Laura Hayes. Courtesy photo

Family Law Partner Joins Dallas Firm

Fox Rothschild welcomed Laura S. Hayes in Dallas as a partner in the firm's family law and litigation practice groups. She was previously a shareholder at KoonsFuller Family Law in Dallas. Certified as a family law specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Hayes advises clients on prenuptial/postnuptial agreements, divorce, complex property division and custody-related matters. She has a particular depth of experience helping clients craft custom parenting plans and possession schedules for professional, career-oriented parents whose lives do not fit the molds of standard possession schedules. She handles all types of divorce and custody litigation, including high-net-worth matters, and regularly argues Hague Convention international child abduction cases. In addition to Texas, Hayes is licensed in Arizona, Florida and Georgia. She earned her J.D. from Southern Methodist University Dedman Law School and her B.A. from Vanderbilt University.

Houston Firm Elevates 5 Shareholders in Office

Chamberlain Hrdlicka promoted two of its Houston shareholders to equity status and elected three new Houston income shareholders during the firm's annual meeting Feb. 8, where an additional five Atlanta-based attorneys were also promoted, for an unprecedented total of 10 new and elevated shareholders.

Elevated to equity shareholder in Houston were Jeff C. Wigginton Jr. and Justice David M. Medina (retired), and David N. Calvillo, Julie G. Edelman and Kellen R. Scott were elected as income shareholders.

Calvillo has successfully tried, litigated and arbitrated matters in diverse practice areas, including breach of contract, business separation, commercial liability, construction, tax controversy, shareholder rights, professional malpractice, personal injury and wrongful death, employment, debt collection and intellectual property. He is a civil trial specialist, a Texas C.P.A. and earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas School of Law and his Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in taxation from Georgetown University Law Center.

Edelman focuses her practice on estate, gift and generation-skipping tax planning, as well as estate administration and related matters. She counsels clients in preparation of wills and powers of attorney, preparation of trust agreements, probate of wills and estate administration, and the preparation of federal gift and estate tax returns. She earned her undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University and her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law.

Medina works with clients in multiple industries on various trials, appeals and business transactions. He previously served on the Texas Supreme Court and authored over 90 Supreme Court opinions. He earned his undergraduate degree from Texas State University, his law degree from South Texas College of Law Houston, and his Master of Laws degree in international arbitration, global energy and environmental law from the University of Texas School of Law.

Scott maintains a general civil litigation practice in state and federal courts, with an emphasis on employment law, restrictive covenants, and trade secret matters. He counsels employers and businesses in state and federal courts, arbitration proceedings, and in matters before state and federal administrative agencies, including the Department of Labor, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Evansville and his law degree from South Texas College of Law Houston.

Wigginton focuses his practice on commercial litigation matters in state and federal courts, representing businesses and business owners in a wide range of industries. He guides clients in matters related to business disputes, real estate, construction, professional liability claims and tort defense. Additionally, he also maintains an insurance coverage practice, which includes counseling clients on property and casualty insurance matters they may encounter. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and his law degree from South Texas College of Law Houston.

New Partner Joins Houston Office

Kirkland & Ellis has announced that Stephen Jacobson has joined the firm as a partner in the Houston office. His practice focuses on executive compensation and employee benefit matters. Jacobson advises public and private companies, and private equity firms and their portfolio companies on a wide range of employment, compensation and benefits matters in business transactions. He regularly advises clients on structuring and implementing equity and cash-based incentive plans as well as the applicable tax, securities law, corporate governance and disclosure implications of those arrangements. Known for providing practical advice, he also represents management teams and executives in negotiating employment, separation and incentive agreements. He joins Kirkland from Vinson & Elkins, where he was a partner in that firm's Houston office. Jacobson holds law and bachelor's degrees from Tulane University.

Litigation Partner Joins Firm's Chicago and Dallas Offices

Sidley Austin announced that Brian P. Kavanaugh has joined the firm in Chicago as a partner in its global litigation group. He joins from Kirkland & Ellis, where he was a litigation partner and one of the leaders of its data security and privacy practice. Kavanaugh will split his time between the firm's Chicago and Dallas offices. Kavanaugh has built a robust practice focused on health care, insurance and data privacy. He has defended clients in matters ranging from multidistrict litigation and class action suits to complex commercial disputes and arbitrations. A litigator for over two decades, he has represented major companies in a variety of industries, including life sciences, insurance, automotive, energy and cybersecurity. He practices in both Illinois and Texas.

Two Attorneys at San Antonio Office Selected for Bar Foundation Membership

Joshua Sutin and Leo Unzeitig, both with the San Antonio office of Chamberlain Hrdlicka, have been elected to the San Antonio Bar Foundation Fellows (SABF) Program, as part of the 2020 class of 25 newly elected members. Sutin and Unzeitig will join fellow Chamberlain Hrdlicka attorney Jaime Vasquez, who sits on the board of trustees for the foundation. Sutin is a shareholder and chair of the employee benefits practice at Chamberlain Hrdlicka. He helps clients unravel complex legal and business issues related to employee benefit plans, tax-exempt organizations, and business tax planning. He counsels both businesses and not-for-profit organizations on the full range of tax and employee benefits issues. Unzeitig is an associate in Chamberlain Hrdlicka's San Antonio tax practice. He assists with a wide range of federal tax controversy and litigation matters at all stages before the Internal Revenue Service and federal courts.

Two Trial Lawyers Launch New Dallas-Based Trial Firm

Veteran Dallas trial lawyers Michael Lyons and Chris Simmons have formed Lyons & Simmons, a trial firm focused on handling personal injury and wrongful death matters as well as complex business disputes in Texas and throughout the United States. Both Lyons and Simmons have a proven record of obtaining outstanding results for their clients in high-stakes, high-exposure cases across the country. They have tried complex cases before judges, juries and arbitrators involving life-altering personal injuries, wrongful death, and "bet-the-company" business disputes. Lyons and Simmons were previously partners in the Dallas-based trial firm Deans & Lyons. Also joining Lyons & Simmons are attorneys Chris Carr and Stephen Higdon.