Class Notes

Andrew Keller recently joined Hogan Lovells as a partner in the international trade and investment group. His practice focuses on economic sanctions, export controls and other national security and international legal matters. Immediately prior to joining Hogan Lovells, Andrew served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counterthreat Finance and Sanctions at the U.S. Department of State. He has also served in the Office of the Legal Adviser at the State Department and as chief counsel to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The 2017 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business recognized Brooks Pierce partner Reid Phillips for Litigation: General Commercial. Phillips was 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.

Jean Noonan, a partner in Hudson Cook’s Washington, D.C., office and a founding member of the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers (ACCFSL), has been elected an officer on the ACCFSL’s Board of Regents. Her position is secretary.

Salvador “Sal” Davila, an attorney in the Austin office of Littler, has been voted president-elect of the Hispanic Bar Association of Austin. In his practice at Littler, Davila advises and represents employers, focusing on matters involving discrimination, retaliation, workplace safety and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance. In addition to serving in a leadership role for HBAA, Davila is a chairperson on the Board of Directors of the Austin Young Lawyers Association.

Cullen M. “Mike” Godfrey of College Station received the 2017 Lola Wright Foundation Award from the Texas Bar Foundation. The Lola Wright Foundation Award, established in 1985, is presented in memory of Coleman Gay, who was a distinguished Texas lawyer and who exemplified the highest standards of professional ethics. The award is presented in recognition of outstanding public service in advancing and enhancing legal ethics in Texas. Mr. Godfrey will be publicly recognized at the Texas Bar Foundation Annual Dinner held on June 23, 2017 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. He has selected Voices for Children, Casa of the Brazos Valley to receive a $5,000 donation in honor of his acceptance of the Lola Wright Foundation Award.

Daniel Sternthal, a shareholder in Baker Donelson’s Houston office, has been ranked as a leading practitioner in the recently released 2017 edition of Chambers USA in the “Up and Coming” category in the area of health care in Texas.

Charles W. Schwartz was recently elected as Chairman of the Board of Regents of the Texas A&M University System.

Husch Blackwell is pleased to announce that partner Chalon Clark has been recognized as a recipient of the 2017 “40 Under Forty” Achievement Awards by The Network Journal (TNJ). Clark, a member of the firm’s Financial Services & Capital Markets group, serves on Husch Blackwell’s Diversity Council. She assists clients in disputes involving contracts, review of contracts and leases to identify potential litigation risks, employer/employee relations, collection-related matters, foreclosures, fraud, banking, partnership, real property, mortgage lending, construction and brokerage/securities issues. Clark is active in the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers and the Dallas Bar Association, and is a Mentor for the Dallas Women Lawyers Association.

Edward Mark Barcus has been appointed as an Immigration Judge with the Executive Office of Immigration Review of the United States Department of Justice. Prior to his appointment by Attorney General Loretta Lynch in January of this year, Judge Barcus served as an trial judge for over 14 years in the Oklahoma state court system, including as a District Court Judge for Tulsa County. He will hear Immigration cases at the Imperial Immigration Court in Imperial, California.

Pillsbury lawyer Amanda Halter has been elected to membership in the Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation. Fellows of the Foundation are selected for their outstanding professional achievements and their demonstrated commitment to the improvement of the justice system throughout the state of Texas. According to the foundation, Halter’s election is a mark of distinction and a recognition of her contributions to the legal profession. Halter, a counsel in Pillsbury’s Environmental & Natural Resources practice, helps companies resolve environmental liabilities and manage financial and reputational losses associated with a crisis. She is based in Houston.

Gray Reed family law senior counsel Jack H. Emmott has been named in the National Law Journal (NLJ)’s second annual “Divorce, Trusts & Estates Trailblazers” list. According to the NLJ, each of the attorneys honored have “shown a deep passion and perseverance in pursuit of their mission, having achieved remarkable successes along the way.” Emmott was selected from a competitive field of nominees, all of whom have “changed the practice in their respective fields through innovative and exceptional legal strategies.” Emmott, a board certified family law attorney and one of two Houston-area lawyers recognized by Collaborative Divorce Texas as a Master Credentialed Collaborative Professional, focuses his practice on collaborative divorce.

Brad Caldwell earned his second consecutive selection to D Magazine’s annual listing of the Best Lawyers in Dallas based on nominations from other lawyers and an extensive review conducted by the publication’s researchers and editors. His selection to the 2017 roster of Dallas’ top attorneys follows Mr. Caldwell’s successful representation of clients in three multimillion-dollar lawsuits last year against technology giant Apple Inc. The three cases were tried in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, and all three ended with top-ranked verdicts that helped Mr. Caldwell earn two national Litigator of the Week honors from The American Lawyer magazine.

International law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP today announced that Ray Guy of the firm’s Dallas office has been named to D Magazine’s Best Lawyers in Dallas 2017 list.

Phillip Sharp has joined Baker Donelson’s Business Litigation Group in Houston as a shareholder.

Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP is pleased to announce that the Louisville Bar Foundation has approved the nomination of Virginia H. Snell to its Board of Directors.

Sullivan Hill Lewin Rez & Engel is pleased to announce that Jim Hill has been listed in San Diego Magazine as 2017 Top Lawyers in San Diego. Mr. Hill is the founding member of the firm, 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. His bankruptcy experience includes representation of creditors, bankruptcy trustees and select bankruptcy debtors in Chapter 11 business reorganization cases. He also works regularly with clients on asset sales and acquisitions, on state and federal court receivership cases, and on business workouts and dissolution matters, among other commercial law matters.

On April 27, 2017, the Webb County Commissioners Court appointed Victor Villarreal Judge of Webb County Court at Law No. 2. The appointment is effective on April 14, 2017. Mr. Villarreal was the 2005-2006 C/HLSA President.

Tom Melsheimer has been elected to the Executive Committee of Winston & Strawn LLP. He is Managing Partner of the firm’s Dallas office.

Amber Rogers has been promoted to Partner at Hunton & Williams LLP. Ms. Rogers focuses her practice on complex employment litigation, labor relations and related litigation.

Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP is pleased to announce that Katherine L.I. Hacker has been elected partner of the firm.

Brian B. Kilpatrick, a real estate attorney with Wilson Cribbs + Goren in Houston, has been selected to the 2017 Texas Rising Stars list.

Polsinelli, an Am Law 100 law firm with a fast-growing presence in Texas, recently named Houston-based shareholder Andrew Weaver vice chair of the Medical Device/Mechanical Engineering Patent Prosecution practice group within the firm’s recently created Intellectual Property department.

The Daily Record has selected Brown, Goldstein & Levy founding partner Daniel F. Goldstein to receive its 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes attorneys and judges whose body of work over their careers makes them stand out. They are well respected in their profession, active in their community, and dedicated to growing the next generation of legal leaders. Goldstein is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, has been listed among Maryland’s Top 50 Super Lawyers, and was previously honored in 2010 with The Daily Record‘s Leadership in Law Award.

Jack H. Emmott, a board certified family law attorney and member at Gray Reed & McGraw, was one of two Houston-area lawyers included in Collaborative Divorce Texas’ inaugural class of Master Credentialed Collaborative Professionals. Achievement of this designation demonstrates Emmott’s commitment to the highest standards of collaborative practice, a client-centered approach that gives couples the opportunity to confidentially create their own customized divorce, focusing on protecting their families and preserving their resources and assets through solutions-oriented, interest-based negotiation.

David Leonard, a commercial litigation associate at Gray Reed & McGraw’s Houston office, has been named a Rising Star for 2017 by Texas Super Lawyers. Texas Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars recognizes up-and-coming attorneys who are either 40-years old and younger or have been practicing for 10 years or less. Attorneys are selected through a multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of attorneys, an independent research evaluation of the candidates and peer reviews. Each year, no more than 2 percent of lawyers in the state are named rising stars.

Jared Hoggan, an intellectual property associate at Gray Reed & McGraw’s Dallas office, has been named a Rising Star for 2017 by Texas Super Lawyers. Texas Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars recognizes up-and-coming attorneys who are either 40-years old and younger or have been practicing for 10 years or less. This distinction is given to only two percent of young attorneys in Texas.

Amanda Laviage has joined McGlinchey Stafford PLLC’s Houston office and Commercial Litigation practice group. She represents clients in general commercial litigation, consumer financial services litigation, and labor and employment matters. She also has experience in appellate matters, including those assigned by the State Bar of Texas Appellate Section Pro Bono Committee.

Chris S. Stewart of the Dallas-based intellectual property and business litigation law firm Caldwell Cassady & Curry had been named one of the top young lawyers in Texas on the 2017 Texas Rising Stars list. In February 2016, Mr. Stewart and other attorneys from Caldwell Cassady & Curry won a $625.6 million patent infringement verdict for VirnetX Inc. against technology giant Apple Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The jury’s award was the largest in Texas and the fourth-largest in the nation during the past year.

Ryan Gorsche has been named a Texas Rising Star for 2017 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. This distinction is given to only two percent of young attorneys in Texas.

Mark Dundon has been named a Texas Rising Star for 2017 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. This distinction is given to only two percent of young attorneys in Texas.

The Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson was chosen Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas during the 113th annual Diocesan Council on Saturday, February 25, 2017, held at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. She is the first woman to be elected bishop in the Diocese of West Texas. Brooke-Davidson, age 56, is currently the Vicar of Saint Elizabeth Episcopal Church in Buda, Texas. Now as the sixth Bishop Suffragan of the diocese, she will serve alongside the Diocesan Bishop, the Rt. Rev. David M. Reed.

Pirkey Barber PLLC Founding Member Bill Barber was recently named one of the top trademark attorneys in the nation in the 2017 edition of World Trademark Review’s WTR 1000. He was awarded Gold status nationally in “Enforcement and Litigation,” as well as Silver status in the national “Prosecution and Strategy” category.

Daniel Sternthal, a shareholder in Baker Donelson’s Houston office, will be ranked in the 2017 edition of Chambers USA, a highly regarded directory of America’s leading lawyers for business, as a leading practitioner in the area of healthcare.

Jim Branton was honored in January by the Litigation Section of the State Bar of Texas with the Luther (Luke) Soules III Award for Outstanding Service to the Practice of Law at the Litigation Section Institute in San Antonio.

Scott W. Dibbs, Shareholder at Hill Ward Henderson, was recently named Best Attorney by NAIOP Tampa Bay Commercial Real Estate Development Association. Mr. Dibbs leads Hill Ward Henderson’s Commercial Leasing Group and is a member of the firm’s Real Estate Group and Corporate and Tax Group. Mr. Dibbs currently serves as Chair of the Leasing Group of the ABA’s Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section, and he previously served as Chair of the Office Leasing Committee within the Leasing Group.

Hilda Galvan has been named the Chair of the Board of the Dallas Regional Chamber for 2017. As part of the Chamber, Hilda will help lead the Dallas area to become the most economically prosperous region—and the most desirable place to live and work—in the United States.

Reid Phillips was among 39 Brooks Pierce attorneys recognized as industry leaders in the 2017 edition of North Carolina Super Lawyers. He was recognized as a “Super Lawyer” for Business Litigation.

Spencer Fane is pleased to announce the addition of Associate Jordan Jackson to its Oklahoma City office. He will join the firm’s litigation team, contributing a broad depth of experience in a range of practice areas, from real estate and acquisitions to oil and gas law. Jordan joins the firm from Freeman Mills PC of Tyler, Texas. “We are happy to welcome the experience and abilities that Jordan brings to our firm,” said Shannon Davies, Managing Partner of the Spencer Fane Oklahoma City office. “His emphasis on energy and land disputes will be an excellent addition to our litigation and energy practice.”

Austin Carlson, an associate at Gray Reed & McGraw in Houston, graduated from the 2016-2017 State Bar of Texas Tax Section Leadership Academy. As a licensed attorney and a Certified Public Accountant, Carlson’s practice focuses on corporate transactions, tax planning and controversy, and trust and estate planning.

Rob Crain, a partner at Crain Lewis Brogdon LLP, was recently inaugurated as the 108th President of the Dallas Bar Association. Mr. Crain was elected Chair of the Board of Directors in 2013. He has served as Chair of numerous DBA Committees including the Public Forum Committee and Bench Bar Conference Committee. In addition, he was Co-Chair of the 2011-2012 Campaign for Equal Access to Justice, which funds the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program to provide free legal assistance to over 4,000 low-income families with civil legal needs each year.

Dilworth Paxson partner Lorena L. Trujillo was one of seven law professionals named as a “Champion of Justice” by Philadelphia-based news organization AL DÍA. She and her colleagues were recognized as the region’s top Latino Lawyers for their outstanding professional accomplishments that have contributed to diversity in Philadelphia. Lorena focuses her practice on real estate, securitization, and finance, representing servicers of commercial mortgage loans in structured-finance transactions. Lorena also provides pro bono services for the Supervision to Aid Reentry (STAR) Program, a federal reentry court initiative that assists ex-offenders with education, training, employment, and other needs.

Venable LLP recently announced that Evan Pritchard has joined the firm’s Real Estate practice as counsel in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Mr. Pritchard’s practice focuses on securing zoning and land use approvals for developers and landowners in jurisdictions throughout Northern Virginia, particularly in Arlington, Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, and the City of Falls Church, among others. He advises clients on state and federal legislation and regulations affecting real estate development and important changes to local jurisdictions’ comprehensive plans and zoning ordinances. His clients include mixed-use project developers, large corporate clients and some work for nonprofits and churches.

The UK Export Finance Board has announced that, as of January 1, 2017, Noel Harwerth succeeded Guy Beringer as Chair. As part of her role as UKEF Board Chair, she will also be a Non-Executive member of the Department for International Trade Board. Ms. Harwerth comes from a long career in the finance and mining sectors with significant experience in emerging markets. She is the outgoing Chairman of GE Capital Bank Europe, a role she has held since 2011, and a non-executive director at Standard Life plc, the London Metal Exchange, CHAPS Co and Sirius Minerals. Her executive career has included roles with Citigroup International as its Chief Operating Officer, Citicorp, and Dun & Bradstreet.

Chalon Clark is one of nine Husch Blackwell attorneys promoted to partner effective Jan. 1, 2017. As a member of the firm’s Financial Services & Capital Markets team, she assists clients in disputes involving contracts, review of contracts and leases to identify potential litigation risks, employer/employee relations, collection-related matters, foreclosures, fraud, banking, partnership, real property, mortgage lending, construction and brokerage/securities issues. Clark is based in the firm’s Dallas office and serves on the firm’s Diversity Council.

Katie English has earned her Board Certification in Oil, Gas & Mineral Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Katie is an associate in Gray Reed & McGraw’s energy section in Houston and her practice focuses on oil and gas title and transactional matters in Texas, North Dakota and Montana.

Daniel Moffett has been made a Partner of Akin Gump in San Antonio. Mr. Moffett, a member of the firm’s intellectual property practice, works on all aspects of intellectual property procurement and protection, with a focus on complex patent, trade secret and trademark litigation. He has served as lead technical counsel in cases involving claims of patent infringement, antitrust violations and theft of trade secrets, and he has first chair experience representing clients before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board in inter partes review proceedings.

In 2016, Judge Peter Sakai, presiding judge of the 225th District Court, Bexar County, Texas was honored by the Center for Health Care Services Foundation, as the fifty most influential leaders in mental health care in Bexar County. The Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word recognized his contributions to the San Antonio community by naming him for the Sister Walter Maher Humanitarian of the Year Award. The Supreme Court of Texas has reappointed Judge Sakai for a second term to the Permanent Judicial Commission for Children, Youth and Families.

Vianei Lopez Braun has joined Decker Jones, P.C. in Fort Worth. She will continue representing employers in labor & employment law matters.

Caldwell Cassady & Curry is pleased to announce the addition of Alexis Mosser as a litigation associate in the firm’s Dallas office. She represents clients in a variety of federal cases involving complex business disputes and patent litigation, including handling inter partes review proceedings and other matters before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Ms. Mosser joins Caldwell Cassady & Curry with an extensive track record in state and federal courts, including cases heard by the Texas Supreme Court and the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. A USPTO-registered patent attorney, Ms. Mosser also provides years of experience in patent prosecution cases.

The National Trial Lawyers has listed Demetrio Duarte, Jr., as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers for his work in criminal law.