Class Notes

Submit Class Note

Mary Kate Raffetto

Mary Kate Raffetto

Class of

Mary Kate Raffetto has been named to the 2023 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation guide. Raffetto is an associate at Beck Redden and focuses her practice on appellate and commercial litigation.

Read More (External link)

Scott D. Saldaña

Scott Saldaña

Class of

Scott D. Saldaña has been named to the 2023 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation guide. Saldaña is a partner at Reid Collins & Tsai and focuses his practice on plaintiff financial litigation.

Read More (External link)

Rafe A. Schaefer

Rafe A. Schaefer

Class of

Rafe A. Schaefer has been named to the 2023 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation guide. Schaefer is a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright and focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation matters.

Read More (External link)

John L. Stavinoha III

John L. Stavinoha III

Class of

John L. Stavinoha III has been named to the 2023 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation guide. Stavinoha is an associate at Bracewell LLP and focuses his practice on energy and infrastructure.

Read More (External link)

Jeremy Wells

Jeremy Wells

Class of

Jeremy Wells has been named to the 2023 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation guide. Wells is a partner at Reid Collins & Tsai and focuses his practice on complex commercial, insolvency, and qui tam litigation.

Read More (External link)

Austin C. Whitmore

Austin C. Whitmore

Class of

Austin C. Whitmore has been named to the 2023 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation guide. Whitmore is a senior associate at McGuire Craddock and focuses his practice on commercial real estate and finance.

Read More (External link)

Ashley Wilder

Ashley Wilder

Class of

Ashley Wilder has been named to the 2023 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation guide. Wilder is an associate attorney at Marrs Ellis and focuses her practice on eminent domain litigation.

Read More (External link)

Kelsi Stayart White

Kelsi Stayart White

Class of

Kelsi Stayart White has been named to the 2023 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation guide. White is an associate at Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing and focuses her practice on commercial litigation.

Read More (External link)

Solace Southwick

Class of

Solace Southwick has joined Hogan Thompson Schuelke LLP as of counsel. Southwick has practiced trial law for more than 30 years and specializes in handling complex civil litigation in Texas and federal courts of appeals.

Read More (External link)

Zimei Fan

Class of

Zimei Fan has joined Stinson LLP’s New York office as a member of the Energy, Environmental, Mining & Transportation Division. Fan focuses his practice on corporate and transactional matters with an emphasis on energy, electric power and energy finance.

Read More (External link)

Photograph of Charles Gene Barnett.

Charles Gene Barnett

Class of

Charles Gene Barnett has passed away. Throughout his legal career, Barnett worked with the U.S. Tax Division of Justice, the law firm of Vial, Hamilton, Koch, Tubb, Knox and Stradley, and as in-house counsel with the Southwestern Life and Philadelphia Life insurance companies.

Read More (External link)

Amanda Goldstein

Amanda Goldstein

Class of

Amanda Goldstein has been named to the 2023 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation guide for her work in commercial litigation. Goldstein is an attorney at Hicks Thomas LLP, where she represents businesses and individuals in commercial litigation matters.

Read More (External link)

Monica Ingram

Monica Ingram

Class of

Monica Ingram has been named vice provost for enrollment management at Seattle University. Ingram previously served as associate dean at the Cornell Law School and has more than 20 years of experience in higher education executive leadership.

Read More (External link)

Stacey Jernigan

Stacey Jernigan

Class of

Stacey Jernigan’s legal thriller “Hedging Death” is featured in an article about a hedge-fund manager who is citing evidence from the novel to bolster his recusal request. Jernigan presides over the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas and has served as a federal bankruptcy judge since 2006.

Read More (External link)

Jason Pratt

Jason Pratt

Class of

Jason Pratt has been promoted to partner at Shearman & Sterling’s New York office. Pratt is a member of the firm’s Global Environmental practice and focuses on the impact of environmental and climate change laws and regulations on commercial transactions.

Read More (External link)

Photograph of Charles F. Sandoval.

Charles F. Sandoval

Class of

The Honorable Charles F. Sandoval passed away July 25, 2023. A veteran of the U.S. Army, Sandoval served as a State District Judge in Texas for 12 years and was president of both the Plano Bar Association and the Collin County Bar Association.

Read More (External link)

Photograph of Morris Jackson Hampton.

Morris Jackson Hampton

Class of

Morris Jackson Hampton passed away July 21, 2023. An Army veteran, Hampton worked in the Dallas District Attorney’s Office, worked in private practice specializing in criminal and family law, then was appointed as the criminal district judge for the 283rd Criminal District Court in Dallas County.

Read More (External link)

Eric Nichols

Eric Nichols

Class of

Eric Nichols has been appointed as chair of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice. Nichols is a partner at Butler Snow LLP and previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas and as deputy attorney general for criminal justice in the Office of the Texas Attorney General.

Read More (External link)

Photograph of the Honorable Joe Clayton.

Joe D. Clayton

Class of

The Hon. Joe D. Clayton passed away July 14, 2023. Clayton served as a senior state district judge and was active in the State and Smith County Bar Associations in addition to his civic pursuits.

Read More (External link)

Headshot of Richard Valle.

Richard Valle

Class of

Richard Valle has been named one of the Best Car Accident Lawyers in Albuquerque by Forbes Advisor. Valle focuses on the plaintiff side, specializing in car accidents, personal injury, and products liability litigation.

Read More (External link)

David Curran

Class of

David Curran has been appointed as general counsel to the University of Arkansas System, where he provides day-to-day legal advice to each of the universities, community colleges, and other units of the UA system.

Read More (External link)

Justin G. Mapes

Class of

Justin Mapes has joined Blank Rome LLP as a partner in the Real Estate Practice group based in the firm’s new Dallas office.

Read More (External link)

Mark F. Rosenow

Class of

Mark F. Rosenow joined the firm PilieroMazza as a counsel in the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group. His practice focuses on complex commercial dispute resolution, business litigation, and government investigations, including matters arising under the False Claims Act.

Read More (External link)

Marissa Marquez

Class of

Marissa Marquez was promoted to labor & employment counsel at Houston Methodist Hospital.

William G. Hagans

William G. Hagans

Class of

William G. Hagans has been elected to the Texas Bar Foundation Board of Trustees, serving as fellows secretary. Hagans is president of the Hagans Montgomery Hagans law firm and has been a co-chair of the Texas Bar Foundation’s District 4 nominating committee since 2016.

Read More (External link)

Photograph of Joseph Moore.

Joseph “J.T.” Moore

Class of

Joseph “J.T.” Moore passed away July 3, 2023. After serving in the U.S. Army, Moore practiced law briefly, then entered into a farming and ranching partnership with his father in 1955. A decade later, he and a friend bought controlling interest in The First National Bank of Pecos and he served as the bank president.

Read More (External link)

Headshot of Tarek Saad.

Tarek F.M. Saad

Class of

Tarek F.M. Saad has joined Reid Collins & Tsai LLP as partner. Saad has three decades of experience trying cases in U.S. and international civil and criminal courts as he specializes in resolving cross-border commercial disputes.

Read More (External link)

A photograph of Jerome Robert Rose.

Jerome “Jerry” Robert Rose

Class of

Jerome “Jerry” Robert Rose passed away July 3, 2023. A double Longhorn, his career turned to real estate investment after a short time practicing law. Rose and his wife began the Dr. Marnie Rose Foundation – named in honor of his daughter – and created the annual Run for the Rose, which has raised more than $7 million for brain cancer research.

Read More (External link)

Photograph of Larry Sauer.

Lawrence “Larry” Sauer Jr.

Class of

Lawrence “Larry” Sauer passed away June 27, 2023. His criminal defense and civil rights legal practice spanned 50 years and involved cases ranging from LGBTQ+ rights to defending the rights of the accused.

Read More (External link)

Headshot of Darcell Walker.

Darcell Walker

Class of

Darcell Walker has published an eBook titled “Divine Directions for Deliverance from Debt.” Walker has more than 30 years of experience in intellectual property law and worked as an in-house patent attorney for two Fortune 500 companies prior to starting his own law practice.

Read More (External link)

Headshot of Andrea Marshall.

Andrea Marshall

Class of

Andrea Marshall has been elected chairperson of SC Launch, Inc., and will serve on the board of trustees of the South Carolina Research Authority. Marshall previously served as the SC Launch board’s vice-chair and is the vice president, general counsel and administrative officer for MedTrust Holdings Inc.

Read More (External link)

Headshot of Dina Koch.

Dina Koch

Class of

Dina Koch has joined the Dean Law Firm as of counsel and will focus on growing the firm’s community-based Wills, Trusts, and Estate Practice. Koch’s career has spanned the legal, government, nonprofit fundraising, and political accounting and compliance fields.

Read More (External link)

Headshot of Paul Schuster.

Paul Schuster

Class of

Paul Schuster has joined Bracewell LLP’s Dallas office as a partner in the litigation department. Schuster specializes in healthcare law and has been recognized on D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas” list since 2019.

Read More (External link)

A photograph of William Schroeder Jr.

William “Bill” Schroeder Jr.

Class of

William “Bill” Schroeder Jr. passed away June 15, 2023. In addition to running his own law practice for more than five decades, The U.S. Air Force veteran owned a title company with his wife and served on many local and statewide boards.

Read More (External link)

Headshot of Danielle "DJ" Healey.

Danielle “DJ” Healey

Class of

Danielle “DJ” Healey has joined Spencer Fane LLP’s Intellectual Property Practice Group as a partner in the firm’s Houston office. Healey is ranked as one of the best Intellectual Property litigators in the United States by Chambers Global and has represented clients before the FTC, the European Union, and Texas state authorities over three decades.

Read More (External link)

A photograph of Jesse Williams.

Jesse Buckner “Buck” Williams

Class of

Jesse Buckner “Buck” Williams passed away June 23, 2023. He served as an assistant district attorney in the Jefferson County Family Law division for 20 years before returning to private practice.

Read More (External link)

A photograph of Gene Matthews Jr.

Gene Matthews Jr.

Class of

Gene Matthews Jr. passed away June 13, 2023. He was a partner and specialized in trial law at Wootton, Land and Matthews; Matthews also served as the president of the Garland County Bar Association.

Read More (External link)

John Summers

Class of

John Summers returns to the Dallas-based intellectual property and business litigation firm Caldwell Cassady & Curry following his recent stint as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas. Summers, who rejoins the firm as a principal, is an experienced trial lawyer who focuses on qui tam, commercial, and intellectual property litigation for businesses and individuals in a wide range of industries.

Read More (External link)

Headshot of Randy Sawyer.

Randy Sawyer

Class of

Randy Sawyer has been named general counsel for the clean-energy company Urban Grid. Sawyer began his career at law firms Holland & Knight and Latham & Watkins before joining EDP Renewables, where he served as associate general counsel.

Read More (External link)

Headshot of Alistair Dawson.

Alistair B. Dawson

Class of

Alistair B. Dawson has been honored with the Judge Sam Williams Award by the State Bar of Texas Local Bar Services Committee. An attorney at Beck Redden, Dawson serves as a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the American Board of Trial Advocates and a commissioner on the Texas Equal Access to Justice Commission.

Read More (External link)

Photograph of David Thomas.

David Thomas

Class of

David Thomas passed away Feb. 19, 2023. A double Longhorn and Army veteran, Thomas worked at various law firms in Sherman, Midland, and Houston before beginning a long career as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas.

Read More (External link)

Photograph of Robert O'Conor.

Robert O’Conor

Class of

Robert O’Conor Jr. passed away June 5, 2023. A double Longhorn and Army veteran, O’Conor was appointed as a United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas by former President Gerald Ford and served in that role for a decade before returning to private practice in 1984.

Read More (External link)

Headshot of Daniela de Souza.

Daniela de Souza

Class of

Daniela de Souza has joined Kemp Smith as an associate in the firm’s Public and Environmental Law department in Austin. Souza served as president of the Human Rights Law Society during her time at Texas Law and is a member of the Administrative and Public Law and the Environmental and Natural Resources sections of the State Bar of Texas.

Read More (External link)

Joseph M. Cox

Class of

Joseph M. Cox has joined Duane Morris LLP as a partner in the firm’s Trial Practice Group in its Dallas office. Prior to joining Duane Morris, Cox was a partner at Bracewell LLP. Previously he served as a judge in the 160th Judicial District Court of Texas.

Read More (External link)

Jonathan Lass

Class of

For the second consecutive year, Jonathan E. Lass was named the recipient of the 2022-2023 Adjunct Professor of the Year Award by the Student Bar Association of the University of Texas School of Law.

Read More (External link)

Headshot of James Rhodes.

James Rhodes

Class of

James Rhodes has been appointed by the president of the New York City Bar Association to a panel of senior attorneys that hears disputes. Rhodes is a full-time independent arbitrator and mediator and has been arbitrating commercial and investment disputes since 1980.

Read More (External link)

Headshot of Vanessa Griffith.

Vanessa Griffith

Class of

Vanessa Griffith has been named general counsel of Vinson & Elkins after serving as deputy general counsel at the firm. Griffith, who has been a partner there for almost 20 years, specializes in high-level employment law and workplace issues.

Read More (External link)

Headshot of John Wander.

John Wander

Class of

John Wander has joined Talen Energy as general counsel where he leads the company’s legal, regulatory and external affairs functions, oversees corporate governance, and serves as the primary point of contact for its Board of Directors. Wander previously was a partner and general counsel at Vinson & Elkins.

Read More (External link)

The Hon. Hyattye O. Simmons

Class of

The Hon. Hyattye Simmons has been reappointed by the State Bar of Texas to serve as the 2023-24 chair of the Pattern Jury Charges Committee on General Negligence, Intentional Personal Torts, & Workers’ Compensation. Simmons is the presiding judge of Municipal Court for the City of Combine, Texas, and has more than 25 years of experience as a Texas civil trial and appellate attorney.

Read More (External link)

Headshot of Aaron Gelb.

Aaron Gelb

Class of

Aaron Gelb was recognized as one of 11 “Band 2” attorneys in Chambers USA‘s national rankings of OSHA defense practitioners. Gelb is a co-managing partner in Conn Maciel Carey’s Chicago office, where he advises and represents clients involved with OSHA federal and state programs.

Read More (External link)

Pagination

← Newer Class Notes Previous Class Notes →