Former NDTX Appellate Chief Joins Paul Hastings
Stephen Gilstrap, a six-year veteran of the U.S. attorney’s office, joins roughly 2 dozen lawyers who have left since the start of the year.
Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury
Stephen Gilstrap, a six-year veteran of the U.S. attorney’s office, joins roughly 2 dozen lawyers who have left since the start of the year.
After more than 11 years at Kirkland, Christopher Heasley has formally taken his diverse energy practice to Houston. The move was first reported by Bloomberg Law in late November.
Hogan Lovells said this week that Krisa Benskin has joined the international firm as a corporate and finance partner in Houston after nearly four years with Latham & Watkins. Prior to that, Benskin spent a dozen years at Baker Botts.

The firm, which called Comerica Bank Tower home for close to four decades, is also consolidating its Fort Worth office with the relocation. The move coincides with a “very concerted” growth initiative in Texas.

As the general counsel and chief legal officer of the Texas A&M University System, Bonilla oversaw legal matters for eleven universities. He will focus his practice on representing educational institutions.

Veteran venture capital lawyer Carmelo Gordian, a longtime Austin-based specialist in emerging companies, has signed on as a partner with Holland & Knight, leaving A&O Shearman after a nearly eight-year run.
Phoenix-based Fennemore is entering the Texas legal market by combining with a San Antonio-based litigation and labor and employment firm. The move to tie up with Schmoyer Reinhard gives Fennemore its first major presence in the Lone Star State. Home to some of the world’s largest public and private companies, Texas offers a mix of practice work that aligns with the firm’s existing client base, Fennemore announced Monday in a news release.

The Texas Lawbook Foundation, a nonprofit that supports news coverage of pro bono, public service and diversity in the legal profession, announced Monday that longtime Texas legal media executive Mike Androvett is joining the foundation’s board of directors. Derek Lipscombe, managing counsel at Toyota North America and co-chair of the Lawbook Foundation, said Androvett “brings much needed professional expertise that will help promote the extraordinary efforts of Lawbook Foundation and pro bono, public service and diversity reporter Krista Torralva.”
© Copyright 2025 The Texas Lawbook
The content on this website is protected under federal Copyright laws. Any use without the consent of The Texas Lawbook is prohibited.