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.
Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s Jaime Vasquez Recognized as Lawyer of the Year in Tax Litigation and Controversy by US News’ Best Lawyers in America. San Antonio-based Vasquez was one of three Chamberlain Hrdlicka attorneys nominated by their peers to be recognized for the award. Vasquez, a shareholder at Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s San Antonio firm, was recently named Lawyer of the Year for the 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Bell Nunnally Partner Ross Angus Williams has been named among the “40 Under 40” in 2020 by the Dallas Business Journal.
University of Texas School of Law alumnus Ross Angus Williams has been named to Dallas Business Journal’s “40 under 40” list.
Lindsey Raspino has been promoted to partner at Houston litigation firm Reynolds Frizzell LLP. Lindsey possesses a strong ability to translate complex matters into simplified concepts—a quality that has consistently contributed to favorable outcomes for her clients. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate from The University of Texas, where she earned her law degree with Honors. She clerked for the Honorable Jane Bland of Texas’s First District Court of Appeals.
Promoted to the Vinson & Elkins LLP partnership effective Jan. 1, 2020, Watts represents entrepreneurial enterprises and venture capital investors in the creation, financing and operation of technology and growth companies. He also advises emerging companies with respect to mergers and acquisitions and other strategic transactions, in addition to general corporate and governance matters.
DLA Piper is pleased to announce that Andrew Hoffman, a partner in the firm’s Litigation practice, has been named to the Daily Journal’s 2019 Top 40 Under 40 list honoring young California lawyers across a range of practice areas. Hoffman represents pharmaceutical manufacturers and other life sciences companies in government investigations and related litigation.
Justin Constant was named a Texas Rising Star for 2019 by Super Lawyers. Texas Rising Stars is an annual list of exceptional lawyers in the state who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement, and who are either 40 years old or younger or have been practicing for 10 years or less. This distinction is given to only two percent of young attorneys in Texas.
Michael McBride, an intellectual property lawyer, was promoted to partner at Houston-based Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C. Jan. 28, 2019. Mr. McBride focuses on patent litigation and patent prosecution matters. He earned a degree in electrical engineering at UT and worked for Fujitsu-AMD Semiconductor in Austin before becoming a lawyer. He has prosecuted patents in hardware and software, aerospace and energy. Mr. McBride is a repeat honoree on the Texas Rising Stars list.
Norton Rose Fulbright has promoted Eliot Turner to partner. Turner is a member of the firm’s antitrust disputes group and he represents clients in defending and prosecuting claims under the Sherman Act, the Clayton Act, and state antitrust laws, as well as other complex matters. Based in the firm’s Houston office, Mr. Turner is an executive editor of Litigation, the journal of the American Bar Association’s Section of Litigation.
Norton Rose Fulbright in Houston has promoted Brandon Byrne to partner. Byrne represents clients on capital markets and M&A transactions, including public and private securities offerings, mergers, stock and asset transactions, and private equity and venture capital investments. He also advises on securities compliance, corporate governance, and contractual matters.
Rachel E. Ehlers has joined national workplace law firm Jackson Lewis P.C. as Of Counsel in its Austin, Texas office. Ms. Ehlers specializes in corporate governance and internal investigations, data privacy and cybersecurity, and workplace training. She has served in multiple in-house legal and compliance roles, in all sizes of companies—from startups to Fortune 500 companies.
Salvador “Sal” Davila, an attorney in the Austin office of Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has been named president of the Hispanic Bar Association of Austin (HBAA). Davila’s appointment became effective May 23 after he served a one-year term as president-elect. Davila has been an active member of the HBAA for nearly six years.
Dave Wishnew proudly announces the launch of his firm, Crawford, Wishnew & Lang PLLC. Dave has a diverse litigation practice with a primary focus in business, employment and intellectual property disputes. SuperLawyers named Dave a Rising Star each year since 2012, including Top 100 in 2017 and 2018. D Magazine recognized Dave in its Best Lawyers in Dallas and Best Lawyers Under 40 for 2018. News agencies across the country published stories of Dave’s client, after awarding her $1.08 million.
Salvador Davila, an attorney in the Austin office of Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has been accepted into the Austin Bar/Austin Young Lawyers Association (AYLA) Leadership Academy class of 2018. In his practice at Littler, Davila advises and represents employers, focusing on matters involving discrimination, retaliation, workplace safety, workers’ compensation retaliation claims, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) collective actions, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance.
O’Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo, PC is growing with three offices in Texas and 10 attorneys. David Campbell recently joined the firm’s Austin Office to assist with the firm’s trial and appellate practice. Before entering private practice, Mr. Campbell interned for Justice Wainwright at the Texas Supreme Court and later served as the briefing attorney for the Honorable Terry Jennings, Senior Justice for the First Court of Appeals of Texas. Since entering private practice, he has represented various clients in a wide array of litigation matters in state and federal courts throughout Texas. He also serves as an adjunct legal research and writing professor at Texas Law.
Salvador “Sal” Davila, an attorney in the Austin office of Littler, has been voted president-elect of the Hispanic Bar Association of Austin. In his practice at Littler, Davila advises and represents employers, focusing on matters involving discrimination, retaliation, workplace safety and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance. In addition to serving in a leadership role for HBAA, Davila is a chairperson on the Board of Directors of the Austin Young Lawyers Association.
Jared Hoggan, an intellectual property associate at Gray Reed & McGraw’s Dallas office, has been named a Rising Star for 2017 by Texas Super Lawyers. Texas Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars recognizes up-and-coming attorneys who are either 40-years old and younger or have been practicing for 10 years or less. This distinction is given to only two percent of young attorneys in Texas.
John C. Heintz, based in the Latham & Watkins LLP Los Angeles office, was promoted to partner, effective January 1, 2017. Mr. Heintz is a member of the firm’s Environment, Land & Resources Department. His practice focuses on infrastructure and project siting, environmental regulatory compliance and environmental litigation for energy, manufacturing and developer clients. He has particular experience in the areas of contaminated properties, air and water quality.
Dwayne W. Smith, a member of Gardner & Smith, PLLC, has been named the 2016 Outstanding Young Lawyer of Tarrant County by the Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association. He will be honored by the Tarrant County Bar Association at its Law Day award dinner on May 3, 2016.The Outstanding Young Lawyer award recognizes a young lawyer (age 36 or younger) who demonstrates professional excellence, a reputation for the advancement of legal ethics and professional responsibility, and service to the profession, bar, and community. Mr. Smith will be considered for the statewide Outstanding Young Lawyer of Texas Award that will be given at this year’s annual State Bar convention.
Jaime Vasquez was recently promoted to income shareholder by the national law firm, Chamberlain Hrdlicka. Vasquez is a successful tax and tax controversy attorney representing clients in federal, state and international transactional and tax controversy matters. He is Board Certified in Tax Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, holds a CPA license and previously worked with a “Big Four” accounting firm, and either holds or previously held positions of leadership in several organizations, including the Tax Section of the State Bar of Texas, the US Tax Court Pro Bono Program, the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) Legal Education Fund, and the Mexican American Bar Association of San Antonio. He was named one of the 2015 40 und
Jackson Walker LLP announces the election of Matthew Swantner to the firm’s partnership. Matthew J. Swantner focuses his practice on commercial litigation, including contract disputes, business torts, oil and gas matters, creditor’s rights, mineral and construction liens, and bankruptcy matters throughout Texas and New Mexico.
Matt ’10 and Elise Harriger, ’08 welcomed their twins, Evaline and Wiley, in February 2015.
Beginning this month, Stephanie Potter, a Partner at Naman Howell Smith & Lee PLLC, will lead the Mother Attorney Mentoring Association as its President, taking the reins from Lauren Schoenbaum of the Schoenbaum Firm, PLLC. Potter has been actively involved with MAMAs for over four years.
Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to announce Counsel Robert Vartabedian and Associate Conrad D. Hester have joined the Firm’s Fort Worth office in the Trial Practice Group.
“Both Rob and Conrad bring legal expertise in the oil, gas, and energy industry, which is highly valued by our many of our clients,” said Greg W. Curry, the Firm’s Trial Practice Group Leader. “They will make an excellent addition to our team.”