Vanderbilt University Law School

Class of 1983

(Notes posted in the order they were received, with the newest posts on top.)

Emmett McAuliffe, has been appointed to the Missouri Arts Council by Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt. His appointment will run through 2011. "After many years of helping emerging artists on the ground level, I am pleased to be in a position now to shape overall arts policy in the state," McAuliffe said. The Council currently has a grants budget of almost $6 million annually and considers funding requests for arts-related projects, including the areas of music, film, dance, literature and fine arts. McAuliffe is an attorney with Spencer Fane Britt & Browne, and is active in the Arts & Entertainment field professionally and as a volunteer. In 2007, he was elected to the board of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) and elected president of the board of St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts (VLAA).

Bruce Rogers, a partner in the Birmingham law firm of Bainbridge, Mims, Rogers and Smith, was named Friend of the Law School. He was cited for his service in Cumberland's interview process and other programs, such as annual visits by the Alabama Supreme Court and Court of Appeals to the Samford campus for oral arguments.

Scott Gardner is running for his second term on the Sedalia School Board in Sedalia, MO. He is one of four candidates vying for three open seats on the board. The term is for three years.

Richard Riebeling has been named as the Director of Finance for Metropolitan Nashville.

Gail Vaughn Ashworth was named to the prestigious Honor Roll of the American Bar Associations Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section in August during the ABA annual meeting. She was nominated by the Law in Public Service Committee for performing extraordinary pro bono, public and/or bar service.

Stephen Pate has been named head of Fulbright & Jaworski's Insurance Litigation Practice Group. Stephen is a partner in Fulbright's Houston office and focuses his litigation practice on construction litigation, first-party insurance litigation, commercial coverage litigation, fraud, extracontractual and insurance litigation.

Michael H. Meares was appointed by Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen as Circuit Court Judge for Division II in the 5th Judicial District of Tennessee. Meares previously served as a practicing attorney and partner at the law firm Dungan & Meares. "Judge Meares is an experienced legal professional who will serve our State in the highest tradition of the court," Bredesen said. "He brings a reputation for fairness, wisdom and professionalism to his new post, and I want to thank him for his dedication to our state."

Meares began his legal career in 1983 as an associate at the law firm of Shutts & Bowen in Miami, Florida and moved in 1986 to the law firm of Meares, Morton, Meares & Ansley in Maryville, Tennessee. He entered public service in 1989, as the first public defender for the 5th Judicial District.

"I am pleased to have the opportunity to serve as Judge. I will work hard for all citizens and commit to being fair and following the law. We have a tradition of great Judges in Blount County and I am proud to have the opportunity to be counted among them."

Meares received the Distinguished Service Award in 1980 from the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and has worked closely over the past ten years with Legal Aid of East Tennessee, serving on the Board and acting as co-chair for the annual fundraising campaign in Blount County. He has demonstrated his belief in making the legal system accessible to all and represents many pro bono clients referred to him from both Legal Aid of East Tennessee and other members of his community. He attends Saint Andrews Episcopal Church and has served in several local organizations, including the United Way of Blount County, Blount County Adult Literacy, and the Community Action Agency. He was Chairman for the Blount County Democratic Party and has served as a board member for the Foothills Land Conservancy.

Mary Lou Fry was the featured speaker for the June downtown lunch of The Women's Energy Network (WEN) of Houston. She discussed "Managing Currents of Change in the Energy Market." ms. Fry is vice president and general counsel of Torch Energy Advisors, Inc.. She joined Torch Energy in 1992 as assistant general counsel; she became vice president and general counsel in 2003. She oversees all legal and land matters for Torch and its subsidiaries. Fry began her career with the Houston office of Mayer, Brown & Platt where she was a member of the Natural Resources, Finance and Real Estate practice groups. She was then with the exploration and production area of the Shell Oil Company legal department from 1990 until 1992 when she joined Torch.

Ron Rychlak, the Mississippi Defense Lawyers Association Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Mississippi School of Law, is being honored by the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. in recognition of his efforts in preventing a future Holocaust. Professor Rychlak has written several publications on the Holocaust and Nazism. He is being honored alongside several religious scholars from a variety of Christian and Jewish backgrounds who met last April for a two-day meeting in Nashville, Tenn. The group collectively wrote "the Nashville Declaration," a six-point statement of principles designed to minimize the risk of religious persecution in the future.

Dianne Ferrell Neal has been named to the board of the Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville, Tennessee. She has served on several other boards, including Habitat for Humanity, the Nashville Sports Council, the Tennessee State Museum Foundation, and the Metropolitan Arts Commission.

Dee Ann Weldon-Wilson began her one-year term as president of the International Trademark Association (INTA) on January 1, 2007. Ms. Weldon-Wilson, who serves as trademark counsel for Exxon Mobil Corporation, located in Irving, Texas, USA, succeeds 2006 President Paul Reidl. Prior to her election as president of the Association, she served INTA as an officer and member of INTA’s Board of Directors.

This year, Ms. Weldon-Wilson is committed to an increased emphasis on trademark protection issues in emerging markets, particularly in the BRIC countries -- Brazil, Russia, India and China. These four major economies, which are reshaping global commerce, represent nearly half of the world’s consumers.

“With offices in New York, Shanghai and Brussels, INTA continues to expand its international reach and influence,” says Ms. Weldon-Wilson. “Through its worldwide policy development and advocacy, and education and information services, INTA has the resources to offer brand owners in these important markets even more support in protecting their marks.”

Ms. Weldon-Wilson also intends to continue INTA’s emphasis on fighting counterfeiting. INTA will co-sponsor the Third Global Congress on Counterfeiting and Piracy and the Harper’s Bazaar Anticounterfeiting Summit 2007. The Association will also implement its own counterfeiting initiatives.

In addition to the above priorities, Ms. Weldon-Wilson is also focused on INTA’s future well beyond her term of office. She has established a Long Range Planning Group, which she will chair, that will examine how INTA might position itself for 15 to 20 years from now, to make sure INTA stays relevant and valuable to its members as the practice of trademark law continues to evolve.

C. Samuel Sutter was elected district attorney of Bristol County, Massachusetts. Samuel ousted 16-year incumbent Paul F. Walsh Jr., who boasted a campaign war chest 10 times that of Samuel's. Before opening a solo practice in Fall River, Samuel had worked under Paul Walsh for nine years as an assistant district attorney.

Lynne Townsend Albert was recently elected President of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations for 2006-2007. The National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations is a nationwide organization of women’s bar associations that represents 35,000 women lawyers. Lynne is the Immediate Past President of the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys. She resides in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with her husband, Scott, and twins, Josh and Cammie.

Barbara Bennett, a partner in Washington, D.C.-based Hogan & Hartson, has returned to Nashville after nearly a decade in the nation's capital, and she will continue in her role in the firm, operating from Nashville. Bennett's practice includes healthcare transactions, technology and life sciences. Her clients are scattered among several major cities and include healthcare informatics companies, health plans, biotechnology ventures, international standards-setting organizations and others. Hogan & Hartson has been identified as one of the 25 largest global law firms by revenue.

Bennett said in an interview with NashvillePost.com yesterday that Hogan & Hartson had accommodated her desire to relocate from the D.C. area, adding that "9/11" terrorist attacks on Washington and New York City had weighed heavily in her decision, along with Nashville's quality of life and the proximity of relatives. Husband Peter Miller, a computer scientist and entrepreneur, had not previously lived in Nashville. Prior to departing Nashville for Hogan & Hartson, Bennett was general counsel for Nashville-based TriPoint Health Group. Before joining TriPoint, Bennett served nine years as Vanderbilt University's associate general counsel. She is a former chair and co-chair, respectively, of the American Bar Association Health Law Section's business and transactional law committee and that section's mergers and acquisitions subcommittee.

Platte Moring recently wrote a book titled Honor First: A Citizen-Soldier in Afghanistan. Platte served as the Staff Judge Advocate of the Office of Military Cooperation-Afghanistan 2003-2004 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. In this capacity, he was the chief legal advisor to theater commander MG Eikenberry on Rule of Law Programs as part of Afghan Reconstruction. The book contains never before published stories on the search for Bin Laden, the detainment of Taliban prisoners, and the formation of the Afghan Constitution. The book also discusses how citizens at a time of war can do things as soldiers that they never thought possible. Platte currently lives in Allentown, PA.

Stephen Pate, a partner with Fulbright & Jaworski, has been elected as a vice president of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel at its annual meeting in Bermuda. Steve began his service on the FDCC's board of directors at the conclusion of the meeting. Composed of leading law firm and corporate legal practitioners, FDCC members are experienced attorneys who are actively engaged in the administration and defense of civil litigation throughout the world.

In addition to being named vice president, Steve was also honored at the meeting by a special "Above and Beyond" Award for his authorship of the 70th Anniversary History of the FDCC. Pate was appointed historian of the FDCC, a newly created position, as well. Fulbright has a long history in the FDCC.

Three Fulbright partners--John C. Williams, L.S. Carsey, and Dudley Oldham --have served the FDCC as Presidents. "I am pleased that through Steve's efforts, Fulbright is continuing its long-standing involvement in this important organization," said Oldham. "And I am delighted that Steve's ongoing efforts to the Federation are recognized at this significant level."

Kurt Gleeson was hired by New Homes Realty as the Managing Broker for its West Florida Region. New Homes Realty is based in Clearwater, Florida, and provides Buyer's Agent services for new and resale homes in 38 states with its network of over 400 licensed Real Estate Agents and Brokers. The high volume of New Homes Realty customers in the state has led the company to divide its Florida operations into three distinct regions. Kurt's region of responsibility will be Hillsborough County, Polk County, and the western coastal counties from Citrus south to Collier.

Kurt has over 23 years of experience in the real estate industry as a Broker and Attorney. He has worked in several Florida markets since 1999, including Naples, Sarasota, Tampa Bay, and Venice. Originally from Pittsburgh, Kurt holds an undergraduate degree in Economics from Washington & Jefferson College and a law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School.

Val Marks, New Homes President and Chief Executive Officer, says, "Kurt's extensive real estate experience and knowledge of the Tampa Bay/West Florida markets will be a great asset to us as we continue to grow our Florida markets. We are very excited that he has joined our team."

Henry Callaway recently received the Liberty Bell Award from the Mobile, Alabama Bar Association. The award honors a local citizen who "promotes a better understanding of the U.S. Constitution and encourages respect for the law and the courts, stimulates a deeper sense of individual responsibility, and fosters a better understanding and appreciation for the rule of law." Henry is a partner in the Hand Arendall law firm's Mobile office and practices in the areas of business litigation and bankruptcy.

Dianne Ferrell Neal and Vanderbilt Law School Professor Don Hall have been named to Tennessee's new independent state ethics commission. Hall and Neal are two of six members appointed the commission, which was created by an ethics reform bill signed into law by Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen earlier this year stemming from the Tennessee Waltz case, an FBI and TBI sting operation that led to the arrest of nine people, including five current or former state lawmakers, on bribery and corruption charges. After the Tennessee Waltz sting made headlines, many, including Gov. Bredesen, called on state legislators to impose tougher rules on lobbyists, reform campaign financing and establish an independent ethics commission with punitive power. Dianne is former counsel to Tennessee Gov. Ned McWherter.

Zan Blue's article, "What is your approach to stare decisis?", which focuses on the approach to filling vacancies on the Tennessee Supreme Court, was published in the April 2006 issue of the Nashville Bar Journal. Zan has practiced with Constangy Brooks & Smith in Nashville for 23 years, representing management in labor and employment matters.

Jerry Seidler is the Rabbi of Temple Sinai in Amherst, New York. His wife, Kathy Bress, '84, teaches seventh grade English at Clarence Middle School. "Both agree that life starts after the practice of law," writes Jerry.

Paul Atkins, one of five members of the Securities and Exchange Commission, was profiled in the February 13, 2006, edition of Investment News. Paul was appointed to the SEC in 2002, after an 18-year career that included eight years as a partner in the Washington offices of New York-based Coopers & Lybrand and its successor firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers. From 1993 to 1994, he served as counselor to SEC Chairman Arthur S. Levitt in Washington, and he worked for SEC Chairman Richard Breeden from 1990 to 1993. He began his career as law associate in Paris and New York with Davis Polk & Wardwell.

Barbara Bennett of the Washington D.C. firm Hogan & Hartson was featured in an April 10 Legal Times profile focusing on leading lawyers specializing in the life sicences. Legal Times identified Bennett as one of only eight leading life sciences lawyers in the Washington, D.C. area. View the Legal Times Article on www.hhlaw.com.

James R. "Jim" Browne has joined the Dallas office of Strasburger & Price as a partner in the tax, estate planning and employee benefits practice area. He has more than 20 years of experience advising clients on complex tax matters, specifically matters involving federal, state and foreign income tax, state and local sales/use and property taxes, and excise taxes. Before joining Strasburger, Jim was the senior vice president and general tax counsel at TXU Corp., the largest nonregulated retail electric provider in Texas. He also previously served as the senior vice president in the corporate tax group at a leading diversified consumer and commercial finance organization. A Certified Public Accountant, Jim also formerly held a partner position in a "Big 4" accounting firm and was partner at a prominent national law firm. He earned his undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Michigan.

Robert D. Hays Jr. became Chairman of King & Spalding on January 1, 2006. Bob started the firm's products liability practice in 1990.

Yaakov Har-Oz (fka Steven N. Harris) has been promoted to senior vice president and general counsel of Arotech Corporation (NasdaqNM: ARTX), a leading provider of defense and security products for the military, law enforcement and homeland security markets.

Marc Joseph is general counsel of Haggar Corp. in Dallas and was profiled in Texas Lawyer magazine on July 4, 2005.

Emmett McAuliffe is of counsel with Spencer Fane Britt & Browne in St. Louis. His practice focuses on intellectual property, with an emphasis on business transactions, entertainment and media law. He also is the host of a regular weekend radio call-in program on KMOX-AM. Before joining Spencer Fane, Emmett was with Thompson Coburn, another St. Louis law firm. He is an adjunct professor at the St. Louis University School of Law and a member of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

Do you have news you would like to share or just want to let everyone know what you are up to these days? Submit your class note online, e-mail Grace Renshaw or call 615-322-2606.

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