Movers and Shakers
For more information or to submit a listing, go to texasbar.com/moversandshakers or email tbj@texasbar.com.
CENTRAL
Susan R. Deski, previously a solo practitioner, is now the county attorney of Burleson County, 100 W. Buck St., Caldwell 77836.
Stanton Strickland, previously with the Texas Department of Insurance Legal Division, is now senior insurance regulatory counsel to Mitchell Williams, 500 W. Fifth St., Ste. 1150, Austin 78701.
James C. Morriss III, of Thompson & Knight in Austin and Houston, was elected board president of the Capitol Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Jase Burner is now an associate of Selman Munson & Lerner, 901 S. Mopac Expy., Bldg. IV, Ste. 200, Austin 78746.
Andrew Smetana, previously with Vapor IO Inc., is now counsel to Vinson & Elkins, 2801 Via Fortuna, Ste. 100, Austin 78746.
EAST
John A. Peralta is now first assistant district attorney in the Angelina County District Attorney’s Office, 215 E. Lufkin Ave., Lufkin 75901
GULF
Kevin M. Camp, of Jones, Granger, Tramuto & Halstead, was elected president of the Houston Trial Lawyers Association; Daniel D. Horowitz III, of the Law Offices of Daniel D. Horowitz III, was elected president-elect; and Tobias A. Cole, of Midani Hinkle & Cole, was elected secretary-treasurer.
Christopher S. Heroux, previously with Kutak Rock in Denver, Colorado, is now a partner in the Houston and Denver offices of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, 24 Greenway Plz., Ste. 1400, Houston 77046.
Jeff Chi, previously with Patterson & Sheridan, is now an associate of Blank Rome, 717 Texas Ave., Ste. 1400, Houston 77002. Marquel S. Jordan was promoted to of counsel to the firm.
Pamela L. Stewart, of the Law Offices of Pamela L. Stewart in Houston, was elected secretary of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys.
Joe Epstein, previously with Winstead, has founded Joseph G. Epstein, 440 Louisiana St., Ste. 900, Houston 77002.
Sara C. Longtain and J. Hunter Summerford were promoted to partners in Locke Lord, 600 Travis St., Ste. 2800, Houston 77002.
Richard P. Flake, previously with Cokinos, Bosien & Young, has founded Richard P. Flake, 550 Westcott St., Ste. 575, Houston 77007.
Alvin A. Adjei is now an associate of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Aziz, 800 Commerce St., Houston 77002.
Tim Chandler is now a partner in Sidley Austin, 1000 Louisiana St., Ste. 6000, Houston 77002.
Daniel Sternthal, of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz in Houston, is now on the legal committee of LeadingAge.
Ernie Kohnke, previously with Trafigura Trading, is now senior counsel to Vitol Inc., 2925 Richmond Ave., 11th Fl., Houston 77098.
Rachel M. Flores is now an associate of the Sovany Law Firm, 2 Greenway Plz., Ste. 600, Houston 77046.
Jane W. Janecek, previously with Flowers Davis, is now senior counsel to Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey, 2800 Post Oak Blvd., 57th Fl., Houston 77056.
George Barnstone, previously with the Law Offices of George Barnstone, is now judge of Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 1, 201 Caroline St., Ste. 500, Houston 77002.
Tom Alan Cunningham, previously with Cunningham Darlow, has opened a new law office, Tom Alan Cunningham, 919 Milam St., Ste. 575, Houston 77002.
Kate Skagerberg was elected partner in Beck Redden, 1221 McKinney St., Ste. 4500, Houston 77010.
Law Office of Gregory N. Jones has moved to 2121 Sage Rd., Ste. 380, Houston 77056.
Benjamin C. Feiler is now an associate of Deans & Lyons, First City Tower, 1001 Fannin St., Ste. 1925, Houston 77002.
Melissa A. Munson is now an associate of Steptoe & Johnson, 10001 Woodloch Forest Dr., Ste. 300, The Woodlands 77380.
Stephanie A. Rzepka previously with Tucker Ellis in Cleveland, Ohio, is now an associate of the firm’s Houston office, 405 Main St., Ste. 500, 77002.
Mary Katherine “Katie” Kennedy, of the Upper Kirby Mediation Center in Houston, was appointed to the Texas Ethics Commission by Gov. Greg Abbott.
Gary G. Green, previously with McCormick, Lanza & McNeel, is now an associate of Vincent Serafino Geary Waddell Jenevein, 815 Walker St., Ste. 350, Houston 77002.
NORTH
Hon. Tonya Parker, judge of the 116th Civil District Court in Dallas County, received a Stonewall Award from the American Bar Association Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.
Hyattye O. Simmons, retired general counsel to Dallas Area Rapid Transit, was named a 2017 Distinguished Alumnus by Lamar University.
Richard A. Tulli and Rick Jordan, both with Gardere Wynne Sewell in Dallas, are now members of the board of the Texas Business Law Foundation.
Robert D. Crain, of Crain Lewis Brogdon, was elected president of the Dallas Bar Association; Michael K. Hurst, of Lynn Pinker Cox & Hurst, was elected president-elect; Laura Benitez Geisler, of the Geisler Law Firm, was elected first vice president; Robert L. Tobey, of Johnston Tobey Baruch, was elected second vice president; and Rocio Cristina Garcia, of Hunton & Williams, was elected secretary-treasurer.
John L. “Lin” McCraw, of the McCraw Law Group in McKinney, is now president of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association.
Susan Adams was promoted to partner in Locke Lord, 2200 Ross Ave., Ste. 2800, Dallas 75201.
I. Bobby Majumder is now managing partner of Perkins Coie’s Dallas office, 500 N. Akard St., Ste. 3300, 75201. Jason R. Elliott was elected partner in the firm.
C. John Scheef III, of Scheef & Stone in Frisco, is now a member of the Frisco Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Andrea Stroh Thompson, previously Collin County district clerk, is now judge of the 416th District Court in Collin County.
Michael J. Kawalek is now an associate of Kelly, Durham & Pittard, 601 Haines Ave., Dallas 75208.
Jim Kennerly is now president, chief operating officer, and legal counsel to the Mount Olivet Cemetery Association, 3100 White Settlement Rd., Fort Worth 76107.
Aaron J. Rigby is now a partner in Sidley Austin, 2021 McKinney Ave., Ste. 2000, Dallas 75201.
Melissa Mozingo, previously with the United Educators Association, is now an associate of Leasor Crass, 302 W. Broad St., Mansfield 76063.
Shupe Ventura Lindelow & Olson is now Shupe Ventura, 9406 Biscayne Blvd., Dallas 75218.
Stephen C. Mann, previously with Baker Botts, is now of counsel to Winstead, 500 Winstead Bldg., 2728 N. Harwood St., Dallas 75201. David Gallichio, previously with Jones Day, and Di Wang are now associates of the firm.
Jason Franklin, of the Franklin Law Firm in Dallas, was elected president of the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association. Colleen Carboy, of the Carboy Law Firm in Lewisville, was elected president-elect, and Ben DuBose of the DuBose Law Firm in Dallas, was elected vice president and secretary.
Marianne M. Auld was elected managing partner of Kelly, Hart & Hallman, 201 Main St., Ste. 2500, Fort Worth 76102. David H. Garza, Preston R. Mundt, Clark H. Rucker, Kimberly D. Uskovich, and Jeff Whitfield were elected partners in the firm.
Russell R. Zimmerer was promoted to shareholder in Littler Mendelson, 2001 Ross Ave., Ste. 1500, Lock Box 116, Dallas 75201.
Linda R. Stahl was elected partner in Carter Scholer Arnett & Mockler, 8150 N. Central Expy., Ste. 500, Dallas 75206. Scott W. Breedlove, previously with Vinson & Elkins, is now a partner in the firm.
Christopher M. Cauble was elected principal in Harness, Dickey & Pierce, 2801 Network Blvd., Ste. 600, Frisco 75034.
Martin A. Brown, previously with Basinger Leggett Clemons Bowling Shore Crandall, is now senior vice president of legal and general counsel to Skinny IT Corp., 10570 John W. Elliott Dr., Ste. 800, Frisco 75033.
Maria Thomas-Jones was named chief executive officer of Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, 600 E. Weatherford St., Fort Worth 76102.
R. Ryan Branch is now an associate of the Branch Law Firm, 815 T.L. Townsend Dr., Ste. 111, Rockwall 75087.
Stacy Hoffman Bruce was promoted to equity partner in Cobb Martinez Woodward, 1700 Pacific Ave., Ste. 3100, Dallas 75201.
Kelly P. Chen and Jacob L. LaCombe were elected partners in Munck Wilson Mandala, 12770 Coit Rd., Ste. 600, Dallas 75251.
Alexis Mosser, previously with Barta, Jones & Foley, is now an associate of Caldwell Cassady & Curry, 2101 Cedar Springs Rd., Ste. 1000, Dallas 75201.
Laird Elizabeth Lawrence and David M. Kleiman, both previously with Kleiman Lawrence Fitzgerald, are now shareholders in Vincent Serafino Geary Waddell Jenevein, 1601 Elm St., Ste. 4100, Dallas 75201. Kimberly H. Kerns, previously with Susan L. Florence & Associates, and Christopher M. Anaya are now associates of the firm.
Elizabeth “Beth” Forrest is now an associate of Siebman, Burg, Phillips & Smith, 4949 Hedgcoxe Rd., Ste. 230, Plano 75024.
Tyson A. Wanjura was promoted to partner in Holland & Knight, 200 Crescent Ct., Ste. 1600, Dallas 75201.
SOUTH
Debra L. Innocenti and David A. Jones, both previously with Strasburger & Price, have founded Innocenti Jones, 110 E. Houston St., Eighth Fl., San Antonio 78205. Nathan Roach is now of counsel to the firm.
Hon. Peter A. Sakai, of the 225th District Court in Bexar County, was named one of the 50 most influential leaders in mental health care in Bexar County by the Center for Health Care Services Foundation, received the Sister Walter Maher Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, and was reappointed to the Permanent Judicial Commission for Children, Youth and Families by the Texas Supreme Court.
WEST
Wesley M. Giesecke was promoted to partner in Gossett, Harrison, Millican & Stipanovic, 2 S. Koenigheim St., San Angelo 76903.
OUT OF STATE
Dorothy J. Harden, of Dorothy J. Harden, Attorney at Law in Islamorada, Florida, was named among the Top Ten Businesswomen of the Year by the American Business Women’s Association.
Dana Brooks Bourland is now chief counsel for investments to Koch Industries Inc., 4111 E. 37th St. North, Wichita, KS 67220.TBJ
