Class Notes

David J. Beck has been named to the 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators list.

Josh R. Lounsbury, a shareholder with Coolidge Wall, was inducted into the Ohio State Bar Foundation Fellows Program, recognizing his commitment to professionalism and serving the community. Lounsbury has more than 15 years of experience representing businesses, public entities, and individuals in his practice areas of municipal law, civil litigation, and workers’ compensation defense.

Mary Kate Raffetto, a partner at Beck Redden LLP as a trial and appellate specialist, was recognized on Lawdragon’s 500 X–The Next Generation for Appellate and Commercial Litigation and 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyer lists for 2024. Raffetto also was named a 2024 Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers.

Linda Broock’s new film “Unleashed” will be shown at the Waco Independent Film Festival. The film, which investigates the harsh world of sex trafficking, has been nominated for the Best Feature Film and Best Documentary Feature awards.

Jackie Furlow, partner at Beck Redden LLP, was recognized by Lawdragon as a Leading Energy Lawyer and 500 X–The Next Generation for Commercial Litigation, Employment and Energy for 2024. She also was recognized as a 2024 Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers.

Carlos Eduardo Cárdenas of the Law Office of Carlos Eduardo Cardenas, P.C., has been elected 2024-2025 chair of the Texas Bar Foundation Board of Trustees. Cárdenas also received the Reynaldo G. Garza Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hispanic Issues Section of the State Bar of Texas in recognition of his “long commitment and made great achievements in addressing concerns and issues affecting the Hispanic community.” In addition, Cárdenas has been elected 2024-2025 chair of the Texas Bar Foundation Board of Trustees.

Lena Silva was recognized in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X–The Next Generation for Commercial Litigation. She also recently received the 2023-2024 Outstanding Director Award from the Houston Young Lawyers Association. 

Madison Moore, an associate at Beck Redden in Houston, was recognized in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation for Commercial Litigation.

Parth Gejji, an associate at Beck Redden in Houston, was recognized in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X–The Next Generation in Appellate.

Nicholas Bruno, an associate at Beck Redden in Houston, was recognized in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X–The Next Generation for Appellate.

Garrett Brawley, an associate at Beck Redden in Houston, was recognized in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X–The Next Generation for Commercial Litigation.

William G. Hagans of the Hagans law firm in Houston has been named chair of the State Bar of Texas Professionalism & Civility Committee for the 2024-2025 bar year.

Garrett S. Brawley has been appointed as co-chair of the Texas Young Lawyers Association’s National Trial Competition Committee and vice-chair of the Texas Young Lawyers Association’s State Moot Court Competition Committee for the 2024-2025 bar year. Brawley is an associate  at the Houston office of Beck Redden LLP, working on high-stakes commercial cases from across the country.

Jacqueline Watson was elected second vice president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association for the 2024-25 term.  As a former AILA Texas chapter chair and elected director of the AILA National Board of Directors, Watson specializes in citizenship and naturalization, family-based immigration, defense from removal, asylum, federal court litigation, and other complex immigration matters.

Brad Caldwell has earned selection in the 2024 Chambers USA guide. Caldwell, who is an attorney of the Dallas law firm Caldwell Cassady & Curry, is being recognized as one of the top intellectual property attorneys in the U.S.

Scott Clark has earned selection in the 2024 IAM Patent 1000 guide. Clark, who is an attorney for the Houston trial law firm Alavi Anaipakos, is being recognized for his work in high-stakes intellectual property lawsuits.

Drew L. Kershen has been awarded the United States Department of the Interior’s Citizen’s Award for Exceptional Service. Kershen, who is the Earl Sneed Centennial Professor of Law Emeritus in the OU College of Law, received this award for his notable contributions to public service.

David J. Beck was honored in the Chambers USA 2024 Guide in the practice areas of Litigation: Trial Lawyers and Litigation: General Commercial and named a 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyer. Beck is a trial lawyer and founding partner at Beck Redden LLP. Beck is a trial lawyer and founding partner at Beck Redden LLP and is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Alistair Dawson has been honored in the Chambers USA 2024 Guide in the practice area of Litigation: General Commercial and named a 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyer. He also was appointed to Texas’ Supreme Court Advisory Committee.  A partner at Beck Redden, Dawson serves on the Texas’ Supreme Court Advisory Committee, a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the American Board of Trial Advocates, and a commissioner on the Texas Equal Access to Justice Commission.

Fields Alexander was honored in the Chambers USA 2024 Guide in the practice area of Litigation: General Commercial and was named a 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Energy Lawyer. Alexander is a partner at Beck Redden LLP, where he specializes in trial law involving commercial transactions, business torts, professional malpractice, and energy litigation.

Kate Goodrich was ranked by Chambers as a “Nationwide Associate to Watch” in the Government Relations: State & Local category. She has been a government affairs consultant with Jackson Walker for four years after working in the Texas Senate.

Jesse Pierce, partner at Pierce & O’Neill, has been recognized by Chambers USA for the 16th year for his commercial litigation practice in Houston. He also received national Band 1 rankings—the highest honor—for excellence in oil and gas matters. Pierce has tried cases in state and federal courts, representing both plaintiffs and defendants across all areas of complex litigation, including oil and gas matters, environmental issues, product liability, securities and corporate matters, and others.

Jack O’Neill, managing partner at Pierce & O’Neill, has been honored by Chambers USA or his commercial litigation expertise. With more than 50 years experience, O’Neill handles large-scale commercial litigation including disputes involving energy and trade secret issues, and has successfully tried numerous cases relating to virtually all aspects of the oil and gas business.

Scott Clark of the Houston trial law firm Alavi Anaipakos has earned selection in the 2024 Chambers USA guide based on his work in high-stakes intellectual property lawsuits.

Brad Caldwell of the Dallas law firm Caldwell Cassady & Curry has earned selection in the 2024 IAM Patent 1000 based on his work in high-stakes intellectual property trials.

Robert L. Tobey has been appointed to the Board of Legal Aid of Northwest Texas and elected to the Texas Bar College Board of Directors. Tobey is a shareholder at Johnston Tobey Baruch.

Judge Jan Soifer recently was honored with the Austin Bar Association’s Larry F. York Mentoring Award. Judge Soifer is the judge of the 345th District Court in Travis County, a civil and family trial court. This award is given to a local lawyer or judge who has demonstrated exceptional skill and generosity in mentoring younger members of the bar.

Elizabeth Brandon, a partner at Reed Smith, LLP,  has earned a place on the 2024 INvolve Empower Executive Role Model List for her advocacy work in diversifying the legal and business communities.

Manuel Escobar has been recognized as the 2024 recipient of the Joseph C. Parker Jr. Diversity Award from the Austin Bar Association. Escobar is a partner at McGinnis Lochridge.

Paula Desel was selected to a three-year term on the Rice University Alumni Association’s board of directors. Prior to her retirement, Desel practiced law at Baker Botts in Houston and Arnold & Porter in New York, and was an in-house attorney at Altria.

Rudy Metayer had been named a recipient of the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. The honorees will be celebrated on June 22, 2024 at the Community Impact Center in Austin, Texas.

Samuel G. Encarnacion, first assistant public defender in the Lancaster County Public Defender’s Office, received the annual Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Civil and Equal Rights Champion Award during the PBA annual meeting. The award honors an individual who champions for civil rights for all Pennsylvanians.

Diana Saldana was recognized as a United ISD (Laredo) Community Hero for launching the Kazen Fellowship Program, which aims to offer paid summer internships for eligible high school students at the federal and state courthouses.

Hon. John G. Browning, former justice on Texas’ Fifth Court of Appeals and now Distinguished Jurist in Residence at Faulkner University’s Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, will receive the Texas Bar College’s Franklin B. Jones Outstanding CLE Article Award for 2023. Browning’s article, “ Let’s Chat About Chat GPT,” examined the ethics of using generative AI. The award will be presented at the College’s annual Summer School in July 2024.

Parth Gejji has been elected as Fourth Year Representative to the Houston Bar Association (HBA) Appellate Practice Section. Gejji is an associate at Beck Redden LLP and focuses his practice on civil appeals and complex commercial litigation. He also was recognized as a 2024 Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers.

Nicholas Bruno was elected as Chair-Elect to the Houston Bar Association (HBA) Appellate Practice Section. Bruno is an associate at the Houston office of Beck Redden LLP and is board-certified in Civil Appellate Law. He also was recognized as a 2024 Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers.

Chris Hamilton has earned selection on the 2024 D Magazine “Best Lawyers in Dallas” list based on his work in high-stakes personal injury litigation and plaintiffs’ civil litigation. Hamilton is owner and partner at Hamilton Wingo, LLP.

Jack Woodville London will speak on the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings at Omaha and Utah beaches in Normandy, France. Jack will speak at the Brittany American Military Cemetery at Montjoie-Saint-Martin, France, on June 6, 2024, and at the Normandy American Military Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer the following day.

Lisa Blatt is the first woman to argue 50 cases at the U.S. Supreme Court, and she has a 41-5 win-loss record with four pending cases this term. Bloomberg Law points out her casual candor, direct argument style, and high energy as characteristics contributing to her success.

Anya Bidwell argued a case before the Supreme Court regarding retaliatory arrests, probable cause, and First Amendment rights. She also hosted the Short Circuit podcast with three other Supreme Court lawyers at the National Press Club in April. Bidwell is an attorney at the Institute for Justice and leads the firm’s Project on Immunity and Accountability.

Adrienne N. Wall has been named to the 2024 Texas Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” List for her excellence in banking law. As a shareholder at Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. in Dallas, Wall focuses on commercial finance transactions secured by real estate, business assets or other personal property, notes receivable and other property or assets.

Andres Contreras, associate at Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. in Houston, has been named on the 2024 Texas Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” List for his excellence in complex commercial litigation in both state and federal courts.

Barrett Robin has been selected to the 2024 Texas Rising Stars list of the state’s top young attorneys based on his work in personal injury lawsuits. Robin is an associate at the Dallas plaintiffs’ law firm Hamilton Wingo.

The Hon. Brooke Lierman has been inducted into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame. Lierman is comptroller of the State of Maryland and is the first woman independently elected to any one of Maryland’s constitutional offices.

Garrett Brawley has been recognized as a 2024 Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers. Brawley is an associate and trial lawyer at Beck Redden LLP, where he specializes in complex commercial litigation.

Mariah Berry has been named to the 2024 Texas Rising Stars List—recognizing the top 2.5 percent of young lawyers in Texas—for her work in labor and employment law. Berry, a senior associate at Muskat Devine who litigates all types of employment-related matters, is board-certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Colin Watterson has been named to Super Lawyers’ 2024 list of Texas Rising Stars, an honor that represents the 2.5 percent of top young lawyers in the state. Watterson, is partner at Hicks Thomas LLP, handling energy, real estate and technology cases. He was named a Rising Star for a second year for business litigation representing both plaintiffs and defendants.

Dana Davis Paul has been selected for inclusion in the 2024 edition of the Best Lawyers in America directory for her work in real estate law. Paul is the owner of Paul Law Firm, PLLC in Northwest Arkansas  and has been practicing commercial real estate and finance law for more than two decades.

Stephen Calhoun has been ranked in the 2023 Chambers USA Guide as Texas:  San Antonio & Surrounds – Up and Coming lawyers. Calhoun is a partner at Jackson Walker and litigation attorney who represents companies from a variety of industries.

Leonard Dougal has been ranked in the 2023 Chambers USA Guide for his environmental law practice. Dougal is a partner at Jackson Walker with particular experience handling Clean Water Act and other water-related issues for mining and energy industry clients.