Mark E. Macias of Langley & Banack. Photo: Gittings Photography

New Positions

Langley & Banack Inc. has hired two new attorneys. Mark E. Macias has joined the firm in San Antonio as of counsel in the firm's insurance litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution practice groups. He practices in the area of general civil trial law with a focus on all areas of insurance defense litigation, including personal and commercial injury defense and first-party cases. Timothy L. (Tim) LaFrey has joined the firm as of counsel in Austin. He joins the firm's corporate and tax practice group, bringing his extensive experience in the areas of corporate finance, securities, health care and mergers and acquisitions.

McGinnis Lochridge in Austin announced that Justin M. Cawley has joined the firm as senior counsel in the International Trade and Transactions Practice Group. Cawley represents and counsels clients on a range of international issues, including treaty interpretation, trade regulation, human rights law, EU law and comparative law. Cawley earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and his B.A. from the University of Richmond.

Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis announced the addition of partners Andrea Rigali Cunha and Molly A. Huffman to the firm's health care department in the firm's Austin office. Cunha and Huffman will focus on health care transactions, operations and regulatory compliance matters involving investor-owned and not-for-profit health care providers and organizations.

Promotions

The law firm of Thompson & Knight has named two veteran attorneys as leaders of the firm's offices in Dallas and Austin. Phillip G. Oldham will now lead the Austin office of the firm, while Bruce S. Sostek will serve as office leader of the firm's Dallas office. Sostek focuses his practice on intellectual property, technology and commercial litigation. Oldham is highly regarded for his practice and expertise in federal and state energy regulatory and administrative law, and on transactional matters involving energy projects, energy markets and related industries such as chemical manufacturing.  

Honors

Lewis R. Sifford, a trial lawyer and founding officer of Sifford, Anderson & Co. in Dallas, has been honored by Baylor Law in Waco as its 2019 Baylor Lawyer of the Year. Sifford was honored by Baylor Law, which hosted a luncheon at the Belo Mansion in Dallas on May 1. Sifford, a 1972 Baylor law graduate, received the recognition from Dean Brad Toben and Ike Vanden Eykel, president of the Baylor Law Alumni Association.

Benson Varghese, managing partner of the law firm Varghese Summersett in Fort Worth, has been named the 2019 Outstanding Young Lawyer by the Tarrant County Young Lawyer's Association. Varghese received the award May 7 during the annual Law Day Awards Dinner at the Fort Worth Club.