CHICAGO, Aug. 18, 2008 — The American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law has elected Dallas lawyer Steve Akers as chair of the section. He will serve for a one-year term that began at the close of the ABA Annual Meeting in New York City on Aug. 12.

Akers is a managing director at Bessemer Trust in Dallas, where he manages the family estate and legacy planning practice for its Southwest division. Prior to Bessemer Trust, he was partner at Ernst Young, LLP and Jenkens Gilchrist, PC.

Akers received his JD degree in 1977 from the University of Texas School of Law and his BS degree in chemical engineering from Oklahoma State University. An active member of the ABA, Akers has served as the chair of numerous committees, as a supervisory council member and in various other officer positions. He is also a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Previous service includes: chair of the Texas State Bar Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section, chair of the Dallas Bar Association Probate, Trusts and Estates Section, and member of the Board of Governors for the Dallas Estate Planning Council.

In November 2006, Akers received the Distinguished Accredited Estate Planner Award from the National Association of Estate Planners Councils, which is given in recognition of distinguished service to the field of estate planning.

The ABA Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, with more than 30,000 members, is the leading national forum for lawyers practicing in these fields. The Trust and Estate Division is concerned with all aspects of trusts, estate planning, tax planning for estates, employee benefits, insurance, probate and trust litigation, and related issues. The Real Property Division focuses on legal aspects of the ownership, use, development, transfer, regulation, financing, taxation and disposition of real estate.

With more than 413,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.