Karen Roberts Washington was named a life member of the Uniform Law Commission. The Uniform Law Commission works to provide uniformity in state laws for citizens who work or travel in multiple states.
Leslie Robnett was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Specialty Courts Advisory Council for a term set to expire February 1, 2025. Robnett of Fort Worth is an attorney for Duane Morris, LLP. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas, The University of Texas Chancellors Council, and the Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court.
David Pritchett has been made a shareholder of Duluth-based law firm Fryberger, Buchanan, Smith & Frederick, P.A. He joined the firm in 2020, bringing his experience in real estate law, corporate law, business succession planning, and municipal law to the firm. He has served as Minnesota counsel for PotlatchDeltic Corporation and as Town Attorney for Thomson Township since 1991, among many other clients.
Charlie Stern has been hired by Beasley Allen to work in the Toxic Torts Section of the firm’s new Dallas office. He focuses his practice on representing individuals who have been exposed to asbestos and developed life-threatening cancers, including mesothelioma and lung cancer. Before joining Beasley Allen, Stern worked for another plaintiffs’ law firm and served as Assistant District Attorney for the Griffin Judicial Circuit in Spaulding County, Georgia.
Carlos Romo has taken over as President of the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association. He plans to build on CHBA’s pro bono efforts and expand its formal mentorship program. Romo is a Director of law firm Williams Weese Pepple & Ferguson’s Natural Resources and Environmental Practice Areas. He has been recognized as a top lawyer by 5280 Magazine, Best Lawyers, and Superlawyers.
C. Kenneth Roberts, former Chair of the UT Law School Foundation, Life Trustee, colleague and friend, passed away on Jan. 9, 2022. Roberts earned his JD in 1951 and his Master in Law in 1953. He then served in the US Army before a long, distinguished career in law. He rose to be Vice President and General Counsel of Exxon Corporation and retired in 1995. He was honored for his service to the legal community as Texas Law’s Outstanding Alumnus in 1993. Memorial contributions may be made to The Cary & Kenneth Roberts Endowment for Excellence Scholarship.
Judge Gregg Costa has announced that he will resign in August 2022 as jurist in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. His departure will create a vacancy for a new appointment for President Biden. Costa previously served as a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, as an assistant U.S. attorney, and as an associate for Weil, Gotshal & Manges in Houston.
Joseph Flannery has joined the Cleveland, Ohio office of Reminger Co., LPA. He focuses his practice on medical malpractice defense, health care law, and long-term care liability.
Danny McDonald has assumed the new executive position of General Counsel/Chief Risk Officer for Endeavors. In the role, he will lead Endeavors’ legal services, counsel the company’s senior leadership, and implement a comprehensive risk management program. He is a double Longhorn with a Master’s in accounting.
Kathryn Gurley has been appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott as Judge of the 287th Judicial District Court in Bailey and Parmer counties. Previously, she served as the Parmer County Attorney. Gurley is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Friona Chamber of Commerce. She is a former board member of the Friona Independent School District and former member of the Friona Public Library Endowment Committee.
Ned Sherman was named on Variety’s 2021 Dealmakers Impact Report among professionals who led major game-changing deals impacting the entertainment landscape. This is the second time Sherman was featured on this prestigious list. In his profile, Variety described Sherman as the “premium advisor” for companies and talent in the quickly evolving esports industry. Sherman is a partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP and leader of the firm’s Digital & Technology Transactions practice.
Marvin Boyd Shannon learned golf after he lost his eyesight at age 13. He made history by winning the world’s blind golf championship at Rockwood golf course in Fort Worth, Texas in 1941.
Ross MacDonald has been named a partner of Gibbs & Bruns LLP. He is recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, 2021-2022; and Legal 500 US as a “Rising Star” in General Commercial Disputes, 2019-2021. MacDonald devotes his practice to complex commercial litigation disputes, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal court as well as in arbitration.
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Wilson G. Jones has joined Bracewell LLP as a partner and chair of the healthcare practice. Over his 28-year career, Jones has provided counsel on the full range of legal issues faced by clients in the healthcare, pharma and life sciences industry, including representing and advising clients in compliance and regulatory matters, health industry transactions, and investigation and enforcement actions.
Patrick Bredehoft has joined Bracewell LLP as a partner in the healthcare practice. Based in Dallas, he maintains an active trial and arbitration practice, with a focus on healthcare and commercial disputes and qui tam litigation defense.
Jackie Furlow has been promoted to partner of Beck Redden. Furlow is a first-chair trial lawyer with significant experience in commercial litigation spanning a wide variety of industries.
Perry Joe Radoff, age 81, of Houston, Texas died on Jan. 3, 2022, after a prolonged illness. He began his legal career at Dow Cogburn & Friedman before going into private practice. Radoff was board certified in the practice of Probate and Real Estate law and worked at Bernstein Radoff Trachtenberg and Sarofim for the remainder of his legal career.
Colonel Herbert Green died on Dec. 27, 2021 in North Richland Hills, Texas. Green served over 27 years in the U.S. Army, culminating his military judicial career as Chief Judge, 3rd Judicial Circuit, Fort Hood, Texas until he retired in 1994. He took on a second career as an Administrative Law Judge for the Social Security Administration until his retirement in 2019.
John Blaine McAdams died on Dec. 25, 2021 at age 74. After graduation, McAdams became an associate with the Strasburger & Price law firm in Dallas. Later, he practiced law with the Vinson & Elkins and Kelly, Hart & Hallman law firms. His career passion became representing major league baseball teams.
Brian L. King has been elevated to a member of Cole Schotz P.C. in the Intellectual Property Group, as well as the Litigation Department in the firm’s Texas office. King is a trial attorney who primarily focuses on commercial and intellectual property litigation, including patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, and breach of contract matters.
Kevin P. Hess has been promoted to Principal of McKool Smith in the Austin office. His practice focuses on intellectual property litigation, particularly cases involving standard essential patents subject to FRAND or RAND obligations. He represents plaintiffs and defendants in district courts, the Patent Office, and the Federal Circuit.
Jessica Hoffmann serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Steptoe & Johnson, where she leads the daily operations of the firm and oversees key functions. She has nearly two decades of law firm leadership experience.
Henry Paul Giessel, age 94, passed away on Dec. 16, 2021 in El Paso, Texas. He served in World War II in the United States Army before entering law school where he was editor of The University of Texas Law Review. He practiced in Houston for over 60 years and distinguished himself as a trial lawyer not only in Texas, but also across the country.
The late Zachary Barker Chittick has been honored and memorialized with an endowment fund in his name to benefit Valley Youth House in Pennsylvania.
Patrick K. Johnson was elected partner of Bracewell LLP in the firm’s Houston office. Johnson represents clients across the energy sector in transactions that include mergers, acquisitions and divestitures of assets and companies, joint venture arrangements and project finance and development. From 2015 to 2017, Johnson served as in-house counsel to ExxonMobil, where he provided legal support for upstream and midstream projects in Europe, North America, South America and Australia.
Amber K. Dodds was elected partner of Bracewell LLP in the firm’s San Antonio office. Dodds advises employers on labor and employment issues, such as leave administration, employee investigations, OSHA compliance, the use of background checks and consumer reports, employee discipline and preventing harassment and retaliation claims. She served as an intern in the US District Court for the Western District of Texas and the Texas First Court of Appeals.
Merritt Clements is now the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Planned Parenthood South Texas.
The Hon. Sarah Weddington—whose work as a trailblazing lawyer, beloved professor, and dedicated public servant has left a formidable legacy—passed away the morning of Dec. 26, 2021 at age 76. Weddington, who at 26, just over three years out of law school, successfully argued Roe v. Wade before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Paul Heermans Smith passed away on Dec. 10, 2021. After graduation from law school, Paul enlisted in the US Navy, and qualified for Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. For his last year of active duty, he was assigned to the Fleet Training Center in San Diego, CA where he taught Military Justice. After his assignment in San Diego, instead of returning to El Paso, he led his family to San Antonio where he joined the law firm of Cox, Patterson & Smith on Feb. 1, 1955. He practiced law with the same firm and its successors until his retirement in 2010.
James S. Carter was elected partner of Blank Rome LLP in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office, effective Jan. 1, 2022. Carter represents policyholders in disputes and litigation against their insurers, and provides strategic guidance to clients on ways to enhance coverage for their risks.
Donald Lawrence Davis, 82, passed away peacefully on Dec. 8, 2021 in Austin, Texas. After college, he declined an offer to try out for the Baltimore Colts, and instead earned a JD at Texas Law. He clerked for Justice Mead Griffith at the Texas Supreme Court before joining the firm of Byrd, Davis, Eisenberg and Clark in 1966. He stayed with the firm for the duration of his 53 year legal career. At the age of 28, he argued the landmark case of Powell v. Texas in the United States Supreme Court. At that time, he was the youngest attorney to have appeared and argued a case before the Supreme Court.
Charles Wayne Chapman passed away on Dec. 7, 2021. Chapman was a lawyer for 42 years and was a former district attorney in Hays County, Texas, elected by the community. He taught at Southwest Texas State University for 14 years. He later moved to the Lower Rio Grande Valley and continued to work as a university professor for 21 years.
Colonel Joel Oxley has passed away at his home in Niceville, Fla. on Aug. 2, 2021. After law school, he spent the next 29 years as a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Air Force.
William Junia Hudspeth, Jr. passed away on Nov. 28, 2021. Upon graduation from law school, Hudspeth stayed in Austin and went into banking, starting as a cashier at Capital National Bank. He worked his way up, serving as Vice President and Trust Officer of Austin National Bank and head of Republic Bank’s Trust Department. In 1987 he founded Austin Trust Company after Texas law was changed to authorize the incorporation of independent trust companies. Austin Trust Company is the first company to be chartered under the new law.
Danette Dee Alvarado Broome, age 51, passed away on June 29, 2020. The double Longhorn was a highly respected criminal and family law attorney and a passionate advocate for abused children, practiced in both the public and private sector. In 2003, Alvarado opened the Law Office of Danette D. Alvarado, specializing in criminal, juvenile, family law and child protective services cases. In 2003, Danette was admitted into the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Criminal Law.
J.J. Broderick has joined Blank Rome LLP’s Philadelphia office as a partner in the real estate practice group. Broderick advises clients, including private equity funds, REITS, tenants, landlords, buyers, sellers, developers, owners, operators, investors, and users in all aspects of real estate transactions. During his career, he has handled some of the largest, most complex U.S. real estate transactions.
Patrick “Pat” A. Myers passed away on Nov. 29, 2021. After serving his country in the U.S. Air Force in Germany, Myers completed law school. He returned to Jacksboro, Texas in 1960 where he was elected Jack County Attorney, a post he held for over two decades. Pat had interests in oil, gas and real estate but his profession was the law. He actively practiced in Jacksboro for almost 60 years until his (semi) retirement in 2018.
Robert Hughes has been promoted to partner at Vinson & Elkins effective Jan. 1, 2022. Hughes advises private equity firms, portfolio companies and a variety of public and private businesses in connection with a range of strategic transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, structured financings, leveraged buyouts and joint ventures. His work focuses on identifying practical solutions to complex legal issues and spans a variety industries, including infrastructure, renewables, telecommunications, energy and technology.
Brad Foxman has been promoted to partner at Vinson & Elkins effective Jan. 1, 2022. Foxman’s practice focuses on restructuring and reorganization, including the representation of lenders, buyers, debtors, creditors and trustees. He has extensive experience in advising clients on all aspects of financial distress, including liability management transactions, corporate workouts and restructurings, distressed asset acquisitions and divestitures, bankruptcy litigation, counterpart risk and reorganization and insolvency proceedings.
J. Walker Holland passed away on Nov. 19 2021. After graduating law school Holland was hired by the law firm of Wynn, Brown, Mack, Renfro and Thompson. After making partner there, Holland joined Boswell & Tracey, the firm that later became Holland, Johns & Penny. His wife Margaret later merged her law firm, Albert & Holland, with Walker’s firm. Walker practiced corporate, real estate and transactional law.
Steven Clifton James passed away on Nov. 13, 2021 after a battle with pulmonary fibrosis. James was a dedicated attorney and practiced law for 42 years. He spent most of his career as a solo practitioner in El Paso. In addition to his active trial practice, James also won multiple cases in the Supreme Court of Texas. He served as Section Representative to the State Bar Board of Directors, Chair of the Texas Bar College, President of the El Paso Bar Association, and Chair of the State Bar Consumer & Commercial Law Section.
Jack Sargent passed away on Nov. 22 2021. Shortly after marriage and graduation from law school, Sargent was drafted into the U.S. Army where he served two years as a medic based at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. Upon leaving the military he began a career in banking which was influenced by his father Howard Lane Sargent who was President of Santa Barbara National Bank. He left the banking business in 1978 and joined Burton Patterson and Bob Glanville forming Patterson, Sargent, and Glanville law firm specializing in Estate and Probate Law until he retired in 1992.
Rose Jenkins has started a new role as senior attorney advisor at NYU Law’s Tax Law Center. Prior to joining the Tax Law Center, Jenkins was a Managing Director in the International Tax group within KPMG’s Washington National Tax office. Before KPMG, Jenkins was in the Office of Associate Chief Counsel (International) at the IRS, finally as a Special Counsel.
David Chappell died on Nov. 18 at the age of 78. Chappell practiced law for many years before teaming up with the consulting firm BC Collaborations. He was served on the Fort Worth City Council representing District 9 in 1989-1993 and was a member of the council’s Economic Development Committee. He served as chair of the board of The State Bar of Texas and of its foundation.
Aaron Gregg has joined Balch & Bingham as a partner to their public policy and government relations practice in Austin, Texas. His background includes working in the Texas Capitol and previously serving as chief of staff to former Texas House Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts.
Koby Kirkland opened plaintiff’s firm the Law Office of Koby Kirkland, LLC in Mobile, Alabama. Kirkland’s law office handles personal injury cases in Alabama and Texas, federal tort claims nationwide, and vaccine injury claims nationwide.
Charles “Charlie” Aycock passed away on Nov. 9, 2021 following a lengthy illness. After earning his J.D., Aycock worked as Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas for two years. He was partner in the private practice with Aldridge, Harding & Aycock, served as Parmer County Attorney, and was a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. In 2004, he retired from private law practice and was appointed to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
The Honorable Duval County Judge Gilbert N. Saenz passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 16, 2021. After earning his J.D., he served in the US Navy Judge Advocate General Corps. He spent his career working toward justice for all as a JAG Officer, public school teacher, school board member, attorney, and Duval County Judge. He was a member and active supporter of numerous social and charitable organizations.
Boyd Herndon, formerly Director of Research Compliance at the University of North Texas, has retired.
Marianne Nitsch has been elected shareholder with Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody, PC in Austin, Texas.