| class notes |
Joshua M. Zudar ‘08 was elected to partner at Burnett Wilson Reeder in Tampa, Florida.
2010-2016 Adam R. Aldrete ’14 recently accepted a position as senior manager legal counsel for CPS Energy in San Antonio, TX. Previously, Adam served as corporate counsel for Cosentino North America, where his department was honored by Texas Lawyer as its 2016 Corporate Compliance Department of the Year. Amir R. Befroui ‘12 recently moved back home to Houston after working in Dallas for the past year. He’ll be continuing his work in civil litigation at Lone Star Legal Aid, where his practice will focus on assisting his clients with protecting their homes from foreclosure, getting a better understanding of their rights in consumer financial transactions, and obtaining financial relief through bankruptcy. Thomas J. Bonura ’12 has joined Baker Donelson’s Health Law Group in Houston as an associate and will focus on advising healthcare organizations and professionals in the transactional, operational, and regulatory aspects of the healthcare industry. L. Michelle Brockway ‘10 is currently senior counsel at Strasburger & Price, with an emphasis on commercial litigation and health law. Michelle A. Ciolek ‘12 joined the firm Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Aziz as an associate attorney. Ryan J. Daley ‘12 recently opened The Law Offices of Daley & West, PLLC in downtown Austin, TX. In May 2015, Ryan graduated from the 46
M.B.A. program at Arizona State University and recently was awarded a Pro Bono College Award by the State Bar of Texas for completing over 75 hours of pro bono legal work in 2015, including obtaining a fully favorable Social Security Administrative Law Judge decision in front of the Honorable James Linehan. Jarett J. Dillard ‘15 was hired by Coats Rose, P.C. as an associate in the firm’s Houston office, where his practice is focused on construction, surety, real property and litigation.
Trace A. Holmes ‘10 transitioned to Range Resources in September 2016. Thomas J. Holmes III ‘13 married Sarah Kittleman in 2015, and they have one daughter, Audrey. After graduating from law school, Thomas began with an energy practice focusing on transactions and title work. In 2014, he started his own firm, Holmes Law, PLLC which is a general practice focusing on the following: corporate matters from entity formation to business transactions and disputes; oil, gas and mineral transactions, opinions and disputes; and real estate.
Benjamin A. Fedorko ‘14 joined the Houston office of Gray Reed & McGraw. He will work on the firm’s trust and estates team. D. Alex Gonzalez ‘12 was recently elected as president of the Mexican-American Bar Association of Houston (MABAH), the largest Hispanic bar association in the state of Texas. Alex previously served as MABAH’s vice president and law school liaison. Amber Maxfield Gracia ‘15 recently joined the Quan Law Group, PLLC in its immigration litigation section. Kelsie M. Haaland ‘16 joined Thompson & Knight LLP as an associate. Lauren Bricker Hodge ‘14 joined Coats Rose as an associate in the Houston office’s affordable housing practice group.
South Texas College of Law Houston
Kevin D. Hunter ‘14 launched a family law firm, Boudreaux|Hunter & Associates, with his business partner, Shannon Boudreaux ’03, in 2016. Jill E. Jester ‘10 was voted Best Civil Lawyer in the Best of Denton County magazine, and her law firm, Minor & Jester, P.C. was voted Best Civil Law Firm and Best Bankruptcy Law Firm. She was also selected as a Rising Star with Super Lawyers, published in Texas Monthly magazine for 2016. Joseph K. Jones ‘10 recently graduated from the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers’ College, a nationally recognized and highly competitive institution for trial attorneys and judges throughout the United States with a focus on creating
more effective and compassionate trial lawyers.
Victor F. Mendoza ‘13 married Jessica Hartman ‘14 on October 29, 2016. The couple resides in downtown Austin where Jessica is in the Office of the General Counsel at the Texas Railroad Commission. Earlier in the fall, Victor was promoted to deputy general counsel in the Office of the Speaker, Texas House of Representatives. Nicholas J. Nieto ‘15 has joined Coats Rose, P.C. in the litigation section, where he focuses primarily on construction, surety, and real estate law. Carlos G. Pazos ‘13 started as an assistant state attorney for the 13th Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County, Florida.
Benjamin W. Penticoff ‘14 got married to Heather McAbee on December 17, 2016.