FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Professor John J. Watkins, William H. Enfield Professor of Law, was presented a "Special Award of Merit for Distinguished Service to the Legal Profession" at the Fellow's Dinner of the Arkansas Bar Foundation.

The award was jointly presented by the Arkansas Bar Foundation and the Arkansas Bar Association at the 104^th Annual Meeting of the Arkansas Bar Association in Hot Springs, June 12-15.

"The Annual Awards Committee reviewed John's excellent record of service and outstanding contributions to the legal profession and commended that record to members of the Arkansas legal community as an example to be emulated," said Bob Moberly, UA School of Law dean. "They thanked John for his many contributions to the legal profession."

Watkins was recognized for his work in connection with Arkansas civil practice and procedure, implementation of the state's new judicial system and the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.

Since 1985, he has served as a member of and principal draftsman for the Arkansas Supreme Court's Committee on Civil Practice, which recommends revisions in the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure, the Arkansas Rules of Appellate Procedure-Civil and the Arkansas Supreme Court rules. Members of the committee are appointed by the Supreme Court.

Watkins is also chair of the Arkansas Bar Association's Task Force on the Implementation of Constitutional Amendment 80, which modernized the state court system. The Task Force proposed legislation for the 2001 session of the General Assembly and has just completed its recommendations for 2003.

He was written a book on the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, the fourth edition of which will be published next year. In 1999, he was appointed by the governor as a member of the Electronic Records Study Commission, which recommended legislation that brought the FOIA into the computer age. He also has served as a member of the board of directors of the Information Network of Arkansas, which provides access to public information in electronic form.

Watkins has taught at the University of Arkansas School of Law since 1983. His principal courses are Arkansas civil procedure, conflict of laws, appellate practice and mass communications law. He has also taught at the Baylor University School of Law and at the undergraduate and high school levels.

A 1976 graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, Watkins practiced law with the firm of Arnold & Porter in Washington, D.C., and was law clerk to the late Judge Homer Thornberry of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

He holds a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law, a master's degree in mass communication from University of Texas and a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Texas. He is a member of the Arkansas bar and is also admitted to practice in Texas and the District of Columbia.

"Professor Watkins has been a prolific writer and presenter and has firmly established himself as a leading expert in mass communications law and the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act," Moberly said. "He has demonstrated a marked devotion to public service at the state and local levels as evidenced by his work on the Arkansas Supreme

Court's Committee on Civil Procedure."

Watkins previously was the Ben J. Altheimer Professor of Legal Advocacy and the Arkansas Bar Foundation Professor.

— 30 —