Class Notes

Matthew Falcone has been named a recipient of Texas Lawyer’s 2023 “On the Rise” Award. Falcone is a partner at Vinson & Elkins’ Houston office and focuses his practice on M&A and private equity.

Taylor Mauze has been named a Rising Star by Texas Lawyer. Mauze is a litigator and trial attorney at Reichman Jorgensen Lehman & Feldberg LLP and specializes in complex business disputes and patents.

Atman Shukla has been named a Rising Star by Texas Lawyer. Shukla is a partner at Sidley Austin LLP and focuses on M&A and investment transactions in the energy, infrastructure, and aviation industries.

Maryssa Simpson has been named a Rising Star by Texas Lawyer. Simpson is a trial lawyer at the Simpson Tuegel Law Firm and focuses her practice on personal injury, sexual assault, and sexual harassment cases.

Courtney Hammond has been named a recipient of Texas Lawyer’s 2023 “On the Rise” Award. Hammond is a member of Vinson & Elkins’ real estate practice and focuses on commercial real estate projects.

Michael Kelso has been named a Rising Star by Texas Lawyer. Kelso is a trial lawyer at Susman Godfrey LLP and focuses his practice on antitrust, securities fraud, and the energy sector.

Rocco Magni has been named a Rising Star by Texas Lawyer. Magni is a trial lawyer at Susman Godfrey LLP and specializes in commercial litigation and patents.

Kim Hicks has been named a Rising Star by Texas Lawyer. Hicks is a founding partner at the Austin office of Kirkland & Ellis and focuses on M&A and private equity in the energy sectors.

Ralph C. Mayrell has been promoted to special counsel in Kramer Levin’s litigation practice. Mayrell specializes in complex commercial litigation and appeals across a variety of industries.

Wayne D. Meissner has been named one of the Best Criminal Defense Attorneys in Austin by Forbes Advisor. A former district attorney in Amarillo and Austin, Meissner currently serves as an attorney at Fitzgerald & Meissner PC.

Drew Kershen was honored by the State of Oklahoma as an Oklahoma Water Pioneer. The State honored him for his 30-plus years of teaching, writing, and service about Oklahoma water law. Kershen was a faculty member for 41.5 years at the University of Oklahoma College of Law.

Bryan P. Hoeller has been named a “Best Criminal Defense Lawyer” in Fort Worth of 2023 by Forbes. Hoeller was a former criminal prosecutor turned criminal defense lawyer, defending thousands of clients in a variety of cases.

Sakina Rasheed Foster has received the Texas State Bar’s annual Trailblazer of the Year Award. Foster was nominated for the award by The Podium, a nonprofit for Asian American women lawyers,  for her work as managing partner and mentor at Haynes and Boone.

Dick DeGuerin has been named one of the Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in Houston,2023. DeGuerin has been practicing criminal defense for the past five decades and represented many high profile clients as his firm handles state and federal cases from trial through the appellate process.

George Parnham has been named one of the Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in Houston 2023. An Army veteran who has practiced for over five decades, Parnham has secured reduced sentences for clients accused of terrorism, criminally negligent homicide and murder.

David Nachtigall has been named one of the Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in Houston 2023.  Nachtigall, whose firm is based in Houston, has tried several thousand criminal cases and has represented clients facing serious allegations from the FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Secret Service and other government agencies.

Neal A. Davis has been named one of the Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in Houston 2023. Davis, who runs his own firm,  has 25 years of experience in criminal defense from the investigative phase to appeal, and has appeared as counsel in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in a matter involving the Fifth Amendment.

Amanda Tyler testified before the U.S. House Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs. Tyler is the executive director of Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (BJC) and lead organizer of the Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign.

John D. White has been awarded the 2023 Outstanding Alumni Award for the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University. In addition to his numerous public service appointments, White served as a judge advocate general in the United States Air Force and practiced law for three decades.

David Tamisiea has been named executive director of the North Dakota Catholic Conference. Tamisiea is the dean of the School of Arts & Sciences and associate professor in Theology at the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D.

Alistair B. Dawson earned the Litigation Star Award in Benchmark Litigation 2024. Dawson is a partner at the Houston office of Beck Redden LLP.

David J. Beck earned the Top 100 Trial Lawyers, National Practice Area Star, and Litigation Star Awards in Benchmark Litigation 2024. Beck is a trial lawyer and founding partner at Beck Redden LLP and is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Fields Alexander earned the Litigation Star Award in Benchmark Litigation 2024. Alexander is a partner at Beck Redden LLP, where he specializes in trial law.

Wayne Haglund has been selected as a Texas Super Lawyer for his work in school law for the 20th consecutive year. Haglund established the Haglund Law Firm and has provided legal services to more than 60 Texas school districts.

Shawn Raymond has received the Anti-Defamation League’s Karen H. Susman Jurisprudence Award, an annual award presented by ADL Southwest that honors an outstanding member of the legal community who exhibits a commitment to equality, justice, fairness and community service. Raymond is a partner at trial law firm Susan Godfrey.

Brad Caldwell has earned a selection on the 2024 Lawdragon Leading Litigators in America listing based on his work in intellectual property trials. Caldwell is principal at Caldwell Cassady & Curry, where he focuses on patent infringement and complex commercial litigation for both plaintiffs and defendants in trial.

Larry Fallek has been named the 2023 Man of the Year by the McAllen Chamber of Commerce. A double Longhorn, Fallek currently serves as the chairman of Castle Hospitality.

Rachel McKenna has been named a 2023 Texas Rising Star by Texas Super Lawyers for her work in business litigation. McKenna is a partner and civil trial lawyer at Almanza Blackburn Dickie & Mitchell LLP in Austin.

Jessica Dean has earned repeat recognition by Texas Super Lawyers, noting the top 5 percent of attorneys in the state. Dean is honored for personal injury products liability litigation on behalf of plaintiffs. A member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Dean is a partner at Dean Omar Branham Shirley and a key part of the firm’s trial team.

Richard Warren Mithoff has been recognized as one of Texas’ top trial lawyers in the 2023 Texas Super Lawyers Top 10 list. Mithoff is a personal injury lawyer and president at Mithoff Law firm, and the namesake for Texas Law’s pro bono center, the Richard and Ginni Mithoff Pro Bono Center.

Fidel Rodriguez, Jr. has been recognized as one of Texas’ top trial lawyers in the 2023 Texas Super Lawyers Top 10 list. Rodriguez has practiced personal injury and product liabilities law for more than 30 years.

Karen C. Burgess has been recognized as one of Texas’ top trial lawyers in the 2023 Texas Super Lawyers Top 10 list. She also has been selected by her peers for inclusion in the 30th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America for her work in commercial litigation at Burgess Associates.

Dymond Mensah was named winner of the International Ms. pageant. Mensah serves as an assistant district attorney with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office and is a current National Advocacy Alliance spokesperson.

Robert L. Soza has been honored in Lawdragon’s 2024 list of the 500 leading litigators in America. Soza specializes in product liability at Jackson Walker.

Leisa Talbert Peschel has been honored in Lawdragon’s 2024 list of the 500 leading litigators in America. Peschel specializes in IP litigation at Jackson Walker.

David T. Moran has been honored in Lawdragon’s 2024 list of the 500 leading litigators in America. Moran specializes in antitrust and class action litigation at Jackson Walker.

S. Brad Brown has been honored in Lawdragon’s 2024 list of the 500 leading litigators in America. Brown specializes in product liability litigation at Jackson Walker.

Austin B. Light has been recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, for the second consecutive year.  Light specializes in advising clients on a variety of compensation-related plans and employee-related aspects of public and private transactions.

Marvin Blum has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for his work in trusts and estates law, making this his ninth year being selected for the honor. Blum is the founder of The Blum Firm, the largest group of estate planning attorneys in Texas.

Geoff Gannaway, a partner at Beck Redden in the firm’s Houston office, was named in Thomson Reuters Texas Super Lawyers 2023. Gannaway was the grand chancellor for his class at Texas Law.

John Adcock, of counsel at Beck Redden’s Houston office, was named in Thomson Reuters Texas Super Lawyers 2023. Adcock has been a member of the firm’s appellate section since its inception and his practice focuses on complex civil matters.

Robert C. Trenchard Jr. has been named one of the Best Personal Injury Lawyers in El Paso by Forbes Advisor. Trenchard is a founder of Trenchard & Hoskins LLP and has been honored as one of the top 100 trial lawyers in Texas by the National Trial Lawyers.

Chris Hamilton ’04 has been selected to the 2023 Texas Super Lawyers list based on his work in high-stakes personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. Hamilton is owner/partner of Hamilton Wingo, LLD.

Elizabeth F. “Liza” Eoff, an associate at Munsch Hardt, has been honored in the 2024 edition of the Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” directory in the Commercial Litigation and Real Estate Law categories. Eoff is a trial lawyer who focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation, including litigation related to the oil and gas industry.

Andres Contreras, an associate at Munsch Hardt, is featured in the 2024 edition of the Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” directory in the Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation–Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation–Defendants categories. Contreras focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation in both state and federal courts.

Munsch Hardt Senior Attorney Kelly E. Wise has been named to the 2024 Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” directory in recognition of her excellence in the Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants categories. Kelly focuses her practice on a range of litigation matters, including construction liability and defects, premises liability and transportation and trucking liability.

Jana M. Lambro, a shareholder at Munsch Hardt, has been recognized in the 2024 edition of the Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” directory in the Real Estate Law category. Lambro’s practice focuses on commercial real estate development, including purchases, sales, retail and ground leases, brokerage agreements, and transactional financing.

Nicolas A. Gavrizi, an associate at Munsch Hardt, has been honored in the 2024 edition of the Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” directory. Gavrizi was featured for his excellence in Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, and Litigation – Construction. His practice focuses on commercial litigation, with an emphasis on the construction industry.

Connor Best (’15), an associate at Munsch Hardt, has been featured in the 2024 edition of the Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch” directory in the Construction Law category.
Connor’s practice focuses on a wide range of complex business litigation matters, including commercial disputes, construction matters and labor and employment litigation.

Daniel Z. Sternthal is featured for his excellence in Health Care Law in the 2024 edition of the Best Lawyers in America directory. A shareholder at Munsch Hardt, he serves as strategic counsel to a diverse range of health care entities as they evaluate regulatory, administrative and transactional opportunities and navigate through challenges.