Class Notes

Gregory Sapire ’94 has co-founded Soltero Sapire Murrell PLLC after roughly 20 years with K&L Gates LLP as a partner in the trial practice section. He continues to practice complex commercial litigation, with a focus on commercial and construction issues including breach of contract and fiduciary obligations, securities fraud, noncompetition obligations, warranty disputes, trade secret misappropriation, unfair competition, products liability, and professional negligence.

Devon Asphall received the 2020 Wittliff Cutter Fellowship, as the firm’s first Fellow. Wittliff Cutter started the Fellowship to demonstrate the firm’s commitment to the local legal community and to diversity as it provides training, development and work experience in a law firm environment to an outstanding Texas law school graduate.

A health problem led one Mexican-American family to get creative with the food on their table—and take an entire industry by storm. Texas Law alumnus Miguel Garza, JD ’12, co-founder and CEO of Siete Family Foods, is one of the seven Garza family members—all of whom attended UT Austin—behind the brand.

Jay Zweig has joined Ballard Spahr LLP as a partner. He was previously a partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, and has 25 years of experience practicing employment law and commercial litigation.

King & Spalding has added Jonathan Newton, a corporate and securities partner, to its Corporate, Finance and Investments (CFI) Practice Group in Houston.

Omar J. Alaniz, highly distinguished restructuring and bankruptcy lawyer, has joined Reed Smith as a partner in its Financial Industry Group in Dallas, after previously serving as a partner at Baker Botts.

Daniel F. Collins is governmental affairs manager for the County of El Paso, Texas. He returned to El Paso in 2020 after working as a senior legislative counsel at the New York City Council. He previously served as a policy counsel at the Texas Senate.

Allen Matkins, a California-based full-service real estate and business law firm, announced that Brian Michel has been elected to the firm partnership, effective July 1, 2020. Michel, a 2007 graduate of The University of Texas School of Law, helps businesses grow and stay protected through his work on real estate transactional matters, particularly related to office, retail, and industry leasing, representing both landlords and tenants, and property acquisitions and dispositions.

Connie Pfeiffer, a widely respected appellate specialist with a practice in state and federal courts, has joined Yetter Coleman as the new leader of its appellate team. Her practice focuses on business disputes, legal malpractice and fiduciary claims, and statutory and procedural issues. She joins Yetter Coleman from a leading trial boutique, Beck Redden LLP, where she was a partner.

Vincent E. Morgan, one of the nation’s most prominent corporate policyholder litigators, has joined Bracewell LLP’s Houston office as a partner in the litigation group. Morgan most recently was a partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, where he spent almost 18 years and was the former managing partner of the Houston office. He graduated with honors from The University of Texas Law School with a J.D. in 2000.

A passionate servant leader, GoransonBain Ausley’s Britney E. Harrison, is taking on the role of President of the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA). She will work to mentor and empower the next generation of legal professionals. The family law firm associate was sworn into office in a virtual ceremony on June 26.

Munsch Hardt is pleased to welcome back Walter A. Buchanan to its Dallas office from Winstead PC. Buchanan’s return expands the Firm’s corporate finance capabilities as he continues to represent leaders and borrowers in domestic and international financing transactions, as well as other banking and corporate matters.

Reid Wilson, Chairman and founder of the Wilson Cribbs + Goren law firm, has been elected as the chair of the Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law (REPTL) Section of the State Bar of Texas for 2020–2021. Wilson previously served as treasurer and chair-elect/secretary, each for a one-year term.

Texas attorneys elected Sylvia Borunda Firth of El Paso to be president-elect of the State Bar of Texas. Borunda Firth will be sworn in as president-elect during a virtual Board of Directors meeting on June 25 and will serve as president of the State Bar of Texas from June 2021 to June 2022.

Monica Wiseman Latin was named Managing Partner of Carrington Coleman law firm in Dallas on May 1st.

Leslie Tan recently joined the Houston office of national law firm, Chamberlain Hrdlicka, as Senior Counsel in the Labor & Employment Group. Tan brings 16 years of experience in complex civil litigation to the firm. Her current practice focuses on guiding employers through challenges, from counseling on daily operations to navigating litigation, and all stages in between. She has been named to the Texas Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers® consecutively from 2012 to 2019.

Austin-based immigration law firm Lincoln-Goldfinch Law has named Cori Hash as partner. Hash was inspired to become a lawyer after serving in the U.S. Peace Corps in Zimbabwe and observing the injustices and political unrest there. Before joining Lincoln-Goldfinch Law in 2018, she was the Managing Attorney of the Washington, D.C. office of Human Rights First.

Beck Redden LLP is pleased to announce that Partner Fields Alexander has been inducted as a Fellow into The American College of Trial Lawyers at its Spring Meeting held last week in Tucson, Arizona.

Gene Nichol has recently joined the Board of Trustees of the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), a national antipoverty organization based in Washington, D.C.

Dallas-based business law firm Carrington, Coleman, Sloman & Blumenthal has named trial lawyer Monica W. Latin as Managing Partner, effective May 1. She was named Managing Partner-elect in May 2019, is a member of the firm’s executive committee, and has served for many years as chair of the firm’s Business Litigation Practice Group. As the first woman in Carrington Coleman’s top leadership role, she credits the firm’s namesake, founding partner Jim Coleman, for the opportunity.

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP is pleased to announce that Anna Lee Alford has joined the firm’s Dallas office as an associate, expanding the firm’s real estate, banking, and financial services practices. Ms. Alford focuses her practice on real estate finance, financial services and business and corporate transactions. Ms. Alford received her J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law in 2014.

Chamberlain Hrdlicka recently elevated Justice David M. Medina to equity shareholder during the firm’s annual meeting on February 8. Justice Medina holds a LL.M. in Global Energy, International Arbitration, and Environmental Law from The University of Texas School of Law’s LL.M. Program – one of the top LL.M. programs for energy law in the world

Morrison & Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce that Matthew Dunlap has joined the firm’s London office as a partner in its Finance practice. Mr. Dunlap brings to the firm extensive experience in cross-border corporate and private equity finance transactions, with a particular emphasis on high yield debt offerings.

The national law firm Thompson Coburn is proud to announce the firm’s new office in Dallas, it’s sixth nationwide. Elizabeth Myers is one of four litigators to join the Firm’s new office. Elizabeth Myers represents clients in the health care and oil and gas industries in high-stakes litigation in state and federal courts around the country, including commercial disputes and product defects, consumer fraud and securities class actions.

Charles C. Foster has been elected Vice Dean of the Houston Consular Corps, the third largest consular corps in the U.S., as the Honorary Consul General of the Kingdom of Thailand. He has been elected Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston and elected Vice Chairman of the George H.W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations.

Bracewell LLP Partner Jonathan K. Frels, UT Law Class of 2001, was recently appointed chair of the CHRISTUS Foundation for HealthCare Board of Directors. This vital 501(c)3 non-profit has been providing healthcare and social services to underserved communities of all faiths, ages and cultures in the Greater Houston/Galveston areas since 1966. It also serves as a safety net to the underinsured and uninsured through community clinics, school-based clinics, mobile clinics and homeless outreach.

Coats Rose, P.C., a transactional and litigation law firm focused on development, is pleased to announce the addition of attorney Melanie Cogburn, along with four other attorneys in its Houston, Austin, Dallas and New Orleans offices. Melanie joins the Austin office as an of counsel in the real estate practice.

Chamberlain Hrdlicka recently elected Julie G. Edelman as an income shareholder during the firm’s annual meeting on February 8.

James A. Martinez rejoined the El Paso law firm Mounce, Green, Myers, Safi, Paxson & Galatzan, P.C., as a shareholder.

Caplin & Drysdale is pleased to announce that Katy Cox has joined the firm as an Associate in the Complex Litigation and Bankruptcy practice groups. Ms. Cox represents both individual and corporate clients in state and federal matters across the country. Her practice centers around complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on bankruptcy litigation. In particular, she works to protect the rights and interests of creditors, tort claimants, and official creditors’ committees in mass tort b

The University of Texas School of Law alumnus September Rea joined Am Law 100 firm Polsinelli as Principal in the Los Angeles office. September joined Polsinelli’s Labor and Employment practice, which will focus on advising California and national employers within multiple industries on all aspects of employment.

University of Texas School of Law alumnus Daniel Lynch has been promoted to partner at Akin Gump.

The San Antonio Bar Foundation (SABF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Jason Davis to the SABF Fellows Program newly-elected 2020 class.

The San Antonio Bar Foundation (SABF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Grant T. McFarland to the SABF Fellows Program newly-elected 2020 class.

The San Antonio Bar Foundation (SABF) is pleased to announce the appointment of the Honorable Judge Michael Mery to the SABF Fellows Program newly-elected 2020 class.

The San Antonio Bar Foundation (SABF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Daniel “Neel” M. Lane, Jr. to the SABF Fellows Program newly-elected 2020 class.

The San Antonio Bar Foundation (SABF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Jay Dewald to the SABF Fellows Program newly-elected 2020 class.

University of Texas School of Law alumnus Ross Angus Williams has been named to Dallas Business Journal’s “40 under 40” list.

Wright Close & Barger welcomes the University of Texas School of Law alumnus Michael Hurta, who will bolster the firm’s trial and appellate practice.

On January 1, 2020, Tom Selby was elected as one of the six members of Williams & Connolly’s Executive Committee.

After nearly 10 years in public service with both the SEC and the Department of Justice, Barry Kamar joined litigation funding advisory firm Westfleet Advisors.

Josh Ling recently joined the Houston office of Chamberlain Hrdlicka as an associate in the tax practice. He is an associate in the Tax Planning & Business Transactions group. Prior to joining Chamberlain Hrdlicka, Josh worked in Grant Thornton’s M&A Tax practice, where he focused on tax planning for businesses throughout various stages of the transaction life cycle.

I recently left the partnership at Morris, Manning & Martin LLP to start my own law practice, The Lockett Law Firm, a boutique firm based in Atlanta, Georgia specializing in business litigation.

Stephanie DeBrow has been promoted to partner at Norton Rose Fulbright in Houston. She is an accomplished litigator in the firm’s Austin office whose practice focuses on patent litigation and appeals. She represents clients in a variety of fields, including mechanical, telecommunications, computer, semiconductor, e-commerce and Internet technologies.

Jared Levinthal has joined Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC as a partner in the firm’s Houston office. Jared represents plaintiffs and defendants in all types of litigation. He handles disputes involving commercial and business issues, product liability, professional malpractice, intellectual property, insurance coverage and bad faith, serious personal injury and wrongful death.

Robert A. Wilkins has joined Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC as a partner in the firm’s Houston office. Wilkins represents both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts as well as before arbitral tribunals. He has a particular focus on commercial litigation involving the oil and gas industry, including business divorce cases, fiduciary duty issues, breach of contract claims, securities disputes and related matters.

Vinson & Elkins LLP has promoted Christie Alcalá to counsel effective Jan. 1, 2020. Alcalá advises and represents employers on all aspects of employment and labor law in business transactions, day-to-day operations, administrative proceedings and litigation, including issues relating to wage and hour laws, restrictive covenants, employment and severance agreements, reductions-in-force, employee privacy rights, internal investigations, anti-discrimination, leaves, unions and drug testing.

Vinson & Elkins LLP promoted Emery Choi to counsel effective Jan. 1, 2020. Choi represents clients in domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, private equity investments, joint ventures and a variety of energy matters. Among his notable experience, Choi advised Devon Energy in the $2 billion sale of certain non-core upstream assets to multiple buyers.

Vinson & Elkins LLP promoted Matthew Falcone to counsel effective Jan. 1, 2020. Falcone focuses his practice on representing private equity funds, financial sponsors and public and private companies in mergers and acquisitions, equity financings, joint ventures and other strategic transactions, particularly in the energy infrastructure sector.

Vinson & Elkins LLP promoted Taylor Holcomb to counsel effective Jan. 1, 2020. Holcomb helps clients develop and permit domestic projects, operate in compliance with federal and state laws and defend against claims brought by the government and other groups. He primarily practices before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas Railroad Commission, the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Environmental Protection Agency.