Class Notes

Alexander Clark, along with fellow Texas Law alumnus Kyle Ryman, has formed the trial firm Ryman Clark in Round Rock, where both will serve as co-managing partners. The U.S. Air Force veteran brings experience in insurance recovery, trials, and crisis management, having spent five years at Haynes Boone, during which he also served as a teaching assistant for insurance law courses at two law schools. Clark previously clerked for the Honorable Lee Yeakel of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.

Michael Cotton has been promoted to chair of the Opinion Committee for the Texas Attorney General’s Office after previously serving as the committee’s deputy chief. He will head the committee’s efforts to conduct legal research, draft formal opinions, and provide counsel to state and local officials on complex legal matters.

Stephani Michel has joined the Houston office of Norton Rose Fulbright as a senior associate. She previously served as a senior appellate associate at the boutique litigation firm Tillotson Johnson & Patton.

Kassi Gonzalez has been named as a 2026 finalist in the legal category of the Austin Under 40 Awards. She currently works as a senior attorney for the Texas Civil Rights Project.

Garrett S. Brawley has been elected partner at Beck Redden in Houston. An experienced trial lawyer, he has secured high-stakes commercial victories for both plaintiffs and defendants and has been recognized as a “Rising Star” in Business Litigation by Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers and named to The Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” list.

Tyler Ames has rejoined McAfee & Taft as a trial lawyer based in Oklahoma City. He previously served as a federal law clerk to the Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.

Matthew Richardson has joined the Los Angeles office of Ogletree Deakins as an associate. Richardson, who specializes in employment law and is known for his dedication and zealous advocacy on behalf of employers, has expertise in wage and hour disputes, employment discrimination, wrongful termination, and workplace harassment.

Greg Flores has been named a partner at Nichols Weitzner Thomas in Houston. Flores, who focuses his practice on healthcare regulation and litigation, was honored in the 2023 and 2024 editions of ‘”Ones to Watch” by Best Lawyers of America.

Anna MacFarlane has been appointed to the San Antonio Bar Foundation Fellows Program newly elected class of 2025, in recognition of her professional achievement, exemplary reputation, and commitment to the legal community. MacFarlane is an associate with Pulman, Cappuccio & Pullen in San Antonio.

Stephanie Dodge Bigley has been appointed to the San Antonio Bar Foundation Fellows Program newly elected class of 2025, in recognition of her professional achievement, exemplary reputation, and commitment to the legal community. Bigley is of counsel at David Santos in the San Antonio area.

Michael Schattle passed away on Dec. 2, 2024. As an attorney, Schattle represented refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants for Church World Service.

Reid Powers has been named the director of gift and estate planning for the Alumni Relations and Development Office at Texas Law. Reid previously worked for the Office of the Texas Attorney General and at the boutique law firm Saunders & Associates, specializing in estate planning.

Brianna Herman has joined Ogletree Deakins’ Houston office as an associate. A former Harris County prosecutor, Herman focuses her practice on a variety of labor and employment matters.

Ralph Molina was appointed deputy first assistant to Attorney General Ken Paxton. Molina most recently served as deputy attorney general for legal strategy, managing the Legal Strategy and Special Litigation divisions.

Travis Maples has joined Botkin Chiarello Calaf as an associate on the firm’s commercial litigation team. Following graduation from Texas Law, Maples clerked at both the Supreme Court of Texas and the Court of Criminal Appeals.

Travis Maples has joined Botkin Chiarello Calaf as an associate on the firm’s commercial litigation team. Maples clerked at both the Supreme Court of Texas and the Court of Criminal Appeals before entering private practice.

Joshua Kelly has joined Botkin Calaf, an Austin-based commercial and IP litigation and business law firm, as an associate. He will support the commercial litigation team in resolving business, intellectual property, and employment disputes. While at Texas Law, Kelly was an editor for the Texas Environmental Law Journal and a judicial intern in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

Dymond Mensah was named winner of the International Ms. pageant. Mensah serves as an assistant district attorney with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office and is a current National Advocacy Alliance spokesperson.

Zimei Fan has joined Stinson LLP’s New York office as a member of the Energy, Environmental, Mining & Transportation Division. Fan focuses his practice on corporate and transactional matters with an emphasis on energy, electric power and energy finance.

Eric Halpern has joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP’s Dallas office as an associate in the Litigation Practice Group.

Travis Maples is the newest associate attorney at Soltero Sapire Murrell PLLC in Austin. During his time at Texas Law, Maples served as associate editor of the Texas Law Review.

Joshua Kelly has joined Austin’s Wittliff | Cutter as an associate in the firm’s commercial litigation group, handling business, intellectual property, and employment disputes. While at UT Law, Josh was an editor for the Texas Environmental Law Journal, a research assistant, a student attorney in the Domestic Violence Clinic, and a judicial intern in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

Hayley Ostrin has joined innovation and technology firm Merchant & Gould as a partner in the D.C. area office. Ostrin will specialize in Section 337 investigations before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), which involve unfair and injurious competition in trade. She has extensive knowledge of ITC procedural and substantive issues, discovery and trial strategies, and other nuances of this unique practice area.

Kara L. Karcher has joined Bourland, Wall & Wenzel as associate attorney in Fort Worth, Texas. Her practice focuses on commercial relate estate and general business transactions, including the acquisition, financing, development, leasing and disposition of commercial real estate.

Dallas, Dec. 20, 2019 – International law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP has added a new associate in its Dallas office: Chris Perkins, Corporate.

Dallas, Dec. 20, 2019 – International law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP has a new associate in its Dallas office: Niko Lane, Corporate.

Ross Sutherland joined litigation firm Scott Douglass & McConnico. Sutherland began his career as an entrepreneur servicing South Texas oil-field companies and brings that experience to his legal practice focused in the oil and gas industry.

Adi Sirkes has joined Houston litigation firm Reynolds Frizzell LLP as an associate. As a trial attorney, his practice focuses on advising clients across a wide array of industries to protect their legal rights and provide strategic remedies.