Texas Lawyer is proud to announce the winners of our 2019 Professional Excellence Awards, including Litigation Department of the Year for midsize and small firms, GC Impact, Lifetime Achievement, Diversity and Inclusion Champions, Most-Effective Deal-makers, Best Mentors and On the Rise.

This list recognizes lawyers who have made their mark on the legal profession in the Lone Star State and beyond.

Profiles of the honorees will be published in the September issue of Texas Lawyer magazine. An awards ceremony in their honor will be held on Sept. 18 at the Belo Mansion in Dallas.

Click here for booking information. For information about sponsoring the event, contact Andre Sutton at 757-721-9020 or email [email protected].

Congratulations to all of our honorees!

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Lifetime Achievement

  • R. Doak Bishop, King & Spalding
  • George W. Connelly Jr., Chamberlain Hrdlicka
  • William Finnegan IV, Latham & Watkins
  • J. Mark Lawless, McGuireWoods
  • John Martin, Thompson & Knight 
  • Donna Peavler, Peavler Briscoe 
  • Reid Wilson, Wilson Cribbs + Goren 
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Best Mentors

  • Shannon Bates, Harper Bates & Champion 
  • Gemma Descoteaux, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton 
  • Joshua Griswold, Fish & Richardson 
  • Timothy Hudson, Thompson & Knight
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Diversity and Inclusion Champions

  • Alison Chen, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld 
  • Chasity Henry, Kimberly-Clark Corp. 
  • Earsa Jackson, Clark Hill Strasburger 
  • Richard Salgado, Dentons
  • Akash Sethi, McGuireWoods 
  • Debra Tsuchiyama Baker, Baker Wotring 
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GC Impact

  • Jamie Carsey, Markel Service 
  • Christina Ibrahim, Weatherford International 
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Most Effective Dealmakers

  • John Gilluly, DLA Piper 
  • Hillary Holmes, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher 
  • Eric Otness, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom 
  • Sean Wheeler, Kirkland & Ellis 
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Litigation Departments of the Year

  • General Litigation winner (midsize): Susman Godfrey 
  • General Litigation winner (small): Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing
  • Intellectual Property:  McKool Smith
  • Appellate: Wright Close & Barger 
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On the Rise

  • Olivia Adendorff, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
  • Mohammad Alturk, Baker McKenzie
  • Tamsen Barrett, Norton Rose Fulbright
  • Carolyn Benson, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton
  • Michael Blankenship, Locke Lord
  • Mary Kogut Brawley, Kirkland & Ellis
  • Courtney Bristow, Cassin & Cassin 
  • Yoon Chae, Baker McKenzie
  • Austin Champion, Harper Bates & Champion
  • Audrey Chang, Greenberg Traurig
  • Monica Cooper, Lanier Firm
  • Becky Diffen, McGuireWoods
  • Katrina Eash, Winston & Strawn
  • Gavin George, Haynes and Boone
  • James Hays, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
  • Jordan Hirsch, Hunton Andrews Kurth
  • Michelle Jacobs, Haynes and Boone
  • Mukul Kelkar, Dentons
  • William Peterson, Morgan Lewis & Bockius
  • Brian Rosenzweig, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
  • Gregory Saikin, BakerHostetler
  • Nicholas A.F. Sarokhanian, Holland & Knight
  • Stephen Szalkowski, Latham & Watkins
  • Brooke Wahlberg, Nossaman
  • Brent Walker, Aldous/Walker