Class Notes

In August 2018, Samuel Kan began serving as the Assistant Dean of Academic Success and Bar Preparation at Barry University School of Law in Orlando Florida. As Assistant Dean, he will continue teaching tax, estate planning, and criminal law subjects as he taught during the 2017-2018 academic year. He initially joined the Barry law faculty as a tenured track Assistant Professor of Law after becoming a Florida licensed attorney and retiring from the Army JAG Corps, last serving as the Tax Counsel for the Department of Defense Office of General Counsel from 2014 to 2017 at the Pentagon.

Kirkland & Ellis LLP recently announced that it is expanding with the opening of an office in Dallas. Thomas Laughlin, one of Dallas’ top transactional lawyers, will join the new office as partner. Mr. Laughlin focuses on private equity investments, energy transactions and M&A.

Adam Schramek is president of the Austin Bar Association for 2018-19. A commercial litigation partner at Norton Rose Fulbright, Schramek plans to focus his term on increasing participation by Austin lawyers in pro bono cases, such as working to reunite immigrant families separated at the Texas border.

Megan Gray has resigned from the Federal Trade Commission to join DuckDuckGo as its General Counsel and Policy Advocate. She will be based in Washington, DC. DuckDuckGo is an online search engine that protects users’ privacy.

Rachel E. Ehlers has joined national workplace law firm Jackson Lewis P.C. as Of Counsel in its Austin, Texas office. Ms. Ehlers specializes in corporate governance and internal investigations, data privacy and cybersecurity, and workplace training. She has served in multiple in-house legal and compliance roles, in all sizes of companies—from startups to Fortune 500 companies.

McGinnis Lochridge welcomes Ashton G. Cumberbatch, Jr. as a special counsel in the firm, effective May 1. His primary practice areas include alternative dispute resolution and labor-employment law. He is rejoining McGinnis Lochridge after working at the firm previously from 1989 to 2002, including a period as leader of a period as leader of the employment law section.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP has promoted Jocelyn Tau to partner. Jocelyn focuses her practice on federal income tax law with an emphasis on domestic business transaction planning. She has significant experience advising publicly traded partnerships on capital formation, ongoing qualification, and acquisition and disposition activities.

Dave Wishnew proudly announces the launch of his firm, Crawford, Wishnew & Lang PLLC. Dave has a diverse litigation practice with a primary focus in business, employment and intellectual property disputes. SuperLawyers named Dave a Rising Star each year since 2012, including Top 100 in 2017 and 2018. D Magazine recognized Dave in its Best Lawyers in Dallas and Best Lawyers Under 40 for 2018. News agencies across the country published stories of Dave’s client, after awarding her $1.08 million.

Scott Tuthill has joined the Dallas office of Jackson Walker as a partner in the firm’s real estate practice group. His practice includes commercial real estate transactions, particularly those involving the acquisition, financing, development, management, leasing, and disposition of office, industrial, multifamily, and retail development projects.

James McNeel has joined Chamberlain Hrdlicka as a shareholder in its San Antonio office. His practice will focus on fiduciary litigation in the area of estates, trusts, contested guardianships, and other related litigation. He will handle claims by and against estate administrators, trustees, beneficiaries, and closely held family businesses in all areas of law related to estate, trust, guardianship, and tax-related litigation.

James (Jim) Smith recently joined the Crain Caton & James (CCJ) law firm as Shareholder in the Environmental and Intellectual Practice Areas. His practice principally focuses on environmental matters including counseling, supporting transactions, and trying cases. He also has experience in intellectual property matters and is registered before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a patent attorney.

Diana Pérez Gomez has joined Chamberlain Hrdlicka as a shareholder in its Houston labor and employment practice. At Chamberlain Hrdlicka, her practice will focus on complex labor and employment disputes in state and federal courts. She will also serve as a mediator on a variety of civil matters.

David A. Breston is a criminal defense attorney who works in Houston. He is a proud graduate from the 1997 class and has built a name in the community of Houston for being a top-rated criminal defense attorney and Immigration lawyer at The Law Offices of David A. Breston. Additionally, David has taught seminars at Princeton and is a proud member of several associations in Texas such as the American immigration lawyers association and the Texas criminal defense lawyers association.

Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry elevated Mr. Knight to Shareholder in January 2018. He practices in Houston in the areas of Admiralty & Maritime law as well as Commercial Litigation.

Robert E. Booth has been elected Managing Partner of Mills Shirley LLP with offices in Galveston and Houston. Mills Shirley LLP has 18 attorneys and is recognized by the State Historical Survey Committee as the oldest continuously operated law firm in the State of Texas.

Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients across the Americas, continued its Texas expansion with a team of five international trade lawyers and business professionals, led by partners Michelle Schulz and Elsa Manzanares in Dallas. The group joins Akerman’s Government Affairs and Public Policy Practice Group from a regional law firm, where Schulz and Manzanares served as co-chairs of the International Trade Group. Schulz also served as chair of the International Practice.

On February 1, 2018, Martha Todd joined McGinnis Lochridge—a legal fixture in Austin for 90 years—as Associate. McGinnis Lochridge has a strong presence in Austin and Houston, providing legal counsel on business and financial matters, and advocating for clients before administrative agencies, at the state capitol, and in courthouses across Texas and throughout the Southwest.

On February 1, 2018, Shana McGirl joined McGinnis Lochridge—a legal fixture in Austin for 90 years—as Associate. McGinnis Lochridge has a strong presence in Austin and Houston, providing legal counsel on business and financial matters, and advocating for clients before administrative agencies, at the state capitol, and in courthouses across Texas and throughout the Southwest.

On February 1, 2018, Ed Mchorse joined McGinnis Lochridge—a legal fixture in Austin for 90 years—as Partner. McGinnis Lochridge has a strong presence in Austin and Houston, providing legal counsel on business and financial matters, and advocating for clients before administrative agencies, at the state capitol, and in courthouses across Texas and throughout the Southwest.

On February 1, 2018, Martin Lutz joined McGinnis Lochridge—a legal fixture in Austin for 90 years—as Partner. McGinnis Lochridge has a strong presence in Austin and Houston, providing legal counsel on business and financial matters, and advocating for clients before administrative agencies, at the state capitol, and in courthouses across Texas and throughout the Southwest.

On February 1, 2018, Alison Lenner joined McGinnis Lochridge—a legal fixture in Austin for 90 years—as Associate. McGinnis Lochridge has a strong presence in Austin and Houston, providing legal counsel on business and financial matters, and advocating for clients before administrative agencies, at the state capitol, and in courthouses across Texas and throughout the Southwest.

On February 1, 2018, Ali Gallagher joined McGinnis Lochridge—a legal fixture in Austin for 90 years—as Of Counsel. McGinnis Lochridge has a strong presence in Austin and Houston, providing legal counsel on business and financial matters, and advocating for clients before administrative agencies, at the state capitol, and in courthouses across Texas and throughout the Southwest.

On February 1, 2018, Cliff Ernst joined McGinnis Lochridge—a legal fixture in Austin for 90 years—as Partner. McGinnis Lochridge has a strong presence in Austin and Houston, providing legal counsel on business and financial matters, and advocating for clients before administrative agencies, at the state capitol, and in courthouses across Texas and throughout the Southwest.

Michelman & Robinson, LLP (“M&R”) is pleased to announce that David Johnson has joined the firm as a partner. With the hiring of Mr. Johnson, who is based out of M&R’s San Francisco office, the firm adds to its already robust healthcare practice. Mr. Johnson is a seasoned healthcare attorney who primarily represents healthcare plans and providers across a broad range of litigation, transactional and regulatory matters.

Steven Espenshade was named a member of Austin-based Pirkey Barber PLLC, one of the largest firms in the United States practicing exclusively in the fields of trademark, copyright and unfair competition law. His practice includes advising clients regarding the selection and clearance of trademarks, obtaining domestic and foreign trademark registrations, and handling trademark opposition and cancellation proceedings before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Sherri Eastley was named a member of Austin-based Pirkey Barber PLLC, one of the largest firms in the United States practicing exclusively in the fields of trademark, copyright and unfair competition law. Her practice includes management of domestic and international trademark portfolios across a wide variety of industries.

McGuireWoods LLP promoted Becky H. Diffen to partner effective Jan. 1, 2018. Based in the firm’s Austin office, Becky represents developers, private equity firms, investment banks, and other public and private companies in the renewable energy, energy storage, power generation, and oil and gas industries in complex transactions, including the acquisition, development, joint venture, financing and sale of energy projects and companies.

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.