being an outstanding leader.

For more information about the legal delegations led by Richard Pena : Legal Delegations Abroad