Nearly 250 prominent general counsel, senior corporate counsel and partners at Texas law firms gathered Thursday night at the George W. Bush Institute to celebrate the 2023 DFW Corporate Counsel Awards, which recognizes extraordinary work and success of in-house counsel during the past year.
Co-hosted by the Association of Corporate Counsel’s DFW Chapter and The Texas Lawbook, 15 corporate in-house legal departments were honored and 12 were presented with awards.
“The 2023 DFW Corporate Counsel Award finalists were an incredibly diverse group of lawyers — more than half of the finalists were women and more than one-fourth were ethnic minorities — and all have demonstrated that they are impressive lawyers and even more impressive people,” said Texas Lawbook publisher Brooks Igo.
The DFW Corporate Counsel Awards is the signature event in the partnership between ACC-DFW and The Texas Lawbook. The two organizations also co-host CLEs throughout the year.
Three of the dozen award categories were contested. In each of the three categories, all of the finalists were qualified to win. But, of course, only one could.
For the 2023 DFW Rookie of the Year, ACC-DFW and The Lawbook gave the award to Maria Alonso, trade and corporate counsel at Tokyo Electron U.S. Holdings. The Rookie of the Year award honors lawyers who have been in-house counsel for three years or less.
Maria Alonso with presenters Seth Fisher from Ankura and Jeff Tillotson of Tillotson Johnson & Patton with ACC-DFW president Alvin Benton
The 2023 award for DFW Senior Counsel for a Small Legal Department, which is less than five attorneys, went to Carolyn Lam, Ecobat deputy general counsel, who also serves as the world’s largest battery recycler’s chief compliance officer.
Carolyn Lam with presenter Bina Palnitkar from Greenberg Traurig
ACC-DFW and The Lawbook selected Matador Resources General Counsel Bryan Erman and his team of in-house lawyers, including Bradley Hart and Cale Curtin, for the 2023 DFW M&A Deal of the Year. With Baker Botts as outside counsel, Erman and his team led the $1.6 billion acquisition of Advance Energy Partners from EnCap Investments.
Bryan Erman with ACC-DFW president Alvin Benton and presenters Seth Fisher of Ankura and Scott Drake of O’Melveny
The DFW Corporate Counsel Awards is also a primary generator of funds for the Texas Lawbook Foundation, which employs the only full-time pro bono, public service and diversity writer in Texas.
“Natalie Posgate has been writing about pro bono and public service and diversity for more than a year and she is doing an excellent job but the Texas Lawbook Foundation needs your support,” ACC-DFW President Alvin Benton told the corporate counsel attending the ceremonies. “Please consider making a donation so that Natalie and The Lawbook can continue writing about the pro bono work and achievements of lawyers in Texas.”
The Lawbook announced that it would make any donations made this week up to a total of $25,000. To make a donation to the Texas Lawbook Foundation, which is a tax-exempt non-profit, just click here.
The rest of the 2023 DFW Corporate Counsel Award recipients Thursday night were:
GameStop General Counsel Mark Robinson, who received the GC of the Year for a Small Legal Department (2-5 lawyers)
Mark Robinson with ACC-DFW president Alvin Benton and presenter Scott Parel of Sidley
Hunt Realty Investments General Counsel Diane Hornquist, who was honored for GC of the Year for a Solo Legal Department
Diane Hornquist with ACC-DFW president Alvin Benton and presenter Jeremy Gott of Baker Botts
Former Avantax Chief Legal Officer Tabitha Bailey, who won GC of the Year for a Midsize Legal Department (6-20 lawyers)
Tabitha Bailey with ACC-DFW president Alvin Benton and presenter Kristin Johnston of Newhouse+Noblin
Match Group’s Associate General Counsel Jeanette Teckman, Director and Senior Counsel for Litigation Stephen Myers and Corporate Litigation Counsel Katie Johnson who won the DFW Business Litigation of the Year
Match Group’s Jeanette Teckman, Katie Johnson, Stephen Myers and Jared Sine and Jeff Tillotson with ACC-DFW president Alvin Benton and presenter Kristin Johnston of Newhouse+Noblin
Denton Muse, City Electric Supply Company’s associate general counsel, who received the DFW Senior Counsel for a Midsize Legal Department (6-20 attorneys)
Chasity Henry, deputy general counsel for Jacobs, who was honored with the DFW Senior Counsel for a Large Legal Department (21-plus lawyers)
Pioneer Natural Resources Corporate Secretary Akshar Patel, who received the DFW Corporate Secretary/Legal Counselor of the Year
Akshar Patel with ACC-DFW president Alvin Benton and presenter Jason Jordan from Haynes Boone
Rachel Morgan, Nexstar Media Group general counsel, who won the DFW Achievement in Pro Bono and Public Service
Rachel Morgan with ACC-DFW president Alvin Benton and presenter Jon Kelley from Kirkland & Ellis
Kelly Chen, managing counsel for Toyota Motor North America, who received the DFW Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion
