The Sidebar

February 2015

Shelby McCue (’78), former land and compensation manager for ExxonMobil affiliate Esso Highlands LTD, visited Texas Tech Law on February 23 as the fourth speaker in the Energy Law Lecture Series.

Read more…

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February 2015

Berry White

On October 8, 2003, Berry White’s 21-year-old sister Bobbie Lou Mae White was killed in a drug-related crime. Four years after her death and two years after he graduated from the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law, Berry—who received an undergraduate and two graduate degrees from Texas Tech University—established an endowed scholarship in her memory. Read more…

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February 2015

The Seventh Court of Appeals, which usually presides in Amarillo, heard four cases in the Hunt Courtroom on February 2. Three Texas Tech Law alumni argued before the court—Field Manning Stone Hawthorne & Aycock’s Anna McKim (’01), Seymore & Cook’s Joel Cook (’05), and Assistant Criminal District Attorney Lauren Murphree (’13).

Pictured: Lauren Murphree makes her case before Justices Hancock (’74), Campbell, and Pirtle (’77).

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February 2015

Walter and Anne Huffman Professor Jorge Ramírez received the Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Teaching Award during an awards ceremony on February 11. The award is among the most prestigious honors in the Texas Tech University System. Read more here.

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February 2015

Professor Brian Shannon explained why the insanity plea is a narrow defense in Texas courts to several national news outlets covering the “American Sniper” trial in Stephenville, Texas. Shannon was quoted in ABCNews.com and was featured in on-camera interviews with NBC Nightly News (minute mark 1:21) and Lubbock’s Fox 34. After the verdict was announced, he was quoted in The Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post cited an excerpt of his Texas Tech Law Review article.

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February 2015

3L Amber Beard and 2Ls Justin Nail, Tara Parker, and Clay Watkins finished as national semifinalists at the ABA Arbitration Competition in Chicago on January 22–24. The team was coached by Adjunct Professor Dick Baker, and Carly Castetter (’14) and Adjunct Professor Shery Kime-Goodwin (‘94) of the Federal Public Defender’s Office. Texas Tech Law teams have won four national championships at this competition over the past eight years.

A few weeks later, 2L Amy Jones and 3Ls Nicholl Garza and Shivani Rumalla were recognized with the best brief award at the Florida State Bar National Tax Moot Court Competition.

2Ls Samantha Jarvis and SaraNeil Stribling and 3Ls Jake Krominga and Wade Sparks finished the month on a high note with as finalists at the National Energy Law Negotiation Competition in Houston.

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February 2015

On February 9, law students heard sound leadership advice from Texas Tech University Head Coach Kliff Kingsbury during a Q&A session moderated by Professor Brian Shannon [pictured top]. A few days later, Chief Judge Carl E. Stewart of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit entertained a Q&A session moderated by Dean Darby Dickerson [pictured bottom].

Both lectures were sponsored by the Academy for Leadership in the Legal Profession.

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February 2015

Several Texas Tech Law faculty members presented helpful legal tips during New Judges Orientation, an event coordinated by the Texas Judicial Academy each year to familiarize newly-elected judges with conducting trials and other courtroom procedures. The Texas Judicial Academy is a 20-year collaboration between the Texas Association of Counties County Judges Education Committee and the Texas Tech University School of Law.

Dean Darby Dickerson delivered welcome remarks, Professor Dustin Benham discussed evidence, Professor DeLeith Duke Gossett (pictured) covered legal research, Brian Shannon presented on mental health issues, and Gerry Beyer offered his expertise on probate matters.

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February 2015

John H. Barr, Jr. joined the Houston office of international law firm King & Spalding as a partner in its intellectual property practice. Barr was previously partner and co-head of Bracewell & Guiliani’s intellectual property litigation practice.

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February 2015

J. Shane Brooks joined the Amarillo office of Sprouse Shrader Smith PLLC. He practices oil and gas, real estate, wealth planning and probate, banking and financial services, and agriculture and agribusiness law.

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February 2015

Joseph F. Coniglio was named managing shareholder of the Dallas office of international law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

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February 2015

Heidi Cox, General Counsel for the Gladney Center for Adoption, will be inducted into the Adoption Hall of Fame at the National Council for Adoption Annual Gala this November in Washington, D.C. Cox, who has served as the Gladney Center’s General Counsel for 25 years, has influenced adoption laws at the state, national, and international levels.

Pictured [left to right]: Gladney Center for Adoption President and Chief Executive Officer Frank Garrott, Heidi Cox, and Gladney Center for Adoption Board of Directors Chair Janette Hunter during a Gladney Center recognition ceremony to honor Cox’s 25 years of service.

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