Larry Warren of San Antonio named 2009 Seals Laity Award recipient

Dallas (SMU) — Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, announces the selection of Larry D. Warren of San Antonio, Texas, as the 2009 Woodrow B. Seals Laity Award recipient. The award will be presented at a luncheon on March 7, 2009 during the three-day Perkins Theological School for the Laity.

Larry Warren is the President of and a shareholder with Ball & Weed P.C. in San Antonio. He is also an active member of his local church, University United Methodist, where he has held a number of leadership positions spanning many years of service. His primary work in the church has involved international missions on behalf of exploited children around the world. In this capacity he has led his congregation in education, missions travel, and fundraising campaigns on behalf of these victims. His efforts have engaged not only his congregation, but the wider San Antonio legal community as well.

Warren’s advocacy of this exploited population has proven to be deliberate and methodical, but also compassionate and deeply courageous. Beyond his local influence in this regard, Warren has had remarkable success, often at great personal risk, in bringing about the actual liberation of victims of bonded slavery in the countries of concern.

In addition to his international efforts as an advocate for human rights and social justice, Warren was instrumental in forming a businessmen’s Bible study in San Antonio. He teaches children’s Sunday school, served on the board of the Winston School of San Antonio (a school for children with learning disabilities) for six years, three as chair; served on the Ball & Weed P.C. Board of Directors for six years; and chaired the International Justice Mission Benefit Dinner for three years.

Warren has been recognized as one of Texas Lawyer Publication’s Super Lawyers for 2006 –2008, as well as one of San Antonio’s “Best Civil Litigation Attorneys” for 2007 and 2008 by Scene in San Antonio magazine. He has served as pro bono legal counsel for Medina Children’s Home, and volunteered as a YMCA soccer coach and a Little League Baseball coach. He was named “Boss of the Year” by the San Antonio Legal Secretaries Association. Warren was recently inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Perkins Theological School for the Laity is supported by the Howard-Holbert Endowment Fund. The fund was established in 1986 in honor of Dr. Virgil P. Howard (1936-2005) and Dr. John C. Holbert, who serves as the Lois Craddock Perkins Professor of Homiletics at Perkins School of Theology.

Perkins School of Theology, founded in 1911, is one of five official University-related schools of theology of The United Methodist Church. Degree programs include the Master of Divinity, Master of Sacred Music, Master of Theological Studies, Master of Church Ministries, and Doctor of Ministry, as well as the Ph.D., in cooperation with SMU’s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences.

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