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Suzan E. Fenner, Chair Richardson, Texas
Suzan E. Fenner, Chair Richardson, Texas
Director since 1982
Suzan Fenner joined the TLIE Board in 1982 and has served in a variety of positions, including Chair of the Underwriting Committee and Retirement and Benefits Committee and now serves as Chair of the Board. From 1973-2008, Suzan practiced law with Gardere Wynne Sewell (now a part of Foley & Lardner, LLP) and Gardere’s predecessor firms, where she chaired the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice Group and served on the Partner’s Board as well having leadership positions on several other committees. During her years of private practice, Suzan was always actively involved in community and religious organizations. When she retired from private practice in 2008, she began volunteering her services on a full-time basis on the boards of a variety of nonprofit and charitable organizations. She currently serves on as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of High Adventure Treks for Dads and Daughters and Dads and Sons, and in several volunteer capacities for Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Dallas. Previously, she served on the Board of Trustees of the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Austin where she chaired the Strategic Planning Committee; she chaired the Board of Directors of Dallas Challenge, Inc., and the Board of Directors of Cathedral Gardens; and she chaired the Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Texas Tech Law School Foundation. In her free time, Suzan enjoys travel, especially to Australia where her daughter and family live, reading, being an amateur chef, and playing with the grandchildren.
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Larry W. Hicks, Vice Chair Temple, Texas
Larry W. Hicks, Vice Chair Temple, Texas
Director since 1987
Larry Hicks joined the TLIE Board of Directors in 1987. He practiced in El Paso for 40 years before retiring to part-time in Temple in 2023. Larry is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and sub-specializes in the defense of Medical Malpractice cases. He is licensed to practice law and handles cases in both Texas and New Mexico. Larry is a graduate of Texas Tech University and Texas Tech Law School. Larry has been listed as a Texas Super Lawyer every year since 2004, and was named one of the Top 50 Attorneys in the Central and West Texas Region in 2010. He serves as the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of TLIE. Larry is married to Georgia, and he is the father of five and the grandfather of 35! In his free time, Larry enjoys flying. He also designs and builds furniture.
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Billy C. Allen, III Houston, Texas
Billy C. Allen, III Houston, Texas
Director since 2012
Billy Allen joined the TLIE Board of Directors in 2012. He is a patent attorney in Houston. Before his legal career, Billy worked as an electrical engineer designing industrial control and power distribution systems. He received a B.S.E.E. from the University of Houston and a J.D. from the South Texas College of Law, where he was an Assistant Articles Editor for the South Texas Law Review. Billy is admitted to practice in Texas and before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Billy lives in northwest Houston with his wife and two sons. He is an active member of his church and frequently moonlights as a high performance driving instructor.
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Cynthia Benavides Weslaco, Texas
Cynthia Benavides Weslaco, Texas
Director since 2022.
Cindy Benavides joined the TLIE Board of Directors in 2022. Cindy obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree and MBA from Texas Tech in 2006. She was licensed by the State of Texas the same year. After spending a decade with a respected law firm, she opened Benavides Law Firm in the Rio Grande Valley. She has spent all of her legal career as a real estate, business, estate planning and probate lawyer: It is her goal to provide affordable, quality legal representation to her community. Her clients praise her professional dedication as a 5-star lawyer and the Hidalgo County Bar Association has named her Member of the Year and given her the Above and Beyond Award on different occasions. Cindy strongly believes in pro bono service, especially for families who adopt or need guardianships for children with special needs. She has served on various boards but at this time is focusing on her clients, TLIE and her young family. Cindy has been married to Alex Benavides for 14 years. They have two boys, A.J. (age 11) and Bo (age 10). While Cindy loves family time at home, she and her family enjoy South Padre Island, ski trips, the Astros or visiting a Major League Baseball Park together.
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Patricia D. Chamblin Beaumont, Texas
Patricia D. Chamblin Beaumont, Texas
Director since 2008
Patricia “Pat” Chamblin graduated from the University of Texas School Of Law. Pat practices with MehaffyWeber, which is located in Beaumont, Houston, and San Antonio. She focuses on alternative dispute resolution, healthcare law, and personal injury litigation.
Pat served as Chair of the Texas Professional Ethics Committee (2018-2021), Chair of the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct Committee (2010-2013), Chair of the District 3A Grievance Committee (2006-2008), Chair of the Texas Board of Legal Specialization Personal Injury Trial Advisory Committee (2005-2006), and as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Texas Bar Foundation (2010-2013). Pat also served as President of the Jefferson County Bar Association (2007-2008), President of the Jefferson County Bar Foundation (2007-2009), and President of the Michelle F. Mehaffy Inn of Court (2004-2006). Pat received a Presidential Citation (State Bar 2011), the John Hannah Jr. Award for Public Service (Bar Ass’n of the Eastern District of Texas 2010), the Texas Center Professionalism Award (Texas Center for Legal Ethics and the Jefferson County Bar Association 2010), the Michelle F. Mehaffy Pro Bono Award (JCBA 2004), and the Outstanding Young Lawyer Award (JCBA 1990). Pat has been active in her community and her church.
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Ben Davidson Lubbock, Texas
Ben Davidson Lubbock, Texas
Director since 2008
Ben Davidson joined the TLIE Board of Directors in 2008. He is a 1983 graduate of the University of Texas School of Law. He is a partner with McCleskey, Harriger, Brazill & Graf, L.L.P. Ben is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law and practices in the areas of healthcare and commercial litigation. He is actively involved with various civic organizations in Lubbock.
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Richard C. Hile Austin, Texas
Richard C. Hile Austin, Texas
Director since 2006
Richard “Dickie” Hile practices in Austin and is a graduate of Lamar University and Texas Tech School of Law. He previously served as Chair, Board of Directors, State Bar of Texas (“SBOT”) (1990-91); Chair, SBOT Tort & Compensation Section (1982-83); Chair, SBOT Advertising Review Committee (1995-96); Chair, SBOT Referral Fee Task Force (2004); and Chair, SBOT Task Force on Additional Resources for Complex Cases (2011). Dickie also served as President of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Austin Chapter (1995-97) and Tex-ABOTA (1998-99). He is a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyer and International Society of Barristers and has been listed in Best Lawyers in America and Texas Monthly’s Super Lawyers. Dickie also received the SBOT Presidents’ Award (2004), the Lola Wright Foundation Award: Outstanding Public Service in the Enhancement of Legal Ethics in Texas (2006) and the Don Bowen Distinguished Service Award, Texas Trial Lawyers Association (2007).
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Henry A. Kelly Albuquerque, New Mexico
Henry A. Kelly Albuquerque, New Mexico
Director since 1989
Hank Kelly joined the TLIE Board in 1989 after serving for several years as an advisory board member. A graduate of the University of Texas Law School, he has been a member of the State Bar of Texas since 1968. Hank began his career as law clerk to Judge Charles Fahy on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Since 1971 from his offices in Albuquerque, NM, Hank represented a wide range of businesses and their owners in corporate governance, tax and succession planning, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate advisement, with emphasis in helping closely held business owners in times of transition and conflict. Hank has served on New Mexico Supreme Court and American Bar Association commissions and committees related to lawyer professional liability, professionalism, legal ethics and professional discipline. In 2012, Hank was awarded the New Mexico State Bar’s highest honor: the Justice Pamela B. Minzner Professionalism Award.
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John H. Lovell Amarillo, Texas
John H. Lovell Amarillo, Texas
Director since 2009
John Lovell joined the TLIE Board of Directors in 2009. He practices in Amarillo with the law firm of Lovell, Lovell, Isern & Farabough LLP, in the areas of Business, Energy, and Commercial Law. Prior to attending Baylor Law School, John utilized his agronomy degree from Texas Tech University as a rancher near Clarendon, Texas. John is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Specialization. He is “AV” rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been named as a Texas Super Lawyer since 2005. John still uses that agriculture degree some in raising mules.
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Aida Montanaro Brownsville, Texas
Aida Montanaro Brownsville, Texas
Director since 2022.
Aida Montanaro joined the TLIE Board of Directors in 2022. Aida has a solo practice in Cameron County as a trial attorney in family law, ranging from custody battles, divorces, adoptions, and CPS matters to more complex issues involving registration of foreign orders, writs of attachment, and UCCJEA issues. Aida holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at Austin in Communication Studies – Political Communication, Master’s Degree in International Relations – Security Policy, and a Law Degree from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. As a former domestic violence unit prosecutor, Aida has a heavy caseload involving victims of crime, particularly those involving marginalized communities. She has served as Board President of Friendship of Women, a non-profit shelter for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and has previously served as a Board Member of the Cameron County Child Advocacy Center, prior President of the Cameron County Women’s Law Section, Board Member of Maggie and Monica’s House and Board Member for the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce. On her free time, Aida enjoys book clubs, traveling, and being a dog mom.
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Carrie Johnson Phaneuf Dallas, Texas
Carrie Johnson Phaneuf Dallas, Texas
Director since 2008
Carrie Phaneuf joined the TLIE Board of Directors in 2008. She practices in Dallas with the firm Cobb Martinez Woodward PLLC. Carrie graduated from the SMU Dedman School of Law in 1998, Cum Laude and Order of the Coif. Her law practice is devoted to professional liability defense and attorney grievance defense. She regularly represents Texas attorneys in grievance proceedings filed against them with the State Bar of Texas. Carrie also provides risk management consulting to her law firm clients. She also regularly speaks on issues regarding attorney malpractice and grievance avoidance. Carrie twice has been recognized as one of the top 50 women attorneys in Texas by Thomson Reuters in 2019 and 2020. She has also been named to “D” Magazine Best Lawyers in Dallas in 2014, 2016-2022; Texas Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2013-2021; and “The Best Lawyers in America” by BL Rankings in Professional Malpractice Law-Defendants, 2021. Carrie is also an advisory board member of both the Perot Museum in Dallas and the University of Texas College of Liberal Arts, and is a member of the Hockaday Alumnae Association. Carrie has been married for 24 years to her husband, Marshall, and they have two girls ages 17 and 19.
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Harry G. Potter, III Houston, Texas
Harry G. Potter, III Houston, Texas
Director since 2013
Harry Potter currently practices with The Potter Law Firm, PLLC. and has been on the TLIE Board since 2013. He is a 1987 graduate of the University of Texas School of Law where he was later a Visiting Professor. Harry has worked in both public and private capacities, including ten successful years with the Texas Attorney General’s office where he was a prominent member of the State of Texas’ litigation team against the tobacco industry. He is a member of the Texas Professional Ethics Committee, and former chairman of the District 9A Grievance Committee in Travis County. In his spare time, Harry enjoys running, cycling, travel and fine cuisine.
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Jaclyn Roberson San Antonio, Texas
Jaclyn Roberson San Antonio, Texas
Director since 2022.
Jaclyn Roberson is a San Antonio native and graduate of The University of Texas at Austin and Tulane Law School. Licensed since 2003, she practices family law, probate, and estate planning for Roberson Duran Law, PLLC, where she is a senior partner.
A former president of the San Antonio Texas Exes, Jaclyn is the former chair of the Family Law Section of the San Antonio Bar Association, the chair of the Bexar County Dispute Resolution Center Advisory Board and a council member of the African-American Lawyers Section of the State Bar of Texas. Jaclyn has been voted one of San Antonio’s top attorneys by Scene in SA Magazine and San Antonio Magazine. When she is not practicing law, Jaclyn enjoys adventures with her husband, Leon Collins, a mediator and published author.
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Julie C. Stern Canton, Texas
Julie C. Stern Canton, Texas
Director since 2013
Julie Stern joined the TLIE Board of Directors in 2013. She has a solo practice in Canton focusing on the areas of estate planning, elder law, probate, banking and corporate law. A graduate of Texas A&M University and SMU School of Law, Julie has served as an officer of the Van Zandt County Bar Association and is on the Board of Directors for the First State Bank of Ben Wheeler. Julie is a certified mediator and is passionate about providing quality legal care for the small town in which she practices. She enjoys serving her community through her church, The Bridge Fellowship at Martin’s Mill, and by serving on the Canton ISD School Board.