Committees

Committees Covering Areas of Substantive Law

Substantive Committees

This committee monitors developments and issues relating to the formation and operation of partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability companies and corporations in Texas and directs the creation of annotated forms the Section provides relating to entities.

Committee Leadership

Cliff Ernst

McGinnis Lockridge

Frank Ruttenberg

Frank Ruttenberg

Haynes & Boone, LLP

This committee reviews case law, statutory law and legislation that affects the ability of plaintiffs and defendants to handle litigation or the ability of businesses to conduct operations in Texas.

Committee Leadership

Ryan Cunningham

Ryan Cunningham

Senior Associate

Troutman Pepper Locke, LLP

This committee organizes and drafts a substantive codification of the Texas business entities statutes.

Committee Leadership

Daryl B. Robertson

Daryl B. Robertson

Special Counsel

Hunton Andrews Kurth

Mission Statement. The Business Technology Committee of the Business Law Section of the State Bar of Texas keeps business lawyers up-to-date on the latest technology trends, such as blockchain, cryptocurrencies, AI technologies such as GPT, chatbots, and other technology trends. We provide practical guidance and solutions to increase efficiency and productivity, to help members of the Section be well-informed about technology's impact on their business transactional practice and clients. Our goal is to empower the Business Technology Committee members to stay ahead in this ever-changing digital landscape, while also advocating for favorable regulations that support a competitive business environment in Texas.

Committee Leadership

Matthew Prater

Corporate Counsel

Irene Kosturakis

VICE CHAIR

Irene Kosturakis

Area VP- Chief IP Counsel

BMC Software, Inc.

This committee monitors developments relating to the Uniform Commercial Code ("UCC").

Committee Leadership

Pat Huttenbach

Crain, Caton & James

This committee reviews law, legislation and opinion-practice literature affecting: (i) a lawyer's ability to render third-party opinions on business-related matters; and (ii) the scope and nature of those opinions. The Committee is currently working on a legal opinion report that will provide guidance on rendering third-party opinions under the Texas Business Organizations Code on corporate entities in Texas. An exposure draft of the report is expected to be completed in 2022.

Committee Leadership

Gail Merel

Special Counsel

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP

Frank Garcia

Norton Rose Fulbright

Cliff Ernst

McGinnis Lockridge

This committee is geared toward professionals who are involved with corporate mergers, acquisitions and divestitures.

Committee Leadership

Lindsey Reighard

Lindsey Reighard

McDermott, Will & Emory

Natasha Khan

VICE CHAIR

Natasha Khan

Partner

Baker Botts

This committee informs section members about state and federal laws that pertain to privacy, cybersecurity, and electronic commerce.

Committee Leadership

Al Harrison

Patent Attorney

Harrison Law Office, P.C.

Aaron Levine

The SBOT Business Law Section Securities Committee seeks to collegially improve the practice of securities law in Texas and to support the adoption of suitable securities laws in Texas.

Committee Leadership

George Lee

Ferguson Braswell

John Fahy

VICE CHAIR

John Fahy

Partner

Whitaker Chalk

Administrative Committees

This committee helps produce and publish Practical Business Law, our new digital collection of recent writing on business law topics as well as archives of the Texas Journal of Business Law.

Committee Leadership

Robin Phillips

Senior Counsel, Acquisitions & Divestitures

Shell Oil Company

The mission of this committee is to: Engage with rank and file members of the Section through surveys, focus groups and regional meetings; Determine what member benefits are most beneficial to members and work with the Content Initiatives, Website and CLE committees create those benefits; and Get the word out to members and potential members about the benefits and content available through membership.

Committee Leadership

This committee initiates or gathers and organizes all content initiatives of the Section. It produces and distributes the periodic newsletter for the Section and works closely with the Website committee to create new digital content. The committee also works with Membership Engagement to get the word out about Section content.

Committee Leadership

Irene Kosturakis

Irene Kosturakis

Chief Intellectual Property Counsel

BMC Software Corporation

Miles Indest

McGuire Woods, LLP

The mission of the website committee is to: Ensure good search experience, quick response time and member profile experience; Upload Section content and maintain website as the repository of all Section content; Send out updates to followers or members of committees or the membership at large; and Investigate, develop and implement new ways to provide digital content to members.

Committee Leadership

Carol Mattick

Carol Bavousett Mattick, PLLC

Ron Chichester

VICE CHAIR

Ron Chichester

Principal

Ronald L. Chichester, PC