Class Notes

Shannon Sims, an economy and government editor at Bloomberg, has been named Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Institute of Current World Affairs.

Chris Stewart from the Dallas law firm Caldwell Cassady & Curry has been recognized as one of the state’s top young lawyers on the 2022 Texas Rising Stars list published by Thomson Reuters. Mr. Stewart has earned repeated selections to the exclusive annual listing based on his work in intellectual property litigation.

Hong Shi has been promoted to counsel at Haynes and Boone, LLP. Shi is a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the firm’s Austin office. In her role, she advises clients on patent office trials before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), negotiates patent licenses, and prepares patent applications.

Andrew Baumgardner has been selected as a Foundation Fellow by the San Antonio Bar Foundation. Baumgardner practices real estate and commercial law as a partner at Jackson Walker.

Jamie E. France has rejoined Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP as an Of Counsel in its Washington, D.C. office.  She will serve as a member of the Litigation and Antitrust and Competition Practice Groups. Before rejoining Gibson Dunn, France served as an attorney in the Mergers IV Division of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Competition from 2015 to 2021. Previously, she was an associate attorney at Gibson Dunn from 2012 to 2015.

Rocio Guadalupe Mendoza has joined Paul Hastings LLP’s Houston office as partner. Mendoza comes to the firm from Baker & McKenzie. She advises on a diverse range of domestic and international energy-related transactions and projects, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and project development.

BakerHostetler has elected Thomas A. Donaho to the partnership, effective Jan. 1, 2021. His practice in Houston will focus on complex commercial and business litigation. He has experience representing clients in a wide range of contract matters, business torts and real estate disputes. Donaho earned his J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law and his A.B. from Duke University. He was previously an associate at the firm and is a member of the Litigation Practice Group.

Angela Fair, a Ward, Smith, & Hill Partner, was selected for the inaugural listing of Best Lawyers’ “Ones to Watch,” honoring attorneys early in their careers who exemplify professional excellence.

Jana M. Lambro was recently named to the inaugural edition of “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch,” which recognizes attorneys earlier in their legal careers.

Kelvin Smith, an LBJ student and colleague, passed away. Smith was a talented MPAff student with many interests. He also was a veteran who served his country in the US Navy. Smith previously had received a JD in Law in 2011 from the University of Texas School of Law, and he worked for several years in the legal field. In 2016, Smith returned to the University to pursue his MPAff degree at the LBJ School, focusing on Earth and Energy Resources. After joining the LBJ School, Smith pursued his keen passion for cybersecurity issues, and he was working towards the Cyber Security Certification from the Strauss Center of International Law & Security.

Accomplished attorney and University of Texas School of Law graduate John Summers (UT Law, ’11) of the Dallas business litigation and intellectual property law firm Caldwell Cassady & Curry has been named to the 2020 Texas Rising Stars list of the top young lawyers in the state. A principal of the firm, Mr. Summers also claimed repeat Texas Rising Stars honors based on their work for clients in intellectual property litigation and business.

Accomplished attorney and University of Texas School of Law graduates Chris Stewart (UT Law, ’11) of the Dallas business litigation and intellectual property law firm Caldwell Cassady & Curry has been named to the 2020 Texas Rising Stars list of the top young lawyers in the state. A principal of the firm, Mr. Stewart also claimed repeat Texas Rising Stars honors based on his work for clients in intellectual property litigation and business litigation.

Morrison & Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce that Matthew Dunlap has joined the firm’s London office as a partner in its Finance practice. Mr. Dunlap brings to the firm extensive experience in cross-border corporate and private equity finance transactions, with a particular emphasis on high yield debt offerings.

Chamberlain Hrdlicka recently elected Julie G. Edelman as an income shareholder during the firm’s annual meeting on February 8.

Vinson & Elkins LLP promoted Emery Choi to counsel effective Jan. 1, 2020. Choi represents clients in domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, joint ventures and a variety of energy matters. Among his notable experience, Choi advised Devon Energy in the $2 billion sale of certain non-core upstream assets to multiple buyers.

Vinson & Elkins LLP promoted Matthew Falcone to counsel effective Jan. 1, 2020. Falcone focuses his practice on representing private equity funds, financial sponsors and public and private companies in mergers and acquisitions, equity financings, joint ventures and other strategic transactions, particularly in the energy infrastructure sector.

Promoted to the Vinson & Elkins LLP partnership effective Jan. 1, 2020, Longhofer focuses on syndicated, acquisition and structured/mezzanine financings and debt restructurings, including debtor-in-possession facilities and complex intercreditor arrangements and preferred equity investments, primarily in the energy space. His industry experience includes oil and gas exploration and production; midstream; oilfield services; refining, distribution, storage and transportation; and retail.

Lauren Corbeil was promoted to partner in the Houston office of Locke Lord. Lauren focuses her practice on mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate restructurings, joint ventures, private equity and venture capital transactions, corporate governance and other general corporate and commercial matters.

Starnes Davis Florie LLP welcomes Catherine (“Cat”) Kirkland as a partner to the firm’s Mobile office. Cat joins the firm’s transactional and regulatory healthcare practice. Cat’s nationwide practice focuses on advising healthcare providers on a variety of reimbursement, regulatory, compliance, and operational matters. She brings considerable experience with supplemental Medicaid programs, physician contracting, hospital collaborations, complex financial modeling, and compliance planning.

The leaders of the Dallas-based intellectual property and business litigation law firm Caldwell Cassady & Curry have promoted experienced firm attorney John Summers to principal. Mr. Summers earned the new title based on his years of success for clients and proven leadership within the firm.

The leaders of the Dallas-based intellectual property and business litigation law firm Caldwell Cassady & Curry have promoted experienced firm attorney Chris Stewart to principal. Mr. Stewart earned the new title based on his years of success for clients and proven leadership within the firm.

Liskow & Lewis is pleased to announce Madeline Mathews has joined the firm’s Houston office. She has represented clients in all phases of energy exploration, development, and production and has handled a variety of matters from lease drafting and contract negotiation to complex litigation.

University of Texas School of Law alumnus Abraham Kant is proud to be one of the recipients of the “10 Best Attorneys in Texas” award for outstanding client service in 2017. Awarded by The American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, this honor is extended only to the selected family law attorneys who have reached the top of their profession, all while making the client’s satisfaction paramount.

Gil Guethlein (née Gillespie), class of 2011, has been named one of Denver Business Journal’s Top Women in Energy. This annual list honors 40 risk-takers changing the energy industry in Colorado.

David Leonard, a commercial litigation associate at Gray Reed & McGraw’s Houston 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. Attorneys are selected through a multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of attorneys, an independent research evaluation of the candidates and peer reviews. Each year, no more than 2 percent of lawyers in the state are named rising stars.

Chris S. Stewart of the Dallas-based intellectual property and business litigation law firm Caldwell Cassady & Curry had been named one of the top young lawyers in Texas on the 2017 Texas Rising Stars list. In February 2016, Mr. Stewart and other attorneys from Caldwell Cassady & Curry won a $625.6 million patent infringement verdict for VirnetX Inc. against technology giant Apple Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The jury’s award was the largest in Texas and the fourth-largest in the nation during the past year.

As part of Global Inclusion Week 2016, Norton Rose Fulbright’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council announced five recipients of the Global Inclusion Awards from the US for their commitment to diversity, including Call of ’11 alumnus Stephen Myers. Mr. Myers is the vice chair of the Pride Network for Norton Rose Fulbright US and also serves on the Dallas Lambda Legal leadership team and the Turtle Creek Chorale’s board of directors.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Richard B. Phillips, Jr. for his inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to announce Richard B. Phillips, Jr. has been elected a member of the Board of Trustees for the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society. He will begin his service to the board on June 1, 2016.

Andrea Fair welcomed a new baby boy, Everett Thomas Fair, on January 14. Baby Everett weighed in at 9 lbs 4 oz and 21.5 inches long.