Class Notes

Lynn Rogers Coleman died November 13th, 2020 at the age of 81. He was a prominent lawyer in Washington, D.C., recognized as an energy policy expert in and outside of the federal government. He was general counsel and deputy secretary of the Department of Energy. Chris Miller, president of the Piedmont Environmental Council, describes Lynn as someone who “had a deep and passionate interest in the issues of energy, the environment and practical solutions to climate change.”

Robert (Gordon) Gooch, a longtime Washington lawyer and former Law Clerk of Chief Justice Earl Warren, died at age 86 on September 23, 2020. Gooch graduated from Washington & Lee University in 1956, served two years as an officer in the US Army on the mostly peaceful Korean DMZ, and went on to the University of Texas Law School where he was elected Editor-in-Chief of the Texas Law Review. He opened the Washington office of Baker & Botts, and later his own firm, Travis & Gooch. Although his focus was on energy law, he has had a long career with a variety of colorful engagements, such as representing the first hacker of a commercial aircraft and defending a pirate captain.

Charles, known as “Bill” or “Charlie” to his family and friends, passed away on December 1, 2020, in Houston, Texas. Charles served in WWII during his college years, where he was stationed in India. After the war, he moved to Austin and attended the School of Law. Charlie and his wife Nan had eleven children and were together for 63 years. He was an avid reader and armchair historian. He loved to grow roses, sing, and dance. He was a spirited competitor and talented golfer who played many of the best courses in the U.S., Scotland, and Ireland.

Bill Hallman, a beloved husband, devoted father, benevolent curmudgeon, respected lawyer, and incomparable friend, died from complications of cancer at home surrounded by family on November 30, 2020. He left with no regrets, having lived a life of love, friendship, travel, meaningful work, and generous service. His steadfast moral compass and excellent judgment were invaluable to many people and organizations in the Fort Worth community and beyond. Bill co-founded the law firm Kelly, Hart & Hallman LLP, which has grown to more than 150 lawyers with 5 offices throughout Texas and Louisiana.

Romulo L. “Romy” Diaz, Jr. of Philadelphia has been elected a public-service independent director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh. Diaz retired as General Counsel of PECO Energy Company of Philadelphia in 2020 and was recently honored with the Others Award by The Salvation Army Greater Philadelphia.

Dr. Charles William Mohundro, 82, of Texarkana, TX passed away peacefully Nov. 7, 2020. He served as VP, General Counsel for Hayes Enterprises, Inc. from 1963-1969. During this time, Mohundro returned to school and received his MBA from North Texas State University in 1970. He then moved to Bryan-College Station, TX to teach at Texas A&M University while working on his Ph.D. Mohundro received his Doctor of Philosophy from TAMU in 1977. Mohundro and his family moved to Texarkana in 1976 where he was a Professor of Management and Finance at TAMU-Texarkana for over 35 years, retiring in 2013.

Edward Festeryga has joined the Houston personal injury law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner as an Associate. His current legal practice focuses on a wide range of personal injury matters, including catastrophic injuries, commercial motor vehicle accidents, workplace injuries, plant and refinery explosions, and wrongful death.

Verne Frank Knickerbocker, 93, passed away Nov. 10, 2020 in San Antonio, TX. He served in the Navy in World War II and opened his first law office as a sole practitioner and later joined the law firm of John Watts. He later relocated to Eagle Pass, TX, where he established the law firm of Knickerbocker, Abrams & Cowan, and retired in 1994. Knickerbocker was a strong and ardent supporter of the youth and education in Maverick County through fifty years of philanthropic donations.

Jan Marie Ramsay passed peacefully in her sleep on Nov. 11, 2020, living over 20 years longer than her initial prognosis with brain cancer. Following her graduation from Texas Law, Ramsay began her career as an attorney in Dallas at the firm Gardere & Wynne in their labor and employment department. She was quickly promoted to partner due to her work ethic and dedication to her clients. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Wimberley, TX.

Marion Borchers passed away on Nov. 17, 2020, after a brief battle with leukemia. After law school, he settled in New Braunfels where he began a law practice and became involved in many aspects of community life. Borchers was a Life member of the University of Texas Exes and an alumni of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be sent to the Shriners Hospital for Burned and Crippled Children or the St. Jude’s Ranch for Children.

Harold Edward Moore passed away on Nov. 4, 2020. He was Texas Board Certified in Labor Law, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. Moore worked with the office of the State Attorney General in Austin before joining the Industrial Relations Department of General Dynamics in Fort Worth. He also was a member of the General Dynamics Speakers Bureau. Moore was General Manager of North Texas Contractors Association. He taught Labor Relations at The University of Texas at Arlington for many years while traveling the country hearing and settling arbitration cases as an independent arbitrator. Moore published Arbitration Opinions in 25 volumes of the Labor Relations Reporter, as well as in the Bureau of National Affairs.

Sam O. Kimberlin died in Austin, TX, on Nov. 10, 2020, following a short illness due to COVID19. Kimberlin as Counsel for the Texas Department of Banking, Assistant Attorney General of Texas, and First Assistant District Attorney of Travis County, Texas. Many years later he served as deputy foreman and later as foreman of Grand Juries for the 390th Travis County District Court and was elected chief executive officer of the Texas Bankers Association. Kimberlin was an active member of UT SAGE, where he was the Dean’s appointee to The Third Age Council, a part of the Division of Continuing & Extended Education at The University of Texas. He was a life member of The University of Texas Ex-students Association.

Royal H. Brin, Jr. died at home on Friday, Nov. 6, 2020 with his daughter and caregivers by his side. After four years in the Navy, Brin joined the law firm of Strasburger and Price, where he practiced law for 48 years and provided guidance to the firm after retirement. Brin was director, then president, of the Texas Association of Defense Council and a member of the Products Liability Committee of the Insurance, Torts, and Compensation Section of the American Bar Association. He was selected for the 2008 “The Best Lawyers in America” in Appellate Law. He was one of five lawyers chosen as Texas Trial Legends in 2011. In 2015, Martindale-Hubbell gave him the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards.

Gerald Joe Smith, 90, passed away on Nov. 6, 2020. He served as an infantry officer during the Korean War. Smith graduated with a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1956. He retired in El Paso, TX, after practicing law for over 50 years.

BraunHagey & Borden Co-founder and Managing Partner J. Noah Hagey has been named by the National Law Journal as one of 2020’s most revered “Winning Litigators.” Hagey earned back-to-back trial awards, including a $54 million federal antitrust jury verdict for Orion Telescopes, and severed as lead trial counsel in a $16 million hedge fund fraud judgement. He also obtained multiple victories in false advertising class action and trade secrets litigation.

Tom Thomas passed away on Oct. 31, 2020. Thomas graduated from Texas Law in 1966. Thomas’s skill landed him in Forbes magazine by winning the landmark case of Farah Manufacturing v. State National Bank of El Paso in which, for the first time, tort claims were successfully applied to oppressive lending practices. That case sealed his status as one of the premier trial attorneys in the country. Memorials can be made to DFW Pug Rescue of Dallas.

H. Dustin Fillmore, Sr. passed away on November 11, 2020 as a result of pancreatic cancer. In 1957, he began his service as an Assistant District Attorney in Dallas County under famed District Attorney Henry Wade. Fillmore returned to Wichita Falls to join his father’s law firm in 1960. From there, he launched what would become a 42-year career as a civil trial lawyer, representing clients and trying cases in civil courts all over Texas. Fillmore was inducted into The American College of Trial Lawyers and The American Board of Trial Advocates. In 2005, the Tarrant County Bar Association awarded Dusty its prestigious Blackstone Award.

Jasmine M. Harding has joined Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.,in Austin, TX. In two consecutive years, 2019 – 2020, Harding was named by the Austin Monthly Magazine as a Top Employment Lawyer in Austin and was also named as an Up and Coming Attorney in the Austin Black Business Journal.

Dewey Jude Gonsoulin passed away peacefully in his home at age 90 on November 3, 2020, surrounded by family. After graduating from Texas Law, he served in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps and was honorably discharged as a First Lieutenant. Gonsoulin returned to Texas and practiced as an attorney at the Beaumont law firm of Mehaffy Weber for over 60 years. Gonsoulin was certified in labor law in 1975 and later in civil appellate law in 1989. He served as President of the Texas Associate of Defense Counsel, and the Jefferson County Bar Association, where he was also awarded the Blackstone Award. Memorial contributions may be made to the Dewey Jude Gonsoulin, Sr. Endowment for Excellence Scholarship in Law at Texas Law.

Robert P. Braubach, San Antonio International Real Estate Attorney, has been honored by the Government of Belgium by being appointed an “Officer in the Order of Leopold II,” bestowed by King Phillipe of Belgium, for over twenty-five years of service representing Belgium in San Antonio as an Honorary Consul and foreign trade representative.

Norton Rose Fulbright’s Global Chief Executive Gerry Pecht appointed Richard Krumholz as the law firm’s new Global Head of Litigation and Disputes. Krumholz will lead one of the world’s largest Litigation and Disputes Practice Groups, with more than 1,200 lawyers across 52 cities worldwide. Krumholz has led the US Litigation and Disputes Practice Group since 2014.

Emily Stephens has joined Vinson & Elkins LLP as a partner in its Investment Funds practice. Stephens, who previously served for more than 14 years in managing director roles for global alternative investment management firm Oaktree Capital Management, participated in all aspects of fundraising for several of Oaktree’s largest funds, including what was, at the time, the world’s largest closed-end distressed debt fund at $10.9 billion. She also served as an investment team member and lead lawyer for Oaktree’s flagship investment strategy focused primarily on distressed credit opportunities.

John Strohmeyer was elected as a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estates Counsel. ACTEC is a nonprofit association of lawyers and law professors skilled and experienced in the preparation of wills and trusts; estate planning; and probate procedure and administration of trusts and estates of decedents, minors, and incompetents.

William Lawrence Cotulla passed away in San Antonio, Texas, on Oct. 19, 2020, at the age of 84. Cotulla was very proud and passionate about his heritage as the great-grandson of Joseph Cotulla, a Polish immigrant who founded the town of Cotulla. He took pride in living in Cotulla and serving his community. Cotulla was an attorney for the United States Army, oversaw multiple family ranches, and was the director of the Stockmens National Bank for 25 years. In 2011, he established the William L. Cotulla Endowment with the Laredo Area Community Foundation to benefit the First Baptist Church.

A life brilliantly lived, Houston famed trial attorney and renowned author, Lawrence Duncan Thompson, “Larry”, died leaving a legacy of greatness for his loved ones to embrace. He and his cousin Tom formed the law firm Lorance and Thompson in Houston in 1970, where Thompson practiced for over 55 years. He led the firm through good times and hard times with a firm hand, compassionate heart and enthusiasm for the law. He finished the Boston marathon twice as well as numerous other marathons across the country. Most of all he was full of enthusiasm for life, compassion for all and grace in all endeavors.

Arthur C. Troilo, Jr. was born in San Antonio, Texas on Sept. 17, 1931, and passed away on Oct. 8, 2020, at the age of 89. After serving in the Army and Reserve, Troilo moved his family to Austin to earn his law degree. In 1962, he joined the law firm of Sawtelle, Hardy, Davis & Goode and was one of the founders of the firm, Sawtelle, Goode, Troilo & Leighton, which later became the Law Firm of Davidson & Troilo; now known as Davidson, Troilo, Ream & Garza. He served as managing partner and senior board chairman; and was Senior Counsel for Davidson, Troilo, Ream & Garza until his death.

Zach Burford has joined Reynolds Frizzell LLP as a litigation associate. As a trial attorney, Burford advises clients across a wide array of industries. Previously he clerked for Judge Jane J. Boyle of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas and served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Lee Yeakel in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.

Kevin M. Richardson has been elected to the partnership at Latham & Watkins LLP in Houston, effective January 1, 2021. He is a member of the firm’s Corporate Department who focuses his practice on complex corporate transactions, including M&A, capital markets transactions, securities, and corporate governance matters. He regularly advises public and private companies in the energy industry, private equity sponsors, and investment banking firms.

Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. announced that 15 of its attorneys have been recognized on the 2020 Texas Super Lawyers® list, including D. Mitchell McFarland, who is recognized for his expertise in business litigation. This is McFarland’s tenth year on the list.

Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. announced that 15 of its attorneys have been recognized on the 2020 Texas Super Lawyers® list, including David Coligado, who serves as head of the firm’s Real Estate Section.

Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. announced that 15 of its attorneys have been recognized on the 2020 Texas Super Lawyers® list, including Mason P. Hester, who is recognized for his expertise in construction litigation.

Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. announced that 15 of its attorneys have been recognized on the 2020 Texas Super Lawyers® list, including Stuart F. Miller, who is recognized for his expertise in health care law.

Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. announced that 15 of its attorneys have been recognized on the 2020 Texas Super Lawyers® list, including James M. Bettis, Jr., recognized for his expertise in personal injury defense.

Texas Super Lawyers has again recognized Beck Redden LLP in its 2020 annual award listing, featuring 16 lawyers including Joe W. Redden, Jr., who specializes in defense of civil litigation.

Texas Super Lawyers has again recognized Beck Redden LLP in its 2020 annual award listing, featuring 16 lawyers including Allison S. Miller, who specializes in defense of professional liability.

Texas Super Lawyers has again recognized Beck Redden LLP in its 2020 annual award listing, featuring 16 lawyers including Geoff Gannaway, who is specialized in business litigation.

Texas Super Lawyers has again recognized Beck Redden LLP in its 2020 annual award listing, featuring 16 lawyers including Fields Alexander, who is specialized in general litigation.

Texas Super Lawyers has again recognized Beck Redden LLP in its 2020 annual award listing, featuring 16 lawyers with four included in the Tops of Texas rankings. Beck Redden lawyers highlighted in the Tops of Texas rankings includes David J. Beck, who specialized in business litigation and is recognized in Top 100 Texas and Top 100 Houston.

Texas Super Lawyers has again recognized Beck Redden LLP in its 2020 annual award listing, featuring 16 lawyers with four included in the Tops of Texas rankings. Beck Redden lawyers highlighted in the Tops of Texas rankings includes Alistair B. Dawson, who is specialized in business litigation and recognized in Top 100 Texas and Top 100 Houston.

All of the attorneys at Dallas law firm Johnston Tobey Baruch have been named to the list of Texas Super Lawyers for 2020, including Robert Tobey. Robert Tobey is a trial lawyer who currently serves as president of the Dallas Bar Association.

All of the attorneys at Dallas law firm Johnston Tobey Baruch have been named to the list of Texas Super Lawyers for 2020, including Randy Johnston. Randy Johnston is known as one of the state’s foremost authorities on issues of legal ethics and handles cases involving professional malpractice.

Louis Palma McKee Whittenburg passed away October 19, 2020, at the age of 74 from complications of Parkinson’s. Whittenburg obtained his JD from Texas Law in 1970 where he was editor of the Law Review. He practiced law in Amarillo, Texas for nearly 49 years alongside his brother, George Allen Whittenburg, II. The family asks in lieu of flowers that donations be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation (parkinson.org) or the charity of your choice.

Benjamin Bynum Turner, Jr. passed away on October 16, 2020. Between his undergrad at Rice and Texas Law, he spent three years on active duty with the U.S. Navy. Following active duty, Turner spent 18 years in the reserve and retired as a Captain. Turner practiced law for over 50 years, was board certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law, and a C.P.A. At various times he was a Trustee member of the Board of Governors for the Sewanee Military Academy, a Trustee member of the Board of Directors for the Harris County Heritage Society, and President of the Houston Chapter of the Archeological Institute of America. Any memorials in Turner’s honor are requested to be made to the St. Andrews-Sewanee School, 290 Quintard Road, Sewanee, TN 37375.

Julian T. Lopez is a personal injury attorney who practices at the Villarreal & Begum Law Firm and helps injured clients throughout Texas. He is a graduate of the Class of 1980 and worked as a prosecutor before becoming a plaintiff’s attorney. He is a member of several local law associations, including the State Bar of Texas, San Antonio Trial Lawyers, and the Texas Bar College.

Julian loves one-on-one interactions with his clients and helping them recover the maximum compensation.

Best Lawyers in America© has recognized Roger B. Greenberg as a 2021 Lawyer of the Year for his work in arbitration. Greenberg has earned selection to the Best Lawyers list since 2015 for his practice in the areas of commercial litigation and arbitration. Mr. Greenberg, a founding member of Sponsel Miller Greenberg PLLC, also teaches arbitration as an adjunct professor at South Texas College of Law Houston.

In recognition of his leadership role in the state’s ongoing opioid multidistrict litigation (MDL), Simon Greenstone Panatier, P.C., founding partner Jeffrey Simon has been named a 2020 Texas Trailblazer by Texas Lawyer magazine. Simon serves as chairman of the Texas Opioid MDL Plaintiffs Steering Committee, which seeks to hold drug manufacturers and supply chain corporations responsible for their roles in creating and prolonging the opioid epidemic in Texas.

Benchmark Litigation 2021 has recognized Fields Alexander in its 2021 ranking of the nation’s top litigation talent. Alexander is considered to be a “Local Litigation Star”, recommended consistently as a reputable and effective litigator by clients and peers.

Benchmark Litigation 2021 has recognized Alistair B. Dawson in its 2021 ranking of the nation’s top litigation talent. Dawson is considered to be a “Local Litigation Star”, recommended consistently as a reputable and effective litigator by clients and peers.

Benchmark Litigation 2021 has recognized David J. Beck in its 2021 ranking of the nation’s top litigation talent. Beck has been recognized in Top 100 Trial Lawyers, and is considered to be a “National Practice Area Star” and “Local Litigation Star”, recommended consistently as a reputable and effective litigator by clients and peers.

Debra Yaniko Rogers Dupont passed away on May 9, 2017, at her home in Aledo. Her legal career began with the Supreme Court of Texas, Austin as a Judicial Intern and as an Associate for Loe, Warren, Rosenfield, Kaitcher & Hibbs in Fort Worth. Rogers then worked as Assistant District Attorney for Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office; Volunteer Attorney for Immigration Services for the Catholic Charities Diocese of Fort Worth; Adjunct Professor in Business Law at Weatherford College, Rogers LLP in Weatherford; and her own private practice as Attorney at Law in Aledo. Rogers was awarded the Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court.