New Board Members Appointed & Outgoing Members Appreciated

On August 23, 2019, the Supreme Court of Texas appointed three new members to the Board: Jessica Z. Barger of Houston, Guy Choate of San Angelo,  and Joe Cleveland of Fort Worth. All terms begin September 1, 2019.  A copy of the Misc. Docket No. 19-9080 may be found here. 

Jessica Z. Barger of Houston is a partner in Wright Close & Barger, LLP. She is board certified in civil appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She graduated from South Texas College of Law in 2001 where she was on the law review as the notes and comments editor. In addition to being a Texas Super Lawyer in 2019, Ms. Barger has been named one of the Best Lawyers of America for Appellate law in 2017–2019 and one of the top 100 female lawyers in appellate law by the Texas Lawyer in 2019. She serves the Houston Bar Association as a member of the pro bono committee, a member of the council for HBA appellate section, as chair of the speakers committee for the HBA appellate section, and as chair of the outreach committee. She was appointed in 2019.

Guy Choate is a partner in Webb, Stokes & Sparks, L.L.P. in San Angelo and has been board certified in personal injury law since 1985. He graduated from the University of Houston Law Center where he was a member of the Order of the Barons Honor Society. Choate served on the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors and on its Executive Committee. He received a State Bar of Texas Presidential Citation in 2008 and the John Howie Spirit of Mentorship Award in 2007. He is a sustaining member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and served as president during the 2005 legislative session. He is a life fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, a sustaining member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and served as the president of the Texas American Board of Trial Advocates in 2016. He is a sustaining member of the American Association for Justice and a sustaining member of the Tom Green County Bar Association, having served as president from 1994–1995. Mr. Choate has been a Texas Super Lawyer since 2003. He was appointed to the Board in 2019.

Joseph F. Cleveland Jr. of Fort Worth is a partner in Brackett & Ellis, P.C. He graduated from Mississippi College School of Law with special distinction. He has practiced in the area of commercial and intellectual property litigation for over 20 years. He is board certified in civil trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He is fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and a fellow of the Tarrant County Bar Foundation and serves as its chair. Mr. Cleveland served as chair of the trade secrets committee of the Intellectual Property Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and received the Chair’s award in 2018 for outstanding service to the Section. Mr. Cleveland has been named a Texas Super Lawyer since 2005 and recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America for commercial litigation and intellectual property litigation since 2011. Mr. Cleveland was appointed in 2019.

Outgoing members Bob Black of Beaumont, Cezy Collins of El Paso, and  Roland Johnson of Fort Worth devoted six years of very hard work to the attorney grievance system. Words cannot express our sincere appreciation for their dedication.

Kathy Kinser of Dallas will serve the Board as chair and David M. González of Austin will serve as vice chair for 2019-2020.