Grant D. Godfrey has joined national litigation law firm mctlaw as an appellate attorney based in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. His legal practice will focus on complex appeals in federal and state courts across the United States.
Michael Joseph Whitten passed away on July 26, 2025. Whitten was a respected Denton attorney, earning recognition for his trial skill, mediation work, and dedication to pro bono service, while remaining deeply devoted to his family and community.
Gilbert Prud’homme passed away on May 24, 2024. An Austin attorney for six decades, he specialized in real estate law and estate/probate law and was known for community involvement and dedication to many charitable organizations.
Mason Hester, a shareholder in Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C.’s Houston office, has been appointed a co-chair of the firm’s Construction Practice. In his new role, he will provide strategic leadership for that practice, while overseeing the development and recruitment of attorneys, as well as ensuring effective and responsive client service.
Cicely Reid has joined Norton Rose Fulbright as its pro bono counsel based in Houston. She previously served as pro bono coordinator for Disability Rights Texas, and also worked as in-house counsel and outside conflicts counsel for several large insurance companies.
Taylor Raymond has joined Norton Rose Fulbright as senior counsel in the firm’s Austin and Dallas offices. She previously worked as a senior associate at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP.
Matt Raley has joined the Houston office of Spencer Fane LLP as of counsel in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice group. He was previously a partner at Baker & Hostetler LLP in Houston.
Haskell H. Shelton passed away on August 1, 2025. Throughout his career, he served as an assistant U.S. prosecuting attorney, member of the U.S. Strike Force on Organized Crime, and in roles with Ford Motor Company and Dow Chemical, specializing in toxic tort litigation.
Charles William Bailey passed away on July 24, 2025. He spent the majority of his career as a plastic surgeon in private practice in Houston, served as president of the Texas Medical Association, and was honored alongside his father as the only father-son pair of physician-attorneys in the American College of Legal Medicine.
Ross Williams has been named to D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2025” list. He is a partner at Bell Nunnally in Dallas, specializing in business and commercial litigation.
Kassandra McLaughlin has been named to D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2025” list. She is a partner and of counsel at Bell Nunnally in Dallas, specializing in the real estate area of law.
Karen Hart has been named to D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2025” list. She is a partner at Bell Nunnally in Dallas, specializing in business and commercial litigation.
Sam Shinoda has joined Steptoe & Johnson PLLC as an associate at the firm’s office in The Woodlands, Texas. He was previously an associate attorney at
George William Wilhite passed away on July 22, 2025. A civil trial lawyer, he tried over 200 jury trials during a 65-year career, placing him among the top one percent of his peers. In addition to his leadership at Wilhite & Associates P.C., he served as of counsel for David Bryant Law Firm in Conroe, Texas, and raised Longhorn cattle at his ranch.
Louis Eugene McCarter passed away on July 20, 2025. A Vietnam War captain, he became a partner at the Houston law firm of Vinson & Elkins, receiving numerous medals and honors for both his military service and distinguished career as a trial lawyer.
Willis Wilson Mitchell II passed away on July 19, 2025. He served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army, stationed in Germany, before his over 50-year career in private practice as a certified trial attorney in Dallas.
Keith Smith recently began a new position as chief legal officer at the Board of Commissioners, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority. Smith previously served as the executive director of legal services for Kansas City Public Schools.
Ralph William “Skip” Scoggins passed away on June 15, 2025. Scoggins served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict and later built his legal and political career in El Paso. He served consecutive terms on the Texas House of Representatives from 1964 to 1969, then returned as a state representative between 1973 and 1975 in the Texas House and as judge of the 41st District Court.
Alejandra Ávila has been appointed membership co-chair of the Edward Coke Appellate Inn of Court Executive Committee for the 2025–2026 term. She is a litigator at Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick, P.L.L.C. in Washington, D.C.
Milton Henry Steffen, Jr. passed away on July 15, 2025. After graduating from the law school, he became both a licensed attorney and CPA. He spent most of his life in Houston, where he built a respected legal career.
Darren Walker has joined The Obama Foundation’s board of directors. He is a transformative leader in philanthropy and the outgoing president of the Ford Foundation.
Benjamin Kelly has rejoined Baker McKenzie as a partner in its Intellectual Property Practice in Dallas. Before his return, he served as senior counsel at Forrest Weldon Law Group LLP in Dallas.
Judge Mike Westergren, formerly a judge for the 214th District Court in Nueces County, passed away on July 17, 2025. Westergren, who also served as the Nueces county attorney and worked in private practice later in his career, was best known for presiding over the murder case of singer Selena,
Samuel James Johnson passed away on July 13, 2025. He spent the majority of his career as a trial lawyer at Scott, Douglass, & McConnico where he served as a partner for over three decades.
Christopher D. Bell has joined the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority board of directors for a six-year term. Bell is the deputy general counsel for the Conservation Fund, a nationwide nonprofit organization. He was previously a partner at the law firm Ballard Spahr LLP.
Tyler Ames has rejoined McAfee & Taft as a trial lawyer based in Oklahoma City. He previously served as a federal law clerk to the Honorable Timothy D. DeGiusti, chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.
Joshua Gold has joined Nixon Peabody LLP as counsel in its affordable housing practice in the Washington, D.C., office. Formerly a managing attorney at HUD’s southwest regional office, he has 12 years of experience with programs like Section 8 and RAD.
Oliver Luck has been appointed to the West Virginia University Board of Governors by Governor Patrick Morrisey. The co-founder of Ten Mile Consulting LLC and chairman of Altius Sports Partners, Luck has a history of leadership in the world of sports, having worked in the NFL, as a college athletics director, and as the first commissioner and CEO of the XFL.
Jon Bible passed away on July 12, 2025. Bible, a triple Longhorn, was a Collegiate Baseball Hall of Fame umpire, a veteran football official, and taught business law at Texas State University for more than 30 years.
Chris Dove has joined the Beck Redden LLP’s nationally recognized appellate practice as of counsel, based in Houston. Dove brings with him nearly 25 years of experience in complex appellate advocacy focused on high stakes commercial disputes, including his most recent work at Troutman Pepper Locke. He has argued more than 40 appeals in state and federal courts across the country.
Brian Dupré has been appointed deputy associate general counsel for program integrity in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Division of the Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He previously served as chief counsel for Region 1 in Boston.
Kristine Huskey has received the Leslie F. and Patricia Bell Faculty Service Award, which is bestowed by the dean of the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law every year to honor outstanding achievement by a faculty member. A clinical professor, she was honored for her work on behalf of veterans, leadership of the clinical program, and committed service as an active member of the faculty.
Mark Taylor has been named to the Lawdragon 500 Global Bankruptcy & Restructuring Lawyers for 2025. He currently serves as a director in the Austin office of Kane Russell Coleman Logan.
Kandace Walter has received the 2025 State Bar of Texas Star of Achievement Award and the National Conference of Women’s Bar Association 2025 Outstanding Member Program Award for the documentary “A Law Unto Themselves,” for which she served as an executive producer. She is the president of the J.L. Turner Legal Association, director of the Small Business and Trademark Clinic, and an associate clinical professor of law at SMU Dedman School of Law.
Nicole Cubbage has been appointed chief of staff to the deputy secretary of commerce at the U.S. Department of Commerce. A double Longhorn, she is a criminal defense attorney who owns the Law Office of Nicole Cubbage in Washington, D.C.
Chris Dove has joined Beck Redden LLP’s appellate practice as of counsel. His work is focused on high‑stakes commercial disputes, particularly in the energy, financial services, and maritime sectors.
Tobey Blanton Forney has joined Kean Miller as a partner in the Houston office. She focuses her practice on family, estate, and legacy planning, tax-exempt matters, and probate litigation, and was previously an attorney at Forney Law PLLC.
Marc W. Taubenfeld, a shareholder at Munsch Hardt in Dallas, has been named to a 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in the Bankruptcy & Restructuring category.
Arleas Upton Kea has been named president and chairman of the board of the Texas Exes, the alumni association of the University of Texas. Kea plans to focus her tenure on expanding membership, supporting scholarships, and strengthening alumni engagement across the globe.
Lekha Gopalakrishnan has joined Jackson Walker in Dallas as a partner in the Intellectual Property Practice Group. She advises clients on patent prosecution, IP litigation, and technology transactions, with a focus on the healthcare, life sciences, and education sectors.
Mac Arnold passed away June 23, 2025. A former federal prosecutor, he later practiced construction law in Virginia. He also served on the Clifton Town Council and was active in community service, including leading fundraising efforts for Parkinson’s research.
Daniella Landers took office as the 2025-26 president of the Houston Bar Association at the HBA’s annual dinner on May 15. Landers previously served on the HBA board of directors as first vice president, secretary, and for two terms as director.
Cullen Rogers passed away June 19, 2025. Rogers worked for 22 years at Dallas Federal Savings and Loan and its successors, rising to associate general counsel. His subsequent years of private practice focused on estate planning and probate.
William Peterson has been named the 10th solicitor general of Texas as part of the Office of the Attorney General. He was previously a partner in the Houston office of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, where he co-chaired the firm’s appellate practice.
Ernie Kohnke retired from practicing law on April 1, 2025. He previously was general counsel for the Americas at Vitol, and served on the Market Risk Advisory Committee to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, as well as the board of directors of the Commodity Markets Council.
William G. Hagans has been elected 2025-2026 fellows chair of the Texas Bar Foundation after many years of co-chairing the Houston nominating committee. He also will continue to serve of the foundation’s board of trustees. Hagans is an attorney at the Hagans law firm in Houston.
Marilyn Jean Kretsinger passed away June 24, 2025. After earning her J.D. from Texas Law, Kretsinger went on to serve for 25 years as associate general counsel at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., where she worked as a copyright attorney.
Elliot Branson passed away on June 1, 2025. Throughout his legal career, he worked in the Texas Attorney General’s Office, Mexican American Legal Aid and Defense, Texas Rural Legal Aid, and ultimately in private practice, representing injured patients in medical malpractice cases.