Drew Baldinger has been named a partner at Skadden’s Energy and Infrastructure Projects Group at the firm’s Houston office. Baldinger was previously a partner at DLA Piper, where he represented energy companies, private equity sponsors and strategic investors in joint venture transactions. He did his undergraduate work at UT in addition to attending Texas Law.
Lyrissa Lidsky has been named Raymond & Miriam Ehrlich Chair in U.S. Constitutional Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law, where she previously taught for 22 years. Most recently, Lidksy previously served as the first woman Dean of the University of Missouri School of Law.
Cindy Hill has been named general counsel for Round Rock ISD. Hill’s experience in legal firms has covered areas such as employment litigation, employee relations, education law and government contracting. She has served as outside general counsel for school district administrations and Boards of Trustees.
Andrew Hettinger has been named a 2022 Flinn-Brown Fellow by The Arizona Center for Civic Leadership at the Flinn Foundation. This award goes to emerging civic leaders and recognized experts with diverse perspectives, unique experiences, and dedication to their respective communities. Hettinger currently serves as a magistrate for the City of Page, Arizona Magistrate Court.
Kayla Dreyer has been named a shareholder in Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP ’s litigation department. Dreyer’s prior practice experience focused on trade secrets, noncompete, nonsolicit, employee mobility disputes, and traditional labor and employment areas.
Iffy Ibekwe is the author of an article titled “First Impressions Matter” about the importance of client experiences at law firms. Ibekwe is the principal attorney and founder of Ibekwe Law, PLLC.
Audrey Momanaee has joined the Houston office of Balch and Bingham LLP to lead the Litigation Practice in Texas. Momanaee has more than 15 years of litigation experience.
Terry Schuster has been appointed by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy as the head of the New Jersey Office of Corrections ombudsperson. The ombudsperson investigates complaints and conducts inspections of the Department of Corrections’ adult prison facilities.
Rachel Morgan has been appointed executive vice president and general counsel of Nexstar Media Group. She will be responsible for the long-term legal strategy and day-to-day management of Nexstar’s legal affairs, as well as those of its affiliated companies.
John Aloysius Cogan has been promoted to professor of law and received tenure at the University of Connecticut School of Law. Cogan teaches courses surrounding health law and health insurance.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
John W. Cones has been included in Marquis Who’s Who. Cones practiced law in Los Angeles for 23 years, then in Houston. His investor offering work resulted in successfully funding 62 feature and documentary films. In addition to his legal work, Cones has authored 16 books about film finance and has been active on the lecture circuit.
Veteran Dallas corporate partner Don McDermett has moved his practice to Winston & Strawn, LLP. McDermett has more than 30 years of experience in corporate, securities, and transactional law.
Seth Isgur has joined the Houston office of McGinnis Lochridge as a partner. Previously, Isgur was a partner in the Energy Litigation Group at Norton Rose Fulbright. Prior to his legal career, Seth was a certified public accountant.
Kathryn Richardson, founder and principal of HR Legal Search, was presented a Pathfinders Award by the Travis County Women Lawyers Association. The award is presented to local women attorneys who are using their law degrees in a variety of ways to impact the community and the legal profession as role models and trail blazers. Richardson previously served six years as Assistant Dean for Career Services at Texas Law.
Yvonne Puig, Chief Integration Partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, was presented a Pathfinders Award by the Travis County Women Lawyers Association. The award is presented to local women attorneys who are using their law degrees in a variety of ways to impact the community and the legal profession as role models and trail blazers. Puig’s practice involves commercial and healthcare litigation, antitrust, regulatory and compliance advice, crisis and risk management, administrative law, and products liability.