Baylor Law Alumnus Ike Vanden Eykel Inaugurated As Dallas Bar Association's 101st President

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Ike Vanden Eykel, a Baylor Law alumnus and partner at Koons, Fuller, Vanden Eykel & Robertson PC, has been inaugurated Jan. 23, as the Dallas Bar Association's 101st president.

"My plan for the Dallas Bar Association this year will focus on adding strength and definition to the first-class programs the Bar already has in place," said Mr. Vanden Eykel. "I view this as an opportunity to build on what my predecessors have established--to make the DBA stronger and to help direct our association's future."

"Ike follows in a long line of distinguished Baylor lawyers who have given themselves over selflessly to assume leadership roles among their peers," said Baylor Law Dean Brad Toben. "The Dallas Bar Association, one of the largest metroplex bar associations in the nation, has wisely called upon Ike to lead. Ike's keen and admired abilities in the courtroom and in the conference room make him a splendid choice to lead the DBA further in its long path of service to the bar and to the public. Ike understands the lawyer's obligation to serve, and will, as always, set the bar for those who follow."

Inaugurated as president in January, Vanden Eykel began his tenure with the Dallas Bar Association in 1998 when close friend and fellow Baylor Lawyer W. Mike Baggett suggested that he would enjoy working as a board member of the bar.

Since then, Vanden Eykel has served in various leadership positions in the bar and the community. He was first elected to the board of directors of the DBA in 2000, and has served as vice-chair, chair of the board, second vice-president, first vice-president and president-elect. He served as president of the board of directors of the Community Service Fund and is currently a trustee and a Fellow of the Dallas Bar Foundation. He was general chair of the Campaign for Equal Access to Justice. He has been active in both the local and state Family Law Section.

In the community, Vanden Eykel has served as a member of the boards of directors of the Dallas Opera, Heritage Farmstead, Collin County Children's Advocacy Center Inc., the Child Abuse Prevention Center and the Domestic Violence Legal Help Center.

Born in Slayton, Minn., Vanden Eykel's family moved to Wheaton, a western suburb of Chicago, when he was two years old. Early in life, he thought about becoming a minister. However, in seventh grade, he took an aptitude test that recommended he become a lawyer. He earned a bachelor of science degree from Drake University. He decided to attend Baylor Law School to become a trial lawyer. He graduated with his JD in 1973.

After law school, Vanden Eykel settled in Dallas and started practicing business litigation with Stroud & Smith, a firm which ultimately merged with Vial Hamilton. He continued his business litigation practice with Seeligson, Douglass, Falconer & Vanden Eykel and, in January of 1990, he moved a practice group to Koons, Fuller, McCurley & Vanden Eykel. In July of 1992, he became managing partner of the firm that is today Koons, Fuller, Vanden Eykel & Robertson. His firm now consists of 25 attorneys practicing in four different offices and is the Southwest's largest law firm that handles exclusively family law cases.

Vanden Eykel is a prolific author who has teamed with firm members to write books on how to make the divorce process less painful. He has written a book on Texas family law titled Successful Lone Star Divorce; co-authored the Texas Family Law Practice Guide; and has recently published a new book with fellow Koons Fuller attorney Rick Robertson, titled Protecting Your Assets From A Texas Divorce. In addition, Vanden Eykel and attorney Sharla Fuller have collaborated on an additional book, Lone Star Divorce: The NEW Edition. He is also the co-author of a new edition of the assets book with partners Heather King, Charla Conner and Rick Robertson.

Vanden Eykel and his wife, Cathy, have been married for 31 years and have three children: Eric, Lindsey and Steven.

The Dallas Bar Association (DBA) was founded by 40 lawyers in 1873, during an era that witnessed remarkable growth in the city of Dallas. Today, the DBA boasts a membership of approximately 9,000 lawyers and is dedicated to the continuing education of its members as well as public service programs and improvement of the administration of justice.

Contact: Julie Carlson, Baylor Law School, 254-710-6681