February 2022
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 law_alumni@baylor.edu, for inclusion in the next issue of Rocket Docket.
Courtenay L. Bass, J.D. ’82
Courtenay L. Bass, of Gilbert Mediation Group in Dallas, was presented with the 2021 Justice Frank Evans Award by the State Bar of Texas ADR Section for excellence and contributions to the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Susan G. Morrison, JD ’83
Susan G. Morrison announced her retirement from 39 years of successful law practice in the fields of education, employment, and administrative law. Susan represented hundreds of independent school districts and charter schools across the State of Texas. She especially enjoyed cases involving constitutional law and civil rights, on both sides of the docket. However, her biggest career contribution was working to pass the Texas Constitutional Amendment allowing garnishment of wages for child support. This helped thousands of families live above the poverty line. Morrison's 2019 interview on this can be heard on the KUT Radio website.
Ronald C. Gwinn, JD '85
Ronald C. Gwinn of Dallas, has retired as a National Arbitrator and Administrative Review Officer with the U.S. Department of Agriculture after 33 years of federal service. He is a four-time recipient of the U.S.D.A. Secretary's Honor Award under the Clinton, George W. Bush, and Obama administrations and is a member of the National Association of Administrative Law Judiciary.
Sharla Frost, JD ’87
Sharla Frost is enjoying the post-litigation life of a Baylor Lawyer. She is the author of two books: Power at the Table: The Woman Lawyer’s Guide to Gaining Clients and Control and Frogville: Quest of a Frog (the first installment of a fairy tale trilogy with a female protagonist).
Danny S. Ashby, JD ’90
Danny S. Ashby has joined O’Melveny as a partner in Dallas. He will serve as a member of O’Melveny’s White-Collar Defense & Corporate Investigations Practice. Danny is ranked among The Best Lawyers in America for white-collar criminal defense and commercial litigation. Texas Monthly and D Magazine have recognized him as one of the state’s leading lawyers. He has also been recognized for his client service, with BTI Consulting Group repeatedly naming him to its list of Client Service All-Stars.
Alan Stucky, JD ’93
Alan Stucky was named vice chancellor and general counsel for the University of North Texas System.
Craig Bennett, JD ’95
Craig Bennett was named partner with Jackson Walker in Austin. Prior to joining the environmental and regulatory section of Jackson Walker, Craig served as a Master Administrative Law Judge with the Texas State Office of Administrative Hearings for 18 years. He serves as an adjunct professor teaching Texas Administrative Law at Baylor Law and at the University of Texas Law School.
Bradley Adams, JD ’97
Bradley Adams is serving as President of the Southwest Transplant Alliance and will assume the role of CEO at the start of 2023.
Chelsea Owens, JD ’00
Chelsea Owens now serves as the Executive Director of the Breckenridge Village of Tyler. Breckenridge Village is a faith-based community for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Ronak V. Patel, JD ’02
Ronak V. Patel joined Bressler Amery & Ross PC in Austin as a principal focusing on regulatory and financial litigation.
David Findley, JD ’03
David Findley with Orsinger, Nelson, Downing & Anderson (ONDA), has earned board certification in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He joined ONDA in 2020 and has established a practice focusing on divorce and custody disputes as well as issues involving property division and estate planning. An author and commentator on Family Law and related legal issues, he is a member of the Family Law sections of the State Bar of Texas and the Dallas Bar Association. He is also a member of the Annette Stewart American Inn of Court.
Jessica L. Dunne, JD ’11
Jessica L. Dunne with Farrow-Gillespie Heath Witter LLP in Dallas, has been promoted to partner. She was also named to D Magazine’s list of 2022 Best Lawyers under 40. Jessica practices in the areas of probate, guardianship, and fiduciary litigation and administrations, with a special interest in adoptions.
Skyler M. Howton, JD ’12
Skyler M. Howton has been promoted to partner at Perkins Cole in Dallas. Her practice focuses on commercial litigation. Skyler frequently speaks and writes on evolving insurance issues, including practical guidance for in-house counsel, cybersecurity and cyber insurance affecting various industries. She maintains an active pro bono practice as a Dallas CASA and sits on committees with Attorneys Serving the Community and the Junior League of Dallas.
Michael C. Roberts, JD ’12
Michael C. Roberts was elected partner at Jackson Walker in Austin. Michael handles a wide variety of commercial litigation matters, with particular emphasis on construction and insurance matters. He has been recognized among the list of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch since 2021 and Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers – Rising Stars since 2018. He was also named a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation in 2020.
Sheila S. Tan, JD ’12
Sheila S. Tan was named Partner at Hanna & Plaut, LLP, an insurance coverage boutique firm in Austin.
Amanda Crouch, JD ’13
Amanda Crouch, a commercial litigator, was elected partner at Jackson Walker in San Antonio. Amanda has been recognized as a “One to Watch” for her appellate practice by Best Lawyers in its 2022 edition, a “Texas Rising Star” for Civil Litigation: Defense, one of the “Up-and-Coming 50: Women Texas Rising Stars” by Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers – Rising Stars in 2021, and a “Best S.A. Lawyer” by San Antonio Scene since 2015. In 2017, she was honored with the Belva Lockwood Outstanding Young Lawyer Award by the Bexar County Women’s Bar Association. Outside of her practice, Amanda serves as a director of the North East Education Foundation and the President-Elect of the Junior League of San Antonio.
Jeremy Sheng, JD ’13
Jeremy Sheng was elected partner at Jackson Walker in Houston. Jeremy focuses his corporate practice on joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, entity formation, and general corporate governance. Since 2020, Jeremy has been named a “Texas Rising Star” by Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers – Rising Stars.
Amanda Crawford Steger, JD ’17
Amanda Crawford Steger has joined the Product Liability and Commercial Litigation group at Sidley Austin as a Managing Associate in their Dallas office.
Madison Berberet, JD ’20
Madison Berberet has joined the Dallas office of Otteson Shapiro as an associate. Madison’s diverse litigation practice focuses on breach of contract, fraud, misappropriation of trade secrets, unfair competition, and general commercial litigation matters.