Winning accolades from federal judges for selflessly serving others is nice, but what makes it even better, according to Houston attorney David Adler, is when the award is named after your legal hero.

Adler, a former CIA officer turned criminal defense attorney, is set to receive the first-ever Judge Thomas M. Reavley Award for Outstanding Public Service from the U.S. District Courts of the Southern District of Texas for his work helping indigent defendants.