Kristine Huskey has received the Leslie F. and Patricia Bell Faculty Service Award, which is bestowed by the dean of the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law every year to honor outstanding achievement by a faculty member. A clinical professor, she was honored for her work on behalf of veterans, leadership of the clinical program, and committed service as an active member of the faculty.
Mark Taylor has been named to the Lawdragon 500 Global Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers for 2025. He currently serves as a director in the Austin office of Kane Russell Coleman Logan.
Kandace Walter has received the 2025 State Bar of Texas Star of Achievement Award and the National Conference of Women’s Bar Association 2025 Outstanding Member Program Award for the documentary “A Law Unto Themselves,” for which she served as an executive producer. She is the president of the J.L. Turner Legal Association, director of the Small Business and Trademark Clinic, and an associate clinical professor of law at SMU Dedman School of Law.
Marc W. Taubenfeld, a shareholder at Munsch Hardt in Dallas, has been named to a 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in the Bankruptcy & Restructuring category.
William G. Hagans has been elected 2025-2026 fellows chair of the Texas Bar Foundation after many years of co-chairing the Houston nominating committee. He also will continue to serve of the foundation’s board of trustees. Hagans is an attorney at the Hagans law firm in Houston.
Lyrissa Lidsky has won the 2025 Harry W. Stonecipher Award for Distinguished Research on Media Law and Policy Law presented by the policy division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. A member of the Bech-Loughlin First Amendment Center’s board of advisors, Lidsky was honored for an article she co-authored, “First Amendment Disequilibrium,” which is published in the Virginia Law Review.
Manuel Escobar was recognized with the Chair’s Award by the state bar’s Hispanic lawyers section for his continued dedication and service. Escobar is a partner at McGinnis Lochridge in Austin.
Jack O’Neill been recognized in the newly released 2025 Chambers USA guide for his commercial litigation expertise in Houston in energy, contract and business matters. As lead trial counsel, the partner at Pierce & O’Neill has handled some of Texas’ most closely watched cases, including numerous multimillion- and billion-dollar energy and commercial disputes.
Jesse Pierce been recognized in the newly released 2025 Chambers USA guide with a national Band 1 ranking for oil and gas litigation, and additional honors for his commercial litigation work in Houston. The 2025 edition marks his 17th consecutive year recognized by Chambers, placing the Pierce & O’Neill partner and co-founder among the most consistently honored trial lawyers in the field.
Stephanie Kaiser, a director in the Dallas office of Kane Russell Coleman Logan, has been recognized by the 2025 Chambers USA Guide for her work in business commercial litigation. She has been consistently ranked for this practice area since 2022.
Mark Taylor, a director in the Austin office of Kane Russell Coleman Logan, has been recognized by the 2025 Chambers USA Guide for his work in bankruptcy and restructuring. He has been consistently ranked for this practice area since 2019.
Peter Williamson, shareholder in Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s immigration practice in Houston, was ranked by Chambers & Partners, the leading independent professional legal research company, among top immigration attorneys in Texas as a senior statesman. He has been ranked by Chambers for 19 consecutive years.
Larry Campagna has been named one of the top tax fraud and tax controversy attorneys in Texas by Chambers & Partners, the leading independent professional legal research company. He has been included in this ranking for 18 consecutive years. Campagna is managing shareholder of Chamberlain Hrdlicka in Houston.
Mandy McCary of McCary & McCary in Marble Falls, Texas, was elected into the Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation, which recognizes excellence in the law profession. McCary is a successful general practitioner focusing on elder law, a leader in the local bar association, and contributor of many pro bono hours.
Larry Campagna was named to the inaugural Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Tax Lawyers guide, recognizing accomplished advisors in tax law. Campagna is managing shareholder at Chamberlain Hrdlicka, where he focuses on matters of business litigation, white-collar criminal defense, and particularly in federal, state and local tax controversies.
Dwayne Smith, managing partner at Gardner Smith & Vaughan in Fort Worth, received the Professionalism Award from the Tarrant County Bar Association in May 2025. This prestigious honor is awarded annually to one attorney in Tarrant County under the age of 65 who “exemplifies, by conduct and character, professional traits that others in the bar should try to emulate and is an inspiring role model for the bar and is respected by his or her peers.”
Reece Norris, co-founder and COO of WeInfuse, has been named to the Longhorn 100 by Texas Exes for the third consecutive year. This list recognizes alumni from The University of Texas who have created and guided some of the fastest-growing businesses in the world in 2025.
Sam Loughlin, founding partner and CEO of Paceline Equity Partners in Dallas, has been named to the Longhorn 100 by Texas Exes. This list recognizes alumni from The University of Texas who have created and guided some of the fastest-growing businesses in the world in 2025.
Hudson Henley, president and CEO of Hudson Henley Property Management in Dallas, has been named to the Longhorn 100 by Texas Exes. This list recognizes alumni from The University of Texas who have created and guided some of the fastest-growing businesses in the world in 2025.
Edward Knight has been named one of the 500 most influential people of 2025 in Washington, D.C., by Washingtonian. As the executive vice chairman for Nasdaq, Edward was selected in the Banking & Finance category, which recognizes leaders who advocate for stable and secure financial systems.
Andrew L. Kerr has received the Texas Bar Foundation’s 2025 Outstanding 50-Year Lawyer Award. He began his legal career as a JAG officer in the U.S. Air Force and has continued his litigation practice in San Antonio, where he currently serves at Clark Hill.
Luke Soules has received the Texas Bar Foundation’s 2025 Outstanding 50-Year Lawyer Award. He practiced as a business and commercial trial and appellate attorney in San Antonio for 57 years, including 30 years of service on the Supreme Court of Texas’ Rules Advisory Committee.
The Hon. Debra Lehrmann has been selected to receive the Texas Bar Foundation’s 2025 Samuel Pessarra Outstanding Jurist Award. She is the senior justice on the Supreme Court of Texas and the longest-serving woman to serve on the Court in the state’s history.
Robert P. Braubach was appointed by the Czech Republic Minister of Foreign Affairs as honorary consul for San Antonio and South Texas to represent the Czech Republic and promote trade, investment, tourism and education in South Texas. Braubach’s San Antonio-based law firm specializes in international business law, international real estate law, and entity formation.
Thomas Kelton is currently serving as 2024-2025 chair of the Intellectual Property Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. Kelton is senior counsel at Fogarty IP, advising executives and management in businesses, including Fortune 500s and startups, on IP strategy.
Andrew L. Kerr, a member at Clark Hill in San Antonio, has been selected as one of five recipients of the 2025 Texas Bar Foundation’s Outstanding 50 Year Lawyer Award. The Outstanding 50 Year Lawyer Award is given to attorneys whose practice has spanned five decades or more, recognizing their dedication to justice and adherence to the principles and traditions of the legal profession.
Jonathan Harmon has been named one of Virginia’s 50 Most Powerful Leaders in 2025 by the publication Virginia Business. Harmon was elected to be the first Black chairman of the state’s largest law firm McGuireWoods in 2017 as a nationally recognized trial lawyer representing Fortune 500 companies.
Harris Well has been elected to partner at Reynolds Frizzell in Houston. A trial attorney with the firm since 2017, Harris is a master of deep and diligent research who finds unique ways to resolve legal issues for his business litigation clients in the energy, real estate, and financial industries.
Senior Justice Debra H. Lehrmann, Texas Supreme Court’s longest-serving woman justice, has been named the 2025 recipient of the prestigious Samuel Pessarra Outstanding Jurist Award by the Texas Bar Foundation.
Mickey Klein, a longtime supporter and contributor to various programs and colleges at The University of Texas at Austin, has been awarded the Shirley Bird Perry Longhorn Citizenship Award with his wife Jeanne.
Jesse Pierce, co-founder of Pierce & O’Neill in Houston, has been named among the nation’s top energy and natural resources litigation attorneys in Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Energy Lawyers listing.
Jack O’Neill, co-founder of Pierce & O’Neill in Houston, has been named among the nation’s top energy and natural resources litigation attorneys in Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Energy Lawyers listing.
Judge Sam Lindsay, the first African American U.S. district judge for the Northern District of Texas and the first African American city attorney for the City of Dallas, received Texas Law’s 2025 Virgil C. Lott Medal at a ceremony on Feb. 19, 2025.
John L. Adams has been recognized with the University of Texas Presidential Citation Award for his dedication and support of the University. Adams is the former chairman and CEO of Chase Bank of Texas and former vice chairman of Trinity Industries, Inc. He is a supporter of the McCombs Scholars Program at UT’s McCombs School of Business, has chaired UT’s Development Board, and serves on the What Starts Here Campaign steering committee.
The Honorable Kay Bailey Hutchison has been recognized with the University of Texas Presidential Citation Award for her dedication and support of the University. A three-term U.S. senator, Bailey Hutchison went on to serve as the United States ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), in Brussels, Belgium. Named in her honor, UT’s Kay Bailey Hutchison Energy Center is a collaboration between Texas Law, the McCombs School of Business, the Cockrell School of Engineering, and the Jackson School of Geosciences.
Judy Kostura, a partner at Sorrels Law, is the recipient of the 2025 Luther (Luke) H. Soules III Award from the State Bar of Texas Litigation Section. This prestigious honor recognizes attorneys who demonstrate excellence in the practice of law, outstanding professionalism, and exemplary service to the Bar.
Marissa Marquez has been inducted into the Texas Lyceum, a nonpartisan group of community leaders that explores and addresses issues facing Texans. Marquez currently is the manager, labor and employment legal counsel for Houston Methodist Hospital.
Erleigh Wiley has been honored with the “Living Legend Award” for legal excellence by the Dallas Bar Association. Wiley serves as the Kaufman County district attorney and is the current chairman of the Texas District & County Attorney’s executive board.
Anna MacFarlane has been appointed to the San Antonio Bar Foundation Fellows Program newly elected class of 2025, in recognition of her professional achievement, exemplary reputation, and commitment to the legal community. MacFarlane is an associate with Pulman, Cappuccio & Pullen in San Antonio.
Stephanie Dodge Bigley has been appointed to the San Antonio Bar Foundation Fellows Program newly elected class of 2025, in recognition of her professional achievement, exemplary reputation, and commitment to the legal community. Bigley is of counsel at David Santos in the San Antonio area.
Michelle Casillas has been appointed to the San Antonio Bar Foundation Fellows Program newly elected class of 2025, in recognition of her professional achievement, exemplary reputation, and commitment to the legal community. Casillas is vice president and trust officer for Jefferson Bank, providing clients comprehensive guidance in trust administration and estate settlement.
Edward Snyder has been appointed to the San Antonio Bar Foundation Fellows Program newly elected class of 2025, in recognition of his professional achievement, exemplary reputation, and commitment to the legal community. Snyder heads his own San Antonio-based firm, specializing primarily in business law.
John K. Boyce III has been appointed to the San Antonio Bar Foundation Fellows Program newly elected class of 2025, in recognition of his professional achievement, exemplary reputation, and commitment to the legal community. Boyce specializes in business law and alternative dispute resolution at his San Antonio-based firm.
Carlos J. Contreras III has been named to Austin Business Journal’s Texas 100, which is an annual list of impactful Texans. Contreras is the President and CEO for Goodwill San Antonio and previously served as the Assistant City Manager for the City of San Antonio.
Garry Merritt has been named to Austin Business Journal’s Texas 100, which is an annual list of impactful Texans. Merritt is CEO of Great Springs Project, which plans to create a greenway of protected lands between Austin and San Antonio over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone.
Miguel Garza has been named to Austin Business Journal’s Texas 100, which is an annual list of impactful Texans. Garza is co-founder and CEO of Siete Family Foods, a Mexican-American food brand that provides gluten-, grain-, and dairy-free food products.
Betty Balli Torres has received the inaugural Impacto Award by the American Bar Association Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights and Responsibilities. Torres is executive director of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation and is being honored for her efforts to remove barriers to social justice and civic engagement facing Latinos in the U.S.
Feras Mousilli, a founding partner of Lloyd & Mousilli, has been named among the Top 50 U.S. Trademark Attorneys for 2024 by analytics firm Huski.ai’s AI-driven rankings. Mousilli previously served as senior corporate counsel for both Apple and Dell.
Michael Pearson, a partner at Jackson Walker, has been inducted into the 2025 Lawdragon Hall of Fame. Pearson chaired the firm’s energy practice group for over 30 years and currently serves as an adjunct professor at Texas Law.
Barrett Robin, partner at Hamilton Wingo in Dallas, has earned his fourth consecutive selection on the Best Lawyers Under 40 list published by D Magazine for his work in high-stakes personal injury lawsuits.