Class Notes

Armbrust & Brown, PLLC—a distinguished homegrown law firm in Austin—today announced that Michael Whellan, a former president and shareholder of Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody, will officially join the firm on Jan. 15, 2018. Joining along with Whellan will be Travis Phillips, a former shareholder of Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody.
For more than 25 years, Whellan has represented clients in land-use and business matters at the courthouse and before city and county government.

Seyferth Blumenthal & Harris LLP is pleased to announce that attorney Daniel O. Ramón has been promoted to partner, effective Jan. 1.

“Danny joined our firm as a transplant from Austin, Texas, in 2016, and we have been excited to have him in Kansas City ever since,” said Kim Jones, Seyferth Blumenthal & Harris managing partner. “In that short time, he has quickly established deep roots not only in our law firm and with our clients but also in the Kansas City community.”

Susman Godfrey LLP has named Ashley McMillian to the firm’s partnership, effective January 1, 2018.

McMillian has already made her mark at the Texas-based litigation boutique, most recently in energy litigation, as part of the team that won a $43.2 million jury verdict for client Apache, in Apache Deepwater LLC v. W&T Offshore, Inc. She also helped obtain an early summary judgment dismissing a plaintiff’s damages claim of hundreds of millions of dollars for client Hess Bakken, in Spring Creek

Karen Turner and Ashley McDowell join to form Turner McDowell, PLLC, in Dallas.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP announced that Adam Arikat has joined its Dallas office as an associate in the Firm’s Tax, Executive Compensation & Benefits Department. Prior to joining Weil, Arikat served as an Upstream Business Services attorney at ExxonMobil, where he worked on the structuring of upstream transactions, divestments and joint ventures. Arikat earned an Executive LL.M. in Taxation from New York University and previously completed his J.D. at The University of Texas School of Law.

Ryan Gorsche was elected by international law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP as a new Counsel in the Firm’s Corporate Department.

Vinson & Elkins has promoted Shamus Crosby to partner effective Jan. 1, 2018. Crosby’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets transactions, including initial public offerings and public and private offerings of debt and equity securities, private equity investments and buyouts, joint ventures and corporate governance matters. His clients include public and private companies, private equity funds and investment banking firms.

Vinson & Elkins has promoted Marisa Secco to partner effective Jan. 1, 2018. Secco represents individuals and entities in commercial disputes, tax controversies, restructuring litigation and civil appeals. She served as Rules Attorney for the Supreme Court of Texas from 2011-2013, giving her a unique understanding of Texas procedure, and was named in 2014 as one of 20 “Winning Women” by Texas Lawyer.

Amanda has been promoted to partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman. She helps manage and resolve environmental exposures for companies, and is integral to our crisis management team. She negotiates with federal and state agencies on environmental cleanup and natural resource damages liabilities, and performs due diligence on environmental compliance for transactions. She has helped expand services to firm clients, and is helping pursue business around offshore decommissioning liabilities.

Chris Luna was promoted to Vice President, Legal Affairs for MetroPCS, a brand of T-Mobile. In this role, he serves as chief counsel for MetroPCS, leading their legal team and serving as the primary legal counsel for MetroPCS’ senior management team. He is responsible for MetroPCS’ consumer facing legal matters, such as marketing, distribution, consumer litigation, and customer care. He also serves as co-chair of the legal department’s Diversity Task Force.

Retired United States Army Colonel and Smith Anderson Attorney David Hayden has been appointed by North Caroline Governor Roy Cooper to serve as a Commissioner of the North Carolina Military Affairs Commission (NC MAC). Hayden served as both an Engineer and Judge Advocate Generals (JAG) Corps Officer in the United States Army during a 29 year active military career. He also served on the Joint Staff in the Pentagon, participating in many federal government interagency panels and working groups. David brought his extensive experience in government contracting, corporate investigations and employment law to Smith Anderson in 2011.

Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. (Munsch Hardt) announces the hire of Mason Hester as Shareholder in the firm’s construction practice. The fourth largest city in the country, Houston continues seeing unprecedented growth, and Munsch Hardt has responded by more than doubling its construction practice in the Houston office in the last two years.

ADLI Law Group, a Los Angeles-based law firm, welcomes Associate Attorney Ima Nsien. Nsien joins the firm’s civil litigation practice focusing on healthcare and family law with a special interest in assisted reproduction technologies (ART). She has experience in a variety of civil matters, all stages of litigation, as well as dissolution, legal separation, support and child custody.

Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton announced today that it has opened an office in Houston. With the firm successfully expanding into Dallas in 2015, Kilpatrick Townsend now has two offices in the Lone Star State. A team of 13 deep-rooted Texas attorneys – led by partners Patrick Gaas and Daniel Shank – bring well-recognized practices to Kilpatrick Townsend.

Melissa Bailey recently joined one of North Carolina’s leading law firms, Brooks Pierce, as an associate. She will work in the Raleigh office, focusing her practice on corporate transactional law and commercial real estate law.

Ana Ward was appointed as Senior Vice President & General Counsel of Ovid Therapeutics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focusing on rare neurological disorders. In addition to her J.D., Ms. Ward holds a bachelor of arts in French, a masters of science in molecular biology and a M.B.A — all from the University of Texas at Austin. She also holds a master of science in bioscience regulatory affairs from Johns Hopkins University.

High-profile Dallas trial lawyer Chris Hamilton and attorney Paul Wingo have teamed up to form Hamilton Wingo, LLP, to represent individuals and companies in high-stakes litigation. The two lawyers’ commitment to fight for justice and their shared passion for helping people in tough legal disputes sparked their decision to establish a new law firm together. The firm’s clients include companies in all types of business disputes and individuals seriously injured through corporate negligence.

Mike Hatchell has joined Haynes and Boone, LLP as counsel in the firm’s highly regarded Appellate Practice. He will be based in Haynes and Boone’s Austin office. Chambers USA 2017 (Chambers & Partners) recently described Hatchell as the “dean of Texas appellate practice.” He has been lead counsel in more than 400 appeals, handling cases in all 14 courts of appeals in Texas and in federal courts across the country.

Ephraim (Fry) Wernick, ’03 has been named Asst. Chief of the international corruption unit within DOJ’s Criminal Fraud Section, where he supervises prosecutions of corporations and individuals who violated the FCPA, money laundering, and other criminal laws. In June, Fry also was selected to serve a temporary detail as Counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he has been advising on criminal and national security matters. Fry lives in Bethesda, Maryland with his wife Lea and two sons.

Karin and Adam Zaner (both from the class of 1994) have formed Zaner Law PC, with offices in Dallas and Austin. Karin has recently joined the Advisory Council for UT’s College of Liberal Arts, and Adam proudly serves on the Advisory Council for UT’s Harry Ransom Center.

Dykema Cox Smith, a leading national law firm, has announced the addition of Ayanna Clinton as the firm’s Chief Human Resources Officer. Clinton, who brings more than a decade of human resources experience with her to Dykema Cox Smith, joins after serving as Chief Human Resources Officer of Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia—a large hospital in the Tenet Healthcare system—where she was responsible for all Human Resources operations.

Scot Clinton has joined Wilson Cribbs + Goren, PC as a senior attorney in its Real Estate Litigation practice. An experienced trial lawyer, Clinton will focus his practice on real property and real estate, including lien, contract and warranty issues, as well as construction and general business litigation.

O’Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo, PC is growing with three offices in Texas and 10 attorneys. David Campbell recently joined the firm’s Austin Office to assist with the firm’s trial and appellate practice. Before entering private practice, Mr. Campbell interned for Justice Wainwright at the Texas Supreme Court and later served as the briefing attorney for the Honorable Terry Jennings, Senior Justice for the First Court of Appeals of Texas. Since entering private practice, he has represented various clients in a wide array of litigation matters in state and federal courts throughout Texas. He also serves as an adjunct legal research and writing professor at Texas Law.

The Washington law firm formerly known as Kellogg, Huber, Hansen, Todd, Evans & Figel, P.L.L.C., has recently become Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick, P.L.L.C. David Frederick ’89 has become a name partner.

Theanna M. Sedlock has joined Polsinelli’s Dallas office as a new associate in the Labor and Employment practice. Sedlock has experience representing employers in state and federal court litigation, arbitrations, and mediations involving claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, failure to accommodate, unpaid wages and breaches of contract, and draws on her valuable pre-practice experience in the Human Resources department of a national insurance company.

Andrew Keller recently joined Hogan Lovells as a partner in the international trade and investment group. His practice focuses on economic sanctions, export controls and other national security and international legal matters. Immediately prior to joining Hogan Lovells, Andrew served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Counterthreat Finance and Sanctions at the U.S. Department of State. He has also served in the Office of the Legal Adviser at the State Department and as chief counsel to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Charles W. Schwartz was recently elected as Chairman of the Board of Regents of the Texas A&M University System.

Edward Mark Barcus has been appointed as an Immigration Judge with the Executive Office of Immigration Review of the United States Department of Justice. Prior to his appointment by Attorney General Loretta Lynch in January of this year, Judge Barcus served as an trial judge for over 14 years in the Oklahoma state court system, including as a District Court Judge for Tulsa County. He will hear Immigration cases at the Imperial Immigration Court in Imperial, California.

Phillip Sharp has joined Baker Donelson’s Business Litigation Group in Houston as a shareholder.

Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP is pleased to announce that the Louisville Bar Foundation has approved the nomination of Virginia H. Snell to its Board of Directors.

On April 27, 2017, the Webb County Commissioners Court appointed Victor Villarreal Judge of Webb County Court at Law No. 2. The appointment is effective on April 14, 2017. Mr. Villarreal was the 2005-2006 C/HLSA President.

Tom Melsheimer has been elected to the Executive Committee of Winston & Strawn LLP. He is Managing Partner of the firm’s Dallas office.

Amber Rogers has been promoted to Partner at Hunton & Williams LLP. Ms. Rogers focuses her practice on complex employment litigation, labor relations and related litigation.

Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP is pleased to announce that Katherine L.I. Hacker has been elected partner of the firm.

Polsinelli, an Am Law 100 law firm with a fast-growing presence in Texas, recently named Houston-based shareholder Andrew Weaver vice chair of the Medical Device/Mechanical Engineering Patent Prosecution practice group within the firm’s recently created Intellectual Property department.

Amanda Laviage has joined McGlinchey Stafford PLLC’s Houston office and Commercial Litigation practice group. She represents clients in general commercial litigation, consumer financial services litigation, and labor and employment matters. She also has experience in appellate matters, including those assigned by the State Bar of Texas Appellate Section Pro Bono Committee.

The Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson was chosen Bishop Suffragan of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas during the 113th annual Diocesan Council on Saturday, February 25, 2017, held at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. She is the first woman to be elected bishop in the Diocese of West Texas. Brooke-Davidson, age 56, is currently the Vicar of Saint Elizabeth Episcopal Church in Buda, Texas. Now as the sixth Bishop Suffragan of the diocese, she will serve alongside the Diocesan Bishop, the Rt. Rev. David M. Reed.

Spencer Fane is pleased to announce the addition of Associate Jordan Jackson to its Oklahoma City office. He will join the firm’s litigation team, contributing a broad depth of experience in a range of practice areas, from real estate and acquisitions to oil and gas law. Jordan joins the firm from Freeman Mills PC of Tyler, Texas. “We are happy to welcome the experience and abilities that Jordan brings to our firm,” said Shannon Davies, Managing Partner of the Spencer Fane Oklahoma City office. “His emphasis on energy and land disputes will be an excellent addition to our litigation and energy practice.”

Venable LLP recently announced that Evan Pritchard has joined the firm’s Real Estate practice as counsel in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Mr. Pritchard’s practice focuses on securing zoning and land use approvals for developers and landowners in jurisdictions throughout Northern Virginia, particularly in Arlington, Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, and the City of Falls Church, among others. He advises clients on state and federal legislation and regulations affecting real estate development and important changes to local jurisdictions’ comprehensive plans and zoning ordinances. His clients include mixed-use project developers, large corporate clients and some work for nonprofits and churches.

The UK Export Finance Board has announced that, as of January 1, 2017, Noel Harwerth succeeded Guy Beringer as Chair. As part of her role as UKEF Board Chair, she will also be a Non-Executive member of the Department for International Trade Board. Ms. Harwerth comes from a long career in the finance and mining sectors with significant experience in emerging markets. She is the outgoing Chairman of GE Capital Bank Europe, a role she has held since 2011, and a non-executive director at Standard Life plc, the London Metal Exchange, CHAPS Co and Sirius Minerals. Her executive career has included roles with Citigroup International as its Chief Operating Officer, Citicorp, and Dun & Bradstreet.

Chalon Clark is one of nine Husch Blackwell attorneys promoted to partner effective Jan. 1, 2017. As a member of the firm’s Financial Services & Capital Markets team, 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 based in the firm’s Dallas office and serves on the firm’s Diversity Council.

Katie English has earned her Board Certification in Oil, Gas & Mineral Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Katie is an associate in Gray Reed & McGraw’s energy section in Houston and her practice focuses on oil and gas title and transactional matters in Texas, North Dakota and Montana.

Daniel Moffett has been made a Partner of Akin Gump in San Antonio. Mr. Moffett, a member of the firm’s intellectual property practice, works on all aspects of intellectual property procurement and protection, with a focus on complex patent, trade secret and trademark litigation. He has served as lead technical counsel in cases involving claims of patent infringement, antitrust violations and theft of trade secrets, and he has first chair experience representing clients before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board in inter partes review proceedings.

Vianei Lopez Braun has joined Decker Jones, P.C. in Fort Worth. She will continue representing employers in labor & employment law matters.

Caldwell Cassady & Curry is pleased to announce the addition of Alexis Mosser as a litigation associate in the firm’s Dallas office. She represents clients in a variety of federal cases involving complex business disputes and patent litigation, including handling inter partes review proceedings and other matters before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board. Ms. Mosser joins Caldwell Cassady & Curry with an extensive track record in state and federal courts, including cases heard by the Texas Supreme Court and the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. A USPTO-registered patent attorney, Ms. Mosser also provides years of experience in patent prosecution cases.

Jackson Lewis P.C. is pleased to announce James Ward has joined our Kansas City Region office. Mr. Ward’s practice focuses on trial and appellate work on behalf of private and government employers. Mr. Ward has briefed and argued a number of appeals in employment matters in both federal and state court, including before the Missouri Supreme Court. Several of these appeals have involved first-impression issues, including claims for same-sex and “gender stereotype” discrimination, as well as an appeal before the Missouri Supreme Court that triggered a revised MHRA general verdict director and a brand new MHRA verdict director dedicated to disability discrimination claims.

Dentons, the global law firm, has named Cynthia L. Jackson as partner. Resident in the Firm’s Silicon Valley office, Jackson has over three decades of experience in California and US domestic, as well as international employment counseling and litigation. In addition to handling the global coordination of human resources and personnel-related agreements, policies and initiatives, she defends companies and C-suite individuals in high-profile class actions and other high-stakes employment litigation. “Cynthia’s extensive global compliance practice will enhance our ability to provide competitive US and cross-border workplace counseling, investigatory and litigation depth,” said Dentons US Managing Partner Mike McNamara.

Julia Simon has been named Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary for Mary Kay, Inc. As a member of the company’s executive committee, she will manage all aspects of the company’s Legal, Risk Management, Corporate Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility functions.

Diane Brayton has been appointed general counsel of The New York Times Company, effective January 1, 2017. Ms. Brayton joined the Times Company in 2004 and most recently served as deputy general counsel since May 2016 and corporate secretary since 2011. “Diane’s keen understanding of the legal environment in which The New York Times operates and her broad range of legal and corporate governance expertise make her ideally suited to lead our legal department. She is known across the company not just for her reasoned approach to addressing legal matters but also for her passion for our business and her deeply collaborative spirit. I’m looking forward to continuing what is an already strong partnership,” said President and CEO Mark Thompson.

Corinne Sullins has joined BoyarMiller, a Houston business and litigation law firm, as associate. She represents domestic and foreign entities, as well as individuals, in a broad range of corporate matters. While a law student, she represented children involved in cases of abuse or neglect as an Attorney Ad Litem through the Children’s Rights Clinic. She also clerked for the Texas House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee.