Alumni Notes | March 2017
Alumni Notes are published based on the information we receive from our alumni. If you have been recognized or have other professional news to share, please e-mail Berkley_Knas@baylor.edu, for inclusion in the next issue of Rocket Docket.
Hon. Steve Ables, JD ’73
Hon. Steve Ables was reappointed by Gov. Abbott as the regional presiding judge of the 6th Judicial Region of Texas. The 6th Region is comprised of 27 counties stretching from Kendall County to El Paso County.
David C. Kent, JD ’78
David C. Kent of Drinker Biddle in Dallas, co-chaired the Dallas Bar Association’s (DBA) Equal Access to Justice Campaign, the DBA’s largest fundraiser. The campaign raised a record $1.1 million for the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program, which has served over 4,000 low- income families. Kent also is serving as chair of the DBA’s Trial Skills Section; co-chair of the Judiciary Committee; and co-chair of the Pro Bono Golf Tournament Committee.
Keith Calcote, JD '81
Keith Calcote was named associate general counsel and head of litigation for Motiva Enterprises LLC, a downstream joint venture between Shell and Saudi Aramco with an annual gross revenue of $50 billion in sales of refined products.
Greg White, JD '82
Greg White, legal writing lecturer at Baylor Law, was selected as a 2017 Texas Super Lawyer for appellate law.
Thomas Klein, JD ’84
Thomas Klein was re-elected as managing partner of Bowman and Brooke’s Phoenix office. Klein has more than 25 years of experience defending product manufacturers in complex product liability litigation, dealer and distributor termination litigation, and toxic tort litigation.
Debbi Goertz, JD '93
Debbi Goertz was appointed to the Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative's Board of Directors, where she will fill the vacant District 3 seat representing Bastrop County.
Laura Hilton Hallmon, JD ’99
Laura Hilton Hallmon of Cantey Hanger LLP, in Fort Worth, was elected to the firm’s equity partnership. Laura’s practice focuses upon litigation of a variety of state and federal employment law matters, representation throughout administrative proceedings and investigations, and transactional guidance on effective employment practices and compliance.
John LeJeune, JD '02
John LeJeune, of the Zimmerman Law Firm in Waco, was presented with the 2016 Baylor Law School Veterans Clinic Advocate of the Year award. Full Story
Mitchell Murphy, JD ’02
Mitchell Murphy rejoined Winstead PC as of counsel in the firm’s Fort Worth office. He returns as a member of the Energy Law and Environmental Law Practice Groups.
Joshua C. Zive, JD ’02
Joshua C. Zive was elected senior principal of the Washington D.C. office of Bracewell LLP.Shannon Rickett, JD ’05
Shannon Rickett was named interim assistant vice president for government relations at the University of Louisville.
Katy Boatman, JD ’08
Katy Boatman of Andrews Kurth in Houston won the ABA National Outstanding Young Lawyer Award. The award recognizes a young lawyer who exhibits professional excellence, service to the profession, the bar and the community, and has a reputation for the advancement of legal ethics and professional responsibility. Full Story
Josh Borderud, JD '09
Josh Borderud director of the Veteran's Clinic at Baylor Law and past president of the McLennan County Young Lawyers Association, was awarded the Lone Star Legal Aid Community Partner Award.
Stephen Rispoli, JD ’12
Stephen Rispoli, assistant dean of student affairs and pro bono programs at Baylor Law School, was awarded the Lone Star Legal Aid Helping Hands Award.
Emily Cottingham, JD ’13
Emily Cottingham joined the Office of the Inspector General as Litigation Associate Counsel.
Travis Gamble, JD ’97, Jude Hickland, JD ’08, Brittney Johnson, JD ’12, David Kent, JD ’78, George McCall, JD ’77, Kristen Broyles Perry, JD ’14, Neil Rambin, JD ’79, Alan Vickery, JD ’86, and Vance Wittie, JD ’85
Travis Gamble, Jude Hickland, Brittney Johnson, David Kent, George McCall, Kristen Broyles Perry, Neil Rambin, Alan Vickery, and Vance Wittie joined the Dallas office of Drinker, Biddle & Reath.