Herschel Clyde Winn died May 17, 2016 in Irving, Texas. Retired in November 1997 as senior vice president and secretary of Tandy Corporation after 29 years of service, Mr. Winn was honored in 2010 by the State Bar of Texas as a “50 Year Lawyer.”
Andrew Graham has joined global law firm Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP as Of Counsel in its Litigation Practice, based in Dallas. Andrew has extensive litigation experience in trial and appellate courts in a wide variety of matters, including fiduciary duties, contractual disputes, corporate governance, privacy issues, and indemnity claims. His practice covers a range of industries and sectors, including oil and gas, banking, private equity, media, and aviation.
Beck Redden Partner, Russell S. Post, was elected to be a member of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers (AAAL). Membership in AAAL is by invitation only and is reserved for experienced appellate advocates who have demonstrated the highest skill level and integrity – membership is limited to 500 members in the United States.
Kelly Frels’70, former President of the State Bar of Texas, has been awarded the 2016 Civic Leadership Award by the Center for Houston’s Future.
Ralph W. Dau, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge and former partner with the law firm of O’Melveny & Myers, has died. He was 78.
Duke Whitney Gatlin passed away June 1st, 2016 in Nashville, TN.
Hal Ray ’84, has been appointed United States Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Texas, Wichita Falls Division. Judge Ray previously was a partner in Pope, Hardwicke, Christie, Schell, Kelly & Ray, LLP, in Fort Worth.
Reid Wilson, chairman of Wilson Cribbs + Goren, PC, received the Best Speaker Award for the 2015 Advanced Real Estate Law Course presented by the Texas Bar CLE. Reid was recognized for his presentation on “Terminating Condominium Projects.” The award was presented at a luncheon during the State Bar’s 2016 Advanced Real Estate Law Course.
Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed First Assistant District Attorney Phil Grant to the 9th state District Court, his office announced Oct. 17. Grant is the first assistant district attorney for the District Attorney’s Office and is the supervisor for the public integrity unit and major crimes and police integrity response teams.
The 2016 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business recognized 18 Brooks Pierce attorneys, including a University of Texas School of Law alumnus, as leaders in their respective practice areas.
Brooks Pierce partner Reid Phillips, who earned his juris doctor from the University of Texas School of Law in 1977, was recognized for Litigation: General Commercial. Phillips as previously nominated by his peers for inclusion in “The Best Lawyers in America” in Commercial Litigation, Banking & Finance Litigation, and Intellectual Property Litigation, and was named “Lawyer of the Year” in 2015 for Banking and Finance Litigation.
Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to congratulate John H. Martin, who was named to the 2016 Who’s Who Legal 100. Wright was recognized for his work in transport law.
Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to congratulate Arthur Wright, who was named to the 2016 Who’s Who Legal 100. Wright was recognized for his work in energy law.
Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to congratulate Jennifer P. Henry, who was named to the 2016 Who’s Who Legal 100. Henry was recognized for her work in transport law.
Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to congratulate Timothy R. Brown, who was named to the 2016 Who’s Who Legal 100. Brown was recognized for his work in energy law.
Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to congratulate Jim Morriss, who was named to the 2016 Who’s Who Legal 100. Morriss was recognized for his work in environmental law.
Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to congratulate Larry Hicks, who was named to the 2016 Who’s Who Legal 100. Hick was recognized for his work in real estate law.
Joe W. Redden was recognized in the annual Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2016 directory. Redden was specifically recognized for his work in General Commercial litigation.
Alistair B. Dawson was recognized in the annual Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2016 directory. Dawson was specifically recognized for his work in General Commercial litigation.
David J. Beck was recognized in the annual Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2016 directory. In addition to being recognized at the state-level for Litigation: Energy and Natural Resources and Litigation: General Commercial, Beck was recognized at the national level for Litigation: Trial Lawyers.
Chambers USA is carefully researched and widely considered to be the most reputable law firm directory in the world.
Ivan Wood, senior counsel in Baker Donelson’s Houston office, has been ranked in Band 3 in the area of health care in Texas in the 2016 edition of Chambers USA.
Beck Redden Partner, Connie Pfeiffer, led the charge to overturn a Fifth Circuit decision affecting millions of Texas homeowners in May. The Fifth Circuit had decided that homeowners with constitutionally defective liens on their homestead must file suits to set the lien aside within four years of originating a home equity loan. This meant that lenders could foreclose on a home when they had not complied with all of the Constitution’s consumer protection requirements to make a valid lien. Pfeiffer co-authored the briefs and presented the oral arguments in front of the Texas Supreme Court and the Fifth Circuit’s decision was overturned.
James W. Smith, Jr. (Jim) passed away on April 26, 2016. Jim earned a B.B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin in 1965 and a J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law in 1967. Jim started his law career in 1968 at Childs, Fortenbach, Beck, and Guyton, where he became a partner of the firm. He continued his law practice at Butler and Binion when the two firms merged in 1987. In 1993 he formed his own law firm, Snell and Smith, until the firm merged with Thompson and Knight in 2000. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Susan, and his daughters, Robin Clark and Lisa Smith (’03).
Ardon Berkeley (RB) Judd, Jr. died April 25, 2016 in Houston, Texas. He was born in Houston on October 7, 1936 and married Nancy Ruina (Rue) Wallace on June 5, 1965. They raised their two daughters, Nancy Alston Judd and Sallie Matthews Judd, in Arlington, Virginia. He was a natural joiner, and in equal measures took joy from and gave joy to all around him. Ardon is survived by a large and loving family.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has named Vinson & Elkins partner Harry Reasoner as the recipient of the 2016 Karen H. Susman Jurisprudence Award. The award is given annually to an outstanding member of the legal community who exhibits an exceptional commitment to equality, justice, fairness and community service.
Arthur T. Catterall of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division’s Appellate Section has received the Arthur S. Flemming Award for 2015. For over 67 years, the Flemming award has been conferred annually on a dozen Federal employees for outstanding and meritorious work for the government. Mr. Catterall is being recognized for outstanding Legal Achievement. The award will be conferred at a ceremony at George Washington University on June 6, 2016.
Irwin Steinhorn is included on the Best Lawyers in America recognition list.
Robert Curry has been listed as a Band 1 attorney by Chambers USA and is also included on the recognition lists published by Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers.
Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. (Munsch Hardt) is proud to announce the promotion of Aryn Self to shareholder, effective May 1. Self works in the Dallas office and is an active members of the Real Estate practice group.
Rosetta Genomics Ltd. (NASDAQ: ROSG), a leading developer and provider of microRNA-based and other molecular diagnostics, announces the appointment of Ana C. Ward, Esq. as Executive Vice President, Legal and Corporate Development.
Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals presented the new Barbara Jordan American Inn of Court with its Charter at the Federal Courthouse in Austin on April 14. Accepting the Charter from Chief Judge Stewart were Frank A. King (BA ’78, JD ’95), Assistant Attorney General, co-founder and President of the Barbara Jordan Inn of Court; Presiding Judge of the Austin Municipal Court Sherry Statman, President-elect of the Jordan Inn of Court; Treasurer and co-founder, JoAnn Dalrymple (BA ’91, JD ’94)(in absentia); Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Boyd, Counselor of Jordan Inn of Court; and Administrator, Allison Cunningham (BA ‘11, JD ‘15).
Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals presented the new Barbara Jordan American Inn of Court with its Charter at the Federal Courthouse in Austin on April 14. Accepting the Charter from Chief Judge Stewart were Frank A. King (BA ’78, JD ’95), Assistant Attorney General, co-founder and President of the Barbara Jordan Inn of Court; Presiding Judge of the Austin Municipal Court Sherry Statman, President-elect of the Jordan Inn of Court; Treasurer and co-founder, JoAnn Dalrymple (BA ’91, JD ’94)(in absentia); Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Boyd, Counselor of Jordan Inn of Court; and Administrator, Allison Cunningham (BA ‘11, JD ‘15).
Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals presented the new Barbara Jordan American Inn of Court with its Charter at the Federal Courthouse in Austin on April 14. Accepting the Charter from Chief Judge Stewart were Frank A. King (BA ’78, JD ’95), Assistant Attorney General, co-founder and President of the Barbara Jordan Inn of Court; Presiding Judge of the Austin Municipal Court Sherry Statman, President-elect of the Jordan Inn of Court; Treasurer and co-founder, JoAnn Dalrymple (BA ’91, JD ’94)(in absentia); Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Boyd, Counselor of Jordan Inn of Court; and Administrator, Allison Cunningham (BA ‘11, JD ‘15).
Hermes Law, a diverse team of legal professionals providing clients with expertise in the leading areas of practice impacting the insurance and risk industry, recently announced Gino J. Rossini as a partner at the Dallas, TX-based firm. Rossini has been a senior attorney at the firm since its inception in 2015.
The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Joe Pevsner for his inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.
The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Tony Campiti for his inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.
The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Wilson Jones for his inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.
The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Craig Haynes for his inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.
The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Adrienne Dominguez for her inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.
The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Holt Foster for his inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.
The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Richard B. Phillips, Jr. for his inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.
The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Mike McCullough for his inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.
John Lockett was recently named by the Fulton County Daily Report as one of 25 lawyers “On The Rise” in Atlanta, Georgia. Lockett is a partner in the commercial litigation group of Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP where he specializes in representing members of the real estate, financial services, heavy equipment and technology industries.
The Texas Bar Foundation recently named John G. Browning the recipient of the 2016 Lola Wright Foundation Award, presented annually to a Texas attorney in recognition for outstanding public service in advancing and enhancing legal ethics in Texas. The award will be presented during the Texas Bar Foundation’s black-tie dinner gala on June 17.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker recently announced the appointment of James Cicconi to serve on the U.S. Commerce Department’s Digital Economy Board of Advisors, which will provide recommendations on ways to advance economic growth and opportunity in the digital age.
Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients across the Americas, has further expanded its Dallas office with securities and commercial litigation partner Bryce Benson in the Litigation Practice Group. He joins Akerman’s national bench of trial lawyers and enhances the firm’s core strengths in the financial services sector.
The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to announce Richard B. Phillips, Jr. has been elected a member of the Board of Trustees for the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society. He will begin his service to the board on June 1, 2016.
The Credit Union National Association (CUNA) today announced that Mollie Bell, who has served as the association’s Chief Transformation Officer since September, will be leading CUNA’s engagement team. The role combines what had previously been separate engagement and transformation roles. Bell will lead CUNA’s engagement team and broader cross-functional and collaborative member development and engagement work as CUNA begins operating under the new bylaws overwhelmingly approved recently by its member credit unions. Bell will continue to serve on CUNA’s Leadership Team.
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck is pleased to announce that Steve Demby, a shareholder in the firm’s Denver office and a member of its executive committee, recently was appointed to serve on the board of directors of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). His term starts in March 2016 and will initially last a period of three years.
Texas Law alum Catherine ‘Cathy’ Fant recently passed away. Ms. Fant was the founder and first editor of the Texas Journal on Civil Liberties & Civil Rights.
The Litigation Counsel of America recently named longtime Sand Springs resident and Crowe and Dunlevy attorney Terry Thomas a senior fellow. Thomas was recognized for his work in business, bankruptcy and banking law.