The Association of Corporate Counsel’s DFW Chapter and The Texas Lawbook announce two winners and two finalists for the 2023 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for Senior Counsel of the Year.
Corporate legal departments and law firms submitted more than 60 nominations in 13 different categories for this year’s DFW Corporate Counsel Awards, which recognize the successes and leadership demonstrated by in-house counsel in North Texas.
Independent judges reviewed dozens of nominations and selected finalists and winners, and they will be celebrated at the 2023 DFW Corporate Counsel Awards ceremony on Jan. 25. More details to be announced.
“As a past attendee at the DFW Corporate Counsel Awards, I always walked away impressed with the year’s finalists wondering how the selection committee selects finalists who provide so much value to their companies, their companies’ goals and objectives and the overall Dallas legal community,” said ACC-DFW President Alvin Benton, who is lead product counsel for fintech company Upstart and former senior counsel at Goldman Sachs. “This year’s finalists present the same conundrum.”
“These fine lawyers represent the best of the best, and once again demonstrate the great value that DFW lawyers add to their company’s leadership and objectives,” Benton said. “This group also represents the great diversity of business sectors and success stories. So, with that being said, I still walk away with the same impression I’ve had in the past and this year’s candidates continue to raise the bar of what in-house counsel success looks like. Kudos to all of the finalists and I am grateful to all of the finalists and their nominators who will allow these stories to be shared with our legal community.”
During the past week, The Lawbook and ACC-DFW announced the finalists for Pro Bono and Public Service of the Year, Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion, M&A Deal of the Year and Corporate Secretary and Legal Counselor of the Year.
Today, ACC DFW and The Lawbook unveil the finalists for the 2023 DFW Corporate Counsel Awards for Senior Counsel of the Year.
There are two finalists for Senior Counsel for a Small Legal Department (1-5 lawyers). They are:
- Ecobat Deputy General Counsel Carolyn Lam, who also serves as the world’s largest battery recycler’s chief compliance officer. Lam was nominated for the honor by Toyota Managing Counsel Meyling Ly Ortiz.
- Envoy Air Senior Vice President for Legal Chris Pappaioanou, who handles labor and employment for the regional airline, which is a subsidiary of American Airlines. Peter Simek of Social Revolt nominated Pappaioanou for the award.
There is only one finalist for Senior Counsel for a Midsized Legal Department (6-20 attorneys). The recipient is:
- City Electric Supply Company Associate General Counsel Denton Muse, who was nominated by City Electric Supply’s general counsel, Meg Shockley.
Similarly, the ACC-DFW judges selected a sole finalist — and thus a winner — for Senior Counsel for a Large Legal Department (21-plus lawyers). And the winner is:
- Jacobs Deputy General Counsel Chasity Henry, who is now a two-time recipient of a DFW Corporate Counsel of the Year Award. In 2020, ACC-DFW and The Lawbook honored Henry with the Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion Award. Dykema member Israel Silvas nominated Henry for the award this year.
The Texas Lawbook will publish in-depth profiles of the finalists throughout January.
ACC-DFW and The Lawbook earlier this week announce that Pioneer Natural Resources’ Akshar Patel is the sole finalist and recipient of the 2023 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for Corporate Secretary/Legal Counselor of the Year. As Pioneer’s corporate secretary and vice president of legal Akshar Patel for his leadership role and extraordinary legal counsel to the Pioneer’s directors and executives in its $64.5 billion sale to Exxon Mobil. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher corporate partner Jeff Chapman, who was lead outside counsel on the transaction, nominated Patel for the honor.
The two finalists for the 2023 M&A Deal of the Year were also announced earlier this week. The M&A Deal of the Year is one of four DFW Corporate Counsel Awards that honors in-house counsel and its outside lawyers for their joint achievements. The finalists are:
- Matador Resources General Counsel Bryan Erman and his team of in-house lawyers, including Bradley Hart and Cale Curtin, led their company in 2023 through the $1.6 billion acquisition of Advance Energy Partners from EnCap Investments. Matador used Baker Botts and partners Preston Bernhisel and Jon Platt as its lead outside counsel.
- MoneyGram General Counsel Robert Villasenor and his team of in-house counsel on the company’s $1.8 billion take-private transaction involving Madison Dearborn Partners. MoneyGram used Vinson & Elkins and its partners Lande Spottswood, Alan Bogdanow, Cris Dewar and Fry Wernick as its lead outside counsel.
Last week, ACC-DFW and The Lawbook announced two other award winners. They are:
- Nexstar Media Group General Counsel Rachel Morgan is the sole finalist and recipient of the 2023 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for Achievement in Pro Bono and Public Service. Sidley partner Aimee Fagan nominated Morgan for the honor.
- Toyota Motor North America Managing Counsel Kelly Chen is the sole finalist and winner of the 2023 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for Achievement in Diversity and Inclusion. Toyota managing counsel Meyling Ly Ortiz, a past recipient of a DFW Corporate Counsel Award, nominated her colleague Chen for the honor.
Next week, The Lawbook and ACC DFW will announce the finalists for General Counsel of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Business Litigation of the Year and Lifetime Achievement.
“We have an amazing group of finalists and winners this year,” said Texas Lawbook publisher Brooks Igo. “This year’s honorees are wonderful examples of great lawyers who also demonstrating tremendous leadership.”
Igo points out that all profits from the DFW Corporate Counsel Awards goes to support the funding of the full-time pro bono, public service and diversity reporter position for The Texas Lawbook.