Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., and six of the firm’s officers have been ranked in the 2018 edition of Benchmark Litigation, the annual guide to top U.S. litigation practices and attorneys.

The firm is “highly recommended” in Missouri and “recommended” in Illinois.

Greensfelder officers Thadford A. Felton, David B. Goodman, David M. Harris and Abby L. Risner are listed as “Local Litigation Stars” and firm Officers Beth M. Conran and Erwin O. Switzer are listed as “Future Stars.” “Local Litigation Stars” are partners who were consistently recommended by clients as being reputable and effective litigators. “Future Stars” are partners regarded as likely to be become “Litigation Stars” in coming editions of the guide.

Felton and Goodman are based in Greensfelder’s Chicago office and Risner, Conran and Switzer are based in the firm’s St. Louis office. Harris works from both offices.

In its analysis, Benchmark Litigation cites Greensfelder as “excellent in every enumerated area.” The publication notes the firm’s extensive experience representing clients in the oil and gas industry. The analysis also notes successes in class action, insurance coverage and product liability cases, as well as the firm’s focus on diversity and number of female litigators.

Benchmark Litigation annually ranks U.S. firms and attorneys, with an exclusive focus on litigation practice. Rankings are based on research including examination of recent case work and interviews with litigators and their clients.

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Nine lawyers at Ware, Jackson, Lee, O’Neill, Smith & Barrow LLP have been recognized by Thomson Reuters Texas Super Lawyers in 2017, the firm announced.

The lists are compiled by using a multi-phase selection process based on peer recognition and professional achievement.

At Ware Jackson, this year’s Super Lawyer honorees include Don Jackson and Paul Smith for business litigation, Tim Lee and Eileen O’Neill for appellate law, and Dennis Barrow for construction litigation. Partners Tim Lankau, Wes Jackson, and Tyler Henkel, as well as associate Michelle Meriam were recognized as Rising Stars.

Read details of the recognition.

Trial and appellate attorney Clayton Bailey, co-founder of Dallas-based litigation boutique Bailey Brauer PLLC, has earned recognition for a fourth consecutive year as a “Local Litigation Star” in the Benchmark Litigation guide to the nation’s top lawyers.

Bailey was named among the leading attorneys in Texas for his general commercial litigation practice. He was also selected for his professional liability practice, competition and securities-based litigation and his international arbitration work. The 2018 edition of Benchmark Litigation was compiled after months of peer review, client-based research and a review of attorney casework.

“Earning recognition from Benchmark Litigation is certainly an honor, not only for me, but also for our firm,” said Bailey. “It serves as a strong indicator that our commitment to our clients has not gone unnoticed.”

Bailey was also recently selected to join the invitation-only National Trial Lawyers’ Top 100 civil plaintiff lawyers in Texas. Membership is extended to only those attorneys who exemplify superior qualifications, trial results and professional leadership.

Founded in 2013, Bailey Brauer has won multiple individual and firm recognitions from BTI Consulting Group, the National Law Journal, The Best Lawyers in America, Texas Super Lawyers and D Magazine.

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Texas trial attorney Clyde M. Siebman has earned selection as the Dallas/Fort Worth Lawyer of the Year for patent trials in the 2018 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. His selection is based on nominations from attorneys throughout the D/FW area, including the Eastern District cities of Plano and Sherman.

Siebman is the founder of Siebman, Burg, Phillips & Smith, LLP, which maintains offices in Plano, Sherman and the other Eastern District cities of Marshall and Tyler. He is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and has appeared as counsel in more than 400 federal court cases during his career.

In addition to his patent litigation expertise, Siebman also is recognized in Best Lawyers for his extensive work in commercial litigation, copyright law, and trademark law. He was named D/FW’s top patent litigator after earning the highest overall ranking from other local trial attorneys who handle patent cases.

Read about the award.

A combined total of 31 Farrell Fritz attorneys have been selected to the 2017 New York Metro Super Lawyers and New York Metro Rising Stars lists.

The firm reported that 21 attorneys for being selected to the 2017 New York Metro Super Lawyers list. The attorneys and the practice areas for which they have been recognized are: Peter A. Mahler, John P. McEntee and James M. Wicks (Business Litigation); Peter L. Curry and Peter B. Zlotnick (Real Estate); Jed C. Albert, Eric M. Kramer and Patricia C. Marcin (Estate & Probate); John (Jack) J. Barnosky, Ilene S. Cooper, John R. Morken and Eric W. Penzer (Estate & Trust Litigation); Ted A. Berkowitz, Marty G. Bunin and Patrick T. Collins (Bankruptcy: Business); Charlotte A. Biblow (Environmental); Heather P. Harrison (Employment Litigation: Defense); Domenique Camacho Moran (Employment & Labor); Jason S. Samuels (Construction Litigation); Louis Vlahos (Tax); and Joel R. Weiss (Criminal Defense: White Collar).

The firm also named 10 attorneys who were selected to the 2017 New York Metro Rising Stars list. The attorneys and the practice areas for which they have been recognized are: Kathryn Carney Cole, Joshua M. Herman, Franklin C. McRoberts, Adam M. Rafsky and Aaron E. Zerykier (Business Litigation); Jaclene D’Agostino and Robert M. Harper (Estate & Trust Litigation); Veronique A. Urban (Bankruptcy: Business) and Jacklyn A. Zitelli (Real Estate).

Michael A.H. Schoenberg (Business Litigation) was selected to the list while he was counsel at Farrell Fritz.

2017 marks the tenth year on the Super Lawyers list for Ilene Sherwyn Cooper, John McEntee, John Morken and James Wicks. Marty Bunin, Joshua Herman and Jacklyn Zitelli were selected for inclusion for the first time this year. This is the fourth consecutive year James M. Wicks was selected to the New York – Metro Super Lawyers Top 100 list. The Top 100 group of lawyers received the highest point totals in the New York Metro nomination, research and blue ribbon process.

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The Dallas-based trial and appellate law firm Bailey Brauer PLLC has again earned a spot among an elite group of firms that corporate lawyers most fear facing in court.

According to a release from the firm, Bailey Brauer, founded in 2913, is among the youngest and smallest firms included on BTI Litigation Outlook 2018’s Honor Roll of the nation’s Most Feared Law Firms. This is the second time the firm has been recognized for its complex commercial litigation, class action and other litigation work. Selection is based upon interviews with general counsel and in-house litigation leaders nationwide who were asked which lawyers they would least like to face in litigation.

The release continues:

“To earn a place on the BTI list is an honor because it’s based on corporate counsel feedback,” said firm co-founder attorney Alex Brauer. “And what it tells me is that the businesses we represent appreciate how we handle their most important cases, and that is being noticed by those across the table as well.”

BTI Consulting Group, based in Massachusetts, is a national business research company that conducts independent research on how Fortune 1000 companies buy, manage and evaluate their professional service providers. A full list of its 2018 honorees is available at https://www.bticonsulting.com/litigation-outlook-fearsome-foursome.

“What BTI focuses on is client service,” said co-founder Clayton Bailey. “And from day one, serving clients has been at the very heart of what we do. To have that dedication recognized by BTI twice in the four years since we opened is validation that we are on target with providing Big Law quality representation in a much more nimble, responsive way.”

This represents the second year in a row that BTI has recognized Bailey Brauer, adding to honors the firm has collected from Benchmark Litigation. Most recently, Mr. Brauer and Mr. Bailey were named individually to the 2017 Texas Super Lawyers listing. Mr. Brauer also was named among the Best Lawyers in Dallas by D Magazine. Mr. Bailey was named among The Best Lawyers in America, The National Law Journal’s Elite Boutique Trailblazers list and to The National Trial Lawyers’ Top 100 civil plaintiff lawyers in Texas.

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Attorneys at Gruber Hail Johansen Shank have been recognized multiple times with the publication of the latest Best Lawyers in America and Texas Super Lawyers listings. The publications use comprehensive surveys, peer evaluations, blue-ribbon committees and independent research to select the honorees each year.

Name partners G. Michael Gruber, Brian N. Hail, Mark L. Johansen and Mark A. Shank again are recognized among the top five percent of attorneys in the state on the Texas Super Lawyers list, along with partners Tricia R. DeLeon, Orrin L. Harrison III, Michael J. Lang, and Anthony J. Magee.

In addition, Shank is named among the Top 100 attorneys in Texas, and joined by Gruber among the Top 100 attorneys in Dallas/Fort Worth.

Read the article.

National law firm Dykema announced that it has been chosen by Texas Appleseed’s Board of Directors as one of three law firms to receive the organization’s Pro Bono Leadership Award. Dykema will be recognized at Texas Appleseed’s annual Good Apple Dinner November 16, 2017, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Austin, Texas.

The Pro Bono Leadership Award is presented to pro bono partners of Texas Appleseed who have contributed and continue to contribute excellent work. Dykema will be recognized for its role in helping to develop and produce the contents for an online toolkit that empowers Texans to defend property confiscated by law enforcement through civil asset forfeiture. Defending Against a Civil Asset Forfeiture Case, features answers to leading questions about asset forfeiture; animated videos in English and subtitled in Spanish; sample pleadings and forms that Texans can customize; and a checklist for appearing in court, among other information. It is available at www.EndForfeitureAbuseTx.org.

Texas Appleseed is a nonprofit public interest justice center that works to change unjust laws and policies and promote social and economic justice for all Texans. It works with a dynamic network of pro bono partners and collaborators to develop and advocate for innovative and practical solutions to difficult systemic problems. Texas Appleseed also conducts data-driven research that uncovers inequity in laws and policies and identifies solutions for lasting, concrete change.

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Bracewell LLP’s litigation practice has been named the 2017 “Large Law Firm Litigation Department of the Year” by Texas Lawyer.

The publication will profile the firm in the August edition.

In a release, the firm said:

In July 2016, Law360 named Bracewell to the inaugural list of “Litigation Powerhouses” identifying it as one of the top-50 litigation practices in the nation. The publication further highlighted the firm as one of an “elite group” of only five firms in the nation with fewer than 200 litigation lawyers included on its list of “litigation heavyweights.” In May of this year, Chambers USA called the team a “fast-growing litigation bench with a reputation for creative approaches to disputes both before and in trial for a range of major corporate clients.” In addition, Legal 500 United States named Bracewell to its list of nationally ranked disputes practices, noting that the team is “particularly well-versed in defending oil and gas industry clients in commercial and royalty disputes.”

“We have a great thing going,” said Stephen B. Crain, the firm-wide chair of Bracewell’s litigation practice. “These recognitions are the result of the concerted efforts of our entire team to provide excellent advocacy for our clients.”

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Legal rankings were previously limited to only a handful of outlets such as Martindale-Hubbell and The Best Lawyers in America, but that roster has expanded rapidly in the past two decades, writes Bruce Vincent for Muse Communications.

“Today, the glut of top lawyer lists and top law firm rankings makes it difficult to determine which of them mean anything at all,” he warns.

He explains that there are many tasteful ways to let the world know about a lawyer being selected to one of the lawyer lists.

The article discusses the tips: buy a expanded online profile, update the “online you,” be smart when advertising, don’t forget social media, and issue a press release.

Read the article.

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Dallas-based litigation boutique Bailey Brauer PLLC has been selected to BTI Consulting Group’s 2017 ranking of the top 10 law firms in the country with the best client relationships within the consumer goods industry.

BTI’s inaugural guide, Industry Power Rankings: The Law Firms with the Best Client Relationships, is based on a survey of corporate counsel and executives at the world’s largest organizations representing 18 different industries.

“When we started this firm in 2013, it was with the understanding that client relationships would be the foundation for everything we did,” said co-founder Alex Brauer. “To earn this recognition from BTI is an indicator that we have been successful in maintaining that focus.”

To achieve the “Clientopia” status given Bailey Brauer, a firm must earn top rankings in two crucial areas of client service: The client must consider the firm as its primary legal provider and spend the bulk of the organization’s legal dollars with that firm; and the firm must be one the client recommends to peers in an unprompted manner.

“To fully earn the trust of a client you have to be dedicated to putting their needs first, and you have to fully understand what those needs are,” said firm co-founder Clayton Bailey. “The only way to accomplish that is to develop the type of personal, one-on-one relationships we have with our clients.”

Though Bailey Brauer is among the smallest and youngest firms to be selected to this list, it is not the first time the firm has earned recognition from BTI. Earlier this year, Bailey Brauer was selected among law firms with the “best brand standing” in the country, an indicator of how likely it is to be considered for new work. BTI also previously selected Bailey Brauer among the nation’s “most feared” law firms.

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Kristal C. Thomson, a shareholder in Langley & Banack Inc. has been appointed to the Texas Board of Legal Specialization Governing Board by the President of the State Bar of Texas, G. Thomas Vick Jr.

There are only 12 members of the Governing Board, two of whom are family law specialists.

Thomson is a Board Certified Family Law Specialist, and an active member of the State Bar of Texas. In addition, Thomson is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, a Life Member of the Texas Family Law Foundation, and a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. In addition to being Treasurer of the Family Law Council of the State Bar of Texas, she is a Grievance Committee member for District 10, and a member of the Pattern Jury Charge Committee, Estates & Family Law.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from St. Mary’s University School of Law.

“I am honored to serve with the state’s top attorneys who are active in promoting excellence in the practice of law,” Thomson said. “This is a dedicated group of professionals who volunteer their time and talent to better our profession,” she added.

Thomson is preparing to speak at the upcoming Advanced Family Law seminar on “Rethinking Rights and Duties.” She frequently gives lectures across the state on relevant topics such as legislation, evidence, procedure and advances in the field of family law.

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At its annual meeting in July, held at the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac in Québec City, Québec Canada, the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) elected Andrew Kopon, Jr. as its president for the 2017-2018 term.

In a release, the IADC said the organization is an invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests. The IADC’s approximately 2,500 peer-reviewed members hail from six continents, 51 countries and territories, and all 50 U.S. states. The core purposes of the IADC are to enhance the development of skills, promote professionalism and facilitate camaraderie among its members and their clients, as well as the broader civil justice community. Founded in 1920, the IADC is committed to respecting the rule of law and improving civil justice.

Kopon is a founding member of Kopon Airdo, LLC in Chicago. His trial practice focuses on complex civil litigation matters, including mass tort litigation, wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases, as well as pharmacy malpractice and coverage litigation matters. He currently serves as national counsel for a religious risk pooling Trust and a national retailer, overseeing its pharmacy malpractice litigation. He previously served as national litigation counsel for a commercial product manufacturer.

Kopon is Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent™ rated and has been recognized by Illinois Super Lawyers and Leading Lawyers Network for multiple years. In addition to being heavily involved with the IADC and its Foundation, Kopon is an active member of Defense Research Institute and the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel.

He received his B.A. from Providence College and his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School.

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Meloney Perry, founder of the Dallas-based insurance defense law firm Perry Law P.C., has been elected the 2017-18 chair of the Insurance Law Section of the State Bar of Texas.

“I am honored to be elected by my peers to lead the Insurance Law Section,” said Perry. “Insurance law touches upon and plays a role in almost every area of the law. The Insurance Law Section includes many great legal minds and resources, which make us all better lawyers.”

The State Bar of Texas includes legal sections in specialized fields, allowing lawyers with shared interests and professional experiences to build a closer association. The Insurance Law Section enables attorneys to address areas of Texas insurance law in a bipartisan manner through both policyholder and insurance company attorneys. This section focuses on both substantive, procedural insurance law and litigation with a goal of educating and serving the legal profession and public, according to a news release from Perry Law.

In her role as the chair of the Insurance Law section, Perry will also oversee the Journal of Texas Insurance Law, which is written and edited by section members and published three to four times a year to provide continuing education on insurance law.

Perry is an insurance defense attorney in the Dallas area. A Women’s Business Enterprise National Counsel-certified business, the firm serves as the primary regional counsel for a major national insurance firm. Perry Law also represents business owners across the country involved in insurance and business disputes.

As an author and frequent presenter on insurance coverage and the law, Perry often conducts Continuing Legal Education seminars for clients.

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Langley & Banack, Inc. attorney James Aycock received the 2017 Distinguished Probate Attorney Lifetime Achievement Award from the Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. The honor was presented to Aycock at the Advanced Estate Planning & Probate course in Houston on June 8, 2017.

Aycock is board certified in estate planning and probate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He served as the Estate and Gift Tax Editor and Editor in Chief of the Reporter published by the Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, and is a Past Chair of that section. Aycock is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He is a frequent author and speaker on estate planning and probate topics, and has been practicing in this area for more than 30 years.

Aycock received both his B.A. and his J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.

“Jim’s professionalism coupled with his client-centric style and vast knowledge of the law make him one of the best estate attorneys in Texas,” said Art Bayern, Langley & Banack Shareholder. “The Lifetime Achievement Award is a much-deserved nod to a man who is known for those skills by the entire legal community, and I am honored to call him my partner and friend,” Bayern continued.

Bayern received this award in 2004.

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TopVerdict.com has recognized Dallas trial law firm Simon Greenstone Panatier Bartlett, P.C. for securing the largest jury verdict in Arizona, and the largest asbestos case verdict in California, in 2016.

In Arizona, a federal jury awarded $17 million to the family of a retired civilian employee of the U.S. Navy who died from mesothelioma after working for years in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Virginia. The case was Coulbourn v. Crane in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.

In a news release, the firm said attorneys David C. Greenstone, Jordan Blumenfield-James and Samuel Iola represented George Coulbourn’s family. Coulbourn, a shipyard machinist, repaired and maintained equipment including the removal of asbestos-containing gaskets and packing from valves. He died at age 73, less than a year after being diagnosed. After a three-week trial, jurors found Crane Co. and William Powell Co. liable for Coulbourn’s death and assessed punitive damages against both defendants.

In California, a Los Angeles jury awarded $18 million, a record verdict in a mesothelioma case tied to cosmetic talc. The case involved Philip Depoian, a prominent political figure and longtime aide to Mayor Tom Bradley, who was diagnosed with mesothelioma in May 2015.

Evidence showed Depoian was exposed to asbestos in talc products at a barber shop and through personal use of products such as Old Spice, Clubman, Kings Men and Mennen Shave Talc. Jurors found talc supplier Whittaker Clark & Daniels liable for supplying asbestos-containing talc to the manufacturers. Attorneys Jay Stuemke and Stuart Purdy represented Depoian in the case, Depoian v. American International Industries, Inc., in Los Angeles Superior Court.

“We are pleased that our verdicts have been recognized as landmarks in jurisdictions across the country. But more than that, we are very proud of the work we are doing to help all of our clients, wherever their cases may be,” said Greenstone, co-founder and shareholder of Simon Greenstone Panatier Bartlett, P.C.

Co-founder and shareholder Jeffrey Simon said, “We work hard to make sure that those who have been injured by dangerous products or workplaces get the justice they deserve.”

TopVerdict.com recognizes law firms and attorneys who have obtained the highest jury verdicts in individual states and nationwide in specific practice areas.

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President Donald J. Trump has nominated Paul Compton, a partner in Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP’s Birmingham office, to serve as General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.

Compton currently serves as leader of the firm’s Affordable Housing and Community Development practice.

“The firm congratulates Paul Compton on his expected nomination by the President to serve as the chief legal officer of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and counsel to its Secretary, Dr. Ben Carson,” said Bradley Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner Beau Grenier. “We are tremendously proud of Paul, whose knowledge and experience in the areas of affordable housing, community development, and banking and financial services have earned him an outstanding reputation among his peers and clients.”

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) of HUD provides legal opinions, advice and services with respect to all departmental programs and activities. The General Counsel also leads the department’s efforts to enforce the Fair Housing Act and other civil rights and programmatic requirements. The OGC plays a vital role in helping HUD accomplish its mission of assuring decent and affordable housing, enabling all Americans to achieve homeownership, providing resources for communities to build strong neighborhoods, preventing homelessness, and enforcing fair housing laws.

In addition to his various Bradley practice leadership roles, Compton is a member of the firm’s Banking & Financial Services group and is Chair of the firm’s Finance Committee. He has experience in innovative commercial financing transactions, particularly those involving tax credits (federal and state Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, historic, state industrial incentive, new markets, and work opportunity) and structured finance, and in the formation and sale of regulated financial institutions (banks, insurance companies and agencies, consumer finance companies, broker/dealers and community development entities).

Compton serves as counsel for the Alabama Bankers Association, Inc., counsel of record for the Alabama Consumer Finance Association, and as general counsel for the Alabama Affordable Housing Association. He earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and his Bachelor of Science (summa cum laude) from the University of Alabama. He also attended the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is a Truman Scholar.

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Trial attorney Mark Lanier, founder of The Lanier Law Firm, has been selected to the National Trial Lawyers Association’s Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame, which recognizes exceptional litigators.

In a news release, the organization honors outstanding attorneys who leave an indelible mark on the American legal tradition through a lifetime of service to the public, the Constitution, and the trial bar. Although attorneys previously had to be 60 or older, that requirement was waived for the 56-year-old Lanier.

The release continues:

Lanier was one of five lawyers recognized during the April 27 Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the 17th annual Mass Torts Made Perfect conference in Las Vegas. Also inducted into the class of 2017 were U.S. District Judge David Herndon of Illinois, American Association for Justice President Linda Lipsen, and trial lawyers Peter Perlman of Kentucky and Harvey Weitz of New York. The Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame is located at the Beasley School of Law at Temple University in Philadelphia.

Lanier’s selection was lauded on social media by his colleagues, whose comments included: “Mark Lanier is not only an exceptional trial lawyer, but also a superb, kind and good person;” “Overdue. The man is truly a legend;” and, “Truly one of the finest trial lawyers in America.”

As an advocate for those who suffer life-altering injuries from dangerous consumer products or catastrophic transportation and worksite injuries, Lanier has secured more than $12 billion for clients throughout his storied career. The Lanier Law Firm recorded two high-profile verdicts in medical device litigation in 2016, with awards totaling more than $1.5 billion. The Lanier Law Firm was named one of the nation’s 25 Most Influential Law Firms for 2017 by the National Trial Lawyers Association.

Recognized as one of the Most Influential Attorneys of the Decade by the National Law Journal and as one of the 25 Greatest Lawyers of the Past Quarter Century by Texas Lawyer, Mr. Lanier was named the 2016 Trial Lawyer of the Year by The National Trial Lawyers. In 2015, he received the American Association of Justice’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He is the founder of the Christian Trial Lawyers Association and the Lanier Theological Library.

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Julie Pettit, founder and managing partner of the Pettit Law Firm, is the recipient of the 2017 Outstanding Young Lawyer Award from the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers (DAYL).

The award is presented annually to an individual who exhibits exemplary service to the legal profession as well as to the community, and who has a reputation for the advancement of legal ethics and professional responsibility.

A civil trial lawyer focusing on real estate and litigation within the financial services industry, Pettit represents consumers and private real estate investors, as well as clients ranging from nonprofit organizations to large corporations, the firm said in a news release.

The release continues:

Ms. Pettit is a frequent speaker and author on issues surrounding the Dodd Frank Act, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), injunctive relief in federal and state courts, and foreclosure law. During the last two legislative sessions, she has spent time in Austin drafting bills and testifying on behalf of mortgage-related legislation.

In addition to DAYL, Ms. Pettit is active in several professional organizations including the Dallas Women Lawyer’s Association, where she has served on the board for two years, and the William “Mac” Taylor Inn of Court, where she is a Barrister. She is also a mentor with the West Dallas outreach and restoration organization, Mercy Street.

Ms. Pettit’s Outstanding Young Lawyer Award nomination was supported by noted Dallas attorneys and members of the judiciary, including the Hon. Martin Hoffman, Lisa Blue, Michael Hurst, Dennis Siaw-Lattey, Chad Ruback, Dena Stroh, Aaron Burke, Ayesha Rafi, Courtney Sauer and Chalon Clark.

“Julie is a lawyer who has initiative, persistence, and follows through to the end,” said Ms. Blue of Baron & Blue, in her letter of nomination. “Not only is she a good lawyer and an asset to the Dallas legal community, she is an entrepreneur. I look forward to continuing to watch her career flourish.”

Ms. Pettit was honored during the Dallas Bar Association’s annual Law Day Luncheon held May 5 at the Belo Mansion.

The new Association of Women Lawyers of the Eastern District of Texas (WLED) was established with the first general order of 2017 issued by Eastern District Chief Judge Ron Clark in recognition of “the large number of outstanding female lawyers who practice in the Eastern District and the contribution they have made and continue to make to the district.”

WLED, an affiliate of the Eastern District of Texas Bar Association, will provide mentoring and networking opportunities for women lawyers practicing in the Eastern District.

Judge Clark appointed Elizabeth “Beth” Forrest from the Plano, Texas, office of Siebman, Burg, Phillips & Smith, LLP, as Chairperson for the WLED Organizational Committee. Amanda Abraham of The Roth Law Firm in Marshall, Texas, has been named Secretary/Treasurer, and Evelyn Chen, in-house counsel at Ericsson in Plano, has been named Vice Chairperson.

Eastern District Judge Marcia Crone of Beaumont, Texas; Eastern District Chief Bankruptcy Judge Brenda Rhoades of Plano; and Eastern District Magistrate Judges Caroline Craven of Texarkana, Texas; Nicole Mitchell of Tyler, Texas; Christine Nowak of Sherman, Texas; and Kimberly Priest Johnson of Plano will serve as the inaugural judicial liaisons to WLED.

“WLED’s goal is to provide a continuing forum where the many experienced women attorneys and judges in the Eastern District can provide advice and moral support to all our members, especially younger trial attorneys,” says Ms. Forrest. “Their insights and our shared experiences will help us develop our careers and assume the mantle of lead trial counsel in an increasingly competitive legal market.”

Membership in WLED is open to anyone who is committed to the group’s ethics and goals and who works toward the success of women trial attorneys, including fostering a deep bench of talented women lawyers as lead counsel in the Eastern District of Texas.

For more information on WLED and to learn how to become a member, contact Ms. Forrest at elizabethforrest@siebman.com.