In the year of 2018, out of 1,444 complaints, BODA decided 34 cases resulting in final judgments of discipline or disability (2.3%). Financials show expenditure of $574k, so the net cost per case decided is $16,900.
Members 2017–2018
David N. Kitner, chair, is a partner in Clark Hill Strasburger in Dallas, Texas.
He also serves as his firm’s general counsel. He received a B.A. from Rice University and graduated with honors from the University of Texas School of Law in 1973 where he was a member of the Texas Law Review and a member of the Order of the Coif. He served on the District 6A grievance committee of the State Bar of Texas from 2003–2009. He has been a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers since 1999 and served as chair of its Texas State Committee from 2012–2014. He is a life fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and a senior life fellow of the Dallas Bar Foundation. He was appointed in September of 2012 and reappointed in 2015.
Ramon L. Echevarria II, vice chair, is counsel for the ExxonMobil Law Department, Environmental and Safety Section in Houston.
He joined the litigation section of ExxonMobil in 2000 and has represented the company regarding upstream environmental issues and related litigation cases as well as compliance litigation issues. Prior to joining ExxonMobil, Mr. Echevarria held the position of assistant district attorney for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and for the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office. Echevarria is a 1993 graduate of the Texas Tech University School of Law and a graduate of the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York. Mr. Echevarria was appointed in September 2012 and reappointed in 2015.
Robert A. Black was appointed to BODA in September 2013 and reappointed to a second term in 2016. He is managing shareholder of Mehaffy Weber, P.C., where he practices mediation, arbitration, and civil litigation.
He served as president of the State Bar of Texas from 2011‒2012, chair of its Board of Directors, and has served on many other committees and subcommittees. Black is a past president of the Jefferson County Bar Association. He is a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation (trustee) and a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Black earned a B.A. from the University of Texas at El Paso and a J.D. summa cum laude from Texas Tech University School of Law.
Jeanne C. “Cezy” Collins serves as general counsel of the El Paso Independent School District.
Ms. Collins is a former president of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations, Texas Women Lawyers, and the El Paso Women’s Bar Association, and a former State Bar of Texas director. In 2002–2003, she was voted Outstanding Lawyer of El Paso by the El Paso Young Lawyers Association. She received her B.A. from the University of Southern California in 1986 and her J.D. from the University of Arizona College of Law in 1991. She was appointed to BODA in 2013 and reappointed in 2016.
David M. González is a partner in Sumpter & González, L.L.P. in Austin.
He is board certified in criminal law and serves as an adjunct professor in the Trial Advocacy Program at the University of Texas School of Law. He sits on the board of directors of the Capital Area Private Defender Service, serves on the executive committee of the Lloyd Lochridge Inn of Court, and is legislative counsel to the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. He has served as a special prosecutor for Travis County, Kendall County, Panola County, and the city of Cibolo. He is a member of the disciplinary committee of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas and previously served on the District 9 grievance committee of the State Bar of Texas from 2012–2015. Mr. Gonzalez is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Stanford Law School. He was appointed to the Board in 2015 and was reappointed in 2018.
Wendy-Adele Humphrey is an Associate Professor of Law, the interim Associate Dean of Admissions, and the Associate Dean for Educational Effectiveness at the Texas Tech University School of Law.
She is also a director of the Texas Tech University Pre-Law Academy. Dean Humphrey served on the ACTL/TYLA National Trial Competition committee for 13 years and the TYLA Moot Court Competition committee for 10 years, and she is currently the chair of the national ABA Negotiation Competition committee. Dean Humphrey is a member of the TTU President’s Gender Equity Council, the president-elect of the Lubbock Area Bar Association, and the president of Law Focused Education, Inc. She also serves on the executive committee for the Legal Writing, Research, and Reasoning section of the AALS and is a co-chair for the Legal Writing Institute’s Pre-Law Outreach committee. Dean Humphrey has received numerous awards, including the TYLA President’s Award of Merit for five consecutive years and the university-wide Spencer A. Wells Creativity in Teaching Award. She earned her M.Ed. and J.D. from Texas Tech University. She was appointed to the Board in 2015 and resigned to serve on the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors effective May 31, 2018.
Roland K. Johnson was appointed to BODA in September 2013 and appointed to a second term in 2016, and is a shareholder in Harris, Finley & Bogle, P. C., Fort Worth.
He served as president of the State Bar of Texas from 2009–2010, president of the Tarrant County Bar Association, president of the Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court, and as chair of the State Bar Professionalism Committee. He is a sustaining life fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law. He is a member of the American Law Institute and the American Board of Trial Advocates, and is a fellow in the College of Commercial Arbitrators. He earned his undergraduate and J.D. degrees from Baylor University with honors.
Katherine A. Kinser is a partner in Kinser & Bates, LLP in Dallas.
She graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and from Southern Methodist University School of Law. She holds a board certification in family law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She is a fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, a lifetime member of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Foundation, a sustaining life member of the Texas Family Law Foundation and a life fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. She served as the president of the Texas Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers from 2017–2018. She is a member of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists and received its Sam Emison Award in 2014. She served as president of the Academy from 2002 until 2003. She was appointed to the Board in 2014 and was reappointed in 2017.
John J. “Mike” McKetta III is of counsel to Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody, P.C. in Austin, serving as president of the firm 1998–2008.
He graduated from Harvard University and the University of Texas School of Law with high honors and was a member of the Order of the Coif and Chancellors. He is an emeritus member of the Lloyd Lochridge Inn of Court and served as president 2013–2014. During 2014-17, he was the representative from the Fifth Circuit to the ABA Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary. He is a Life Member of the American Law Institute and has held numerous offices, currently serving as chair of the Investment Committee. He chaired the Advertising Review Committee of the State Bar of Texas 2010–2014 and served as a member of the Disciplinary Committee of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. He is a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and a fellow emeritus the American College of Trial Lawyers and of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He is a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and was the recipient of organization’s Ronald D. Secrest Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award in 2010. He was appointed to the Board in 2014 and was reappointed in 2017.
Mike Mills is a partner in Atlas, Hall & Rodriguez, L.L.P. in McAllen.
He received his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 1976, and is a member of Phi Delta Phi honorary legal fraternity. He is a fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers; advocate, American Board of Trial Advocates; president, Hidalgo County Bar Association, 1990‒1991; director, Hidalgo County Bar Association, 1988–1990; chairman, Hidalgo County Bar Association Pro Bono Project 1988–1995; State Bar of Texas District 15‐B grievance committee, 1989‒1995; vice chair, 1994-1995; director, Texas Association of Defense Counsel, 1994–1996; executive committee, University of Texas Law Alumni Association, 1995‒2000; director, University of Texas Law Alumni Association, 1992‒1995; Political Action Committee of the Texas Association of Defense Counsel, 2005‒present; Texas Rio Grande Valley Legal Aid Advisory Council, 2005‒present; member, American Bar Association. Mr. Mills was appointed in 2015 and was reappointed in 2018.
Deborah G. Pullum is the City Attorney for the City of Tyler, Texas.
She graduated from the College of William and Mary, Marshall‐Wythe School of Law in 1996 after receiving a Bachelor of Science with honors from Florida A&M University. She received merit certification in municipal law from the Texas City Attorneys Association and was formally an assistant district attorney of Smith County, Texas. She is a member of the Smith County Bar Association and served as president of the SCBA from 2016 to 2017. She is a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas. She served on the State Bar of Texas District 2 Grievance Committee from 2006 until 2012. She was appointed to the Board in 2014 and was reappointed in 2017.
George A. Taylor is principal of George A. Taylor, Attorney at Law in San Antonio.
He graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1974. Taylor is a former first assistant district attorney of Victoria, Texas and was a director of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Association for 2010–2016. He is also a member of the San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Association, serving as president from 2007 until 2008. He is a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. He was appointed in September 2012 and appointed to a second term in 2015.
SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON OF 2017 AND 2018 BODA STATISTICS
2017 ANNUAL REPORT DATA
During the past year, BODA
• Disposed of 1,400 matters
• Issued one written opinion
• Decided 36 cases resulting in final judgments of discipline or disability
• Met en banc for conferences and hearings quarterly in Austin
• Met by telephone conference 52 times for hearings in three member panels
• Reversed 151 grievances dismissals and returned for just cause investigation
BODA continues to keep its dockets current. All appeals from BODA decisions to the Supreme Court decided in 2016‒2017 were affirmed.
2018 ANNUAL REPORT DATA
During the past year, BODA
• Disposed of 1,444 matters
• Decided 34 cases resulting in final judgments of discipline or disability
• Met en banc for conferences and hearings quarterly in Austin
• Met by telephone conference 46 times for hearings in three member panels
• Reversed 134 grievances dismissals and returned for just cause investigation
• Kept all dockets current/summary dismissal appeals decided in 31 days or less
All appeals from BODA decisions to the Supreme Court decided in 2017-2018 were affirmed or dismissed for want of prosecution.
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