Class Notes

Joe Bailey Jr. passed away on July 31, 2026. He was an award-winning documentary filmmaker and UT instructor who met his wife, fellow Texas Law alum Alice Dolson, while attending law school.

Jared Vitemb has joined Ruiz Foods as senior vice president and general counsel. He will lead the company’s legal function and advise its CEO, board of directors, and executive leadership team. Vitemb previously was VP, general counsel, chief compliance officer and corporate secretary at Farmer Brothers Co.

William E. Routt III has joined national law firm, Bass, Berry & Sims, as a senior litigation attorney in the firm’s newly launched Chicago office. Routt has 20 years of litigation experience focusing on contract disputes and business torts across a wide variety of industries including finance, healthcare, manufacturing, real estate, insurance, and entertainment.

Kim Bueno has been named to Forbes’ “America’s Top Women Lawyers“ list for litigation. Bueno is a litigation partner at Kirkland & Ellis in Austin.

Peter Idziak has been promoted to principal at Polunsky Beitel Green in the Dallas office as the transactional residential mortgage lending law firm marks its 50th anniversary. Idziak has been with PBG for nearly seven years, building a practice focused on regulatory compliance and consumer financial law, providing guidance on complex matters to lenders across the country.

Brooke E. Lierman has been selected as the keynote speaker for Howard Community College’s 55th commencement exercises on May 22, 2026. She serves as the 34th Comptroller of Maryland and the first woman independently elected to one of the state’s constitutional offices.

Michael Bittner has joined King & Spalding’s Dallas office as an intellectual property trial lawyer, with an emphasis on patent litigation. He previously served as a partner at Winston & Strawn in Dallas.

Erin Fonken has joined Kemp Smith in Austin as partner. She specializes in air quality, water quality, endangered species, enforcement, permitting, administrative matters and litigation for their Public and Environmental Law Department.

Jonathan Eisenman has been appointed to serve as a judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Eisenman previously was assistant general counsel for the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power and worked as a deputy city attorney. He served as a law clerk at the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Michael McBride has been recognized in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for his work in high-stakes intellectual property and patent trials. He is a partner at Alavi Anaipakos PLLC’s Houston office.

Ross Williams has been named to D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2025” list. He is a partner at Bell Nunnally in Dallas, specializing in business and commercial litigation.

William Peterson has been named the 10th solicitor general of Texas as part of the Office of the Attorney General. He was previously a partner in the Houston office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, where he co-chaired the firm’s appellate practice.

Siddartha Rao has joined New York litigation boutique Hoguet Newman Regal & Kenney in New York City as a partner. Rao brings to HNRK nearly two decades of experience in securities, intellectual property, and other disputes in federal, state, and appellate courts as well as arbitration forums.

Leyna Williams is the newest Texas underwriting counsel at First National Title Insurance Company, based in Plano, Texas. She previously worked as an escrow officer, CE instructor, and in-house counsel for a title agency in Houston.

Dwayne Smith, managing partner at Gardner Smith & Vaughan in Fort Worth, received the Professionalism Award from the Tarrant County Bar Association in May 2025. This prestigious honor is awarded annually to one attorney in Tarrant County under the age of 65 who “exemplifies, by conduct and character, professional traits that others in the bar should try to emulate and is an inspiring role model for the bar and is respected by his or her peers.”

Gregory Smith was named partner at Vela Wood in Dallas. Smith, who focuses on real estate, corporate finance, and general business transactions, is a four-time Super Lawyers Rising Star recipient and a Texas Bar Foundation fellow.

Michael McBride, a partner at Houston trial law firm Alavi Anaipakos, has been named to the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America based on his work in high-stakes intellectual property lawsuits. McBride focuses his practice on complex patent litigation and patent prosecution matters.

Rose Jenkins has been nominated by President Joe Biden as a judge to the United States Tax Court. Jenkins has over 15 years of career experience as a tax lawyer and is an expert in international tax law and administrative law. She is currently an attorney in the Office of Associate Chief Counsel at the Internal Revenue Service.

Lance Currie, a partner at Carrington Coleman, has been elected to the Dallas Independent School District Board of Trustees. Currie’s practice centers on construction and real estate law.

Jaime Vasquez was named managing shareholder of Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s San Antonio office. Vasquez concentrates his practice on federal, state, and international tax controversy matters.

Jaime Vasquez has been named the managing shareholder of Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s San Antonio office. Vasquez, who is board certified in tax law, has counseled clients in tax litigation matters, handling cases before the United States Tax Court, United States District Court, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Meghan A. McCaffrey has a new position as co-managing partner at the Washington, D.C. office of Quinn Emanuel Trial Lawyers. McCaffrey is an accomplished trial lawyer, representing major U.S. and multinational corporations in complex business disputes and multi-billion dollar commercial litigation in federal and state courts.

The Hon. Brooke Lierman has been inducted into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame. Lierman is comptroller of the State of Maryland and is the first woman independently elected to any one of Maryland’s constitutional offices.

Rose E. Jenkins has been nominated by President Biden to be a judge on the United States Tax Court. Jenkins has more than 15 years of experience as a tax lawyer and currently is an attorney in the Office of Associate Chief Counsel at the Internal Revenue Service.

Elizabeth H. Fry has been selected as a Foundation Fellow by the San Antonio Bar Foundation. Fry practices trust and estate planning at Hornberger Fuller & Garza Incorporated and is board certified in estate planning and probate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Bryan P. Hoeller has been named a “Best Criminal Defense Lawyer” in Fort Worth of 2023 by Forbes. Hoeller was a former criminal prosecutor turned criminal defense lawyer, defending thousands of clients in a variety of cases.

Allison Becker has been named co-chair at Health Care, Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, LLP (GRSM Healthcare Practice Group). Becker’s healthcare practice involves defending providers against all manner of claims in various stages of litigation.

Kate Higginbothom has been named chief administrative officer at the U.S. International Trade Commission. Higginbothom previously served for more than a decade in multiple roles with the Federal Election Commission.

Michael McBride has been included in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers in America for his work in Intellectual Property law. McBride is a partner at Alavi Anaipakos in Houston, where he focuses primarily on high-stakes, complex patent litigation and patent prosecution matters.

Nathaniel J. Palmer has been named to the 2023 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation guide. Palmer is a partner at Reid Collins & Tsai and focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation.

Mark F. Rosenow joined the firm PilieroMazza as a counsel in the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group. His practice focuses on complex commercial dispute resolution, business litigation, and government investigations, including matters arising under the False Claims Act.

Martin Luff has joined Wilson Sonsini as a partner in the London office. Luff was previously of counsel at Vinson & Elkins for the past seven years, where he specialized in dealing with the employment aspects of business transactions.

Toni Brown has joined Greenberg Taurig LLP as of counsel. Brown comes as a former senior director of supply chain at Inspire Brands, owner of several national restaurant chains.

Brooke Lierman has been sworn in as Maryland’s comptroller, becoming the first woman to be independently elected to any state government office in Maryland. Lierman previously was a civil and disability attorney in Baltimore.

Brooke Lierman made history during midterm elections by being the first woman to be independently elected into office in the state of Maryland. Lierman assume her role as the state comptroller in January 2023. She has served in the Maryland House of Delegates since 2015.

Rachel Ehlers has joined Baker McKenzie as a partner in the firm’s intellectual property and technology practice. Ehlers, who is certified as a Privacy Law Specialist and Certified Information Privacy Professional by the International Association of Privacy Professionals, has more than a decade of experience advising clients on data privacy and cybersecurity issues.

Michael McBride has been named in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America based on his expertise in the areas of intellectual property lawsuits and patent disputes. McBride is currently a partner at Alavi & Anaipakos PLLC in Houston.

Michael McBride has joined the recently established Houston law firm Alavi Anaipakos, which specializes in global intellectual property and litigation. McBride represents clients in high-stakes intellectual property cases and business disputes.

Jared Hoggan has joined the patent litigation team of Munck Wilson Mandala as a partner. Hoggan specializes in complex patent litigation and licensing.

Justin Constant has been named a 2022 Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers. Constant is a patent litigation counsel in the Houston office of Weil, Gotshal, and Manges, LLP.

Lydia Zakhari has been promoted to General Counsel at The Trust (powered by the NFLPA), which supports NFL players following their playing careers. As a member of its Senior Leadership Team, Lydia is involved in the administration and management of The Trust and leads the diversified legal needs of the organization. While at Texas Law,  she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Texas Journal on Civil Liberties & Civil Rights.

Finity Jernigan has been elected to partner at Holland & Hart, based in the firm’s Boulder office. Jernigan specializes in venture capital and private equity funds in consumer products (including the food, beverage, skincare and cosmetics industries). She works closely with funds, brands and entrepreneurs at all stages of the corporate life cycle.

Rick Cofer was recognized as Best Lawyer in the Austin Chronicle 2021 Best of Austin Readers Poll. He is a partner of Cofer & Connelly, PLLC whose practice focus on family law, criminal defense, and personal injury law.

Leslie Robnett was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Specialty Courts Advisory Council for a term set to expire February 1, 2025. Robnett of Fort Worth is an attorney for Duane Morris, LLP. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas, The University of Texas Chancellors Council, and the Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court.

Brad Foxman has been promoted to partner at Vinson & Elkins effective Jan. 1, 2022. Foxman’s practice focuses on restructuring and reorganization, including the representation of lenders, buyers, debtors, creditors and trustees. He has extensive experience in advising clients on all aspects of financial distress, including liability management transactions, corporate workouts and restructurings, distressed asset acquisitions and divestitures, bankruptcy litigation, counterpart risk and reorganization and insolvency proceedings.

Rose Jenkins has started a new role as senior attorney advisor at NYU Law’s Tax Law Center. Prior to joining the Tax Law Center, Jenkins was a Managing Director in the International Tax group within KPMG’s Washington National Tax office. Before KPMG, Jenkins was in the Office of Associate Chief Counsel (International) at the IRS, finally as a Special Counsel.

Jennifer Librach Nall has joined DLA Piper as a partner in the firm’s Patent Litigation practice, based in Austin, Texas.

Julie Gremillion has been appointed as General Counsel for GoExpedi. She will be responsible for leading all aspects of GoExpedi’s legal strategy, managing compliance and risk throughout the organization; working closely with senior leadership and the Board of Directors as a strategic advisor on legal and business matters affecting the company; and providing legal support for transactional matters, strategic opportunities and day-to-day operations.

Wesley Watts is the founding partner of the new Austin office for midsize venture capital law firm Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian LLP, with with a focus on private equity work. Watts has a history of working with technology companies in Austin through transactions and private equity matters. Previously he worked at Vinson & Elkins.

Claire Rosston has been elected to the Holland & Hart’s partnership, effective Jan. 1, 2021 in the firm’s Boise office. Rosston represents buyers and sellers in asset and equity acquisitions, with significant experience in the animal healthcare industry. She also assists clients with corporate governance, operational contracts, as well as business formation, restructuring, and disputes.