University of Houston law professor receives Distinguished Service Award from national court organization

Williamsburg, Va. (October 6, 2016) – University of Houston Law Center Professor Allison Winnike is the recipient of the National Center for State Courts' (NCSC) 2016 Distinguished Service Award, one of the highest awards presented by the organization. The Distinguished Service Award is presented annually to those who have made significant contributions to the justice system and who have supported the mission of NCSC.

Professor Winnike is being honored for her work in public health emergency preparedness. She is the editor and contributing author of Control Measures and Public Health Emergencies: A Texas Bench Book and Preparing for a Pandemic: An Emergency Response Bench Book and Operational Guidebook for State Court Judges and Administrators as part of the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) Pandemic and Emergency Task Force.

NCSC President Mary C. McQueen said Professor Winnike’s contributions as a member of CCJ’s Pandemic and Emergency Response Task Force was invaluable. “Her expertise in public health emergency preparedness and response was instrumental in developing pandemic bench books for state court leaders and the state of Texas,” McQueen said.  

In 2011 Winnike joined the University of Houston Law Center as a research professor. Since September 2015 she has served as Director of Research for the Health Law & Policy Institute where she teaches and researches issues that focus on public health law and health legislation and policy.

She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Policy Studies from Rice University in 2001 and her Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center in 2008.

NCSC presents six Distinguished Service awards annually to those who have made significant contributions to the court system and to the work of the NCSC. The awards recognize one person from each of the following categories: current or former state appellate judge; current of former state trial judge; state-level court administrator or employee; trial-level court administrator or employee; attorney or other individual not employed by the courts; and current or former international judge or court executive.

The National Center for State Courts, headquartered in Williamsburg, Va., is a nonprofit court organization dedicated to improving the administration of justice by providing leadership and service to the state courts. Founded in 1971 by the Conference of Chief Justices and Chief Justice of the United States Warren E. Burger, NCSC provides education, training, technology, management, and research services to the nation’s state courts.