Class Notes

George M. Callahan passed away on Dec. 21, 2023. Callahan was a domestic lawyer for more than 30 years and served as the state chair of the Arkansas Chapter of Ducks Unlimited.

Carrie Douglas has been promoted to partner at Bracewell, specializing in the firm’s healthcare and life sciences practice. Douglas represents hospital systems, surgery centers, and large physician practices in coverage and reimbursement disputes with health insurers.

Paul F. Schuster has been promoted to partner at Bracewell’s litigation department. Schuster specializes in representing healthcare providers on a range of litigation and regulatory matters.

Miatta Echetebu has joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP as an associate. Echetebu is a member of the firm’s Corporate and Securities Practice Group, specializing in private equity and other corporate and securities transactions.

Matt Pyeatt has joined Vinson & Elkins’ Dallas office as senior associate. Pyeatt focuses his practice on restructuring and reorganization and represents companies, creditors, and investors in complex corporate restructurings.

Richard “Rickey” Witte Alexander passed away Nov. 26, 2023. Alexander practiced law for nearly 40 years, during which time he specialized in civil litigation and served as a mentor to many young attorneys.

Samuel E. Bassett has been named one of the Best Criminal Defense Attorneys in Austin by Forbes Advisor. Bassett is a trial lawyer at Minton Bassett Flores & Carsey and has been a Texas Super Lawyer for more than 17 years.

William B. Mange has been named one of the Best Criminal Defense Attorneys in Austin by Forbes Advisor. Mange is a former assistant district attorney for Travis County who currently is an attorney at Dunham & Jones.

E. G. Morris has been named one of the Best Criminal Defense Attorneys in Austin by Forbes Advisor. Morris has been a criminal defense attorney since 1977 and is board certified as a criminal specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Sandra C. Ritz has been named one of the Best Criminal Defense Attorneys in Austin by Forbes Advisor. Ritz opened her own law office in 2001 and has tried cases in both federal and state courts.

Joseph A. Turner has been named one of the Best Criminal Defense Attorneys in Austin by Forbes Advisor. Turner specializes in federal criminal defense cases and has tried more than 100 jury trials in his 30-plus-year legal career.

Amanda Bush has joined strategic communications advisory firm TrailRunner International as managing director. Bush also serves as of counsel to law firm Jackson Walker and has spent her career advising clients facing complex legal matters.

Amanda Thomson has been named partner at Arnold & Porter. Brown is a member of the firm’s complex litigation practice, specializing in representing clients in health care and aviation industries.

Hilda Galvan has been named in the Top 50 Diverse Board Candidate List, a recognition by Equilar and the Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence that seeks to advance opportunities for underrepresented groups. Galvan is a partner in charge at the Dallas office of Jones Day, specializing in intellectual property, with a background in technology and artificial intelligence.

Richard “Rick” C. King passed away on Nov. 27, 2023. King was a double Longhorn who previously worked at Baker Botts and as a partner at Munsch Hardt, before joining the King Law Group in 2011.

Edward Kellenberger passed away on Dec. 10, 2023. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Kellenberger was a successful real estate lawyer for more than 40 years, spending a large part of his career with the law firm of Newcomer & Douglass in Colorado and eventually opening his own firm.

Richard R. Orsinger has been named a Best Divorce Lawyer in San Antonio for 2023 by Forbes. Orsinger has more than 40 years of experience in family and appellate law and has been previously honored in the State Bar of Texas Family Law Hall of Legends.

Arthur J. Rossi, Jr. has been named a 2023 Best Divorce Lawyer in San Antonio by Forbes. Rossi has more than 40 years of experience helping clients with property division, child custody, spousal support, and other family law-related issues.

Mysti Murphy has been named a Best Divorce Lawyer in San Antonio by Forbes for 2023. As a consultant for the City of Dallas Domestic Violence Task Force and a former Dallas County assistant district attorney, Murphy specializes in domestic violence and other family law cases.

Floyd S. Contreras has been named a 2023 Best Divorce Lawyer in San Antonio by Forbes. Contreras practices all types of family law, with experience in business and probate law that allows him to help clients with divorces involving family businesses.

Christopher Luna has joined SPCA of Texas—the most comprehensive and longest-serving animal welfare agency in North Texas—as president and CEO. Luna previously spent 18 years as vice president of legal affairs at T-Mobile.  He also was a Dallas city councilman for three terms and served as deputy mayor pro tem.

Sherry Talton has joined Ogletree Deakins as shareholder in the firm’s Seattle office. Talton represents local and national employers in court and previously served as principal of Jackson Lewis’ Disability, Leave and Health Management practice group.

Keith Y. Cohan has been named a Rising Star by Texas Lawyer. Cohan is a partner in the Austin office of Reid Collins & Tsai and focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation.

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.

Saeed Mody has started a new position as deputy associate attorney general at the Office of the Associate Attorney General, Office of the Deputy Attorney General, United States Department of Justice.

Charles “Chip” Roy has started a new position as Chair Republican Member at Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government, Committee on the Judiciary. Roy is currently serving his third term in Congress representing Texas’s 21st Congressional District.

Nathan Robinson has been elected as partner of Wilson Sonsini, a leading legal firm for technology and life sciences. Robinson specializes in corporate and securities law, advising clients on general corporate matters and transactions including public offerings, private placements, and mergers and acquisitions.

Donald Frank “Don” Schofield passed away on Dec. 2, 2023. A veteran of the U.S. Army, Schofield served as a city judge for Amarillo and practiced law in the Panhandle of Texas until retirement.

Brittany Castillo has been appointed to serve on FEMA’s National Advisory Council. Castillo currently is CEO of AshBritt, a government solutions provider specializing in emergency management, logistics, and disaster response.

Jack Harold Emmott III passed away on Nov. 21, 2023. Emmott was a successful lawyer who devoted his practice to resolving family law disputes for clients all over Texas. He was recognized as a Master Credentialed Collaborative Lawyer by Collaborative Divorce Texas, one of only two attorneys in Houston with that designation.

Ernest Altgelt passed away on Oct. 7, 2023. A celebrated veteran, he was recognized by the State Bar of Texas for providing outstanding service to low-income Texans. During his career, he worked for the State of Texas in various departments, in litigation private practice, and in oil and gas corporate practice.

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.

James Leader Jr. has been elected to partnership at Vinson & Elkins’ Houston office. A trial lawyer, Leader focuses his practice on commercial and business litigation and has additionally served on the Board of Directors for Houston Volunteer Lawyers since 2019.

Alex Robertson has been elected to partnership at Vinson & Elkins’ Dallas office. Robertson focuses his practice on M&A and capital markets and serves as president of the Mergers and Acquisitions Section of the Dallas Bar Association.

Larry Ray Jones passed away Nov. 22, 2023. Jones served as head of law enforcement and security at Texas Parks and Wildlife before returning to his hometown of Stephenville to continue practicing law.

The Hon. John L. “Jack” Placke passed away Nov. 21, 2023. Placke was appointed 21st Judicial District Judge in 1975 and was re-elected without opposition until his retirement in 2000, after which he served as senior district judge for several years.

Finis Cowan Jr. passed away Nov. 15, 2023. In addition to serving as U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas, Cowan tried more than 100 jury trials during his time with law firm Baker Botts in Houston.

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.

Stephen J. Smith of Houston passed away Dec. 8, 2022. Smith was a leader in the Houston legal community, as well as in numerous charitable organizations.

Robert Bledsoe has passed away on Nov. 15, 2023. Bledsoe served in the Air Force during his time at Texas Law, then Baker Botts, before eventually starting his own firm, Cotton, Bledsoe, Tighe & Dawson.

Philip Charles Vitek passed away on Nov. 3, 2023. An Army veteran, Vitek was a celebrated lawyer, entrepreneur, and restaurant owner in Austin.

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.