Melanie Okon is New Name Partner at Estes Okon Thorne & Carr

© 2013 The Texas Lawbook.By Brooks Igo Dallas firm Taber Estes Thorne & Carr has changed its name to Estes Okon Thorne & Carr after promoting Melanie Okon to name partner. Former name partner Jane Taber is stepping back from managing the firm to focus on new opportunities for the firm in the healthcare industry, particularly in connection with the Affordable Care Act and its regulatory deadlines. Okon, who worked with Taber, Dawn Estes, Lori Carr, and Jessica Thorne early in her career at Gardere, said she joined the women-owned firm in 2009 because she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with her former colleagues. She was previously a partner at Gruber Hurst and senior litigation counsel at Energy Future Holdings Corp.“I really enjoy the culture we have created at our firm,” she said. “We respect family and personal time and we know well-balanced lawyers make better lawyers in the courtroom and boardroom.” The 1999 Baylor Law School graduate and former briefing attorney for Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott recently successfully represented a midstream natural gas company in litigation brought by property owners complaining of noise from a natural gas compressor station and processing plant. The case marked the first…