Class Notes

James Hill was selected as one of The Daily Transcript’s “50 Influential Leaders” in the San Diego business community for 2018. Every year, the Daily Transcript bestows the “Top Influential” title on 50 leaders in the community who have made an impact on the industry sectors that keep San Diego’s economic engine running. Mr. Hill, is a founding member of Sullivan Hill, member of its Executive Committee and chair of its Insolvency and Commercial Bankruptcy practice group.

International law firm Clark Hill Strasburger announced that Member Elizabeth Copeland has been confirmed to the U.S. Tax Court. Senators approved her appointment on the evening of August 28, 2018 in a voice vote. Elizabeth was nominated by President Trump in August 2017 and was approved by the Senate Finance Committee in June 2018.

Jeffrey Hearne, Director of Litigation at Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc., was honored with the 2018 Florida Bar Consumer Protection Lawyer of the Year Award for his advocacy and commitment to tenants’ rights, mentoring young attorneys, and working on projects to benefit consumers across Florida. The award was presented June 15 at the Annual Convention of The Florida Bar in Orlando by state Sen. José Javier Rodriguez, a member of the Consumer Protection Law Committee.

Kent McKinley has joined the Boston firm Hermes, Netburn, O’Connor & Spearing as a litigation associate. Kent counsels clients across a range of industries including corporate defense, product manufacturing, heavy machinery and automotive.

James Hill was given special recognition as Best Lawyers® 2019 Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law “Lawyer of the Year” in San Diego. A founding member of Sullivan Hill Rez & Engel, member of its Executive Committee and chair of the firm’s Insolvency and Commercial Bankruptcy practice group, Hill practices primarily in the areas of bankruptcy, insolvency and commercial law. He is also the inaugural Chair of the California Lawyers Association.

Christopher Hawkins was selected by his peers for inclusion in the 25th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® in the fields of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization law. Hawkins is a shareholder at Sullivan Hill Rez & Engel and represents a variety of corporate debtors, bankruptcy trustees, receivers, banks, trade creditors, asset purchasers and other parties in interest in all aspects of commercial insolvency.

Judge Aurora Martinez Jones ’07 has been elected to the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) Board of Directors. Currently, her judicial position is dedicated to the child welfare dockets in Travis County including the specialty Family Drug Treatment Court. She is the chair-elect for the Texas Children’s Justice Act Task Force, the past president of the Austin Black Lawyers Association and the former chair of the Austin Court Appointed Family Advocates (CAFA). She is also a Texas Bar Foundation Fellow and a member of the Robert W. Calvert American Inn of Court.

Joe Hardt is CEO and owner of Presco Polymers LP, a vertically integrated manufacturer of safety marking products and custom engineered films in Sherman, Texas. Previously, he was an attorney at the Dallas law firm, Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr PC and CEO of AMX Corp.

In August 2018, Samuel Kan began serving as the Assistant Dean of Academic Success and Bar Preparation at Barry University School of Law in Orlando Florida. As Assistant Dean, he will continue teaching tax, estate planning, and criminal law subjects as he taught during the 2017-2018 academic year. He initially joined the Barry law faculty as a tenured track Assistant Professor of Law after becoming a Florida licensed attorney and retiring from the Army JAG Corps, last serving as the Tax Counsel for the Department of Defense Office of General Counsel from 2014 to 2017 at the Pentagon.

Chambers 2018 High Net Worth (HNW) Guide has named Robin Miskell a leader in her field. Ms. Miskell is a certified estate and trust law specialist by the State Bar of Arizona. She practices primarily in the areas of estate planning, probate and trust administration, taxation and exempt organizations.

Reid Wilson, chair of the Wilson Cribbs + Goren law firm in Houston, has been elected treasurer of the Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section of the State Bar of Texas for 2018–2019.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP recently announced that it is expanding with the opening of an office in Dallas. Thomas Laughlin, one of Dallas’ top transactional lawyers, will join the new office as partner. Mr. Laughlin focuses on private equity investments, energy transactions and M&A.

Karra Porter has received the Utah State Bar Lawyer of the Year Award. The award is presented to a Utah State Bar member who, over a long and distinguished legal career, has by their ethical and personal conduct, commitment and activities, exemplified for their fellow attorneys the epitome of professionalism; who has also rendered extraordinary contributions to the programs and activities of the Utah State Bar in the prior year. Karra Porter has been President or Managing Director of Christensen & Jensen for 19 years. She is co-chair of the firm’s Commercial Litigation and Crisis Management practice groups, and is one of the most experienced and successful commercial and appellate lawyers in Utah.

Texas Lawyer named Daniel as one of 23 “Lawyers on the Rise” in the State of Texas for 2018. Daniel practices in the areas of Admiralty and Maritime law, as well as general and commercial litigation.

University of Texas School of Law Alumnus Emerson “Buddy” Banack Jr. has been recognized by Texas Lawyer for his significant contributions to the legal profession. Banack, co-founder and shareholder of Langley & Banack, one of San Antonio’s largest and locally owned law firms, was awarded Lifetime Achievement. Banack, a distinguished trial lawyer, graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in 1965.

Becky Diffen has been recognized by Renewable Energy World on its inaugural “Solar 40 Under 40” list of solar industry professionals with unparalleled accomplishments. Diffen previously worked as a utility-scale wind developer before graduating from The University of Texas School of Law, where she now teaches a seminar on electric power and renewable energy law. She also co-founded the Texas Energy Law Association alumni organization at her alma mater and co-chairs the Austin chapter of Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE).

Katie Coleman has been recognized as one of Texas Lawyer’s 2018 Lawyers on the Rise. The award recognizes 23 lawyers under the age of 40 who have made their mark on the legal profession in the Lone Star State. She is a Partner in Thompson & Knight LLP’s Austin office, where she practices regulatory and administrative law with a focus on state and federal energy regulations, energy markets, energy litigation and appeals, and government affairs.

Adam Schramek is president of the Austin Bar Association for 2018-19. A commercial litigation partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, Schramek plans to focus his term on increasing participation by Austin lawyers in pro bono cases, such as working to reunite immigrant families separated at the Texas border.

Chari Kelly has been selected to receive the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Outstanding Prosecutor of the Year Award for Travis County. The award recognizes a prosecutor who has gone above and beyond in prosecuting DWI cases and ensuring that those who drink and drive face the appropriate consequences of their actions. Kelly is the Democratic nominee for Place 3 on the Third Court of Appeals.

Jenny Carroll was appointed the Chair of the Alabama State Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights. Jenny is the Wiggins, Childs, Quinn and Pantazis Professor of Law at the University of Alabama School of Law where she teaches criminal law, criminal procedure, juvenile justice and counter terrorism courses.

Steven Dahl Thomas passed away on June 21, 2018. Born August 25, 1952 in Lubbock, Texas, he was the oldest son of the late James Elbert Thomas and Joyce Dahl Thomas. He earned a bachelor’s degree from St. John’s College (SF74) and a law degree from The University of Texas at Austin. In 1983 he joined the prestigious law firm of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. After six years, he left the law firm and joined Financial Security Assurance as Associate General Counsel.

Eva Sikes is a recipient of an Equal Justice Works Fellowship, one of the most prestigious and competitive post-graduate fellowships in the country. Eva is sponsored by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation. She will be hosted at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc., where she will combat displacement and housing instability of low-income homeowners in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas through legal advocacy and outreach.

Equal Justice Works has selected Texas Law alum Reema Ali for an Equal Justice Works Fellowship, one of the most prestigious and competitive post-graduate fellowships in the country. Reema will be hosted at the Equal Justice Center, where she will build a new model of integrated employment-and-immigration legal services for vulnerable immigrant working families by combining employment law expertise with immigration law expertise. She is sponsored by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation.

Danielle Healey, a senior principal at Fish & Richardson, the largest intellectual property law firm in the country, was named a top “Band 1” IP attorney in Texas in the 2018 edition of “Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.”

Ryan Chargois was honored in Who’s Who Legal 2018 as a leading corporate immigration attorney. Ryan is a partner at Foster LLP and leads the global immigration practice out of the Austin office.

Avalyn Langemeier was honored in Who’s Who Legal 2018 as a leading corporate immigration attorney. Avalyn is Partner at Foster LLP and assists employers, including companies, universities, and hospitals, as well as physicians, nurses, researchers and professors, executives, teachers and other professionals in obtaining work visas and permanent residence.

Charles C. Foster was honored in Who’s Who Legal 2018 as a leading corporate immigration attorney. Foster is Chairman of Foster LLP, Honorary Consul-General, Kingdom of Thailand (Houston) and Vice Dean of the City’s Consular Corps.

Megan Gray has resigned from the Federal Trade Commission to join DuckDuckGo as its General Counsel and Policy Advocate. She will be based in Washington, DC. DuckDuckGo is an online search engine that protects users’ privacy.

Rachel E. Ehlers has joined national workplace law firm Jackson Lewis P.C. as Of Counsel in its Austin, Texas office. Ms. Ehlers specializes in corporate governance and internal investigations, data privacy and cybersecurity, and workplace training. She has served in multiple in-house legal and compliance roles, in all sizes of companies—from startups to Fortune 500 companies.

Salvador “Sal” Davila, an attorney in the Austin office of Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, has been named president of the Hispanic Bar Association of Austin (HBAA). Davila’s appointment became effective May 23 after he served a one-year term as president-elect. Davila has been an active member of the HBAA for nearly six years.

David Hoffman, a principal at Fish & Richardson, the largest intellectual property law firm in the country, was named a top IP attorney in Texas in the 2018 edition of “Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.”

McGinnis Lochridge welcomes Ashton G. Cumberbatch, Jr. as a special counsel in the firm, effective May 1. His primary practice areas include alternative dispute resolution and labor-employment law. He is rejoining McGinnis Lochridge after working at the firm previously from 1989 to 2002, including a period as leader of a period as leader of the employment law section.

James W. Larimore was honored in the Chambers & Partners 2018 USA Directory in the corporate/commercial area of legal practice. Larimore is an attorney in Crowe & Dunlevy’s Oklahoma City office.

Michael J. Gibbens was honored in the Chambers & Partners 2018 USA Directory in the litigation: general commercial area of legal practice. Gibbens is an attorney in Crowe & Dunlevy’s Tulsa office.

Raymond A. Villareal’s first novel entitled “A People’s History of the Vampire Uprising” will be published on June 5, 2018 by Little, Brown and Company. Film rights were sold to 20th Century Fox in a pre-empt deal in 2017. There is plenty of case law in the novel so Raymond made good use of his law degree!

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP has promoted Jocelyn Tau to partner. Jocelyn focuses her practice on federal income tax law with an emphasis on domestic business transaction planning. She has significant experience advising publicly traded partnerships on capital formation, ongoing qualification, and acquisition and disposition activities.

GoransonBain family law attorney Britney Harrison Dieng has made her debut appearance on the Super Lawyers 2018 Texas Rising Stars list. This recognition places her among the only 2.5 percent of Texas’ nearly 97,000 attorneys who receive the annual honor.

Continuing the legacy of leadership, Goranson Bain Ausley family law attorney Kelly Caperton Fischer has been honored with inclusion in the Super Lawyers 2018 Texas Rising Stars, rating her among the only 2.5 percent of Texas’ nearly 97,000 attorneys who receive the annual honor. This is her fifth appearance on the Rising Star list.

Dave Wishnew proudly announces the launch of his firm, Crawford, Wishnew & Lang PLLC. Dave has a diverse litigation practice with a primary focus in business, employment and intellectual property disputes. SuperLawyers named Dave a Rising Star each year since 2012, including Top 100 in 2017 and 2018. D Magazine recognized Dave in its Best Lawyers in Dallas and Best Lawyers Under 40 for 2018. News agencies across the country published stories of Dave’s client, after awarding her $1.08 million.

Gil Guethlein (née Gillespie), class of 2011, has been named one of Denver Business Journal’s Top Women in Energy. This annual list honors 40 risk-takers changing the energy industry in Colorado.

Scott Tuthill has joined the Dallas office of Jackson Walker as a partner in the firm’s real estate practice group. His practice includes commercial real estate transactions, particularly those involving the acquisition, financing, development, management, leasing, and disposition of office, industrial, multifamily, and retail development projects.

Sullivan Hill is pleased to announce that Jim Hill, has once again been recognized by the independent attorney rating service, Super Lawyers. Hill has been selected to the Super Lawyers list for the last 12 years in the areas of Bankruptcy, Business Litigation, and Creditor Debtor Rights.

James McNeel has joined Chamberlain Hrdlicka as a shareholder in its San Antonio office. His practice will focus on fiduciary litigation in the area of estates, trusts, contested guardianships, and other related litigation. He will handle claims by and against estate administrators, trustees, beneficiaries, and closely held family businesses in all areas of law related to estate, trust, guardianship, and tax-related litigation.

James (Jim) Smith recently joined the Crain Caton & James (CCJ) law firm as Shareholder in the Environmental and Intellectual Practice Areas. His practice principally focuses on environmental matters including counseling, supporting transactions, and trying cases. He also has experience in intellectual property matters and is registered before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a patent attorney.

Ryan Gorsche, class of 2007 and member of the Order of the Coif, has been named 2018 Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers. Texas Rising Stars is an annual list of exceptional lawyers in the state who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement, and who are either 40 years old or younger or have been practicing for 10 years or less.

Daniel Sternthal, a shareholder in the Baker Donelson’s Houston office, will be ranked in the 2018 edition of Chambers USA as a leading practitioner in the area of healthcare.

My new book, “This is the Year I Put My Financial Life in Order,” is being published by Penguin Random House on April 3. Part personal finance guide and part memoir, the book has some fun memories of my days in Austin at UT and UT Law.

Greensboro attorney S. Camille Payton of Ward Black Law was recently inducted as a Fellow of the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers. This national organization honors those attorneys who have distinguished themselves in the field of workers’ compensation. Nominees are selected based on the outstanding traits they have exemplified in their practice of twenty years or more.

Diana Pérez Gomez has joined Chamberlain Hrdlicka as a shareholder in its Houston labor and employment practice. At Chamberlain Hrdlicka, her practice will focus on complex labor and employment disputes in state and federal courts. She will also serve as a mediator on a variety of civil matters.

Scripps College chose Sabine Romero as their 2018 Lois Langland Alumna-In-Residence. As the 2018 LLAiR, Sabine presented a series of career-inspired events, themed “Open Government: Ten Ways to Make a Difference in the World”.