Class Notes

Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to congratulate Jennifer P. Henry, who was named to the 2016 Who’s Who Legal 100. Henry was recognized for her work in transport law.

Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to congratulate Timothy R. Brown, who was named to the 2016 Who’s Who Legal 100. Brown was recognized for his work in energy law.

Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to congratulate Jim Morriss, who was named to the 2016 Who’s Who Legal 100. Morriss was recognized for his work in environmental law.

Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to congratulate Larry Hicks, who was named to the 2016 Who’s Who Legal 100. Hick was recognized for his work in real estate law.

Joe W. Redden was recognized in the annual Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2016 directory. Redden was specifically recognized for his work in General Commercial litigation.

Alistair B. Dawson was recognized in the annual Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2016 directory. Dawson was specifically recognized for his work in General Commercial litigation.

David J. Beck was recognized in the annual Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2016 directory. In addition to being recognized at the state-level for Litigation: Energy and Natural Resources and Litigation: General Commercial, Beck was recognized at the national level for Litigation: Trial Lawyers.

Chambers USA is carefully researched and widely considered to be the most reputable law firm directory in the world.

Ivan Wood, senior counsel in Baker Donelson’s Houston office, has been ranked in Band 3 in the area of health care in Texas in the 2016 edition of Chambers USA.

Beck Redden Partner, Connie Pfeiffer, led the charge to overturn a Fifth Circuit decision affecting millions of Texas homeowners in May. The Fifth Circuit had decided that homeowners with constitutionally defective liens on their homestead must file suits to set the lien aside within four years of originating a home equity loan. This meant that lenders could foreclose on a home when they had not complied with all of the Constitution’s consumer protection requirements to make a valid lien. Pfeiffer co-authored the briefs and presented the oral arguments in front of the Texas Supreme Court and the Fifth Circuit’s decision was overturned.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has named Vinson & Elkins partner Harry Reasoner as the recipient of the 2016 Karen H. Susman Jurisprudence Award. The award is given annually to an outstanding member of the legal community who exhibits an exceptional commitment to equality, justice, fairness and community service.

Arthur T. Catterall of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division’s Appellate Section has received the Arthur S. Flemming Award for 2015. For over 67 years, the Flemming award has been conferred annually on a dozen Federal employees for outstanding and meritorious work for the government. Mr. Catterall is being recognized for outstanding Legal Achievement. The award will be conferred at a ceremony at George Washington University on June 6, 2016.

Irwin Steinhorn is included on the Best Lawyers in America recognition list.

Robert Curry has been listed as a Band 1 attorney by Chambers USA and is also included on the recognition lists published by Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers.

Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. (Munsch Hardt) is proud to announce the promotion of Aryn Self to shareholder, effective May 1. Self works in the Dallas office and is an active members of the Real Estate practice group.

Rosetta Genomics Ltd. (NASDAQ: ROSG), a leading developer and provider of microRNA-based and other molecular diagnostics, announces the appointment of Ana C. Ward, Esq. as Executive Vice President, Legal and Corporate Development.

Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals presented the new Barbara Jordan American Inn of Court with its Charter at the Federal Courthouse in Austin on April 14. Accepting the Charter from Chief Judge Stewart were Frank A. King (BA ’78, JD ’95), Assistant Attorney General, co-founder and President of the Barbara Jordan Inn of Court; Presiding Judge of the Austin Municipal Court Sherry Statman, President-elect of the Jordan Inn of Court; Treasurer and co-founder, JoAnn Dalrymple (BA ’91, JD ’94)(in absentia); Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Boyd, Counselor of Jordan Inn of Court; and Administrator, Allison Cunningham (BA ‘11, JD ‘15).

Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals presented the new Barbara Jordan American Inn of Court with its Charter at the Federal Courthouse in Austin on April 14. Accepting the Charter from Chief Judge Stewart were Frank A. King (BA ’78, JD ’95), Assistant Attorney General, co-founder and President of the Barbara Jordan Inn of Court; Presiding Judge of the Austin Municipal Court Sherry Statman, President-elect of the Jordan Inn of Court; Treasurer and co-founder, JoAnn Dalrymple (BA ’91, JD ’94)(in absentia); Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Boyd, Counselor of Jordan Inn of Court; and Administrator, Allison Cunningham (BA ‘11, JD ‘15).

Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals presented the new Barbara Jordan American Inn of Court with its Charter at the Federal Courthouse in Austin on April 14. Accepting the Charter from Chief Judge Stewart were Frank A. King (BA ’78, JD ’95), Assistant Attorney General, co-founder and President of the Barbara Jordan Inn of Court; Presiding Judge of the Austin Municipal Court Sherry Statman, President-elect of the Jordan Inn of Court; Treasurer and co-founder, JoAnn Dalrymple (BA ’91, JD ’94)(in absentia); Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Boyd, Counselor of Jordan Inn of Court; and Administrator, Allison Cunningham (BA ‘11, JD ‘15).

Hermes Law, a diverse team of legal professionals providing clients with expertise in the leading areas of practice impacting the insurance and risk industry, recently announced Gino J. Rossini as a partner at the Dallas, TX-based firm. Rossini has been a senior attorney at the firm since its inception in 2015.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Joe Pevsner for his inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Tony Campiti for his inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Wilson Jones for his inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Craig Haynes for his inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Adrienne Dominguez for her inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Holt Foster for his inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Richard B. Phillips, Jr. for his inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLPis pleased to congratulate Mike McCullough for his inclusion in D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2016,” which is featured in the magazine’s May issue.

John Lockett was recently named by the Fulton County Daily Report as one of 25 lawyers “On The Rise” in Atlanta, Georgia. Lockett is a partner in the commercial litigation group of Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP where he specializes in representing members of the real estate, financial services, heavy equipment and technology industries.

The Texas Bar Foundation recently named John G. Browning the recipient of the 2016 Lola Wright Foundation Award, presented annually to a Texas attorney in recognition for outstanding public service in advancing and enhancing legal ethics in Texas. The award will be presented during the Texas Bar Foundation’s black-tie dinner gala on June 17.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker recently announced the appointment of James Cicconi to serve on the U.S. Commerce Department’s Digital Economy Board of Advisors, which will provide recommendations on ways to advance economic growth and opportunity in the digital age.

Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients across the Americas, has further expanded its Dallas office with securities and commercial litigation partner Bryce Benson in the Litigation Practice Group. He joins Akerman’s national bench of trial lawyers and enhances the firm’s core strengths in the financial services sector.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP is pleased to announce Richard B. Phillips, Jr. has been elected a member of the Board of Trustees for the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society. He will begin his service to the board on June 1, 2016.

The Credit Union National Association (CUNA) today announced that Mollie Bell, who has served as the association’s Chief Transformation Officer since September, will be leading CUNA’s engagement team. The role combines what had previously been separate engagement and transformation roles. Bell will lead CUNA’s engagement team and broader cross-functional and collaborative member development and engagement work as CUNA begins operating under the new bylaws overwhelmingly approved recently by its member credit unions. Bell will continue to serve on CUNA’s Leadership Team.

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck is pleased to announce that Steve Demby, a shareholder in the firm’s Denver office and a member of its executive committee, recently was appointed to serve on the board of directors of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). His term starts in March 2016 and will initially last a period of three years.

The Litigation Counsel of America recently named longtime Sand Springs resident and Crowe and Dunlevy attorney Terry Thomas a senior fellow. Thomas was recognized for his work in business, bankruptcy and banking law.

Porter Hedges announced today that James T. Thompson has joined the firm as a partner in the energy section in Houston. Mr. Thompson represents a wide spectrum of energy companies, including majors, independents, oilfield service providers and royalty owners in the purchase and sale of energy assets and in connection with their exploration and development activities. His practice also includes the negotiation, preparation and implementation of all types of oil and gas-related agreements, along with litigation support on disputes involving upstream and midstream energy issues.

Bowman and Brooke LLP has re-elected Kelly Kimbrough as managing partner of the firm’s Austin office.

Jackson Walker congratulates Brad Nitschke for his selection to the “Texas Super Lawyers – Rising Stars” list by Thomson Reuters. Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected to receive this honor. The annual selections are made using a multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates, and peer reviews by practice area. The result is a credible, comprehensive, and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys.

Jonathan Pelayo was elected to the partnership of Locke Lord in Houston, Texas, in January 2016. Jonathan serves in the commercial disputes practice group with a focus on construction and oil & gas litigation.

Fish & Richardson has announced that Betty Chen has been appointed Global Hiring Principal. Chen will be in charge of hiring legal talent for all 11 of Fish’s U.S. offices, as well as its office in Munich, Germany. She previously served as recruiting principal of the firm’s Silicon Valley office.

President Obama recently nominated James Wesley Hendrix to serve on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. James Wesley Hendrix has been the Chief of the Appellate Division for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas since 2012, and he has served as an Assistant United States Attorney since 2007. Since 2015, he has also served on the Appellate Chiefs Working Group for the United States Attorney General’s Advisory Committee.

Benjamin DeMarsh has joined Berlin Patten Ebling PLLC, the ninth attorney in the firm’s expanding practice with offices in Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota and Venice. He will join the firm’s litigation department and primarily practice in the areas of residential and commercial real property related litigation.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP congratulates Katie Coleman for inclusion in Texas Rising Stars® 2016 by Thomson Reuters. The list will be published in the April 2016 issue of Texas Monthly.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP congratulates Bryan Garner for his inclusion in Texas Rising Stars® 2016 by Thomson Reuters. The list will be published in the April 2016 issue of Texas Monthly.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP congratulates Ashley Phillips for her inclusion in Texas Rising Stars® 2016 by Thomson Reuters. The list will be published in the April 2016 issue of Texas Monthly.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP congratulates Matt Mitzner for his inclusion in Texas Rising Stars® 2016 by Thomson Reuters. The list will be published in the April 2016 issue of Texas Monthly.

The law firm of Thompson & Knight LLP congratulates Micah Prude for his inclusion in Texas Rising Stars® 2016 by Thomson Reuters. The list will be published in the April 2016 issue of Texas Monthly.

Dwayne W. Smith, a member of Gardner & Smith, PLLC, has been named the 2016 Outstanding Young Lawyer of Tarrant County by the Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association. He will be honored by the Tarrant County Bar Association at its Law Day award dinner on May 3, 2016.The Outstanding Young Lawyer award recognizes a young lawyer (age 36 or younger) who demonstrates professional excellence, a reputation for the advancement of legal ethics and professional responsibility, and service to the profession, bar, and community. Mr. Smith will be considered for the statewide Outstanding Young Lawyer of Texas Award that will be given at this year’s annual State Bar convention.

Phelps Dunbar LLP is pleased to announce that Marcus R. Tucker has joined its Houston, Texas office as a partner practicing in the areas of admiralty, litigation and insurance. Tucker’s practice includes the defense and investigation of claims resulting from oilfield and maritime casualties, construction defects, personal injury and transportation related accidents. His practice also involves the litigation of commercial disputes through trial and arbitration. Mr. Tucker litigates and provides advice on contractual indemnity and insurance coverage issues on behalf of both corporate clients and insurance companies. He joins the firm from Royston Rayzor where he was partner.

Center for Women in Law founder Carrin Patman was recently appointed Chair of the Houston Metro Board.