Class Notes

Elana Einhorn has joined the Specialized Advocacy practice group at Butler Snow in Austin. Previously, Einhorn practiced at Enoch Kever and also has been an adjunct professor at Texas Law.

Michael Calhoon has joined Bourelly George & Brodey, a Washington, D.C.-based boutique litigation firm. Previously, Calhoon practiced at Baker Botts, where his team scored a nearly billion-dollar verdict in a complex securities fraud case.

Marcus Brooks joined Jackson Walker law firm as a partner in the tax practice group. Brooks advises clients on complex tax matters and represents them in disputes before the IRS Appeals Office, and proceedings before the U.S. Tax Court, U.S. District Court, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Chad Craycraft was appointed to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission by Governor Greg Abbott. Previously, Craycraft served on the Texas Ethics Commission where he was twice elected chairman.

Former First Court of Appeals Justice Peter Kelly has formed Kelly Watkins McPheeters, a statewide appellate law firm offering a range of services in state and federal court. Kely is board-certified in Civil Appellate Law and a member of the American Law Institute and Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee.

Ben Love has joined Baker Botts as a litigation partner in the firm’s Houston office. Love, who is recognized as a global leader in international arbitration and public international law, will focus on the firm’s international disputes practice.

Marla D. Broaddus has joined McGinnis Lochridge as a partner in the firm’s oil & gas practice group. Broaddus, who has more than 28 years of experience litigating oil and gas matters, is a former original proceedings staff attorney for the Supreme Court of Texas and a also was a staff attorney for former Justice James A. Baker.

Stephen Howell has joined Cantey Hanger’s transportation practice area in the firm’s Fort Worth office. Howell specializes in aviation litigation and is a certified mediator and a member of the Defense Research Institute.

Stephanie E. Kaiser has joined Kane Russell Coleman Logan as a director in the firm’s Dallas office. She is a member of the Financial Services Practice Group and the Business and Corporate Transactional Practice Group.

Jonathan Adams has joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings as an associate in the firm’s Houston office where he will work in the litigation practice group.

Tim Almohamad has joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings as an associate in the firm’s Houston office where he will work in the construction practice group.

John “Carter” Byrum has joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings as an associate in the firm’s Houston office where he will work in the litigation practice group.

Stephen McCluskey has joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP as an associate in the firm’s Dallas office where he will work in the litigation practice group.

Courtlyn Ward has joined a new six-person governmental practice team at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP in Dallas.

Stephen Moulton has joined a new six-person governmental practice team at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton in Dallas.

Ben Mesches is now general counsel at Haynes Boone, where he guides appellate and litigation teams in high-stakes cases in state and federal courts nationwide.

Will Cain will host “The Will Cain Show” on weekdays on the Fox News Channel. Most recently, Cain was a co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekend” and had previously worked at ESPN.

José “Chito” Vela was resworn in on Austin City Council as District 4 representative on Jan. 6, 2025. Before being elected to the City Council, Vela worked as an immigration and criminal defense lawyer at Walker Gates Vela.

Randy Erben has been reappointed to the Texas Ethics Commission to fill the remainder of his current term set to expire on Nov. 19, 2025. Erben has served on the commission since December 2017 and is the current chair. He is currently an adjunct professor at Texas Law and of counsel with Erben & Yarbrough.

Eleanor D’Ambrosio has been promoted to partner at Spencer Fane’s Austin office. D’Ambrosio specializes in utility-related regulatory and business matters, having served at the Public Utility Commission of Texas prior to joining Spencer Fane.

Jillian Trezza has been named counsel at Debevoise & Plimpton in the firm’s Washington, D.C., office. Trezza is a member of the White Collar & Regulatory Defense Group, where she focuses on securities-related enforcement defense.

Kelli C. Fuqua has been elevated to shareholder in the Austin office of Littler,  effective Jan. 1, 2025. Fugua regularly litigates discrimination, harassment, unfair competition and retaliation suits, with a focus on whistleblower matters and is well-versed in conducting workplace investigations and advising clients on workplace issues.

Melissa J. Ackie has been elevated to shareholder in the Austin office of Littler Mendelson P.C., effective Jan. 1, 2025. Ackie advises business owners, in-house counsel and human resources professionals on a broad range of HR and compliance workplace concerns, including leave and accommodation, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, terminations, and wage and hour issues.

Rob Walters has been appointed as independent director at Vistra, a leading Fortune 500 integrated retail electricity and power generation company based in Irving, Texas. Walters will serve on the Sustainability and Risk Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee.

Aaron Reitz, who serves as the chief of staff for Senator Ted Cruz, was nominated by Donald Trump to serve as the head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Policy.

Caroline Dozier has been appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the 228th Judicial District Court in Harris County for a term set to expire on Dec. 31, 2026. Dozier, who is bureau chief of the Misdemeanor Trial Bureau for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, has served as an assistant district attorney for over 30 years.

Robert “Bryan” Gantt has been reappointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the 471st Judicial District Court in Collin County for a term set to expire Dec. 31, 2026. Previously, he was a partner at McCraw Gantt and served as an assistant attorney general in the General Litigation Division at the Office of the Attorney General.

Katy Zendeh was promoted to of counsel in the bankruptcy and litigation practice groups at Caplin & Drysdale in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 1, 2025. Zendeh’s practice centers around complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on bankruptcy litigation.

Hilda Galvan has retired from Jones Day after 28 years of service to seek new opportunities. She had served as the partner-in-charge of the Dallas office and was a partner in its Intellectual Property practice.

Craig Moore has been appointed as a criminal magistrate judge for Travis County, Texas. Moore, who previously served as an assistant district attorney, has broad experience practicing civil and criminal law. He is an adjunct faculty member at Texas Law.

Ewaen Woghiren has been elected partner at Jones Walker in Houston. A member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group specializing in the energy, construction, maritime, retail, and real estate sectors, Woghiren has prosecuted and defended a diverse docket that includes construction defects, oil and gas lease disputes, business divorces, business torts by officers of companies, and products liability.

Elizabeth Romefelt has been promoted to partnership at Gibson Dunn, where she focuses on mergers and acquisitions, in New York City. Romefelt has a broad range of experience in M&A, from representing public and private companies to financial sponsors and handling other complex corporate transactions.

Edwin Flores has been appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Texas School Safety Center Board, which supports counties in developing defense systems. Flores is a managing partner at Chalker Flores, LLP, and also serves on the boards of Medical City Hospital Dallas and the Mary Crowley Cancer Research Center.

John L. Stavinoha III has been promoted to partner at Bracewell’s Houston office, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Stavinoha will work in the firm’s oil and gas practice.

Andrew W. Monk has been promoted to partner at Bracewell in Houston, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Monk will work in the firm’s corporate and securities practice.

W. Jared Berg has been promoted to partner at Bracewell in Houston, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Berg will work in the firm’s corporate and securities practice.

Shannon Edmonds was named the executive director of the Texas District and County Attorneys Association (TDCAA) in Austin, effective Jan. 1, 2025. Edmonds has served as the director of governmental relations for the TDCAA, the largest statewide association of prosecutors in the nation.

Patricia Rigney has been appointed to the Business Advisory Council to the Texas Division of Emergency Management. Rigney is owner of Rigney Law Firm and is currently the city attorney for the City of Mission.

Todd Hartis has been promoted to counsel at Vinson & Elkins’ Houston office. Hartis focuses his practice on corporate and securities transactions and has been named to Best Lawyers in America’s Ones to Watch list since 2023.

Zach Rider has been promoted to partner at Vinson & Elkins’ Houston office. Rider advises clients on a range of financing transactions and was named to Best Lawyers in America’s 2025 Ones to Watch list for banking and finance law.

Jeremy Reichman has been promoted to partner at Vinson & Elkins’ Dallas office. Reichman is a commercial litigator with a focus on professional liability matters.

Brooke Rollins has been selected by president-elect Donald Trump as the agriculture secretary. Rollins is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute and previously served as director of the Domestic Policy Council and assistant to the president for strategic initiatives.

Liam Corriston has joined Weil, Gotshal & Manges as an associate in the firm’s Dallas office. Corriston previously served as a judicial intern at the U.S. District Court.

Daniel Sternthal, shareholder at Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr in Houston, has been elected as the newest member of the firm’s board of directors. Sternthal is a recognized authority on regulatory, business and policy issues related to health care, serving as strategic counsel to a diverse range of health care entities.

Cara Shaffer joined the faculty at the University of Colorado Law School as an associate teaching professor in the fall. Shaffer, who teaches legal writing, formerly worked as the founding director of the legal writing center at South Texas College of Law Houston.

Reid Powers has been named the director of gift and estate planning for the Alumni Relations and Development Office at Texas Law. Reid previously worked for the Office of the Texas Attorney General and at the boutique law firm Saunders & Associates, specializing in estate planning.

Sarah Christian has joined Jackson Walker’s Austin office in the firm’s Finance & Banking practice group. Christian has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a “Texas Rising Star” and by Austin Monthly Magazine as a top finance attorney for the past three years.

Jordan S. Hatcher co-founded a new tech company called The Grid, which recently announced its funding. Hatcher also serves as its COO.

Brianna Herman has joined Ogletree Deakins’ Houston office as an associate. A former Harris County prosecutor, Herman focuses her practice on a variety of labor and employment matters.

Shavonne Smith has joined Ogletree Deakins as of counsel at the firm’s San Antonio office. Her practice focuses on employment litigation matters, including workplace discrimination, harassment, retaliation, failure to accommodate, wrongful termination, and related issues.