Class Notes

Jane Webre has been elected to the American Law Institute. She practices civil appellate law at Scott Douglass McConnico and handles most of the firm’s appeals. Her practice also includes trial court litigation involving complex matters that present significant legal issues, including oil and gas litigation and land use regulation. Jane has argued appeals in the Supreme Court of the United States, the Fifth Circuit, the Supreme Court of Texas, and many of the courts of appeals around the state.

John G. Browning (Class of ’89) has been selected, along with Chief Justice Carolyn Wright of the Fifth District Court of Appeals, to receive the J.L. Turner Legal Association Foundation’s “Texas Legal History” Award at the Foundation’s annual gala on October 21, 2017 in Dallas. The award recognizes Mr. Browning’s and Chief Justice Wright’s achievement and body of work in researching and writing about the earliest African-American lawyers in Texas, published in the Howard Law Journal and others.

Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education Honors Don Bivens with the Walter E. Craig Distinguished Service Award

The Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section of the State Bar has selected Jim Aycock as the 2017 Recipient of the Distinguished Texas Probate and Trust Attorney Lifetime Achievement Award.

Scott McDonald was cited as a noted practitioner in the prestigious Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business publication.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Houstonia Magazine and H-Texas Magazine each named Daniel Knight to their “Top Lawyers” in Houston List for 2016. Mr. Knight practices in the areas of admiralty and maritime law, as well as general civil litigation and appellate issues, and was elected to membership in the Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation in 2016.

Andrew Baumgardner has been selected to join Leadership San Antonio, a program jointly sponsored by the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce and San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Baumgardner is a partner in the Real Estate and Family Office practices at Jackson Walker LLP.

Laura Mayer Robertson is the Deputy General Counsel for Litigation and Arbitration at ConocoPhillips, where she oversees litigation for the company on a world-wide basis. This fall, she has been honored in several ways: named a Woman on the Move by the Texas Executive Women (link below); selected by the Houston Business Journal as one of its “Women to Watch” in its annual Women in Energy Leadership awards; and, selected by Texas Lawyer as an honoree for its 2016 Women in Energy awards.

Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (Consumer Bankruptcy Law); named to the Texas Monthly “Super Lawyer” list for 12 years; Chairman of the State Bar’s Bankruptcy Section 2010-2011; inducted as a Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy (15th Class); past Chairman of the West Texas Bankruptcy Bar Association and the Lubbock County Bar Association; for years a member of the “Recent Developments” panel at The Annual Jay L. Westbrook Bankruptcy Conference and a member of the Texas Bar Foundation.

Jay Jackson, an Associate at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Friend, has been selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list for 2016, which marks his fifth consecutive year to be recognized on the list.

John Flynn has been selected to Best Lawyers in America for Litigation-Construction and Construction Law.

Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP is pleased to announce that Benchmark Litigation 2017 has recognized Virginia Hamilton Snell, Partner in the Firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution Service Team, as a “litigation star” for the publication’s 10th Anniversary Edition. The publication’s “litigation stars” reflect lawyers who are recommended by peers and clients as having established consistent reputations as trial attorneys. The guide honors the firms and attorneys who have demonstrated the ability to consistently handle complex, high-stakes cases in multiple jurisdictions.

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP is proud to announce that Edward R. Lawson, Jr., has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2017 in 56 different areas of legal practice nationwide. Mr. Lawson is an intellectual property and patent lawyer in the firm’s Milwaukee, WI, office.

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation, the largest state grant funding source of civil legal aid in Texas, has announced that Carlos M. Zaffirini, Jr., of Austin has been appointed to serve on its board of directors. The Supreme Court of Texas appointed Zaffirini to a two-year term expiring in August 2018.

Walt Herring, a partner in Munck Wilson Mandala’s Commercial Litigation practice group, has been recognized in Best Lawyers for his work in complex commercial litigation. For more than 30 years, he has concentrated his practice on complex commercial litigation matters for a wide variety of clients in both state and federal courts throughout the nation. Mr. Herring regularly serves as first-chair counsel in trials and arbitrations, and has considerable experience with other dispute resolution techniques. In 2016, Mr. Herring favorably resolved a significant class action and a securities fraud matter for one of the firm’s clients.

Stuart F. Miller, a shareholder in Baker Donelson’s Houston office, has been named to the 2017 edition of Best Lawyers in America for Health Care Law.

James P. Hill, a shareholder of the San Diego, CA, law firm Sullivan Hill Lewin Rez & Engel, was recently selected by his peers for inclusion in the 23rd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Additionally, Hill was also recognized by Best Lawyers as the 2017 Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law “Lawyer of the Year” in San Diego.

As part of Global Inclusion Week 2016, Norton Rose Fulbright’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council announced five recipients of the Global Inclusion Awards from the US for their commitment to diversity, including Call of ’11 alumnus Stephen Myers. Mr. Myers is the vice chair of the Pride Network for Norton Rose Fulbright US and also serves on the Dallas Lambda Legal leadership team and the Turtle Creek Chorale’s board of directors.

William H. Caudill, a partner in the Houston office of Norton Rose Fulbright, has been selected to the chair of the American Bar Association’s Section of Taxation, the nation’s largest organization of tax lawyers.. Mr. Caudill, who previously served as the ABA’s Section of Taxation’s chair-elect, has a general tax practice, with a focus on partnerships, oil and gas, real estate, and tax-exempt organizations. He also assists clients in the tax aspects of bankruptcy and financially troubled commercial transactions.

Donna Gooden Payne, East Carolina University counsel and vice chancellor for legal affairs, was elected in June to a three-year term as a member-at-large on the Board of Directors of the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) during its annual conference in San Francisco. Payne, a member of NACUA since 2002, has served for eight years on NACUA’s Editorial Board for The Journal of College and University Law. In addition, she has also served on the NACUNOTES Editorial Board, the Committee on Legal Education and the Committee on Program for the Annual Conference.