Shareholders at the corporate law firm Winstead have elected the chair of its business and transactions practice, Jeff Matthews, as the firm’s next chairman and CEO. A 2003 graduate of the University of Texas School of Law and the son of a former Exxon general counsel, Matthews replaces David Dawson, who has led Winstead since 2014. In an interview with The Texas Lawbook, Matthews discusses the Texas firm’s position in the legal market, how 2022 has gone so far and whether there is any interest in a future merger.
This Associate Logged 100 Hours of Pro Bono in the Last Year. Here’s How He Did It
As the year comes to an end, some may be reflecting on their legal practice and looking for ways to squeeze more pro bono into their life. The Texas Lawbook spoke with Stinson associate and pro bono pro Grant DuBois, who manages a pro bono misdemeanor criminal docket in his spare time and provides tips for weaving more pro bono work into the daily grind.
“Attorneys have been viewed by the general public as an undesirable group since the beginning of our profession,” DuBois says. “Many refer to us as ‘money-sucking vampires’ motivated not by client service, but by greed. One of the ways we can start to change this generalized perception is to provide pro bono services as often as we can.”
SEC’s David Peavler Joining Jones Day
David Peavler is following in the steps of his two predecessors who were regional directors of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Fort Worth office. Peavler, in an exclusive interview with The Texas Lawbook, said he will join the Dallas office of the global law firm Jones Day as a partner leading the firm’s Texas securities litigation and SEC enforcement practice.
Peavler, who announced Thursday that he was resigning as the regional director of the SEC, is a huge catch for Jones Day because of his deep experience in the area of financial accounting and because he has prior experience as a corporate general counsel – the very people who hire Jones Day for legal advice.
P.S. — A Couple Awards, A Memorial Fund, ‘It’s Fun to Stay at the YMCA’
In this week’s P.S. column, the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas hosts its annual Stories from the HeART fundraiser and honors a group of Texas lawyers for their contributions, a memorial fund set up in the memory of the late Dallas lawyer, Clarence Brown, seeks to raise more funds to benefit students of color at the Lamplighter School, and two nonprofits announce leadership efforts by lawyers.
Jonny Havens: An Entrepreneurial Lawyer, Iraq War Veteran & Pro Bono Advocate
Service has always been a part of Jonny Havens’ life, whether it was serving two deployments in Iraq or helping veterans adjust to civilian life. The Houston-based personal injury lawyer, who just launched a new law firm, spoke with Natalie Posgate about his service as a Ranger qualified infantry officer, why he became a lawyer and why he continues to serve veterans through nonprofits and pro bono work.
Eversheds Sutherland Energy M&A Attorneys Headed to Holland & Knight
Three Houston attorneys who advised on a $1.8 billion forestry ESG deal last week are on the move to Holland & Knight.
Gibson Dunn, Winston & Strawn Add Houston Deal Lawyers
Gibson Dunn gained a former Blackstone lawyer and Winston & Strawn picked up a former energy executive.
McDermott Continues Growing Texas IP Practice
David Tobin, who is made a partner with the move, is the 13th lawyer to leave Baker Botts for McDermott Will & Emery this year.
P.S. — An Anti-Bullying Grant, Awards Season Frenzy, A Thank-you Note
In this week’s P.S. column, we highlight a slew of attorneys and law firms awarded for their pro bono efforts, some recent nonprofit board appointments, an upcoming CLE featuring pro bono veterans in the industry (with ethics credit), and a significant grant awarded to a San Antonio-based project that supports children and their families impacted by bullying.
Dallas Minority Bar Orgs Launch New Job Board
Finding diverse job candidates in Dallas just got easier for firms. Six minority bar organizations have launched the Dallas Legal Equity and Diversity job board, a diversity and inclusion-focused job site. Natalie Posgate reports on how it came together and how employers and diverse attorney candidates can begin connecting on the platform.