Newsmakers: Week of June 1

U.S. Fifth Circuit Judge to Keynote Historical Society's Hemphill Dinner

The Texas Supreme Court Historical Society has announced that the Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, former Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla R. Owen, will give the keynote address at the Society's 25th annual Hemphill Dinner, to be held at 7 p.m. on Sept. 11. For the first time ever, the Hemphill Dinner will be held virtually in light of concerns surrounding COVID-19.

A native of Palacios, Texas, Chief Judge Owen received both her undergraduate and juris doctor degrees from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, and was the high scorer on the Texas Bar Exam the year she was licensed. Prior to her confirmation to the federal bench in 2005, Chief Judge Owen served with distinction for a decade on the Texas Supreme Court. First elected in 1994, she was just the second female Justice to be elected to the Court in its history. On the Fifth Circuit, she succeeded former Texas Supreme Court Justice, Judge William Garwood, in the seat he had held since 1981. Alongside the late Judge Garwood, Tom Reavley, Sam Johnson, and current Fifth Circuit Judge Don Willett, Chief Judge Owen is one of five former Texas Supreme Court Justices to serve on the Fifth Circuit. In addition, Chief Judge Owen is the first and only former Texas Supreme Court Justice to serve as Chief Judge of not only the Fifth Circuit, but any U.S. circuit court of appeals. Elevated to Chief Judge in October 2019, Owen will serve in the post until 2024. She is the first Chief Judge of the Fifth Circuit to be based in Austin, Texas.

New Associate Joins Houston Firm

The law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner in Houston announced that Jenna Rudoff has joined the firm as an associate. Her current legal practice focuses on a range of personal injury matters, including catastrophic injuries, wrongful death, medical malpractice, premises liability and insurance disputes. She joins Abraham Watkins with a diverse legal background after practicing at another plaintiffs personal injury firm in Houston and serving as an Assistant District Attorney for Fort Bend County, Texas. During her seven years as an Assistant District Attorney, Rudoff was assigned to the Crimes Against Children Division and handled complex cases involving the physical and sexual abuse of young children, homicide of children, Internet Crimes Against Children, child exploitation and human trafficking. She also often represented the State of Texas in criminal appellate issues. Her trial and courtroom experience as an Assistant District Attorney gave her a valuable skill set, which she applies to her current civil cases.

Rudoff attended Indiana University, where she majored in business and sports management and graduated early to accept a job with one of the top international sports agencies, IMG. After representing the licensing, branding and business interests of internationally recognized professional athletes, she earned her J.D. from South Texas College of Law Houston. During law school, Rudoff was active in South Texas' nationally ranked trial and appellate advocacy program, traveled across the country competing in national moot court and mock trial competitions and won several awards on behalf of the school. She was an integral member of the Board of Advocates and served as the Board's co-chair during her last year of law school. She was also a recipient of the Dean Gerald T. Treece Outstanding Service in Advocacy Award and was inducted into the Order of Barristers, a national advocacy honor's society. While attending South Texas, she served as a law clerk to Judge Melinda Harmon, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and as a legal intern for both the Harris County District Attorney's Office and the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas. Rudoff is also active in the legal community as a member of the Houston Bar Association, the Houston Trial Lawyers Association, the Houston Young Lawyers Association, and the Texas District and County Attorneys Association, where she has served as a trainer and faculty adviser since 2013. Additionally, she serves as a volunteer and speaker for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Houston Firm Welcomes Bankruptcy Attorney as a Principal

McKool Smith has announced that veteran bankruptcy lawyer John J. Sparacino has joined the firm as a principal in its Houston office. He focuses on bankruptcy and related matters, including litigation, receiverships and out-of-court restructurings.