Q&A: Jenny Gray of Tuesday Morning
For Premium Subscribers Tuesday Morning GC Jennyfer Gray shares about what she seeks in hiring outside counsel, diversity and pro bono. Texas Lawbook: What do you look for in hiring
What’s City Electric Supply’s Denton Muse Doing Today? Closing a Deal
In 2022, Denton Muse negotiated, drafted and closed more than 300 real estate acquisitions and commercial leasing transactions for City Electric Supply and its 642 locations in North America. That's more than corporate law firms with hundreds of attorneys. As a result of Muse's handiwork, City Electric significantly reduced leasing costs in 2022 and also increased the company's negotiation leverage throughout the term. The Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel and The Texas Lawbook have named Muse as a finalist for the 2022 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for Senior Counsel of the Year for a Small Legal Department (five lawyers or less).
Kelli Roach: A ‘Ferocious Advocate’ for Black Mountain Sand
Kelli Roach became Black Mountain Sand's first GC in July 2020, when the frac sand provider had closed two of its five mines and let go of half of its 500 people because of the Covid pandemic. Roach focused on how she would strategically help her new employer the fastest. She identified contract breaches and filed lawsuits, which led to $54 million being added to Black Mountain Sand's bottom line. At the same time, she led the defense to have the company dismissed from a tragic wrongful death lawsuit, renegotiated several commercial contracts at considerably more favorable terms and implemented Black Mountain Sand’s first ESG program.
Citing these accomplishments, the Association of Corporate Counsel’s DFW Chapter and The Texas Lawbook have named Roach as a finalist for the 2022 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for General Counsel of the Year for a Solo Legal Department.
Q&A: Kelli Roach of Black Mountain Sand
For Premium Subscribers Black Mountain Sand GC Kelli Roach dishes on being a solo GC, her best day on the job, how she hires outside counsel, mentoring and her hero
Q&A: Bill Dunne of Civitas Capital
For Premium Subscribers Civitas GC Bill Dunne talks about being a solo GC and what he seeks in outside counsel. Texas Lawbook: What is it like being a solo GC?
GC Bill Dunne Helps Civitas Navigate ‘Tricky Waters’
Every day, Bill Dunne deals with overlapping, even conflicting, interests as the GC of Civitas Capital Management — deal team members wanting to close on our latest endeavor, our international team needing immediate answers on the intricacies of marketing laws in up to 40 countries. But Dunne worked day and night for several months reading and analyzing hundreds and hundreds of pages of Securities and Exchange Commission regulations and guidelines to successfully register Civitas as an official investment advisor. The achievement had a huge impact on Citivas' business operations. As a result, Dunne is a finalist for the 2022 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for General Counsel of the Year for a Solo Legal Department.
Q&A: Jonathan Koh of MB2 Dental
For Premium Subscribers MB2 Dental Associate GC Jonathan Koh discusses how he selects outside counsel, mistakes that legal departments make regarding diversity and inclusion and the role GCs play in
MB2 Dental’s Jonathan Koh is ‘The Fixer’
Jonathan Koh won his first court case in the sixth grade when he was the prosecutor in a mock trial in a speeding case. He was hooked on becoming a lawyer. Two decades later, Koh is the assistant GC at MB2 Dental, which provides support to more than 500 dental practices in 41 states. His mornings start with questions from dentists on the East Coast offices on payroll taxes and the day ends with doctors in California asking about California’s Covid paid sick leave law. Plus, he implemented a process that allows him to get involved early when conflicts arise between the dentists and patients and insurance providers, which helped avoid scores of lawsuits.
“I’m the fixer of the legal department, so I usually hear from people on their bad days,” Koh said. He is also a finalist for the 2022 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for Senior Counsel of the Year for a Small Legal Department.
Forney Corp.’s Chelsea Casiano’s ‘Attention to Detail is Impeccable’
Only three years out of law school at the University of North Texas, Chelsea Casiano is the general counsel of the Forney Corporation, a 95-year-old Addison-based manufacturer of front-end combustion components. In 2022, she negotiated more than 100 contracts, implemented a new signature designation policy, updated the company’s noncompete agreements and wrote the business’ new human rights policy to regulate compliance internally and to set expectations for its suppliers and vendors. “Chelsea has been amazing,” said Forney CEO Tom Demrick. Casiano is also a finalist for the 2022 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for Rookie of the Year, which goes to lawyers who have been in-house counsel for three years or less.
Q&A: Chelsea Casiano, Forney GC
Premium Subscriber Content: A Q&A with Forney GC Cheslea Casiano, who discusses how she hires outside counsel and negotiates rates, her pro bono efforts and the day last September when she had to be rushed to the emergency room.