Jackson Walker partners Jed Morrison and Patrick Tobin were recently named two of the San Antonio Business Journal's (SABJ) "2010 Outstanding Lawyers."

The award recognizes local attorneys for excellence in their practice area. This is the inaugural year for this award, and the publication selected the two Jackson Walker attorneys out of numerous nominees in their respective categories. Mr. Tobin was given the award in commercial (corporate) law, while Mr. Morrison was recognized as the city's best health care lawyer.

Each attorney was profiled in a one-page feature in the November 19 edition of SABJ.

Mr. Morrison received praise from clients, who said they trust the experienced health care attorney with their own businesses because of his extensive knowledge of the industry and dedication to client service.

"He's more than legal advice, he has a thorough understanding of the health care industry and that's why he was so valuable to us. I felt like Kelsey-Seybold was his only customer, but I know that's not the case," client Spencer Berthelsen, chairman of the board at Kelsey-Seybold told the SABJ.

Practicing health care law, Mr. Morrison notes in the article, almost never happened. Slated to go into the oil and gas practice, Mr. Morrison didn't become interested in health care until he went to Washington, D.C., to work on the House of Representatives Budget Committee. There he became very familiar with what is now his biggest focus: Medicaid and Medicare.

In private practice since 1988, Mr. Morrison has represented numerous leading health care companies and has been a leader in the expansion of the health care law practice in Texas.

Learn more about JW partner Mr. Morrison.

In Mr. Tobin's write-up, he states his first challenge with Jackson Walker proved to be the hardest: take the San Antonio office - with only three attorneys and no clients - and build a thriving business.

Now, after 16 successful years in the San Antonio office and more than 45 attorneys with a large variety of clients, Mr. Tobin tells the SABJ that he can still attribute his success to the first clients he secured. Not only did it help grow the office, but it also developed other skills.

And these skills he's learned along the way proves to be invaluable to his clients.

"His personality is calm and collected while he has a passion and fervor, but he's able to keep his emotions in check for the benefit of the case," client Carlos Alvarez, president of the Gambrinus Company, told the SABJ.

Learn more about Mr. Tobin, JW's San Antonio managing partner.