William D. White passed away on April 26, 2022. He was a double Longhorn who graduated from Texas Law in 1960. White practiced law in Dallas for more than 50 years, working both with his father and at Locke Lord LLP. He served as mayor of Highland Park from 2002-08 and was a strong supporter of the United Way.
Leann Guzman has been chosen as the next city attorney for Fort Worth; she will be appointed by the City Council on May 10. Guzman has been a prosecuting attorney on the City Attorney’s Office for 18 years.
Colleen Marie Sullivan is the recipient of the Austin Bar Association’s 2022 Larry F. York Mentoring Award. This award honors Central Texas lawyers or judges who have exhibited extreme skill and generosity in their mentorship of younger members of the bar. Sullivan is the mandamus attorney at the Supreme Court of Texas. She joined the Court in April 2021 after 11 years as a staff attorney at the Third Court of Appeals.
Linda Rockwood has been invited to join the University of Denver Alumni Council, where she earned her undergraduate degree before graduating from Texas Law. Rockwood is an environmental lawyer whose practice specializes in environmental remediation and air quality.
Michael Collins has joined Tritium DCFC Limited as general counsel and company secretary. He leads the legal department and works closely with Tritium’s Board of Directors to further strategic and business objectives while minimizing risks and ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations and Company policies.
Zachary D. Norris passed away on October 24, 2021. He graduated from Texas Law in 2002 and worked as a civil litigator and in the U.S. Federal District Court in Texas, before relocating to New Zealand. With his wife, he co-founded Norris Echetebu Law, a business, entertainment, and immigration firm.
Ronnie Stephens passed away on April 15, 2022. Stephens earned both his bachelor’s degree in business and his law degree from UT. He practiced family and property law and served as county attorney for Young County, before becoming lead counsel for a trucking, oil, and gas company. Stephens also was active in his community of Graham, serving on multiple boards.
Kenneth Miles passed away on April 12, 2022. Miles graduated from Texas Law in 1980 and served for 20 years in the United States Military. He also worked as an attorney, specializing in real estate and banking.
Jim Hill has been selected as a 2022 Super Lawyer in the area of Bankruptcy: Business, an honor he has received for the last 16 years. A founding member of Sullivan Hill Rez & Engel in San Diego, Hill is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and chair of the Insolvency and Commercial Bankruptcy practice group. He practices primarily in the areas of bankruptcy, insolvency and commercial law.
Chris Hawkins has been selected as a 2022 Super Lawyer in the area of Bankruptcy: Business. A shareholder at Sullivan Hill Rez & Engel in San Diego and member of the firm’s Executive Committee, he practices in the Insolvency and Commercial Bankruptcy, Business Transactions, and Commercial and Business Litigation groups.
William “Bill” Deffebach passed away at the age of 91 on April 11, 2022. Deffebach was a double longhorn, graduated from both the University of Texas School of Business and School of Law. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, he went on to be a partner in an El Paso law firm, general counsel to El Paso National Bank, and director and vice president of El Paso National Corporation.
Kirby D. Hopkins ’01 has been accepted as a member of the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC). The IADC is a highly selective, invitation-only network of distinguished law firm partners, senior counsel in law departments, and insurance executives. He is a managing member at Hopkins Centrich.
Jared Hoggan has joined the patent litigation team of Munck Wilson Mandala as a partner. Hoggan specializes in complex patent litigation and licensing.
Brad Seidel has joined Hedrick Kring Bailey as of counsel. Seidel previously ran his own law firm and specialized in complex consumer and commercial litigation.
Diana Perez Gomez, a shareholder in Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s Houston labor and litigation practice, has been named one of “Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women of 2020-21” by Houston Woman Magazine.
Lynn Abell has joined the Houston office of Gibson, Dunn, and Crutcher LLP as counsel. She will serve as a member of the Private Equity Practice Group.
Christian Navarro passed away on March 31, 2022. Navarro graduated from Texas Law in 1998 and started his own law practice in his hometown of Houston. Navarro was a marathon runner and was active in his community, including the Shoes for Kids program and remediating homes after Hurricane Harvey.
Rudy Metayer has been selected as the recipient of the 2022 African American Lawyers Section (AALS) Trailblazer Award. In addition to his legal work at Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody, Metayer serves on the Pflugerville City Council. He is a three-time UT graduate, earning his undergraduate degree, law degree and a master’s degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs.
Jerry Gilmore passed away on March 30, 2022, in McKinney, Texas. Gilmore was a double Longhorn, earning his bachelor’s degree from UT as well as his J.D. Gilmore practiced law at various law firms and also served at various times as City Attorney for five different municipalities. He also provided adoption services for Buckner Baptist Children’s Home. Gilmore served two terms on the Dallas City Council and was heavily involved in civic organizations in the Dallas area, including service on several boards.
Henry Franklin Harren passed away March 31, 2022. A double Longhorn, Harren earned both his bachelor’s and J.D. degree from the University. After starting his law career in El Paso, Harren practiced in Austin for the rest of his career. He fought for affordable housing in Austin and authored “All the Dirt,” a newsletter about the intersection of real estate and politics in Austin. Harren was the co-founder of Evolve Austin Partners and served on the Board of Directors for multiple organizations.
Sidra Zaheer has been promoted to senior counsel and chair of eDiscovery Practice at Klinedinst PC. Zaheer works with clients in all stages of litigation, and regularly advises in document intensive cases.
Jack Steven Magids passed away on April 5, 2022, at the age of 74. In addition to graduating from the Texas Law School, he also attended UT as an undergraduate. Magids was recognized by his peers as one of Memphis’ top corporate lawyers, and honored several times as a Super Lawyer and by Best Lawyers in America.
Albert Maverick McNeel, Jr., died March 31, 2022, in San Antonio. McNeel practiced law in San Antonio for 60 years, retiring in 2012. He was active in the San Antonio Bar Association, serving as editor of the newsletter for two years and then as vice president. He also was on the local Texas State Bar Association Grievance Committee for six years, including three as chairman.
Linda Leuchter Addison has been named the Lead Independent Director at Globe Life. Addison is the Founding President of the Center for Women in Law. In March of 2022, she received the Shirley Bird Perry Longhorn Citizenship Award presented by the UT Moody College of Communications Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life.
Willam Lee Warren passed away unexpectedly in January 2022, in Herndon, Va. During his career, he practiced law at Baker Botts LLP and Latham & Watkins LLP, was executive vice president and general counsel of GeoEye, Inc., and was president of the consulting business Mageq, LLC. Warren was a United States Marine Corps veteran.
Kimberly Allen has been appointed by Governor Abbott as judge of the 69th Judicial District Court. Allen has served as as the county attorney for Sherman County since 1997.
Kasi Moeskau has been appointed Chief Legal Officer of RPM Living, a real estate management company. Moeskau has served as outside counsel for RPM Living for almost 15 years.
Amber K. Dodds has been honored as a “40 Under 40” leader by the San Antonio Business Journal for 2022. This elite group represents rising business and community leaders succeeding in business and contributing to the San Antonio community. Dodds, a partner at Bracewell, specializes in all areas of employment law.
John Gilbert Niles passed away on March 9, 2022 in Santa Monica, California. After graduating from Stanford University and Texas Law, Niles served in the United States Navy Judge Advocate General Corps from 1968 to 1972. After completing his military duty, he moved to Los Angeles where he joined the law firm of O’Melveny and Myers, becoming a partner in 1978 and retiring in 2004.
Kerry Potter McCormick has joined Barnes & Thornburg as a partner in the firm’s Investment Funds and Asset Management practice in New York. McCormick’s practice focuses on representing fund sponsors and alternative asset managers in connection with the launch and ongoing operations of various investment products and structures, including private funds, managed accounts, funds-of-one and co-investment products.
Eric Opiela has been appointed to the Texas Funeral Service Commission by Governor Abbott. Opiela is an attorney for Eric Opiela PLLC, president of the South Texans’ Property Rights Association, and a life fellow for the Texas Bar Foundation.
Ryan J. Meyer has been recognized as a 2022 Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers. Meyer is a litigation partner at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, where he defends companies and executives in government investigations, civil enforcement actions and criminal proceedings typically involving allegations of securities fraud and health care fraud.
Leigh Sebastian has been promoted to the position of general counsel of the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA). She oversees the Legal Services department including legal support, LCRA’s ethics program, and regulatory and electric market compliance. Sebastian also has supported the development of the organization’s legal strategy related to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas and the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Sebastian currently serves on the Advisory Council of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center for Energy, Law and Business.
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.
Alan Jack Garey passed away on March 18, 2022. Garey, who was a double Longhorn, having earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from UT. Garey was a successful trial lawyer who specialized in personal injury and workers’ compensation law. He wrote Handling Workman’s Compensation Case for the Plaintiff, which was published by the State Bar of Texas. He served on and chaired the Texas Worker’s Compensation Commission. In addition to his legal profession, Garey founded Garey Construction Company and served as president of the Associated General Contractors of Texas.
Winter Woldemariam has been recognized as one of five distinguished alumni of the Riverwood International Charter School in a recently launched program to honor successful graduates. Woldemariam currently serves as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the US Justice Department.
Mary Kate Raffetto has been named a Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers. Raffetto is an associate in the Houston office of Beck Redden LLP and specializes in appellate law and commercial litigation.
Parth Gejji has been recognized as a Texas Rising Star in Super Lawyers. Gejji is an associate in the appellate section for Beck Redden LLP, focusing on civil appeals and complex civil litigation.
Jacqueline Furlow has been named a 2022 Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers. Furlow is a partner in the Houston office of Beck Redden LLP and specializes in business litigation.
Nicholas Bruno has been recognized as a 2022 Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers. Bruno is an associate at Beck Redden LLP, where he practices in all levels of the Texas appellate system.
Justin Constant has been named a 2022 Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers. Constant is a patent litigation counsel in the Houston office of Weil, Gotshal, and Manges, LLP.
Daniella Landers has joined the Houston office of Womble Bond Dickinson as an environmental, health and safety partner. Landers handles a broad range of environmental issues, from environmental closures to groundwater remediation. She also is a frequent speaker and writer on environmental, energy, and litigation issues.
Nishi Kothari has been added to the 2022 list of Texas Rising Stars, a listing by compiled by Super Lawyers, that recognizes the top 2.5% of young lawyers in Texas. Kothari is a partner at the Brasher Law Firm in Beaumont.
Mary Nichols, who has been the general counsel of Texas Mutual Insurance for 26 years, has announced her retirement. Throughout her career at Texas Mutual, Nichols vigorously defended the newly reformed workers’ compensation system.
Mike Golden has been named Director of Advocacy and Lecturer at Texas Law. Golden has been with Texas Law since 2004, teaching Trial Advocacy Survey, Advocacy Outside the Courtroom, ADR, and Negotiation.
Linda Addison has received the Shirley Bird Perry Longhorn Citizenship Award presented by the UT Moody College of Communications. This award recognizes UT alumni, students, and employees for individual or collective acts that bring honor to the University community and positively impact civic life. Addison is Founding President of the Center for Women in Law. She was a U.S. Managing Partner of Norton Rose Fulbright and currently serves on the boards of KPMG LLP and Globe Life Inc., as well as multiple non-profit boards.
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.
Kelli Bills has been promoted to counsel at Haynes and Boone, LLP. Bills is a member of the Appellate Practice Group, based out of the firm’s Denver office. She assists clients at every stage of litigation, from pretrial dispositive motions to complex appeals, in a wide array of industries.
Lawrence Beck passed away March 14, 2022. Beck graduated from Texas Law in 1976, and began practicing at the firm Beck and Beck PC. He was board certified in business and consumer bankruptcy law and recognized for his pro bono work.
Jo Betsy Lewallen Szebehely died on March 16, 2022. Szebehely was a double longhorn and graduated from Texas Law in 1966. She served as a partner of Hearn, Knolle, Lewallen, Livingston, and Holcombe for nine years, before working in private practice. Szebehely offered numerous pro bono professional services and community volunteer services during her time as a lawyer.