Class Notes

Andres Contreras was recently recognized on the Super Lawyers 2026 “Texas Rising Stars” directory based on his work as a shareholder at Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr (Munsch Hardt) in Houston. Contreras was included in the category General Litigation, placing him among only 2.5% of eligible attorneys in Texas receive this distinction. Previously he was recognized on the Woodward/White Inc. 2027 Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” directory in the categories Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation–Defendants and Product Liability Litigation–Defendants.

Kelsi Stayart White has been named to Law360’s Rising Stars list, one of the appellate attorneys under age 40 to be honored. She currently serves as a partner at Ahmad Zavitsanos & Mensing in Houston.

Ernesto Alvarez, a trial lawyer at Zehl & Associates in Houston, has been named to the 2026 Lawdragon 500 X The Next Generation list.

Andres Contreras has been promoted to shareholder at Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr P.C. in Houston effective April 1, 2026. Contreras focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation in both state and federal courts.

Jennifer Gasser has joined Paul, Weiss as Energy and Infrastructure M&A partner in Houston. She previously worked for Kirkland and Ellis, where she engaged in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, leveraged buy-outs, joint ventures, and corporate governance matters for a diverse range of clients.

Aimeé Vidaurri has been named administrative partner at Norton Rose Fulbright’s San Antonio office. A trial lawyer, Vidaurri has been with the firm since 2018 and focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation for clients in the financial services, energy, and grocery retail industries.

Alex Robertson has joined Kirkland & Ellis in Dallas as a partner in the Corporate Practice Group, where he advises private equity firms and public and private companies on corporate matters. Previously a partner at Vinson & Elkins in Dallas, he brings experience across a range of industries, with a particular focus on energy and infrastructure.

Chuck Pinney has been promoted to legal director at Texas’s Office of the Secretary of State. He previously served as the office’s senior staff attorney.

Barrett Robin has earned selection on the 2025 Texas Rising Stars list of the state’s top young attorneys for his successful work in high-stakes personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. Robin is a partner at Hamilton Wingo in Dallas.

Andres Contreras has been recognized in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America directory in recognition of his legal excellence in two categories:  Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation–Defendants and Product Liability Litigation–Defendants. He is an associate in the Houston office of Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C.

Mark Nawfal has joined GableGotwals’ Houston office as of counsel, where his practice will focus on mergers and acquisitions, taxation, and energy law. Nawfal has more than 15 years of international legal experience advising multinational companies, private equity funds, and partnerships on a wide range of corporate and transactional matters.

Joe Lawlor has been promoted to partner at Orrick in Houston, where he advises clients with mergers and acquisitions, joint venture formations, and project development transactions across the full energy spectrum.

Joe Lawlor has been promoted to partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe in Houston. Lawlor represents clients in the energy industry and focuses his practice on renewables and oil and gas transactions.

Stephen Moulton has joined a new six-person governmental practice team at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton in Dallas.

Eleanor D’Ambrosio has been promoted to partner at Spencer Fane’s Austin office. D’Ambrosio specializes in utility-related regulatory and business matters, having served at the Public Utility Commission of Texas prior to joining Spencer Fane.

Kelli C. Fuqua has been elevated to shareholder in the Austin office of Littler,  effective Jan. 1, 2025. Fugua regularly litigates discrimination, harassment, unfair competition and retaliation suits, with a focus on whistleblower matters and is well-versed in conducting workplace investigations and advising clients on workplace issues.

Barrett Robin, partner at Hamilton Wingo in Dallas, has earned his fourth consecutive selection on the Best Lawyers Under 40 list published by D Magazine for his work in high-stakes personal injury lawsuits.

Ewaen Woghiren has been elected partner at Jones Walker in Houston. A member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group specializing in the energy, construction, maritime, retail, and real estate sectors, Woghiren has prosecuted and defended a diverse docket that includes construction defects, oil and gas lease disputes, business divorces, business torts by officers of companies, and products liability.

Nicholas Bruno, an associate at Beck Redden in Houston, has been elected to the partnership effective Jan. 1, 2025. As lead appellate counsel, Bruno practices in all levels of the Texas appellate system.

David Moore has been elected to partner at Latham & Watkins’ Houston office. Moore, who is a member of the firm’s Investment Funds Practice and Corporate department, focuses his practice on U.S. and international private investment funds and joint ventures.

Christine Mainguy has been promoted to partner at Latham & Watkins in the Houston office. A member of the firm’s Transactional Tax Practice and Tax Department, she advises clients on U.S. federal income taxation of mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, Up-C structures, restructurings, and capital markets transactions. Mainguy has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America as “Ones to Watch” for tax law and energy law.

Mary Kate Raffetto, a partner at Beck Redden LLP, has been recognized by Law.com and Texas Lawyer as an On the Rise winner in the 2024 Texas Legal Awards. Raffetto also was honored in the fifth edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. She has been recognized on Lawdragon’s 500 X–The Next Generation for Appellate and Commercial Litigation and 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyer lists and as a 2024 Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers.

Nicholas Bruno, an associate at Beck Redden in Houston, was honored in the fifth edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. Bruno previously was recognized in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X–The Next Generation for Appellate.

Barrett Robin has been named partner at the Dallas plaintiffs’ law firm Hamilton Wingo. In addition to his trial success, Robin has secured multiple seven-figure settlements in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases.

Ellie Sowanick has been promoted to counsel at Haynes Boone, working with the Trademark and Advertising Practice Group in Orange County. Her practice focuses on a variety of trademark, patent, copyright, and design patent matters, as well as brand management and resolving complex and multi-jurisdictional trademark and domain disputes.

Nicholas Bruno was elected as Chair-Elect to the Houston Bar Association (HBA) Appellate Practice Section. Bruno is an associate at the Houston office of Beck Redden LLP and is board-certified in Civil Appellate Law. He also was recognized as a 2024 Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers.

Andres Contreras, associate at Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. in Houston, has been named on the 2024 Texas Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” List for his excellence in complex commercial litigation in both state and federal courts.

Barrett Robin has been selected to the 2024 Texas Rising Stars list of the state’s top young attorneys based on his work in personal injury lawsuits. Robin is an associate at the Dallas plaintiffs’ law firm Hamilton Wingo.

Taylor Markway has been named partner at Shook, Hardy & Bacon in the firm’s Kansas CIty office. Markway is a litigator who excels in appellate matters—including state and federal appeals as well as extraordinary writs—and insurance matters, including coverage disputes and bad faith claims.

Shelisa Brock has been elected to partnership at Jackson Walker LLP. A double Longhorn, Brock specializes in labor and employment law and has been named among the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch and as a Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers.

Mary Kate Raffetto is joining the partnership at Beck Redden LLP. Raffetto is a trial and appellate specialist with significant experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants.

Alex Robertson has been elected to partnership at Vinson & Elkins’ Dallas office. Robertson focuses his practice on M&A and capital markets and serves as president of the Mergers and Acquisitions Section of the Dallas Bar Association.

Daniel Williams has been elected a partner at Latham & Watkins LLP in New York. A member of the Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice and Corporate Department, he advises private equity sponsors, their portfolio companies, and strategic investors in M&A, dispositions, and asset sales transactions.

Daniel Williams has been elected to partnership at Latham & Watkins LLP. Williams is a member of the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity Practice and Corporate Department.

Stephen K. Moulton has been joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP’s Dallas office as a senior attorney. A former federal prosecutor and assistant United States attorney, Moulton is a member of the firm’s Government Enforcement & Investigations Practice Group.

Obadele Thompson has been elected to the Barbados Olympic Association (BOA) Board of Directors. Not only is he a skilled litigator, Thompson is also a three-time Olympian and the only Olympic medalist from Barbados.

Andres Contreras, an associate at Munsch Hardt, is featured in the 2024 edition of the Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” directory in the Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation–Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation–Defendants categories. Contreras focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation in both state and federal courts.

Connor Best (’15), an associate at Munsch Hardt, has been featured in the 2024 edition of the Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” directory in the Construction Law category.
Connor’s practice focuses on a wide range of complex business litigation matters, including commercial disputes, construction matters and labor and employment litigation.

Mary Kate Raffetto has been named to the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for her work in Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. Raffetto is an associate at Beck Redden LLP and was previously included in the 2023 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation guide.

Nicholas Bruno was named in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for his work in Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. Bruno is an associate at Beck Redden LLP and is a member of the Houston Bar Association’s Appellate Section Committee.

Mary Kate Raffetto has been named to the 2023 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation guide. Raffetto is an associate at Beck Redden and focuses her practice on appellate and commercial litigation.

Kelsi Stayart White has been named to the 2023 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation guide. White is an associate at Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing and focuses her practice on commercial litigation.

Amy Farish has been promoted to partnership at the litigation boutique Yetter Coleman, LLP. Farish was recognized in the 2022 Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” list in Commercial Litigation and serves on the Houston Young Lawyers Association Board of Directors.

Alexandra Harrison Gaiser has been appointed to the board of trustees at The King’s College. She currently works as the Director of Regulatory Affairs at Bitcoin company River Financial, Inc. and previously served as the Executive Secretary at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Mary Kate Raffetto has been recognized as a 2023 Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers. Raffetto was an educator prior to beginning her legal career, where she specializes in appellate matters and commercial litigation.

Nicholas Bruno has been recognized as a 2023 Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers. Bruno regularly practices in all levels of the Texas appellate system, representing clients in a wide range of litigation.

Max Africk has been named General Counsel at Legacy Housing Corporation. Africk most recently served as an attorney at King & Spalding LLP, where he focused on complex commercial litigation.

Brittany Dadon has become a partner at Stahl, Davies, Sewell, Chavarria & Friend. She specializes in real estate, regulatory, and permitting aspects of utility scale wind, solar, and battery storage projects in Texas. While at the firm, Dadon has worked on wind, solar, battery storage, and natural gas energy projects at various stages.

Samoneh “Sammy” Schickel has joined McDermott Will & Emery as a partner specializing in patent litigation. Schickel previously served as a senior associate at Baker Botts LLP.

Aashish Kapadia has joined McDermott Will & Emery as a partner specializing in intellectual property litigation, post-grant trials and patent prosecution. Kapadia previously served as a senior associate at Baker Botts LLP.