Award

The Harris County Law Library staff with their award-winning Pro Se Litigant Handbook and the Spanish-language translation, Manual para Litigantes Pro Se. Front Row, Left to Right: Sara Nouri, Mariann Sears (director), Lynette Williams and Lori-Ann Craig. Back Row: Elizabeth Bolles Watson, Ben Pride, Joe Lawson, Heather Holmes and Jessica Ochoa.

The Harris County Law Library in Houston has been named a 2019 recipient of the Joseph L. Andrews Legal Literature Award by the American Association of Law Libraries on April 30 for its publication titled Pro Se Litigant Handbook and the Spanish-language translation, Manual para Litigantes Pro Se. The award is an annual accolade that recognizes a significant textual contribution to legal literature.The Harris County Law Library is a public library open to both lawyers and nonlawyers. It was established in 1915, and became a part of the Harris County Attorney's Office in 2011. Additionally, Law Library director Mariann Sears received the prestigious Bethany J. Ochal Award for Distinguished Service to the Profession from AALL's government section.

New Positions

Jackson Walker in Houston welcomed Kirk Tucker. He joins as a partner in the corporate and securities practice with a focus on helping domestic and international energy clients with matters related to mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, capital raising, and general corporate law. Kirk received his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and his B.B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton announced that Amanda L. Cottrell has joined the firm's business trial practice group as a partner in the Dallas office. She joins from Stanton LLP. Prior to that, Cottrell spent nine years practicing commercial and energy litigation at Locke Lord. Her practice focuses on white-collar criminal defense, internal investigations, and complex commercial litigation. Cottrell earned her J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and her B.A., summa cum laude, from Vanderbilt University.

KoonsFuller Family Law brought on May Burkett to the firm's Houston office as an associate. She concentrates her practice on family law. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a major in corporate finance and a minor in accounting from the McCombs School of Business. She earned her J.D. from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.

Bell Nunnally in Dallas has added four associates.

Arun S. Avva is a member of Bell Nunnally's litigation practice, focusing on commercial litigation. He assists individual and corporate clients in contractual, trade secret, antitrust and other disputes and helps them achieve the best possible outcome given their business and legal objectives. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School (J.D., magna cum laude, 2015), and Georgetown University (B.S., magna cum laude, 2012).

Keith B. French Jr. joins the firm's litigation practice with experience gained as a former assistant United States attorney with the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Mississippi. He is fluent in all aspects of trial management, from inception through resolution and appeals, and has handled cases in both state and federal courts. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law (J.D., 2013) and Tougaloo College (B.A., summa cum laude, 2010). French is admitted to practice in Texas (eligible for waiver), Georgia and Mississippi.

Troy (T.J.) Hales is a member of the firm's litigation and labor, employment and benefits practices. He advises and represents employers in all areas of labor and employment law.  Hales is a graduate of Southern Methodist University's Dedman School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2016) and Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business (B.B.A., with distinction, 2013).

Sydnie A. Shimkus joins the firm's  litigation and labor, employment and benefits practices, where she regularly works with clients in both a consultative capacity and as part of their trial teams. She is a graduate of Southern Methodist University's Dedman School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2016) and Texas A&M University's Mays Business School (B.A., cum laude, 2013). National construction law firm Peckar & Abramson, P.C. announced that Texas Board Certified construction attorney Stewart Shurtleff has joined as a partner in the firm's Dallas office. Jackson Mabry has joined as an associate in Dallas. And Cornelius (Lee) Banta has joined as an associate in Houston.

Shurtleff represents general contractors, subcontractors, sureties, and real estate owners and developers in a wide array of construction-related issues. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Computer Information Systems Management, Cum Laude, from Houston Baptist University and a Juris Doctor degree from Baylor University School of Law.

Mabry has experience in commercial and civil litigation across the state of Texas and has represented clients in state and federal courts. He holds a J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill and a bachelor's degree in classics and politics from Washington & Lee University.

Banta's practice focuses on construction litigation and alternative dispute resolution. He has experience with construction defect litigation, lien and bond claim disputes, and general commercial matters. Banta earned his J.D. at The University of Houston Law Center and his B.A. in History from Amherst College.