Board Members 2010 - 2011

W. Clark Lea, Midland -- Chair
Clark Lea was appointed to the board in September, 2007. He graduated from the Baylor University School of Law with a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1990. He received a Master of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University in 1980. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Business and in German from Austin College in 1979. He served as vice-chairman of the Law Office Management Committee of the State Bar of Texas. Mr. Lea volunteers as president of Hospice of Midland, Inc. and as a board member of Hospice of Midland Endowment, Inc. He is a shareholder in Cotton, Bledsoe, Tighe & Dawson in Midland.

JoAl Cannon Sheridan, Austin -- Vice Chair
JoAl Sheridan, whose term began September 1, 2008, brings broad experience in the disciplinary system to BODA. Some of her many activities include being the youngest member ever elected to the State Bar Board of Directors in 1998, serving on the Supreme Court referral fee task force, serving on the district 2A grievance committee, and serving on the unauthorized practice of law committee. She graduated from the University of Texas with a B.A. and from Baylor Law School. She was a briefing attorney for the 14th Court of Appeals in Houston. She was named Baylor Law School Young Lawyer of the Year in 2004, recognized as a “Texas Rising Star” by Texas Monthly in 2004, and recognized as a “Texas Super Lawyer” by Texas Monthly four times. She now specializes in family law with Ausley, Algert, Robertson and Flores, L.L.P. in Austin.

Alice A. Brown, Houston
Alice A. Brown was appointed to the Board in February 2006 to fill an unexpired term and reappointed in the fall of 2006. She received her J.D. from the University of Houston College of Law in 1982, where she was a member of the Order of Barristers and a Justice on the Board of Advocates. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin in 1979. Ms. Brown has experience as a criminal defense attorney and as an Assistant District Attorney in the Harris County District Attorney's Office. She was a Trial Counsel for Union Pacific Railroad Company and previously served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Houston Law Center teaching Trial Advocacy. Currently, she works as Government Environmental Litigation Coordinator for Exxon Mobil Corporation where she supervises and manages environmental litigation brought by governmental agencies.

David A. Chaumette, Houston
David Chaumette, appointed in October 2008, is a partner with De la Rosa & Chaumette and has tried state and federal cases involving a wide range of matters including contractual disputes with oil and gas issues, securities, software licensing, and real estate disputes. He has a B.S.E. from Princeton, his M.S. from Stanford, and a J.D. from the University of Chicago. Among his many accolades are recognition as an Outstanding Young Texan, a “Texas Rising Star” three years in a row, and a “Texas Super Lawyer.” He has been president of the Houston Young Lawyers Association, Chair of the Houston Lawyer Foundation, and served on the boards of many not-for-profit organizations. Davis has authored and presented numerous articles on electronic discovery and other litigation-related issues. In addition, David is a member of the Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas, the American Law Institute, and the Litigation Counsel of America.

Jack R. Crews, Temple
Jack Crews was appointed to the board in September, 2009. He graduated from the Baylor University School of Law with a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1983. He received a Bachelor of Science from Sam Houston State University in 1979. He was named the Bell County Bar Association Lawyer of the Year in 2006. Mr. Crews served on the District 8C Grievance Committee of the State Bar of Texas. He is a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and is a member and past president of the Bell County Bar Association. He practices civil trial law as a shareholder of Baird, Crews, Schiller & Whitaker, P. C. in Temple, Texas.

Gary R. Gurwitz, McAllen
Gary Gurwitz was appointed to the board in September 2009. He graduated from the University of Texas School of Law with a Doctor of Jurisprudence, with honors, in 1959 where he was associate editor of the Texas Law Review. Following graduation, he joined Atlas & Hall, L.L.P. in McAllen and now serves as the managing partner. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin in 1958. As an alumnus of the University of Texas at Austin, he is a member of The Littlefield Society, the President's Associates, the Executive Committee of the Chancellor's Council, the Longhorn Foundation, and the University of Texas School of Law Dean's Council. In the past, he has served as a Director of the University of Texas School of Law Alumni Association and as a District Director for the University of Texas Ex-Students' Association Council. He was a member of the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors from 1984 until 1987. He served on the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct Committee for many years and was vice-chairman from 1996 until 2009. Mr. Gurwitz was named a Texas Super Lawyer for 2003 - 2009, Law & Politics/Texas Monthly magazines. He has been a trustee of South Texas College since 1993 and has served as the Chairman of the Board. He also is Vice-Chairman, University of Texas-Pan American School of Business Administration, Business Advisory Council and a member of the Board of Directors of Vannie E. Cook Jr. Cancer Foundation. He is the recipient of the American Heart Association, Upper Valley Division, Heart of Gold Award, 1993, the Muscular Dystrophy Association Humanitarian of the Year Award, 2004, the Hidalgo County Bar Association Lifetime Achievement Award, 2006, and the State of Israel Unity Award, 2007.

Marvin W. Jones, Amarillo
Marty Jones was appointed to the board in September, 2009. He graduated from Baylor University in 1973 and from Baylor University School of Law with honors in 1977 where he served as editor-chief of the Baylor Law Review. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and is board certified in Civil Trial Law by Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the College of the State Bar of Texas. Jones is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Texas Association of Defense Counsel, and the International Association of Defense Counsel. He has been recognized in Best Lawyers of America, and has been designated as a “Texas Super Lawyer” and as one of the top 50 lawyers in West Texas by Texas Monthly. He is a frequent speaker on technology and groundwater rights issues, and serves as General Counsel to the Texas Landowners Council. He is a shareholder in Sprouse Shrader Smith P.C. in Amarillo.

Kathy J. Owen, Dallas
Kathy Owen began her service on the Board in 2000 and served until August 31, 2006. During her first tenure on the Board, she served as vice chairman. She was reappointed in September 2008. She graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Juris Doctorate. In addition to Texas, she is licensed to practice law in Colorado, the District of Columbia, and all Texas federal courts. Ms. Owen was a member of the District 6A Grievance Committee of the State Bar of Texas from 1996 until 2000. She is a partner for the Dallas office of the international law firm of DLA Piper L.L.P. U.S. where she focuses her practice on complex litigation and electronic discovery. She serves as co-chairman of the firm’s Electronic Discovery Readiness and Response Group and is the pro bono coordinator for the Dallas office. Ms. Owen’s practice includes pharmaceutical, medical device, environmental, toxic tort, product liability, and premises liability litigation. Ms. Owen has been recognized twice as one of the Best Lawyers Under 40 in Dallas by D Magazine and twice as a Texas Rising Star named by Law and Politics Media, Inc. and published in Texas Monthly.

Deborah J. Race, Tyler
Deborah Race joined the board in September, 2007. She graduated from the Baylor College of Dentistry with a Bachelor of Science degree and from the University of Houston with a Juris Doctor degree. Following graduation, Ms. Race served as a briefing and research attorney for the Twelfth Court of Appeals in Tyler. She served as chairman of the District 2A grievance committee of the State Bar of Texas. She is board certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She has written and lectured on ethics and appellate law for the University of Texas, the State Bar of Texas and other associations. She is a member of the T. John Ward Chapter of the Inn of Courts. She is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Ms. Race volunteers as a board member of P.A.T.H. and served for many years on the board of The Hospice of East Texas. She currently serves as chairman of the Governance Committee for that organization. She is a partner in Ireland, Carroll & Kelley, P.C. of Tyler.

Ben Selman, Waco
Ben Selman began his service on the Board in 1995 and served until August 31, 2001. During his first tenure on the Board, he served as chairman and vice chairman. He was reappointed in September 2006. In the interim, he served as chairman of a District Disability Committee of the Board of Disciplinary Appeals, on the Commission for Lawyer Discipline of the State Bar of Texas from 2003 until 2006, and as the Commission’s vice chairman from 2004 until 2006. He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Baylor University School of Law in 1973. Mr. Selman has served as president of the Waco-McLennan County Bar Association. He also served on the District 8B Grievance Committee of the State Bar of Texas for nine years as member, chairman, and investigatory panel chairman, ending his service in 1995. He is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Family Law and is an adjunct professor of law at Baylor University School of Law. He is a member of the Texas Association of Defense Counsel and the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists. Mr. Selman has practiced law, primarily general litigation and family law litigation, in Waco and Temple for 32 years and is a shareholder in Naman, Howell, Smith & Lee, L.L.P.

Charles L. Smith, San Antonio
Charlie Smith was appointed to the Board on September 1, 2006. He graduated from St. Mary’s School of Law magna cum laude in 1955. He served as President of the State Bar of Texas from 1985-1986. He was a director of the State Bar of Texas from 1978 until 1987 and the Chairman of the Board of Directors from 1980-1981. He served as a member of the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct from 1988 until 1994 and as its chairman from 1990 until 1994. He also served as a member of the Commission for Lawyer Discipline of the State Bar of Texas from 1995 until 1998 and as its chairman from 1997-1998. He served on the local grievance committee between 1968 and 1974 and served as chairman for five years. He is a member of San Antonio Bar Association, serving as its president from 1976-1977. He is a member of the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys and served as its president from 1978-1979. He is of counsel at Jackson Walker in San Antonio.

Thomas J. Williams, Fort Worth
Tom Williams was appointed to the board in September, 2007. He is a 1973 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He received a J.D. with honors from the University of Texas Law School in 1975. He currently serves as the immediate past chair of the Tarrant County Bar Foundation Board of Directors, and is a vice-chair of the Media, Privacy and Defamation Law Committee of the Tort and Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association. He has been vice-president of the Tarrant County Bar Association, a member of the District 7A grievance committee of the State Bar of Texas and co-chairman of the State Bar of Texas Public Affairs Committee. The Tarrant County Bar Association recognized Mr. Williams with its Professionalism Award in 2006. He is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Mr. Williams volunteers as a member of the National Assembly of the American Cancer Society and is on the Board of Directors for its High Plains Division. He is a partner in the Fort Worth office of Haynes and Boone, LLP.