Myra A. McDaniel, 1932-2010

Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta law firm is donating $15,000 to the Austin Community College Foundation to create an endowed scholarship that honors Myra A. McDaniel, an attorney who represented ACC before she passed away earlier this year.

The scholarship is designed to help students pursuing a future in public service. McDaniel’s career included service as secretary of state and general counsel to the Texas governor; she was also a longtime partner at Bickerstaff.

“We are pleased to offer a scholarship that will help students who have the same heart for service that Myra McDaniel did,” says Edwina Carrington, chair of the Board of Directors of the ACC Foundation, which will administer the funds. “This is a special way to pay tribute to someone who did so much for the college.”

Income from the permanent endowment will provide a $450 scholarship for one student annually beginning in the 2013-14 academic year.

The Bickerstaff firm says the award will honor McDaniel’s legacy of leadership and commitment to public service and community involvement. In order to be eligible, students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA, demonstrate involvement in extra-curricular activities such as student government or community service, and possess a financial need as determined by the ACC Financial Aid Office. Applicants may be pursuing an associate degree from ACC or planning to transfer to a four-year college or university.

“Myra McDaniel was an integral part of our firm, an outstanding lawyer, and a great friend,” says attorney Bob Heath. “She absolutely understood the importance of education, and Austin Community College held a special place in her heart. Having a scholarship in her name is one of the best ways we can honor and remember her.”

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, McDaniel earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Texas at Austin and was admitted to practice by the Texas Supreme Court in 1975. In addition to her service as Texas secretary of state and general counsel to the governor, McDaniel acted as assistant special counsel to the Railroad Commission of Texas and as chief of the taxation division of the Office of the Attorney General of Texas. She passed away February 25, 2010.

Formed 30 years ago by two division chiefs from the Office of the Attorney General of Texas who developed a strong practice devoted to state and local government law, Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta has grown to include more than 30 attorneys by adding senior-level lawyers with practices in litigation, banking, corporate law, water law, and real estate. Many members of the firm are former elected, appointed, and employed members of local and state government, where they developed the knowledge and contacts necessary to effectively represent both private business and public clients.