The Association of Corporate Counsel’s San Antonio Chapter and The Texas Lawbook have announced the recipients of the inaugural 2025 San Antonio Corporate Counsel Awards for Lifetime Achievement, Business Litigation of the Year, M&A Transaction of the Year and Achievement in Pro Bono and Public Service.
The San Antonio Corporate Counsel Awards, which are a partnership of ACC San Antonio and The Lawbook, recognize the business and legal successes of corporate in-house counsel during the past year.
Two prominent and long-time San Antonio corporate legal leaders — retired Mission Pharmacal General Counsel Lee Cusenbary and BioBridge Global GC Richey Wyatt — have been selected to receive the 2025 San Antonio Corporate Counsel Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Dykema member Jeffrey Gifford nominated Cusenbary. BioBridge Deputy GC Brenna Nava nominated Wyatt.
The 2025 San Antonio Corporate Counsel Award for Business Litigation of the Year will be awarded to VSP Vision Deputy General Counsel Lisa Hill and the lawyers at Dykema.
The honor for M&A Transaction of the Year goes to University of Texas San Antonio Chief Legal Officer Hailey Mullican, who was nominated for the award by Vericast Chief Compliance Officer Shelayne Clemmer.
And the 2025 San Antonio Corporate Counsel Award for Achievement in Pro Bono and Public Service will be awarded to USAA Associate General Counsel Daniel Andrews, who was nominated by USAA Associate GC Michael Danforth and Jackson Walker partner Robert Soza.
“It is a privilege for The Texas Lawbook to team with ACC San Antonio to honor these extraordinary leaders and lawyers,” said Texas Lawbook Publisher Brooks Igo. “Despite this being our first year to conduct this awards event, we received amazing nominations, and the inaugural group of award winners are at the top of the legal profession in Texas.”
Last week, The Lawbook announced the recipients for five other categories:
— San Antonio Corporate Legal Department of the Year is Zachry Group and its GC Jay Old, who were nominated by Jackson Walker’s Patrick Tobin;
— General Counsel of the Year for a Large Legal Department (21 lawyers or more) is Valero Energy GC Richard Walsh, who was nominated by Valero Senior Managing Counsel Megan Quinn, James Bennett of the Dowd Bennett law firm, Justice Lori Massey Brissette and Kennedys Governance Board Chairman Christopher Carroll;
— GC of the Year for a Midsized Legal Department (six to 20 lawyers) is Howard Energy Partners GC T.J. Campbell, who was nominated by Kirkland & Ellis partner Joshua Teahan and Bracewell partner Ben Martin;
— GC of the Year for a Small Legal Department (two to five attorneys) is OCI Enterprises General Counsel Janet Jamieson, who was nominated by Sidley partner Jessica Adkins; and
— General Counsel of a Solo Legal Department is Stakeholder Midstream GC Jonathan Ellis, who was nominated by Clifford Chance Partner Todd Lowther.
Later this week, The Lawbook will announce the recipients of the Lee Cusenbary Ethical Life & Leadership Award.
Over the next eight weeks, The Lawbook will publish articles on each of the award recipients.
For those wanting to know more about the San Antonio Corporate Counsel Awards, including sponsorships and tickets, please contact Brooks Igo at brooks.igo@texaslawbook.net.