Class Notes

Noel Harwerth has joined the board of Sirius Minerals Plc. as a non-executive director.

Giordani, Swanger, Ripp & Phillips recently named Steven D. Baker as its newest partner. With a background in accounting, Mr. Baker counsels individuals and fiduciaries in a wide variety of estate and business succession, charitable giving, and estate and trust administration matters. He is Board Certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and in Estate and Trust Law by the Arizona Board of Legal Specialization. He’s been with GSRP for two years.

Joshua W. Golden, senior counsel with Wilson Cribbs & Goren, PC in Houston, has been board-certified in Commercial Real Estate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS).

Alumnus, adjunct faculty member, and dear friend Mark Kincaid ’83 has passed away. A partner in George Brothers Kincaid & Horton LLP, he was the president-elect of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association.

In October of 2009, Mary Fuentes Valdez and a colleague, Brenda Lee Knowles (University of Houston School of Law) formed YTIA (Youth Transitioning Into Adulthood), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, to assist youths leaving State foster care. The organization is doing great work in the community.

Art Brender was presented with the Tarrant County Bar Association’s highest honor, the Blackstone Award, given in recognition of a career that exemplifies professional aptitude, integrity and courage. Brender earned a B.A. in History, as well as his J.D. from The University of Texas.

Sarah Scott was just hired by Coats Rose, P.C. as an Associate in the Affordable Housing practice group in the Austin office.

Julien Devereux Weeks, 80, retired Senior Public Service Associate with the Carl E. Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia and active community volunteer, passed away on Tuesday, May 26, 2015. He received his B.A. in Political Science and J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. His father, Oliver Douglas Weeks, was a UT political science professor until his death in 1970.

Kourtney Mueller Merrill, who received a J.D. with honors, Order of the Coif from The University of Texas School of Law in 2005, has been promoted to partner at law firm Perkins Coie. Kourtney is a member of Perkins’s Coie’s is a member of the firm’s Patent Litigation practice in the Denver office. Her work focuses on patent infringement litigation, inter partes review (IPR), and related intellectual property claims.

Brooks Pierce has named Reid Phillips as the firm’s managing partner, effective January 1. He follows Ed Winslow, who had led the firm since 2000.

Phillips, one of North Carolina’s top litigators, has served on the firm’s management committee since 2003 and as the firm’s general counsel since 2000. He will continue to actively practice law while providing strategic leadership and guidance to Brooks Pierce, which has more than 90 attorneys in Greensboro, Raleigh and Wilmington.

Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to announce Melissa M. Davis has joined the Firm’s Austin office as Counsel in the Trial Practice Group.

Christopher T. Borniger was elected to partnership with the firm Morris, Laing, Evans, Brock & Kennedy, Chtd. The firm has offices in Wichita and Topeka, Kan.; West Palm Beach, Fla.; Chicago; and Cleveland. Chris focuses his practice in the areas of civil litigation, financial services, bankruptcy, real estate, and title matters. He also recently joined the board of directors of Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, a nonprofit hospice based in Wichita.

Reid C. Wilson, a shareholder with Wilson Cribbs & Goren PC, has been selected to the 2015 Texas Super Lawyers list as a top rated Land Use & Zoning attorney in Houston.

Ewell, Brown & Blanke LLP is pleased to announce that Joseph R. Knight has joined the firm as a partner and the firm has changed its name to Ewell, Brown, Blanke & Knight LLP.

FordHarrison LLP on Monday said that the former managing partner of its Dallas office, who left last year for Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart PC, has come full circle, making her way back to the management-side labor and employment firm. Buena Vista Lyons, who moved to Ogletree last September, rejoined the firm’s Dallas office as a partner on Monday.

Vianei Lopez Braun joined Shannon, Gracey, Ratliff & Miller, LLP as a Partner in Labor & Employment Law, and she will be dividing her time between the Fort Worth and Houston offices.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to announce Travis Youngblood has been selected as an Emerging Leader in Healthcare by Real Estate Forum magazine.

McGuireWoods partner Ron Franklin, a highly acclaimed bet-the-company litigator, is featured by the National Law Journal in its Litigation Trailblazers issue published today. The publication recognizes top lawyers who have changed the practice of litigation with innovative legal strategies.

Gardere Partner Frances E. Phillips was recently featured in the National Law Journal’s inaugural list of “Energy & Environmental Trailblazers.” For this honor, the NLJ accepted nominations and compiled 50 profiles of energy and environmental attorneys across the country who have “moved the needle in the legal arena” and are “impacting the crucial intersection between energy production and the environment.”

At its Annual Membership Meeting last week, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association (TTLA) elected Austin attorney Mark L. Kincaid as its 2016 President-Elect.

At its Annual Membership Meeting last week, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association (TTLA) installed Dallas attorney Jeffrey B. Simon as its 2016 President.

Andrews Kurth recently announced the election of Cindy Y. Lin to the partnership. She will assume her new position on January 1, 2016.

Andrews Kurth recently announced the election of Brian J. Dillavou to the partnership. He will assume his new position on January 1, 2016.

Andrews Kurth recently announced the election of Isabel Crosby to the partnership. She will assume her new position on January 1, 2016.

Stephen M. Block has been included on this year’s list of “Top Lawyers” by Houstonia magazine. The list is published in the magazine’s December 2015 issue.

Reid Phillips, ’77, was recognized by Super Lawyers Business Edition, an annual guide to the nation’s top business law firms and attorneys.

Tom Rush Moody Jr. died on November 5, 2015 in Trappe, MD. During his time at Texas Law, Rush was Associate Note Editor of the Texas Law Review.

Nelia Robbi has been named by Texas Lawyer as Appellate Lawyer of The Week (10/22/15) for her work to affirm the personal jurisdiction principle that Texas courts will hear disputes involving nonresidents who fail to provide satisfactory products and services to Texas businesses.

Shipbird COO Dana E. Lipp is one of the youngest female COOs of a start-up in the tech industry. Shipbird, a game-changing package delivery service that allows users to employ proprietary technology, is a cleaner, more environmentally friendly option for businesses and individuals to send packages.

J. Scott Sheehan, a shareholder with the international law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, was recently elected as president-elect of the Texas Association of Bank Counsel (TABC) at its 39th annual convention in New Orleans.

On October 6, 2015, two Texas Law grads – Shelli Egger (’05) and Jackie Davis (’06) – were among 12 attorneys from Texas RioGrande Legal Aid to become members of the United States Supreme Court. The Honorable Wallace Jefferson (’88), former Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court, moved for their admittance before the Court. Shelli Egger and Jackie Davis are staff attorneys in TRLA’s Austin Office on the Domestic Violence and Family Law team.

Megan Sheffield, ’13, welcomed daughter Mila Love Sheffield Motaghedi on Aug. 16, 2015.

Joseph S. Pevsner was named “Local Litigation Star” in Texas by Benchmark Litigation 2016.

Elise Harriger, ’08 and Matt Harriger, ’10, welcomed their twins, Evaline and Wiley, in February 2015.

Beginning this month, Stephanie Potter, a Partner at Naman Howell Smith & Lee PLLC, will lead the Mother Attorney Mentoring Association as its President, taking the reins from Lauren Schoenbaum of the Schoenbaum Firm, PLLC. Potter has been actively involved with MAMAs for over four years.

Carlos Alberto Villarreal passed away on August 26, 2015, in Corpus Christi. He was 53.

Carlos was a Texas Monthly Super Lawyer in Appellate Practice and proud UT Law School alum who worked for the same law firm from 1986 until his death. Originally, the Corpus Christi firm was called Hunt Hermansen McKibben & Barger, but is now McKibben & Villarreal. Carlos became a partner in 1992 and name partner in 1997.

Carlos is survived by his wife of 25 years, Amy Harren de Villarreal (’86).

Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to congratulate John H. Martin on his selection as this year’s recipient of the Louis B. Potter Lifetime Professional Service Award from DRI – The Voice of the Defense Bar (“DRI”).

Attorney Jay Jackson, of the law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Friend, has been named to the 2015 designation of the Nation’s Top One Percent by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel (NADC). The mission of the NADC is to recognize attorneys who exemplify and elevate the standards of the bar and provide a benchmark of accomplishment for other lawyers.

Cathy Lamboley, ’79, was named a Lion of the Texas Bar by The Texas Lawbook.

Superior Energy Services, Inc. announced that Janiece M. Longoria has been elected to its board of directors, effective immediately.

Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to announce Counsel Robert Vartabedian and Associate Conrad D. Hester have joined the Firm’s Fort Worth office in the Trial Practice Group.

“Both Rob and Conrad bring legal expertise in the oil, gas, and energy industry, which is highly valued by our many of our clients,” said Greg W. Curry, the Firm’s Trial Practice Group Leader. “They will make an excellent addition to our team.”

Three University of Texas College of Law graduates were recently named as 2016 Best Lawyers in America’s “Lawyer of the Year.”

Steven L. Barghols, David L. Bryant and David E. Keglovits of GableGotwals received the honor from Best Lawyers. Barghols of Oklahoma City was honored for his work in Arbitration, Bryant of Tulsa was honored for his work in Bet-the-Company Litigation and Keglovits of Tulsa was honored for his work in Corporate Governance Law.

Three University of Texas College of Law graduates were recently named as 2016 Best Lawyers in America’s “Lawyer of the Year.”

Steven L. Barghols, David L. Bryant and David E. Keglovits of GableGotwals received the honor from Best Lawyers. Barghols of Oklahoma City was honored for his work in Arbitration, Bryant of Tulsa was honored for his work in Bet-the-Company Litigation and Keglovits of Tulsa was honored for his work in Corporate Governance Law.

Three University of Texas College of Law graduates were recently named as 2016 Best Lawyers in America’s “Lawyer of the Year.”

Steven L. Barghols, David L. Bryant and David E. Keglovits of GableGotwals received the honor from Best Lawyers. Barghols of Oklahoma City was honored for his work in Arbitration, Bryant of Tulsa was honored for his work in Bet-the-Company Litigation and Keglovits of Tulsa was honored for his work in Corporate Governance Law.

David Kitner was reappointed by the Texas Supreme Court to a second 3 year term on the Board of Disciplinary Appeals and has been elected Board Chair. He is a partner with Strasburger & Price in Dallas.

Kate Bailey recently joined HunterMaclean, a leading business law firm with offices in Savannah and Brunswick, as an associate in the firm’s Employment and Business Litigation Groups.

ALUMNI NEWS: Robert Thomas ’00 appointed Chairman of the Texas Facilities Commission by Gov. Greg Abbott.