Court of Appeals chambers counsel receives Topeka Bar Association award

TOPEKA—Kansas Court of Appeals chambers counsel Doug Shima received the Honorable E. Newton Vickers Professionalism Award from the Topeka Bar Association at the group’s annual meeting April 9.

Shima has worked for the Kansas Judicial Branch since he graduated from the Washburn University School of Law in 1994. He currently serves as chambers counsel for Judge G. Joseph Pierron, Jr., of the Kansas Court of Appeals.

“I am extremely honored and humbled to receive the Newt Vickers Professionalism Award. Professionalism starts with how you treat people. It’s the relationships you build, the people you meet, and your involvement with other attorneys and in your community, that make life enjoyable and worthwhile,” Shima said. The Topeka Bar Association gives the Honorable E. Newton Vickers Professionalism Award to recognize a member who, by his or her conduct, honesty, integrity and courtesy, best exemplifies, represents and encourages other lawyers to follow the highest standards of the legal profession, including those contained in the Topeka Bar Association Creed of Professional Courtesy.

Shima received the Topeka Bar Association’s Outstanding Young Lawyer Award in 1997. He was president of the Topeka Bar Association in 2008/2009, and he currently co-chairs the membership committee. He is a regular contributor to the association’s monthly newsletter, TBA Briefings.

Shima has been active in the Sam A. Crow American Inn of Court ever since graduating from Law School and currently serves as the Inns' secretary/treasurer.

Shima is also a longstanding volunteer in the community. For the last 15 years, he has organized two corporate routes for Meals on Wheels of Shawnee and Jefferson Counties. In 2013, he was given the Reuter Award for distinguished service to Meals on Wheels.