DALLAS — A celebrated attorney from Yankton, South Dakota, has gained recognition in Texas for his exemplary work in appellate law. Jeff Levinger, 68, has been awarded the prestigious Gregory S. Coleman Outstanding Appellate Lawyer Award for 2025 by the Texas Bar Foundation. This annual award honors individuals who epitomize the highest standards of the legal profession in Texas.
Levinger, who has not previously received an award of this caliber, will be honored during the foundation’s annual dinner set for June 20 in San Antonio. “It is truly gratifying to be acknowledged after decades of practicing law, and I feel honored to be recognized among past recipients whom I respect and admire,” he stated.
The Coleman Award was established in 2011 in memory of Gregory S. Coleman, a distinguished appellate lawyer and the first solicitor general of Texas, who passed away in 2010. The award not only recognizes excellence in appellate practice but also requires recipients to demonstrate a commitment to serving underserved communities, mentoring young lawyers, and maintaining a strong ethical compass in both personal and professional endeavors.
Born and raised in Yankton, Levinger graduated from Yankton High School in 1975. He attended Dartmouth College, where he earned a degree in economics in 1979, followed by a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1982. His passion for law was sparked by a high school course taught by Fred Mehrman, which covered the landmark 1803 Supreme Court case, Marbury v. Madison. He later took a constitutional law course at Dartmouth under Vincent Starzinger and interned with the South Dakota Legislature, both experiences solidifying his desire to pursue a legal career.
Levinger’s journey in Texas began in 1980 when he worked as a summer associate at a Dallas law firm during an intense heatwave. His initial positive experience in the city led him to return for another summer and eventually accept a clerkship with U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Patrick Higginbotham. After completing his law degree, Levinger moved to Dallas for his clerkship, marking the beginning of a notable legal career.
Over the following years, Levinger worked at Carrington, Coleman, Sloman & Blumenthal LLP, where he handled diverse cases and rose to serve on the firm’s executive committee. He later co-founded a boutique appellate law firm alongside a former Texas Supreme Court justice before establishing Levinger PC in 2011. With board certification in civil appellate law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Levinger has authored numerous appellate briefs and presented arguments in over 150 appeals across various courts, representing both businesses and individuals.
Alongside his professional achievements, Levinger invested considerable time in pro bono work, providing legal representation to a Texas death row inmate for approximately 16 years, culminating in the inmate’s release in 2005 after extensive appeals. He sees the diversity of cases he handles as a defining feature of his practice. “I often say I’m a jack of all trades, but a master of none,” he remarked.
Levinger’s involvement in professional organizations includes chairing the Dallas Bar Association Appellate Section and the State Bar of Texas Appellate Section, helping to create committees focused on pro bono services and supporting government-employed attorneys. He has also chaired the Texas Pattern Jury Charges Committee and is active in the Anti-Defamation League, having held the position of regional board chairman for three years.
Outside his legal career, Levinger enjoys running and hiking and values time spent with his wife, Terry. They often travel together to attend concerts of their favorite musicians. The couple has two adult sons, Jake and Sam. Although Levinger no longer has family in Yankton, he expressed interest in returning for a potential 50th high school reunion.
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