Douglas McNiel joined Shook, Hardy & Bacon as a new associate in the Product Liability Group. He has experience in drafting motions, document review, preparing witnesses for trial and managing discovery for product liability and mass tort matters. Douglas also wrote a report on Texas cannabis laws and public policy.
Jason Villalba has started a 501(c)(3) foundation, Texas Hispanic Policy Foundation (TXHPF.org) along with a new podcast, “Our Story,” which is dedicated to the voices of Texas Hispanics. Its mission is to explore the personal and intimate stories of Texas Latinos to dispel misconceptions about Texas Hispanics. Villalba is an attorney with the firm Foley and Lardner LLP in his native Dallas, Texas, and a Republican former member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 114 in Dallas County.
Winstead PC attorney Steffen Sowell wrote an essay in honor of Black History Month that was recently published in Texas Lawyer. In the essay, Sowell discusses the societal contributions of African American poet Amanda Gorman, as well as how lawyers can move the needle on racial equity.
Parth S. Gejji, an associate with Beck Redden, has been recognized as a 2021 Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers.
Jacqueline M. Furlow, an associate with Beck Redden, has been recognized as a 2021 Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers.
Theodora Lee, a Shareholder at Littler’s San Francisco office, has been named to the National Black Lawyers (NBL) top list. Lee is a skilled litigator with extensive courtroom experience in all state and federal courts in California and employment-related regulatory agencies. As a recognized subject matter authority, Lee has been published in numerous publications and is a sought-after speaker presenting on a wide variety of employment topics.
Jim Hill, of Sullivan Hill, has been recognized by San Diego Magazine as a 2021 Top Lawyer in San Diego in the field of Bankruptcy. A founding member of the firm, chair of its Insolvency and Commercial Bankruptcy practice group, and member of its Executive Committee, Hill practices primarily in the areas of bankruptcy, insolvency and commercial law. The list reflects those local attorneys who have been recognized by Martindale-Hubbell as 2021 AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated attorneys.
Dana Davis Paul, of Paul Law Firm in Rogers, AR, has been selected to Mid-South Super Lawyers by Super Lawyers as a top attorney in the Mid-South, specializing in real estate law.
Jason E. Boatright has joined Duane Morris LLP as special counsel in the firm’s Trial Practice Group in its Dallas office. Boatright has held senior legal positions in state government in both Dallas and Austin. He is a former justice of the Texas Fifth District Court of Appeals, the appellate court that reviews trial court decisions in Collin, Dallas, Grayson, Hunt, Kaufman and Rockwall counties.
Bill Swart joined Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. as Shareholder in the firm’s Dallas office on March 1. Swart regularly represents clients in sale transactions, expansion strategies and recapitalizations. He has also gained experience with private equity structures and practices, managing expectations among buyers, sellers, lenders, management and other parties associated with complex transactions.
Julie Offerman was recently elevated to income shareholder at Chamberlain Hrdlicka. Named among the Up-and-Coming 50: 2020 Texas Women Rising Stars, Offerman is an experienced litigation attorney in Chamberlain’s Houston Labor & Employment practice. She has been named to Texas Super Lawyers in 2020 after being named Texas Rising Star in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2019. She has also been named among Houstonia Magazine Top Lawyers in 2019 and 2020.
Camille Milner was recently named the 2020 Gay G. Cox Recipient for Excellence in Collaborative Law. The award was announced at the Collaborative Law Conference in Austin and is normally presented at the State Bar’s Annual Advanced Family Law Seminar in August each year. Milner was given the award for her leadership role in Collaborative Divorce Texas and for her commitment to growing the collaborative movement.
Christopher D. Kratovil was promoted to National Recruiting Partner at Dykema, a leading national law firm. This follows a five-year stint as Managing Member of Dykema’s Dallas office where Kratovil helped to develop the office through laterals of top legal talent. In his practice, Kratovil remains in Dallas as a member of the firm’s Litigation Department, focusing on appellate matters. Kratovil has made a name for himself as one of the “Top 100 Lawyers in Texas”.
BakerHostetler has elected Thomas A. Donaho to the partnership, effective Jan. 1, 2021. His practice in Houston will focus on complex commercial and business litigation. He has experience representing clients in a wide range of contract matters, business torts and real estate disputes. Donaho earned his J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law and his A.B. from Duke University. He was previously an associate at the firm and is a member of the Litigation Practice Group.
Scott Keller co-founded a new national boutique law firm, Lehotsky Keller LLP, with an initial office in Washington, D.C. The firm will help clients litigate cases challenging government regulations, handle complex civil cases throughout the country, and analyze and address cutting-edge legal issues. Before founding Lehotsky Keller LLP, Keller headed Baker Botts LLP’s Supreme Court Practice. He has also served as the Solicitor General of Texas, the State’s chief appellate litigator.
The San Antonio Bar Foundation (SABF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dennis J. Windscheffel, of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP, to the SABF Fellows Program newly-elected 2021 class.
The San Antonio Bar Foundation (SABF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Erica E. Valladares, of Langley & Banack, Inc., to the SABF Fellows Program newly-elected 2021 class.
The San Antonio Bar Foundation (SABF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael J. Ritter, of the Fourth Court of Appeals, to the SABF Fellows Program newly-elected 2021 class.
The San Antonio Bar Foundation (SABF) is pleased to announce the appointment of George Luis Salinas Jr., from the Law Offices of George Salinas, PLLC, to the SABF Fellows Program newly-elected 2021 class.
The San Antonio Bar Foundation (SABF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Carol Bertsch, from The Law Offices of Carol Bertsch, P.C., to the SABF Fellows Program newly-elected 2021 class.
The San Antonio Bar Foundation (SABF) is pleased to announce the appointment of the Honorable Richard B. Farrer, a United State Magistrate Judge, to the SABF Fellows Program newly-elected 2021 class.
The San Antonio Bar Foundation (SABF) is pleased to announce the appointment of William B. Kingman, from the Law Offices of William B. Kingman, P.C., to the SABF Fellows Program newly-elected 2021 class.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has named attorney Barbara E. Griffin the new chair of the Pennsylvania Lawyers Fund for Client Security Board. She is the first woman and the first African-American to be named to the position. Griffin is the Director of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation’s Pro Bono Center, where she creates, manages, and supports legal services programs that provide volunteer attorneys to low-income persons facing legal issues that threaten basic human needs.
Lary D. Garrett was named Mentor of the Year for 2020 by the West Virginia State Bar, selected by the Young Lawyer Section of the State Bar. Previously, he was named the Lawyer Citizen of the Year in 2001 by the West Virginia Bar Foundation in recognition of his public service activities and accomplishments. Lary has practiced for 43 years with his wife, Karen Kunz Garrett ’78 (also a Texas Law alumn), as the firm Garrett & Garrett in the Mountain State.
Carmel Martin has been selected by President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to serve as deputy director of the Domestic Policy Council for Economic Mobility for the White House. Martin worked as a senior policy advisor for the Biden campaign and previously served as the assistant secretary for policy and budget at the U.S. Department of Education during the Obama-Biden administration.
Michael Blake is happy to announce the 17th anniversary of his Intellectual Property Law Practice in Milford, Connecticut. Blake is licensed before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Connecticut Bar, the State Bar of California (inactive), the United States District Court (USDC) District of Connecticut, and the USDC Central District of California (inactive). Before opening his own firm, Blake was an attorney at the patent law firm Cantor Colburn in Connecticut. Prior to that he was an attorney with Sierra Patent Group in Nevada.
Basil A. Umari has joined leading national law firm Dykema as senior counsel in the firm’s Bankruptcy Practice Group in Texas. Umari offers representation in corporate bankruptcy matters.
Ann Gill Howard was elected in November 2020 as Travis County Commissioner for Precinct Three. She is a Dean’s Distinguished Graduate from the College of Liberal Arts (BA, Sociology, 1985), a Texas Exes Life Member and a Friar, Dean’s Distinguished Graduate for Service from the Law School (JD, 1988), and a Barbara Jordan Fellow for the LBJ School (MPA, 1988).
McGinnis Lochridge is pleased to welcome Daniel C. Clemons as Of Counsel in the firm’s Corporate and Tax practice group in Austin. He brings a remarkable mix of financial and legal experience to his new role, having previously served as outside counsel, in-house counsel, head of legal operations, and as a revenue analyst. Clemons will focus his practice on outside general counsel representation, mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financing, and other commercial transactions.
Claire Rosston has been elected to the Holland & Hart’s partnership, effective Jan. 1, 2021 in the firm’s Boise office. Rosston represents buyers and sellers in asset and equity acquisitions, with significant experience in the animal healthcare industry. She also assists clients with corporate governance, operational contracts, as well as business formation, restructuring, and disputes.
The law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner is proud to announce that Edward Festeryga has joined the firm as an Associate. His current legal practice focuses on a wide range of personal injury matters, including catastrophic injuries, commercial motor vehicle accidents, workplace injuries, plant and refinery explosions, and wrongful death.
Rosebud Nau was promoted to partnership of the law firm Haynes and Boone, LLP effective Jan. 1, 2021. Nau is a member of the Capital Markets/Securities Practice Group in Haynes and Boone’s Dallas office.
Kellie Bobo was promoted to partnership of the law firm Haynes and Boone, LLP effective Jan. 1, 2021. Bobo is a member of both the Investment Funds and M&A Practice Groups in Haynes and Boone’s Austin office.
Zachariah T. Evans has been named partner at the law firm of McGinnis Lochridge. Based in the Austin, TX, office, Evans focuses his practice on water and wastewater utilities and also represents local government entities. He advises water districts, water supply corporations and municipalities on virtually all matters regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Evans also provides counsel on matters involving open government, personnel issues, procurement, annexations, licensing and regulation of public rights-of-way, and ordinance drafting.
Diana Perez Gomez, shareholder in the Labor & Employment practice in the Houston office of the national law firm Chamberlain Hrdlicka, has been selected to the Texas Super Lawyers 2020 TopWomen list.
Bollier Ciccone LLP is happy to announce attorney Elizabeth J. Ayala has joined our growing family law practice. Elizabeth is an exceptional family law attorney, specializing in complex custody cases, protective orders, and cases involving mental health experts. She is a skilled litigator and experienced client advocate involved in all aspects of client cases. Elizabeth works exclusively for the firm’s Family Law section.
John Langmore recently published two books of photography. “Open Range” (Twin Palms Publishers) captures the life of modern working cowboys on some of the nation’s largest ranches. “Fault Lines” (Trinity University Press) documents the rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods of old East Austin. John also co-directed and just released “Cowboys”, a feature-length documentary film also depicting the lives of contemporary working cowboys. “Cowboys” won the Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival.
Lyda Ness Garcia has been elected the next Family Law Judge for the 383rd Judicial District Court. As the only Child Welfare Law Specialist serving on the bench in El Paso, she is hoping to bring innovative changes in meeting the needs of the litigants of her Court. She is humbled and excited to begin serving the children and families of El Paso, Texas on January 1st, 2021.
Romulo L. “Romy” Diaz, Jr. of Philadelphia has been elected a public-service independent director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh. Diaz retired as General Counsel of PECO Energy Company of Philadelphia in 2020 and was recently honored with the Others Award by The Salvation Army Greater Philadelphia.
Edward Festeryga has joined the Houston personal injury law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner as an Associate. His current legal practice focuses on a wide range of personal injury matters, including catastrophic injuries, commercial motor vehicle accidents, workplace injuries, plant and refinery explosions, and wrongful death.
BraunHagey & Borden Co-founder and Managing Partner J. Noah Hagey has been named by the National Law Journal as one of 2020’s most revered “Winning Litigators.” Hagey earned back-to-back trial awards, including a $54 million federal antitrust jury verdict for Orion Telescopes, and severed as lead trial counsel in a $16 million hedge fund fraud judgement. He also obtained multiple victories in false advertising class action and trade secrets litigation.
Jasmine M. Harding has joined Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.,in Austin, TX. In two consecutive years, 2019 – 2020, Harding was named by the Austin Monthly Magazine as a Top Employment Lawyer in Austin and was also named as an Up and Coming Attorney in the Austin Black Business Journal.
Robert P. Braubach, San Antonio International Real Estate Attorney, has been honored by the Government of Belgium by being appointed an “Officer in the Order of Leopold II,” bestowed by King Phillipe of Belgium, for over twenty-five years of service representing Belgium in San Antonio as an Honorary Consul and foreign trade representative.
Norton Rose Fulbright’s Global Chief Executive Gerry Pecht appointed Richard Krumholz as the law firm’s new Global Head of Litigation and Disputes. Krumholz will lead one of the world’s largest Litigation and Disputes Practice Groups, with more than 1,200 lawyers across 52 cities worldwide. Krumholz has led the US Litigation and Disputes Practice Group since 2014.
Emily Stephens has joined Vinson & Elkins LLP as a partner in its Investment Funds practice. Stephens, who previously served for more than 14 years in managing director roles for global alternative investment management firm Oaktree Capital Management, participated in all aspects of fundraising for several of Oaktree’s largest funds, including what was, at the time, the world’s largest closed-end distressed debt fund at $10.9 billion. She also served as an investment team member and lead lawyer for Oaktree’s flagship investment strategy focused primarily on distressed credit opportunities.
John Strohmeyer was elected as a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estates Counsel. ACTEC is a nonprofit association of lawyers and law professors skilled and experienced in the preparation of wills and trusts; estate planning; and probate procedure and administration of trusts and estates of decedents, minors, and incompetents.
Zach Burford has joined Reynolds Frizzell LLP as a litigation associate. As a trial attorney, Burford advises clients across a wide array of industries. Previously he clerked for Judge Jane J. Boyle of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas and served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Lee Yeakel in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
Kevin M. Richardson has been elected to the partnership at Latham & Watkins LLP in Houston, effective January 1, 2021. He is a member of the firm’s Corporate Department who focuses his practice on complex corporate transactions, including M&A, capital markets transactions, securities, and corporate governance matters. He regularly advises public and private companies in the energy industry, private equity sponsors, and investment banking firms.
Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. announced that 15 of its attorneys have been recognized on the 2020 Texas Super Lawyers® list, including D. Mitchell McFarland, who is recognized for his expertise in business litigation. This is McFarland’s tenth year on the list.
Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. announced that 15 of its attorneys have been recognized on the 2020 Texas Super Lawyers® list, including David Coligado, who serves as head of the firm’s Real Estate Section.