- OVERVIEW
- EXPERIENCE
- INSIGHTS
- NEWS & EVENTS
PRACTICES
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Education
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University of Dallas,
Graduate Certificate in Theological Studies
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University of Missouri School of Law,
J.D.
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Drake University,
B.S.B.A.
Recipient of athletic scholarship
Recipient of Letter Awards in Intercollegiate Football and Wrestling
Recipient of “Bill Boelter Award” to the outstanding senior athlete accepted for graduate study
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Admissions
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Missouri
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Texas
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Texas USDC, Northern District
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Texas USDC, Eastern District
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Texas USDC, Western District
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US Ct Appeals, 5th Circuit (LA, MS, TX)
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US Ct Appeals, 6th Circuit (KY, MI, OH, TN)
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US Supreme Ct
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Affiliations
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Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct
Appointed Member by the Texas Supreme Court, 2013-2018
Chair, 2017-2018
Vice Chair, 2015-2017
Secretary, 2015
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ABOTA (American Board of Trial Advocates)-American Inns of Court Trial Academy
Founder
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State Bar of Texas
Chair, 2021 Day of Civility
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Dallas Bar Association
President, 1991
Member, 1973-Present
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Dallas Bar Foundation
Chair, 1998-2001
Fellow, 1991-Present
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American Inns of Court Foundation
Secretary, Board of Trustees, 2008-2015
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American Law Institute
Member, 2004-Present
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National Conference of Bar Presidents of the American Bar Association
President, 2004-2005
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Texas Center for Legal Ethics and Professionalism
Chair, 1999-2002
Board of Trustees, 1996-2004
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Recognitions
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Outstanding 50 Year Lawyer Award, Texas Bar Foundation, March 2024
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Texas Trailblazer, Designated by The Texas Lawyer, 2019
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Shalom Award for Civic Contribution, 2019, Presented by Temple Shalom Brotherhood
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State Bar of Texas, Presidents’ Award, (Outstanding Contributions to the Legal Profession), 2010
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Recognition for Service and Leadership, awarded by the American Civil Trial Bar Roundtable, 2015
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Texas Bar Foundation, 2007 Lola Wright Foundation Award for outstanding public service in advancing and enhancing legal ethics in Texas
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Citation of Merit, University of Missouri School of Law, 2012
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William “Mac” Taylor American Inn of Court, 2011 Sergeant of the Inn Award
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President’s Citation, Dallas Bar Association, 2018
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Dallas Bar Foundation, Fellows Award (Service to the Community and the Legal Profession), 2010
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Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, Outstanding Mentor Award, 2008
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Dallas Bar Association, 2007 Morris Harrell Professionalism Award
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State Bar of Texas, 1999 Presidential Citation Recipient
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Drake University, Double D Award, (Drake’s highest award bestowed upon former athletic letter award winners for professional achievement and community service), 1993
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Drake University, 1992 Alumni Achievement Award
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State Bar of Texas Award of Merit conferred upon the Dallas Bar Association for its 1991 programs during Lang’s presidency
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Legal Services of North Texas’ Outstanding Service Award, 1991
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Dallas Association of Young Lawyers’ Outstanding Young Lawyer in Dallas, 1981
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Employment
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Thompson Coburn LLP
Senior Counsel, 2021-Present
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Dorsey & Whitney
Of Counsel, 2019-2021
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Texas 5th District Court of Appeals
Justice, 2002-2018
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Gardere Wynne Sewell
1978-2002
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Weber, Baker & Allums
Associate and Partner, 1973-1978
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Supreme Court of Missouri
Law Clerk to Judge Fred Henley, 1972-1973
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Community
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The Federal Lawyer
Editorial Board Member, 2023
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Salesmanship Club of Dallas, Inc.
Member, 1992-Present
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Drake University Board of Trustees
Member, 2002-Present
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Drake University National Alumni Association
President 2002-2004
Vice President, 2000-2002
Board of Directors, 1998-2006
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Christ the King Catholic Church
Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, Lector, 2014-Present
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Legatus, Dallas Chapter
Board of Directors, 2019-Present
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Boy Scout Troop 72
Assistant Scoutmaster, 1992-1996, Order of the Arrow
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Justice (Fmr) Douglas Lang advises clients on litigation and appellate strategies and presents appeals for pending matters in jurisdictions across the country. He is the co-chair of Thompson Coburn's firmwide Appellate Group.
Justice Lang collaborates with trial lawyers across the Firm on effective appellate strategies for clients, in some instances working directly on filings or arguing cases before appellate panels. Since returning to private practice, Justice Lang has appeared in state and federal courts across Texas and presented appeals in federal circuit courts and at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Drawing on over 16 years of judicial service and experience, Justice Lang provides prompt, strategic, and solution-oriented advice on potential or existing conflicts for clients in a wide range of businesses and industries. Justice Lang regularly represents clients before the appellate courts of Texas and federal appellate courts.
Justice Lang served on the Fifth District Court of Appeals in Dallas, a 13-judge appellate court with the highest case volume of the 14 intermediate appellate courts in Texas. While on the court, Justice Lang authored more than 2,100 opinions and participated in deciding more than 6,100 cases. During that same period, Justice Lang served for six years as a member of the Texas Multi-District Litigation Panel and as Chair of the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Justice Lang is renowned and highly respected for his tireless leadership in bar and community activities, his dedication to mentoring young lawyers, and his devotion to civility and ethics in the legal profession during his more than 40-year career. Justice Lang's belief in the importance of mentoring led him to author "Deeds, Not Words —Mentors As Guiding Lights of Integrity In The Legal Profession," a compilation of experiences recounted to him by a variety of bar leaders, judges, and successful attorneys.
Justice Lang is a frequent speaker at civic and continuing education events around Texas and nationally and has many published articles to his credit on appellate law, civility, and ethics.
Judicial Service
- Appointed, Texas 5th District Court of Appeals, October 2002
- Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct 2013-2018 (This 13 member Commission, supported by a staff of fourteen, addresses complaints made against any of the 3781 Texas judges)
Chair, November 2017–2018
Vice Chair, April 2015–November 2017
Secretary, January 2015–April 2015
Member, November 2013–2018
Appointed by Texas Supreme Court
- 10th District Court of Appeals, 2013
Commissioned by Texas Supreme Court to sit on two cases as member of the 10th Court
- Texas Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, 2003–2009
Commissioned by the Texas Supreme Court to sit on Panel of six appellate judges
- Texas Supreme Court, 2007
Commissioned by Gov. Rick Perry to hear case as Special Member of the Court
Thompson Coburn Publications
Bankruptcy Code § 363(m) is now up for interpretation at the U.S. Supreme Court
Do I really need a mentor? Does the sun rise in the East?
TCLEs
Publications
Author, "Survey of Recent Mandamus Decisions of the Texas Supreme Court"
SMU Annual Texas Survey, Volume 9, 2024
Supreme Court Declines to Decide Limits of Attorney Client Privilege,
The Practical Lawyer 39 (American Law Institute), April 2023
Survey of Recent Mandamus Decisions of the Texas Supreme Court,
8 SMU ANN. TEX. SURV. 201, 2022
Effective Legal Writing is Not Vitriol-Consider For Whom You Write,
The Practical Lawyer 35 (American Law Institute), August 2022
Do I Really Need a Mentor? (Does the Sun Rise in the East?),
The Bencher (American Inns of Court Foundation), January/February 2022
“Survey of Recent Mandamus Decisions of the Texas Supreme Court,”
7 SMU ANN. TEX. SURV. 301, 2021
"A PPP Borrower’s Predicament: When The SBA Denies Loan Forgiveness - Contest It - Appeal!"
February 2021
“'Justice Delayed is Justice Denied’ - COVID-Delayed Justice - Get it Back on Track with ADR/Private Judging!”
New For the Bar, State Bar of Texas Litigation Section, October 2020
“Basic Mandamus Questions Support DC Circ.’s Flynn Ruling,”
Law360, September 14, 2020
“An Epitaph for Justice David Lee Bridges, Texas 5th District Court of Appeals,”
Law.Com, August 20, 2020
“Did COVID-19 Put a Hold on Your Lawsuit? Finish It With ADR-Private Judging,”
Law.Com, August 2, 2020
“'Fairness’ and ‘Justice’ in the Courtroom - Community and Public Perception,”
In Chambers-The Official Publication of the Texas Center for the Judiciary, Summer 2020
“When Judges Are Not Neutral,”
Law360, July 31, 2020
“The Core of Trial Strategy: Practical Thoughts About Avoiding ‘Gotcha’s’ - Create Checklists,”
Vol. 31, No. 1 The Appellate Advocate (State Bar of Texas, Appellate Law Section) 4-24, Winter 2019
Presentations
The Core of Trial Strategy: Avoiding Gotcha’s and Error Preservation,
Dallas Bar Association Appellate Section November 2022
A Deep Dive Into Cutting-Edge Arbitration Issues,
Thompson Coburn CLE November 2022
A View from the Bench: Professionalism, Civility, and Effective Depositions,
State Bar of Texas October 2022
Day of Civility: Professionalism Through Mentoring,
Moderator, Dallas Bar Association September 2022
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization: Decision,
Thompson Coburn CLE, Panel Member August 2022
Crisis In the ‘C Suite,
St. Louis Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) August 2022
Survey of Mandamus Decisions of The Texas Supreme Court,
Dallas Bar Association Appellate Section August 2022
Moderator, "Appellate Lessons from Legal Insiders: How Appellate Practitioners Can Add Value to In-House Counsel,"
State Bar of Texas Appellate Section May 2022
"Judges’ Panel: What Lawyers are Doing Right and What Not to Do in the Courtroom,"
State Bar of Texas CLE April 8, 2022
"Crisis in the C-Suite: Do's & Don'ts in the Heat of the Moment,"
ACC Dallas-Fort Worth March 2022
“Statewide Day of Civility,”
Moderator of panel of lawyers and judges, (Zoom presentation sent statewide by Dallas Bar Association and State Bar of Texas) September 17, 2021
“The Core of Trial Strategy: Practical Thoughts About Avoiding 'Gotcha's',”
State Bar of Texas, Dallas Bar Association Appellate Law Section, September 2020
“The Core of Trial Strategy: Practical Thoughts About Avoiding ‘Gotcha’s',”
State Bar of Texas, Business Disputes 2020, September 2020
“COVID-19: A Pandemic of Legal Liability For Employers and Businesses,”
January 2021
“PPP Borrowers: Are You Ready for SBA Audits and Potential Appeals?”
December 2020
“Thinking About the Unthinkable: Appellate Preparation Before and During Trial,”
December 2019
“Sin, Redemption, and Catholic Lawyers: The Conflict of Faith and Professional Rules,”
Catholic Lawyers Guild of Kansas City, December 2019
“Trying Your Case is Just the Beginning: A Plan For Preserving Error for Appeal and Mid-Stream Correction by Mandamus,”
Rockwall County Bar Association, November 2019
“The Intersection of Religious and Legal Profession Values,”
St. Thomas More Society of Amarillo and the Catholic Diocese of Amarillo, October 2019
“Civility and Ethics,”
Southwest Association of Bank Counsel, Annual Convention, October 2019
News
Douglas Lang Named Recipient of Ed Mullins Society Award
Douglas Lang Writes on Value of Civility for Texas Lawyer
Douglas Lang Named Outstanding 50 Year Lawyer by Texas Bar Foundation
Douglas Lang receives Presidential Citation from Dallas Bar Association
Thompson Coburn strengthens national appellate practice with Dallas addition of Justice Douglas Lang