A Conversation with Greg Abbott, Attorney General
Event Details
- Date
- Time
- 7:30 a.m. - 9 a.m.
- Location
-
The Austin Club
110 E. Ninth Street, Austin, TX 78701 (map) - Questions?
- rsvp@texastribune.org
- RSVP
- A reservation is required.
Attorney General Greg Abbott was reelected as the 50th Attorney General of Texas on November 2, 2010. Prior to his election as attorney general, Greg Abbott served as a Justice on the Texas Supreme Court and as a State District Judge in Harris County.
In his capacity as the state's lawyer, Attorney General Abbott oversees more than 700 attorneys who represent the State of Texas. General Abbott has personally appeared in courtrooms around the state and has obtained indictments against criminals charged with offenses ranging from attempted aggravated assault of a child to capital murder. In March 2005, General Abbott personally appeared before the United States Supreme Court, where he successfully defended the constitutionality of the Ten Commandments display that adorns the Texas Capitol grounds.
General Abbott's career in public service began in Houston, where he served as a highly rated state trial judge in the 129th District Court for three years and was named "Trial Judge of the Year" by the Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists. In 1995, then-Governor George W. Bush appointed Abbott to the Texas Supreme Court, where he served with distinction. Twice elected to the Texas Supreme Court, Abbott earned numerous awards, including "Jurist of the Year" from the Texas Review of Law & Politics and Appellate Specialists; and "Appellate Judge of the Year" from the Texas Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates."
An active participant in his community, General Abbott has held leadership positions in numerous organizations, including the Central Texas Chapter of Goodwill Industries, the Governor's Committee to Promote Adoption, Justice for All, and the Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and Research Foundation. In 2004, General Abbott served as Honorary State Chairman of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Texas.
A native Texan, Attorney General Abbott was born in Wichita Falls and raised in Duncanville. After graduating from The University of Texas with a B.B.A. in Finance, he received his law degree from Vanderbilt University. Shortly after graduating from law school, he was partially paralyzed by a falling tree while jogging. He and his wife, Cecilia, a former school teacher and principal, have been married for 30 years. They live in Austin with their daughter, Audrey.
ABOUT THIS EVENT
Several times a month, The Texas Tribune hosts a series of conversations featuring prominent elected officials and other newsmakers at the historic Austin Club in downtown Austin. These in-depth discussions are moderated by the Tribune's CEO and editor-in-chief, Evan Smith. Coffee and pastries are served before the conversation begins, allowing time for our attendees to mingle. A question-and-answer session afterward offers a chance for the audience to interact with our honored guest.
This series of conversations is generously sponsored by AT&T, BP, Raise Your Hand Texas and Christus Health and is supported through contributions from our founding investors and members. Special thanks to our promotional sponsor, Deborah Ingersoll of Legislative Solutions.
Texas Tribune donors or members may be quoted or mentioned in our stories, or may be the subject of them. For a complete list of contributors, click here.