News on Southeast Texas Record

Blank Rome is pleased to share that Krystal Studavent Ramsey, the firm’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion, has received the Houston Lawyers Association’s (“HLA”) Justice Shelvin L. M. Hall Exceptional Leadership Award.

Dykema, a leading national law firm, today announced the addition of Brad Howell as a Member in its Product Liability Practice Group resident in the firm’s Houston office.

Did you just receive a demand for recognition from a union purporting to represent your employees or a petition for an election from the National Labor Relations Board?

South Texas College of Law Houston’s Harry L. Reed Oil & Gas Law Institute hosted an international conference last week for the Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law (FNREL), focused on “Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage.” Program chair for the conference was Tara K. Righetti, professor of law, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY. “Hosting at South Texas College of Law Houston was ideal,” Righetti said. “We appreciated the beautiful classrooms, seamless technology, and helpful staff. It was fantastic to be able to host this program in Houston and in an academic environment.” Participants attended from across the United States and from Norway and Germany. “It’s good to see organizations like FNREL and the Institute for Energy Law recognize that South Texas College of Law sits directly in the heart of the energy capital of the hemisphere, if not the world,” said Chris Kulander, South Texas Law professor of law and former member of the FNREL Trustee Council. “No law school in Houston, much less the state, matches that advantage.” Alex Ritchie, FNREL executor director, said, “We were fortunate to be able to hold this cutting-edge legal conference at a law school that is committed to providing comprehensive coursework and programs in oil and gas and energy law. The conference, which brought together expert presenters and participants from around the nation and the world, was a great success in no small part because Professor Kulander and the entire South Texas College of Law Houston community made everyone feel so welcome.” Houston is an attractive destination for energy-related events. “It seems like every month there’s an oil and gas law-related conference in Houston, if not right at the school,” Kulander said. “Our students can get exposed to the business, the law that governs it, and contacts within it, in a way not surpassed by any other school.” Alumnus Tony Zamora ’18, environmental lawyer and STCL Houston’s senior director for bar readiness, currently represents the law school as a member of the Trustees Council for the foundation. He encourages students to attend FNREL events and helps them make connections in the energy and environmental law practice areas. “Prof. Kulander put the law school and Houston on this organization’s radar,” Zamora said. “Hosting this major conference was a great opportunity. Holding important discussions about carbon capture in such a dynamic energy city is huge, and our law students loved the opportunity to network with these top practice professionals.” This two-day Institute was the most comprehensive, in-depth educational program to date on the legal issues associated with carbon storage projects, including tax credits, commercial agreements, land issues, permitting, and environmental regulation.

In February, South Texas College of Law Houston’s Career Resource Center and the Office of Advancement and Alumni Engagement hosted their inaugural luncheon program D.I.N.E. with a J.D. — which brought together alumni and current law students.

Baylor Law has ranked #1 in preLaw Magazine’s influential Best Schools for Practical Training Honor Roll.

On Saturday, March 23, members of the community are invited to participate in the 30th Annual People’s Law School, hosted by St. Mary’s Law and the San Antonio Bar Foundation.

The Dykema team of Michael Carey, Daniela Gonzales Aldape, Clay Cossé, Melanie Fry, and Mickey Stevens successfully defended Nissan North America, Inc. in a three-week jury trial in Houston, Texas.

Oscar F. Becerra has joined The Woodlands office of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC as an Associate in the firm’s Business Department.

Vedder Price is pleased to announce the addition of veteran finance attorney Jason DuVall as a Shareholder in the firm’s Dallas office.

Thompson Coburn Dallas partners Elizabeth Myers and Jennifer Ecklund attended the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin on International Women’s Day for the premiere of the documentary “An Army of Women.”

The University of Houston Law Center has been selected by Law.com as a 2024 Go-To Law School, an annual ranking of the nation’s top 50 law schools based on the highest percentage of J.D. graduates hired as associates by Big Law.

The University of Houston Law Center’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA) collaborated with the Foundation for Black Heritage and Culture in the “We Are One” Food Distribution to prepare and distribute meals to more than 350 families lacking access to basic, healthy, and nutritious foods in the Houston area. The service day was held in February.

Approximately 130 attorneys and law students gained legal ethics knowledge and tips on legal practice March 1 during South Texas College of Law Houston’s 30th Annual Law Review Ethics Symposium.

Michael Elliott and Mindy Sauter, both former federal prosecutors with particular experience in healthcare matters, have joined McGuireWoods as partners in Dallas.

The University of Houston Law Alumni Association has selected exceptional alumni and esteemed law faculty whose remarkable contributions continually elevate the standing of the Law Center in the business and legal community.

The Legal 500 has named Kirkland & Ellis partners Jon Ballis, David Fox, Kim Hicks, Brittany Sakowitz and Michael Woronoff to its 2024 “Private Practice Powerlist U.S.: M&A.”

For just over a decade, Evan Howze ’13 has sat on the judges’ bench in the T. Gerald Treece Courtroom at South Texas College of Law Houston, coaching student advocates as they prepare for national competitions.

Andres R. Gonzalez has joined the San Antonio office of Steptoe & Johnson PLLC as a Member.

Nationwide employment law firm Jackson Lewis P.C. is pleased to announce Michael D. Thomas will be moderating the panel “Navigating DEI Initiatives in 2024 and Beyond” at the 2024 South By Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference on March 11 at 4 p.m. CT.