Parth Gejji, an associate at Beck Redden in Houston, has been elected to the partnership effective Jan. 1, 2025. A double Longhorn, Gejji was included in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for his work in appellate practice.
Nicholas Bruno, an associate at Beck Redden in Houston, has been elected to the partnership effective Jan. 1, 2025. As lead appellate counsel, Bruno practices in all levels of the Texas appellate system.
David Coligado, CEO-elect at Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, is featured in D CEO Magazine’s 2025 edition of the Dallas 500 directory, The Dallas 500 publication profiles the most powerful leaders in North Texas across more than 60 different business categories; this is Coligado’s first year of inclusion in the Dallas 500.
Mary Kipp was named to the transition team for Washington’s governor-elect Bob Ferguson as an advisor. Kipp serves as president and CEO of Puget Sound Energy since 2020 and previously was CEO of El Paso Electric.
Omar Alaniz, a partner at Reed Smith, is among the 2024 100 LGBTQ+ Executives selected by INvolve, in recognition of his advocacy and support efforts on behalf of LGBTQ+ diversity, equity and inclusion. Alaniz is member of Reed Smith’s Restructuring & Insolvency Group.
Nina Cortell, senior counsel at Haynes and Boone, was honored with the Larry Schoenbrun Jurisprudence Award by the Anti-Defamation League. Cortell represents corporations, public entities, and individuals in cases that have put her at the forefront of Texas litigation practice.
Amanda Arriaga was named In House Impact Award Winner of the Year by Texas Lawyer Magazine and a finalist for Corporate Counsel of the Year by the State Bar of Texas Office of Minority Affairs. Arriaga is the general counsel of Sperry Commercial.
Wade A. Barrow was raised to the rank of advocate by the American Board of Trial Advocates. His firm, Barrow Law, is based in Fort Worth and focuses on personal injury and wrongful death cases.
Scott Rozzell was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lone Star Flight Museum. As a member of the museum’s Board of Directors, Rozzell was integral in the reimagining and relocation of the museum following Hurricane Ike in 2008. He spent much of his career at Baker Botts, ending his tenure there as a senior partner, then worked another 13 years at CenterPoint Energy as executive vice president of general counsel and corporate secretary.
Sylvia Borunda Firth, of counsel at the Bojorquez Law Firm, was recognized for government service by McDonald’s at the 23d Annual Triunfadores Awards Luncheon. A past president of the State Bar of Texas, Firth previously served as city attorney for the City of El Paso.
Keith Cohan, a partner at Reid Collins & Tsai in Austin, earned the Pro Bono Attorney of the Year award as announced by Texas Lawyer. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, including cases involving financial fraud, professional negligence, fiduciary liability, and other business torts. Cohan recently contributed to the first jury trial-to-verdict victory for the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana’s Justice Lab.
Ronald E. Mendoza, a partner with Davis, Cedillo & Mendoza in San Antonio, has been inducted as a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in the United States and Canada.
Joseph C. Blanton Jr., a partner at Blanton, Nickell, Collins, Douglas, Hanschen & Peters, has been inducted as a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Blanton has been practicing in Southeast Missouri since 1987.
Kleber Miller was named a Tarrant County Legal Legend in recognition of his contributions to the profession and community. Miller, whose career spanned over 70 years, previously was recognized by his peers in the State Bar of Texas as a Texas Legal Legend.
Vianei Lopez Braun, a shareholder at Decker Jones, was named one of “100 Hispanic Board Members Making a Difference” by Board Recruitment Magazine in its October 2024 edition. Vianei has been an independent director of First Financial Bankshares, Inc. since 2020 and serves on the board’s Compensation, Risk, and Nominations & Governance committees.
Barrett Reasoner, a partner at Gibbs & Bruns and fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, will be honored with the prestigious Karen H. Susman Jurisprudence Award by the Anti-Defamation League’s Southwest Region in April 2025.
Jaime A. Saenz, a partner at Colvin, Saenz, Rodriguez & Kennamer in Brownsville, Texas, was nominated and inducted as a Fellow to the American College of Trial Lawyers. Saenz specializes in personal injury litigation and has tried over 120 civil cases to verdict.
Lena Silva, an associate at Beck Redden’s Houston office, will receive the 2024 Texas Minority Counsel Program (TMCP) Rising Star Award. The award, from the State Bar of Texas Office of Minority Affairs and the Steering Committee of the TMCP, will be presented at the Keynote Awards Luncheon Oct. 24, 2024.
Macey Reasoner Stokes, a partner at Baker Botts’ Houston office, will be honored with the prestigious Karen H. Susman Jurisprudence Award by the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Southwest Region.
Robert L. Tobey, an attorney at Johnston Tobey Baruch in Dallas, has been named a 2024 Super Lawyer for professional liability: plaintiff and a Top 100 in Dallas/Fort Worth.
Julie Partain has been named a Distinguished Alumni of 2024 by Henderson ISD. As a partner at Bracewell LLP in Dallas, Partain focuses her practice on public debt offerings and serves as bond counsel for numerous school districts and cities.
Fields Alexander, a partner at Beck Redden, has been honored by Benchmark Litigation in its 2025 ranking of the nation’s top litigation talent. Previously he was named a 2024 Texas Super Lawyer in business litigation and a 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigator in America, and was listed in the 2025 The Best Lawyers in America for four different specialties.
David J. Beck, founding partner of Beck Redden LLP, has been named one of Benchmark Litigation’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers in the United States for 2025. Previously he was named a 2024 Texas Super Lawyer in business litigation and a 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigator in America. Beck also was honored in the 2025 Best Lawyers in America in six different categories and named to the 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Litigators list.
Alistair B. Dawson, a partner at Beck Redden, has been included by Benchmark Litigation in its 2025 ranking of the nation’s top litigation talent. Previously he was named a 2024 Texas Super Lawyer in business litigation and a 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigator in America for the practice areas of commercial litigation, class action, and energy. Dawson also was honored in 2025 The Best Lawyers in America for commercial litigation and litigation–antitrust.
Pamela E. George was named by South Texas College of Law Houston as the Stanley J. Krist Distinguished Professor of Texas Law. This title is awarded to an outstanding professor whose research and teaching helps develop Texas law and future Texas lawyers. George, the first tenure-track female professor at South Texas Law, has a distinguished 43-year academic career and has represented numerous clients as a board-certified specialist in family law and civil appellate law.
Michael McBride, a partner at Houston trial law firm Alavi Anaipakos, has been named to the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America based on his work in high-stakes intellectual property lawsuits. McBride focuses his practice on complex patent litigation and patent prosecution matters.
Scott Clark, a partner at Houston trial law firm Alavi Anaipakos, has been named to the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America based on his work in high-stakes intellectual property lawsuits. Clark previously was recognized in 2023 by IAM Patent 1000.
Brad Caldwell, a principal at Dallas law firm Caldwell Cassady & Curry, has been named to the 2024 Texas Super Lawyers guide as one of the top intellectual property attorneys in the state. Caldwell focuses on patent infringement and complex commercial litigation.
Chris Stewart, a principal at Dallas’ Caldwell Cassady & Curry, was named to the 2024 Benchmark Litigation 40 & Under list of the nation’s top young trial lawyers. Stewart was recognized in the annual guide for his expertise in intellectual property trials.
Kelly Frels has won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Texas Legal Awards. Throughout a career spanning over five decades, Frels spearheaded the desegregation of Houston ISD, served as president of the State Bar of Texas, co-founded the State Bar’s School Law Section, and was a managing partner at Bracewell LLP.
Allison Miller, of counsel at Beck Redden in Houston, was named a 2024 Texas Super Lawyer in the practice area of professional liability: defense. Previously she was named a 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” in legal malpractice law–defendants by The Best Lawyers in America, as well as “Best Lawyer” in the areas of legal malpractice law–defendants and professional malpractice law–defendants.
Geoff Gannaway, a partner at Beck-Redden in Houston, has been named a 2024 Texas Super Lawyer in business litigation and a 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigator in America in commercial litigation, class actions, and energy disputes. Previously he was honored in the 2025 Best Lawyers in America for commercial litigation and litigation–health care.
Brian N. Hail, a director in the Dallas office of Kane Russell Coleman Logan, has been named a 2024 Texas Super Lawyer in business litigation.
Arthur M. Nathan, a director in the Houston office of Kane Russell Coleman Logan, has been named a 2024 Texas Super Lawyer in mergers and acquisitions.
D. Mitchell McFarland, a shareholder with Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr in Houston, has been named a 2024 Texas Super Lawyer in business litigation.
Mason P. Hester, a shareholder with Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr in Houston, has been named a Texas Super Lawyer in construction litigation.
John Adcock, of counsel at Beck Redden in Houston, was named a 2024 Texas Super Lawyer in appellate law.
Kimberly Pack Wilson has been elected to the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section Council. A partner at Fraser, Wilson & Bryan, P.C. in Stephenville, Texas, Wilson previously served as state bar director for District 14 from 2020-2023.
Taylor LeMay was elected as an ICC Young Arbitration and ADR Forum Representative for North America for the 2024-2026 mandate. LeMay is a senior associate in the International Arbitration group at Norton Rose Fulbright’s Houston office.
Jackie M. Furlow, partner at Beck Redden LLP, has been named a 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigator in America in the practice area of Commercial Litigation. She previously was honored in the fifth edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for Commercial Litigation and Energy Law and was recognized as a 2024 Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers. Furlow also has was recognized by Lawdragon in 2024.
Husch Blackwell Partner Michael Raupp is a finalist for the Young Lawyer of the Year—Litigation award, which will be presented Nov. 13 at The American Lawyer’s Industry Awards in New York City.
Wallace B. Jefferson, former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, is being honored for his legacy as the state’s first African American justice and chief justice. An official portrait of Jefferson will be unveiled in the Supreme Court courtroom, celebrating his achievements and commitment to the principles of fairness and equality.
Andrea Fair has been selected as a finalist by the Texas Legal Awards for Intellectual Property Attorney of the Year. Fair is a partner at Ward, Smith & Hill, PLLC and has earned multiple recognitions from The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch and Texas Super Lawyers.
Mary Kate Raffetto, a partner at Beck Redden LLP, has been recognized by Law.com and Texas Lawyer as an On the Rise winner in the 2024 Texas Legal Awards. Raffetto also was honored in the fifth edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. She has been recognized on Lawdragon’s 500 X–The Next Generation for Appellate and Commercial Litigation and 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyer lists and as a 2024 Texas Rising Star by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers.
The Hon. Xavier Rodriguez, former Texas Supreme Court justice and now United States district judge for the Western District of Texas, will be honored by the San Antonio ISD Foundation at the 13th Annual Inspire Awards in October 2024.
Nicholas Bruno, an associate at Beck Redden in Houston, was honored in the fifth edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. Bruno previously was recognized in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X–The Next Generation for Appellate.
Parth S. Gejji was honored in the fifth edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for Appellate Practice. Gejji, an associate at Beck Redden in Houston, also was recognized in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X–The Next Generation in Appellate.
Garrett Brawley was honored in the fifth edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for Commercial Litigation, Litigation–Antitrust, and Litigation–Trusts and Estates. He also was recognized in the 2024 Lawdragon 500 X–The Next Generation for Commercial Litigation. Brawley is an associate at Beck Redden in Houston.
Joe W. Redden, Jr. was named a 2025 “Lawyer of the Year” in the specialty area of Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants by The Best Lawyers in America. Redden, founding partner emeritus of Beck Redden LLP, enjoyed a 48-year career as a trial lawyer before retiring in January 2024.
Nour Haikal, an associate at Bracewell, was featured in the August 13 “Volunteer Spotlight” by the Houston Volunteer Lawyers, the pro bono legal aid arm of the Houston Bar Association. Haikal was recognized for her role in a pro bono tax case involving a young immigrant mother. Haikal’s background includes serving as an ESL tutor to the adult refugee community in Houston and as an HVL law clerk.