Class Notes

James Joseph “Jim” McConn Jr. passed away on July 14, 2024. McConn founded the law firm of Hays, McConn, Rice, and Pickering in Houston, where he practiced for 33 years.

Claire Campbell has joined Kirkland and Ellis as a Houston-based corporate partner focused on representing private equity funds, equity investments, and related portfolio management. Previously working as a managing director with Stonepeak, a leading alternative investment firm focused on the infrastructure and real estate sectors, she has extensive experience negotiating mergers and acquisitions and structured equity investments for private equity clients in multiple jurisdictions.

Andy Cooper has been named a partner with the Dallas-based firm Chamblee Ryan PC. Having joined the firm in 2014, his practice focuses on a variety of subject matters, including the defense of personal injury, insurance coverage, commercial, trucking, premises liability, environmental and toxic tort claims, indemnity, and trade practice cases in federal, Texas, and Louisiana courts.

Lipscomp “Lip” Norvell passed away on July 15, 2024. Norvell began his law career in Beaumont, Texas, and grew into the practice of civil defense trial law, practicing for more than 50 years.  He was honored by the Texas Center for Legal, Ethics, and Professionalism and the Jefferson County Bar Association with the Texas Center for Professionalism Award for his exemplary character.

David J. Beck has been named to the 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators list.

Tommy W. Lueders passed away on July 14, 2024. Lueders earned his undergraduate and law degrees from UT before joining the U.S. Air Force where he served from 1961 to 1989. He served on several interagency groups under the Reagan administration including as a legal advisor for the first Anti-Terror Group. He was a life member of the American Legion and the VFW and served as Chairman of the Military Law Section of the State Bar of Texas.

William Gordon Childs has written a book titled “Recreation and Risk,” which delves into the law through recreational businesses. In addition to being an author, Childs works as an in-house litigation counsel for a Fortune 500 company in Minnesota and is an adjunct professor of law at Western New England University School of Law and Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

Thomas L. Tippetts passed away on June 4, 2024. Tippetts joined Haynes Boone in 2006 after graduating from Texas Law, eventually becoming partner, where he worked in the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group for more than over 18 years.

Josh R. Lounsbury, a shareholder with Coolidge Wall, was inducted into the Ohio State Bar Foundation Fellows Program, recognizing his commitment to professionalism and serving the community. Lounsbury has more than 15 years of experience representing businesses, public entities, and individuals in his practice areas of municipal law, civil litigation, and workers’ compensation defense.

Pam Giblin has joined the Good Neighbor Environmental Board under the Federal Advisory Committee Management Division of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). With over 30 years of experience in environmental law, Giblin is knowledgeable in advising clients on environmental matters such as air quality.  She has also served as president of the American College of Environmental Lawyers and on the Clean Air Act Advisory Committee, a team that advised the EPA on the implementation of the Clean Air Act.

Mary Kate Raffetto, a partner at Beck Redden LLP as a trial and appellate specialist, was recognized on Lawdragon’s 500 X–The Next Generation for Appellate and Commercial Litigation and 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyer lists for 2024. Raffetto also was named a 2024 Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers.

Cori Loomis has joined the healthcare group at McAfee & Taft, where she will represent and counsel hospitals and health systems, physicians and medical practices, and other healthcare providers. Before taking on this role, Loomis served as the compliance officer and HIPAA privacy official for the University of Oklahoma and as the general counsel for the Oklahoma State Medical Association.

Linda Broock’s new film “Unleashed” will be shown at the Waco Independent Film Festival. The film, which investigates the harsh world of sex trafficking, has been nominated for the Best Feature Film and Best Documentary Feature awards.

David Kavanaugh has taken on a new role as global head of investment operations at Dimensional Fund Advisors. Previously, Kavanaugh served as Dimensional’s head of global client group operations, where he managed the operations of the firm’s global client group in client onboarding, intermediary relationships, client reporting, and business data analytics.

Jackie Furlow, partner at Beck Redden LLP, was recognized by Lawdragon as a Leading Energy Lawyer and 500 X–The Next Generation for Commercial Litigation, Employment and Energy for 2024. She also was recognized as a 2024 Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers.

Irwin Steinhorn has joined Steptoe & Johnson PLLC in the firm’s Oklahoma City office. Steinhorn has decades of experience assisting clients with corporate compliance, corporate governance and ethics, mergers and acquisitions, securities regulation and compliance, capital market transactions, securities offerings, shareholder activism, and environmental law.

Kristen Pauling Doyle has been unanimously voted to be hired as CEO by the oversight committee for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). She previously served as CPRIT’s general counsel and DEO since 2009.

Carlos Eduardo Cárdenas of the Law Office of Carlos Eduardo Cardenas, P.C., has been elected 2024-2025 chair of the Texas Bar Foundation Board of Trustees. Cárdenas also received the Reynaldo G. Garza Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hispanic Issues Section of the State Bar of Texas in recognition of his “long commitment and made great achievements in addressing concerns and issues affecting the Hispanic community.” In addition, Cárdenas has been elected 2024-2025 chair of the Texas Bar Foundation Board of Trustees.

Lena Silva was recognized in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X–The Next Generation for Commercial Litigation. She also recently received the 2023-2024 Outstanding Director Award from the Houston Young Lawyers Association. 

Charles Hlavinka passed away on June 23, 2024. Hlavinka practiced tax law for more than 50 years, serving Texarkana and the surrounding area. He also served his community with roles in many organizations.

J. Holt Foster III has joined  Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP as the managing partner of Willkie’s newly launched Dallas office. Holt’s practice focuses on private equity, venture capital and creative financings, mergers and acquisitions, fund formation and international transactions. He was most recently a partner at Sidley Austin LLP, where he served as co-leader of the firm’s global energy practice team.

Madison Moore, an associate at Beck Redden in Houston, was recognized in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation for Commercial Litigation.

Parth Gejji, an associate at Beck Redden in Houston, was recognized in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X–The Next Generation in Appellate.

Nicholas Bruno, an associate at Beck Redden in Houston, was recognized in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X–The Next Generation for Appellate.

Garrett Brawley, an associate at Beck Redden in Houston, was recognized in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X–The Next Generation for Commercial Litigation.

William G. Hagans of the Hagans law firm in Houston has been named chair of the State Bar of Texas Professionalism & Civility Committee for the 2024-2025 bar year.

Ryan Phelps has been named a partner in the Tax, Executive Compensation and Benefits Practice Group at Holland & Knight in Houston. Phelps’ practice focuses on the tax aspects of complex domestic and cross-border transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buyouts, joint ventures, tax-free spinoffs, restructurings, public offerings and other financings.

A double Longhorn and Marine veteran, Mike Gregory was a 50-year lawyer, a board-certified Family Law Specialist for 44 years, and a certified mediator for 25 years. Gregory was active in the local and state bar associations, including serving as a director of the State Bar of Texas. In 2018, he was appointed by the Texas Supreme Court as a member of the Board of Disciplinary Appeals.

Garrett S. Brawley has been appointed as co-chair of the Texas Young Lawyers Association’s National Trial Competition Committee and vice-chair of the Texas Young Lawyers Association’s State Moot Court Competition Committee for the 2024-2025 bar year. Brawley is an associate  at the Houston office of Beck Redden LLP, working on high-stakes commercial cases from across the country.

Jacqueline Watson was elected second vice president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association for the 2024-25 term.  As a former AILA Texas chapter chair and elected director of the AILA National Board of Directors, Watson specializes in citizenship and naturalization, family-based immigration, defense from removal, asylum, federal court litigation, and other complex immigration matters.

Brad Caldwell has earned selection in the 2024 Chambers USA guide. Caldwell, who is an attorney of the Dallas law firm Caldwell Cassady & Curry, is being recognized as one of the top intellectual property attorneys in the U.S.

Scott Clark has earned selection in the 2024 IAM Patent 1000 guide. Clark, who is an attorney for the Houston trial law firm Alavi Anaipakos, is being recognized for his work in high-stakes intellectual property lawsuits.

Stacy Sharp has been appointed by Governor Abbott to the new Fourth Business Court Division in San Antonio. Sharp, who is an attorney and owner of Sharp Appellate PLLC, also teaches as an adjunct professor at Texas Law.

Drew L. Kershen has been awarded the United States Department of the Interior’s Citizen’s Award for Exceptional Service. Kershen, who is the Earl Sneed Centennial Professor of Law Emeritus in the OU College of Law, received this award for his notable contributions to public service.

Morgan Lawson has joined Hall Estill as an associate at its Oklahoma City office. Lawson’s practice includes civil rights, corporate, business, employment litigation, Native American law, products liability and real estate.

Raymond Harold Marshall passed away on June 13, 2024. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Marshall practiced law for firm in El Paso specializing in real estate and banking law, and served as bank counsel for the State National Bank.

Tory Lauterbach has joined Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP as a partner in the Energy, Regulation and Litigation Practice Group. Lauterbach, who has extensive experience in administrative litigation and settlement proceedings, will be joining the firm’s Washington D.C office.

Steve Stodghill has been reappointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Public Safety Commission—which oversees the Texas Department of Public Safety—for a term set to expire on Jan. 1, 2030. Stodghill is a partner at Winston & Strawn, LLP in Dallas.

Brenda Barret has joined the HeartGift Foundation board of directors. The nonprofit organization provides free, life-saving heart surgeries to patients with congenital heart defects who live in countries where specialized pediatric cardiac care is scarce or non-existent. Barrett is  partner at Husch Backwell, representing clients in the energy and credit union industries.

Jerel Johnston Hill passed away on June 8, 2024. Hill opened his independent real estate law practice in 1992 and worked there with his son until his passing.

Judge Joe Leonard III passed away on June 12, 2024. Leonard served Hunt County first as the county attorney in 1983, followed by a 10-year stint as county court-at-law judge (1984-1994 and finally as the 196th district court judge (1995-2010).

Thomas E. Cirkal passed away on May 28, 2024. Cirkal, who enjoyed travel and rugby, practiced law in Denver for 45 years.

John Henry Broocks III passed away on June 11, 2024. A double Longhorn, Broocks enjoyed a long and successful legal career working for Humble Oil & Refining Company, now known as ExxonMobil. He retired as the chief landman for Exxon USA.

Jerry Bullard has been appointed by Governor Abbott to the new Eighth Business Court Division in Fort Worth. Bullard, who is a shareholder and attorney with Adams, Lynch & Loftin, P.C., has over 30 years of experience in state and federal court litigation.

Melissa Andrews has been appointed by Governor Abbott to the new Third Business Court Division in Austin. Andrews, who is an equity partner at Holland & Knight, will work to resolve complex commercial disputes in Texas.

Scott K. Field has been appointed by Governor Abbott to serve as one of the first three members of the Fifteenth Court of Appeals. Field, who previously served as a justice of the Third Court of Appeals, will be working to ensure the Texas Constitution and state statutes are applied uniformly throughout Texas.

Vincent Perini passed away on June 3, 2024. Perini served as president of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association in 1979-80, president of the Dallas Bar Association in 1986, and was inducted into the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Hall of Fame in 2019.

Peggy Walsleben Huffman Thompson passed away on May 29, 2024. Thompson served as the executive director of the Fort Worth Legal Foundation’s Legal Aid Clinic for almost 10 years; she then became an attorney advisor in the Real Estate Division of the Fort Worth District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where she served for 20 years before her retirement.

Lisa Salinas Schneider has been appointed as the first general counsel at SpyCloud, a leader in Cybercrime Analytics. Schneider, who joined SpyCloud in 2020 after establishing the legal department at TrendKite and holding in-house roles at Apple and Xerox Services, will now oversee all legal and regulatory affairs for the company.

David J. Beck was honored in the Chambers USA 2024 Guide in the practice areas of Litigation: Trial Lawyers and Litigation: General Commercial and named a 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyer. Beck is a trial lawyer and founding partner at Beck Redden LLP. Beck is a trial lawyer and founding partner at Beck Redden LLP and is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.