Class Notes

Darrell Lee Barger passed away on April 2, 2025. He served as a  captain in the U.S. Marine Corps before spending 50 years as a highly acclaimed and respected trial lawyer for Hartline Barger.

Andrew L. Kerr, a member at Clark Hill in San Antonio, has been selected as one of five recipients of the 2025 Texas Bar Foundation’s Outstanding 50 Year Lawyer Award. The Outstanding 50 Year Lawyer Award is given to attorneys whose practice has spanned five decades or more, recognizing their dedication to justice and adherence to the principles and traditions of the legal profession.

Jesse Pierce, co-founder of Pierce & O’Neill in Houston, has been named among the nation’s top energy and natural resources litigation attorneys in Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Energy Lawyers listing.

Lawrence Mealer passed away Dec. 14, 2024. Mealer began his career at Dallas Legal Services and later served as a civil attorney in private practice for over 48 years.

Jesse Pierce, partner at Pierce & O’Neill, has been recognized by Chambers USA for the 16th year for his commercial litigation practice in Houston. He also received national Band 1 rankings—the highest honor—for excellence in oil and gas matters. Pierce has tried cases in state and federal courts, representing both plaintiffs and defendants across all areas of complex litigation, including oil and gas matters, environmental issues, product liability, securities and corporate matters, and others.

Linda Lee Aaker passed away on Feb. 15, 2024. Aaker spent a decade in the Texas Attorney General’s Office, then was a partner at Bickerstaff, Heath, Smiley, Pollan, Kever & McDaniel before being appointed to the Council of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Jesse Pierce has been listed among the nation’s top attorneys by the 2024 edition of Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Lawyers in America for excellence in commercial litigation.

Jack Harold Emmott III passed away on Nov. 21, 2023. Emmott was a successful lawyer who devoted his practice to resolving family law disputes for clients all over Texas. He was recognized as a Master Credentialed Collaborative Lawyer by Collaborative Divorce Texas, one of only two attorneys in Houston with that designation.

Jesse Pierce has been recognized in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers in America for his legal work in Natural Resources, Oil and Gas, and Commercial Litigation. Co-founder of Pierce O’Neill, LLP, he is board certified in civil trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is a Commercial Arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and a Litigation Counsel of America Senior Fellow.

emJesse Pierce has received his 15th consecutive selection to the Chambers USA legal directory for his work in commercial litigation and oil and gas expertise. Pierce has more than 45 years of litigation experience and specializes in civil trials of cases dealing with complex energy and commercial issues. He also was recently recognized by Texas Super Lawyers.

Russell Winfield Schell has passed away. After serving as a partner at Thomson Coe and heading the litigation division at Riddle & Brown, Schell founded his own law firm in 1992 and enjoyed a successful career as a trial lawyer.

Anthony McGettrick passed away on Feb. 8, 2023. McGettrick worked for the City of Laredo – as assistant city attorney then city attorney – before his retirement in 2009.

Hollis Drake Leddy passed away in January 2023. Leddy was a partner at Arthur Anderson, president of USAA Real Estate, and founder and CEO of the Leddy Company and Presidian.

Hon. Herb Ritchie passed away on Dec. 1, 2022. Ritchie was managing partner of his private practice, Ritchie and Glass, before being elected as judge of the 337th District Criminal Court in 2008, then becoming Harris County’s criminal administrative judge in 2018.

Randy Johnston has been inducted into the Pampa High School Harvester Hall of Fame as an outstanding alumnus for contributing to one’s profession and community. Johnston is currently a shareholder at Johnston Tobey Baruch.

Jane Hayman passed away Oct. 8, 2022. After earning her B.A. and J.D. from UT, Hayman clerked for Judge William Morrison in Austin before heading to Washington, D.C., where she served as an aide to Congressman Jack Brooks. In later years, she dedicated herself to charitable work, neighborhood advocacy, and historical preservation.

Andrew Kerr, a Member of Clark Hill law firm in the San Antonio office, was the recipient of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from Texas Lawyer for his commitment to public service to the Texas legal community and the community beyond over the course of his career.

Randy Johnston is included on the 2022 list of Texas Super Lawyers and the DFW Top 100, recognized among the state’s top plaintiffs’ attorneys for professional liability cases. He has been named to the Super Lawyers list each year since the inaugural 2003 edition. Johnston is a partner and shareholder at Johnston Tobey Baruch.

John W. Cones has been included in Marquis Who’s Who. Cones practiced law in Los Angeles for 23 years, then in Houston. His investor offering work resulted in successfully funding 62 feature and documentary films. In addition to his legal work, Cones has authored 16 books about film finance and has been active on the lecture circuit.

Colonel Joel Oxley has passed away at his home in Niceville, Fla. on Aug. 2, 2021. After law school, he spent the next 29 years as a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Air Force.

Marilyn Aboussie was named an Iconic Woman in Legal History by the Texas Young Lawyers Association. She was also the first female district judge in Tom Green County and was elected as the Chief Justice of the Third Court of Appeals of Texas in 1998, holding that office until her retirement in January 2003. Since then, she has continued serving as a Senior Judge for the State of Texas and also as a trained mediator. She has served as president of the Texas Law Alumni Association and honored as a Leader and Champion by the Center for Women in Law.

Tom Landry, Jr. was named a co-grand marshal  of the 37th annual NASCAR All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway held during on June 13. The 2021 NASCAR All-Star Race will be held for the first time at the speedway, which is celebrating its 25th Season of Speed. Landry, Jr. currently serves as President and a Director of Dallas-based Landry Investment Group, Inc.

Jeptha P. “Jep” Hill, Jr., age 78, passed peacefully in Austin, Texas, with family at his side on Jan. 10, after a long, progressive battle with corticobasal degeneration. CBD is a rare, prime-of-life brain disease with no known cause or cure, and it was Jep’s wish that his brain be donated to the Mayo Clinic Brain Trust for research. He practiced law with Kleberg, Dyer, Redford & Weil Heron then with Burchette, Ruckert & Rothwell before starting Austin Linux Group in the ’90s. Hill was also a contributing editor of the Texas Natural Resources Reporter.

All of the attorneys at Dallas law firm Johnston Tobey Baruch have been named to the list of Texas Super Lawyers for 2020, including Randy Johnston. Randy Johnston is known as one of the state’s foremost authorities on issues of legal ethics and handles cases involving professional malpractice.

Gray Reed family law senior counsel Jack H. Emmott has been named in the National Law Journal (NLJ)’s second annual “Divorce, Trusts & Estates Trailblazers” list. According to the NLJ, each of the attorneys honored have “shown a deep passion and perseverance in pursuit of their mission, having achieved remarkable successes along the way.” Emmott was selected from a competitive field of nominees, all of whom have “changed the practice in their respective fields through innovative and exceptional legal strategies.” Emmott, a board certified family law attorney and one of two Houston-area lawyers recognized by Collaborative Divorce Texas as a Master Credentialed Collaborative Professional, focuses his practice on collaborative divorce.

Jack H. Emmott, a board certified family law attorney and member at Gray Reed & McGraw, was one of two Houston-area lawyers included in Collaborative Divorce Texas’ inaugural class of Master Credentialed Collaborative Professionals. Achievement of this designation demonstrates Emmott’s commitment to the highest standards of collaborative practice, a client-centered approach that gives couples the opportunity to confidentially create their own customized divorce, focusing on protecting their families and preserving their resources and assets through solutions-oriented, interest-based negotiation.

Jack Emmott is about to publish his second book, “Bending Angels,” which tells his own story of his journey from a child stricken with polio to an over-achieving adult, and the “bending angels” in his life who guided and inspired him. Learn more about the book at the official “Bending Angels” website.

Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to congratulate John H. Martin, who was named to the 2016 Who’s Who Legal 100. Wright was recognized for his work in transport law.

Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to congratulate John H. Martin on his selection as this year’s recipient of the Louis B. Potter Lifetime Professional Service Award from DRI – The Voice of the Defense Bar (“DRI”).