Charles F. Potter (1909-1999).
SHAREHOLDERS
Randall L. Roberts (Shareholder) born Beeville, Texas, November 3, 1946; admitted to bar, 1973, Texas. Education: Schreiner Junior College (A.A., 1967); University of Texas (B.A., 1969); University of Texas School of Law (J.D., 1972). Chairman of the Board, Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, 1992-1993; Chairman of the Board, Tyler Economic Development Council, 1994-1995. Certified Mediator. Member: Smith County, Federal Energy, and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; American Arbitration Association. Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation. (Board Certified, Oil, Gas and Mineral Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Corporate Law; Business Law; Mediations; Oil and Gas Law; Mineral Law.Email: Randall L. Roberts
Michael E. Jones (Shareholder) born Shreveport, Louisiana, June 5, 1953; admitted to bar, 1977, Texas; U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; and U.S. District Court, Eastern and Northern Districts of Texas. Education: Baylor University (B.B.A., magna cum laude, 1975; J.D., cum laude, 1977). Phi Delta Phi. Notes and Comments Editor, Baylor Law Review, 1976-77. Named, Texas Super Lawyer by Law & Politics, as published in Texas Monthly Magazine, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 and 2004. Past Chairman, District 2A Grievance Committee. Instructor, Mass Media Law, University of Texas at Tyler. Faculty, Advanced Civil Trial Seminar, State Bar of Texas. Member: Smith County (President, 1990-91) and American (Sections: Litigation; Intellectual Property Law, Federal Trial Practice and Procedure Committee) Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; Texas Association of Defense Counsel; Defense Research Institute, Inc. Fellow: American Bar Foundation. (Board Certified, Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Business Litigation; Civil Litigation; Complex Litigation; Class Actions; Intellectual Property Litigation; Mass Media Law; Oil & Gas Litigation; Patent Litigation; Personal Injury; Products Liability.Email: Michael E. Jones
Douglas R. McSwane, Jr. (Shareholder) born San Angelo, Texas, January 16, 1953; admitted to bar, 1979, Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit and U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas. Education: Texas Tech University (B.A., 1975; J.D., 1979). Managing Editor, Texas Tech Law Review, 1978-1979. Member: American and Smith County Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; Texas Association of Defense Counsel (Board of Directors, 2004); Defense Research Institute, Inc. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Family Law; Health Care Law; Medical Malpractice Defense; Personal Injury; Products Liability; Professional Liability.Email: Douglas R. McSwane, Jr.
John F. Bufe (Shareholder) born Wyandotte, Michigan, February 18, 1950; admitted to bar, 1976, District of Columbia; 1983, Texas; U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth, Ninth and District of Columbia Circuits; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; U.S. District Courts, District of Columbia District and Northern, Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas. Education: Michigan State University (B.S., 1972); Georgetown University Law Center (J.D., 1975). Phi Beta Kappa. Author: "Why Should The Federal Government Pay the Travel Expenses of Union Negotiators?" Federal Labor Relations Reporter, 82, No 14, August, 1982; " Vicarious Liability," TAB Employment Law Handbook, 1992. Co-Author with Frank D. Ferris: "Awarding Attorney Fees in Federal Sector Arbitrations," The Arbitration Journal, Vol. 38, No. 1, March, 1983. Member: Smith County and American (Member, Sections on: Labor Law, 1976-84; Employment Law; Litigation) Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; College of the State Bar of Texas. (Board Certified, Labor and Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Bankruptcy Law; Commercial Litigation; Employee Benefits; Labor and Employment Law.Email: John F. Bufe
James L. Hedrick (Managing Partner) born Shreveport, Louisiana, December 10, 1958; admitted to bar, 1983, Texas; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas. Education: U.S. Air Force Academy; Baylor University (J.D., cum laude, 1983). Phi Alpha Delta. Associate Editor, Baylor Law Review, 1982-1983. Member: Smith County (Director, 1993-1994) and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; Texas Association of Bank Counsel; Independent Bankers Association of Texas. Practice Areas: Banking Law; Finance; Business Law; Commercial Litigation; Construction Law; Corporation Law; Electric Power; Energy; Real Estate Law.Email: James L. Hedrick
E. Glenn Thames, Jr. (Shareholder) born Shreveport, Louisiana, March 8, 1968; admitted to bar, 1992, Texas; U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Federal Circuits; U.S. District Court, Eastern and Northern Districts of Texas. Education: University of Arkansas at Little Rock (B.S., 1989); Baylor University (J.D., cum laude, 1992). Phi Delta Phi; Beta Alpha Psi. Research and Topics Editor, Baylor Law Review; Notes and Comments Editor. Law Clerk to Hon. William M. Steger, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas, 1992-1994. Named, Texas Rising Star by Law & Politics, as published in Texas Super Lawyer, Rising Star Edition/Monthly Magazines, 2006 and 2005. Author: "44 Baylor Law Review 373" (1992). Member: Smith County and American (Sections: Litigation; Intellectual Property; Council of Appellate Lawyers) Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas (Sections: Litigation; Intellectual Property; Council of Appellate Lawyers); Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit; Bar Association for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (Secretary/Treasurer, 2007-present; Director, 2006-2007); Smith County Young Lawyers Association (Board of Directors, 2000-2001); Texas Young Lawyers Association. Fellow: The College of The State Bar of Texas (2007, 2008); T. John Ward Inn of Court (Founding Member and Social Chair, 2006). Practice Areas: Appellate Practice; Civil Litigation; Class Actions; Intellectual Property Litigation.Email: E. Glenn Thames, Jr.
Allen F. Gardner (Shareholder) born Clarksville, Tennessee, June 16, 1977; admitted to bar, 2004, Texas; U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth, Ninth and Federal Circuits; U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Oklahoma. Education: Texas A & M University (B.B.A., 2000); Baylor University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2004). Named a Texas Rising Star by Law & Politics, as published in Texas Super Lawyer, Rising Stars Edition/Texas Monthly Magazine, 2009, 2008 and 2007. Member: American (Vice-Chair of the Trial and Appellate Rules and Procedure Committee, Committee 601 of the Intellectual Property Section of the American Bar Association, 2009-2010, 2008-2009; Co-Chair of the Written Discovery Subcommittee, Pre-Trial Practice and Discovery Committee of the Litigation Section of the American Bar Association, 2009-2010; Co-Chair of the Patent Litigation Committee, Committee 112 of the Intellectual Property Section of the American Bar Association, 2007-2008, 2006-2007; Vice-Chair of the Internet and Intellectual Property Law Committee of the Young Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association, 2006-2007) and Smith County (Board of Directors, 2007-2009; Advancement Team, 2006-2007; Law Day Committee Co-Chair, 2006, 2007) Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit; Smith County Young Lawyers Association (Board of Directors 2006-2007; Smith County National Adoption Day; Celebration Co-Chair, 2007; Chair, 2006); Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA). Practice Areas: Intellectual Property Litigation.Email: Allen F. Gardner
MEMBERS
D. Timothy Simpson (Member) born McAllen, Texas, January 16, 1954; admitted to bar, 1979, Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas. Education: Baylor University (B.A., 1976); St. Mary's University of San Antonio (J.D., 1978). Pi Sigma Alpha; Phi Delta Phi. St. Mary's Law Journal, 1977-1978 and Associate Editor, 1978. Member: Smith County and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas (Member, Sections on: Oil, Gas and Mineral Law; Real Estate, Probate and Trust). (Board Certified, Oil, Gas and Mineral Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Oil, Gas and Mineral Law; Real Estate Law; Commercial Litigation.Email: D. Timothy Simpson
Ronald D. Stutes (Member) born Kilgore, Texas, January 17, 1959; admitted to bar, 1985, Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. District Court, Eastern and Northern Districts of Texas. Education: Rice University (B.A., 1981); University of Texas at Austin (M.P.A., 1985; J.D., 1985). Hearings Examiner, Railroad Commission of Texas, 1985-1992; Assistant Director, Legal Division, 1992-1993. Assistant City Attorney, Dallas, Texas, 1993-2000. Member: Smith County and Federal Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas (Member, Administrative Law Section); Texas City Attorneys Association. Fellow: The College of the State Bar of Texas. Reported Cases: 1SW 3d 792; 165 F. 3d 341.Email: Ronald D. Stutes
J. Matt Rowan (Member) born Dallas, Texas, January 28, 1976; admitted to bar, 2001, Texas; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas. Education: Baylor University (B.A., 1998; J.D., 2001). Phi Delta Phi (Vice President, 2000-2001). Order of Barristers. Lecturer: "Corporate Formation," State Bar of Texas Legal Assistant Division CLE Seminar, 2004; "Corporations and Business Entities," Tyler Area Association of Legal Professionals Annual Certified Legal Assistant Review Course, 2002 and 2004. Member: Smith County and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; Texas Young Lawyers Association; Texas Association of Defense Counsel; Smith County Young Lawyers Association (President, 2007-08; Vice President, 2006-07; Director, 2004-06); Smith County Bar Foundation; People's Law School (Co-Chair, 2008, 2005). Practice Areas: Banking Law; Finance; Bankruptcy; Civil Litigation; Employee Benefits; Health Care; Insurance; Labor and Employment; Medical Malpractice Defense; Municipal Law; Personal Injury.Email: J. Matt Rowan
Patrick C. Clutter, IV (Member) born Dallas, Texas, 1977; admitted to bar, 2002, Texas; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas. Education: Austin College (B.A., History, cum laude, 1999); Baylor University (J.D., 2002). Dean's List. Order of Barristers. Executive Editor, Baylor Law Review, 2001-2002. Top Ten Speaker, Strasburger & Price Moot Court Competition. Recipient, Strasburger & Price Moot Court Award, 2001. Member: Smith County Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; Smith County Young Lawyers Association; Texas Young Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; Personal Injury.Email: Patrick C. Clutter, IV
OF COUNSEL
John H. Minton (Of Counsel) born Hemphill, Texas, March 15, 1934; admitted to bar, 1956, Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas. Education: Baylor University (B.A., 1954; LL.B., cum laude, 1956). Phi Alpha Delta; Alpha Chi. Cases Editor, Baylor Law Review, 1955-1956. Assistant Attorney General, State of Texas, 1956-1958. Member: Smith County and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; Texas Association of Defense Counsel; American Arbitration Association; State Bar of Texas Foundation; American Judicature Society.. Fellow: American College of Trial Lawyers. Practice Areas: Civil Litigation; Civil Practice; Mediation; Intellectual Property; Probate.Email: John H. Minton
Diane Vinson DeVasto (Of Counsel) born Fort Worth, Texas, April 19, 1951; admitted to bar, 1974, Texas; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas. Education: Baylor University (B.A., 1972; J.D., 1974); White Dispute Resolution Center (A.A., 2008); College of Advanced Judicial Studies (Texas Center for the Judiciary 2005). Delta Theta Phi. Recipient: Texas Supreme Court Award for Contribution to Judicial Education, 1991; Alternate Municipal Court Judge, City of Tyler, 1981-1983; Presiding Judge, Municipal Court, 1983-1994; County Judge, Smith County Court at Law, 1995; Appointed by Governor George W. Bush, District Judge, 241st Judicial District Court, 1995-2003; Appointed by Governor Rick Perry, Justice, 12th Court of Appeals, 2003-2006. Board of Directors, Texas Municipal Courts Education Center/Texas Municipal Courts Association, 1987-1994; Board, Smith County Bail Bond Board, 1988-2004; Chair, 1990. Board of Directors/Past President, Tyler Teen Court, Inc., 1991. Judicial Advisory Panel, Texas Punishment Standards Commission, 1992. Provost Advisory Committee (Provost Dean William Gipson), Judicial Education, University of Texas Law School, 1992-93. Executive Committee, Texas Supreme Court Judicial Education Committee, 1992-93. Public Policy Committee, Texas Council on Family Violence, 1992-94. Governor George W. Bush's Planning Council, STOP Violence Against Women, 1995. Selected (five member team), to attend from the State of Texas, Justice Department Conference, Washington, D.C., on implementation of Violence Against Women Act, 1995. Funding Parity Task Force, Texas Commission on Judicial Efficiency, 1995. Smith County Juvenile Board, 1995-2003. Local Administrative Judge, Smith County Council of Judges, 1997-99. Planning Committee, Advanced Civil Trial Course, 2003. Faculty/Speaker: Texas Center for the Judiciary; Center for American and International Law, South Texas College of Law. Texas Center for the Judiciary (Board of Directors, 2004-2006; Indigent Defense Committee, 2000-2003; Chair, 2001-2002); Texas Supreme Court Historical Society; Institute of Judicial Administration; Member, John T. Ward Inn of Court. Member: Smith County (President, 2008-2009) and American (Appellate Judges Conference, Judicial Division, Intellectual Property Law Section; Committee on Code of Ethics for Patent Litigators, 2007) Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas (Crime Victims Committee, 2001-2004; Chair, Resolutions, Judicial Section, 1998-2000; Pattern Jury Charge Committee, Malpractice, Premises Liability and Products Liability, 2005-present; Legal Services Committee, Poor in Criminal Matters, 2004-2007). Fellow: American Judicature Society; Texas Bar Foundation (American Law Institute, John T. Ward Inn of Court). Practice Areas: Alternative Dispute Resolution; Arbitration; Mediation; Intellectual Property; Litigation.Email: Diane Vinson DeVasto
ASSOCIATES
Jonathan Michael "Jon" Rowan (Associate) born Tyler, Texas, April 10, 1979; admitted to bar, 2006, Texas. Education: Baylor University (B.A., 2001; M.B.A., 2003); Texas Tech University (J.D., 2005). Associate Editor, Texas Lawyer Alumni Magazine, 2004-2005. Extern to Federal Magistrate Judge Nancy Koenig, Summer, 2005. Member: State Bar of Texas; Smith County Bar Association; Smith County Young Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Probate; Banking Law; Business Law; Real Estate; Wills; Living Wills; Estate Planning.Email: Jonathan Michael "Jon" Rowan
Daniel A. Noteware, Jr. (Associate) born Sulphur Springs, Texas, February 11, 1980; admitted to bar, 2006, Texas; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.A., 2002); Baylor University School of Law (J.D., 2005). Delta Theta Phi (Treasurer, 2003; President, Baylor Chapter, 2004). Order of Barristers. Lecturer: "Dyin' Ain't Much of a Living: A Post-Reform Update on Medical Negligence Law," Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Fall Meeting and Conference, 2007. Member: Smith County Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; Smith County Young Lawyers Association (Board Member, 2007-2009). Practice Areas: Intellectual Property.Email: Daniel A. Noteware, Jr.
Jason D. Mazingo (Associate) born Brownsboro, Texas, July 15, 1980; admitted to bar, 2006, Texas. Education: Southern Methodist University (B.B.A., Financial Consulting, 2002; B.A., Economics, 2002); University of Alabama School of Law (J.D., 2006). Lead Articles Editor, Law and Psychology Review, 2005-2006. Member: Smith County Bar Association; State Bar of Texas, Smith County Young Lawyers Association. Practice Areas: Intellectual Property; Litigation.Email: Jason D. Mazingo