Nine Bell Nunnally Attorneys Named to 2020 "Texas Rising Stars" List

Nine Bell Nunnally attorneys – R. Heath Cheek; Andrew Dowdy; Perrin B. Fourmy; Kristopher D. Hill; Brent D. Hockaday; Scott R. Larson; Saba F. Syed; Brent A. Turman; and Ross A. Williams – have been named to the 2020 “Texas Rising Stars” list published by Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters publication and rating service.

“Texas Rising Stars” recognizes lawyers across more than 70 practice areas who are 40 years old or younger or in their first 10 years of practice. Inclusion is based on a highly selective process comprised of detailed and comprehensive peer nominations, evaluation and research – yielding only those who have both a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Just 2.5 percent of eligible lawyers in Texas are named to the list, set to be featured in the April issue of Texas Monthly.

Cheek is a partner in the firm’s Litigation group. He focuses on trials and disputes, representing Fortune 500 companies to start-up businesses and high-net-worth individuals in industries including private equity, financial services, energy and real estate. Cheek has served in various board or leadership positions for the Dallas Museum of Art, State Fair of Texas Development Team, Cotton Bowl Council, North Texas Super Bowl XLV Host Committee, Texas Tech Alumni Association, Republican Lawyers of Dallas and Christian Legal Society, among others. He is a graduate of Baylor Law School (J.D., 2006) and Texas Tech University (B.A., magna cum laude, 2003). This is his seventh consecutive selection to the “Texas Rising Stars” list.

Dowdy is a partner in Bell Nunnally’s Corporate and Securities, Mergers and Acquisitions and Tax practices, focusing on business formation and structures, contract drafting and negotiation, merger and acquisition transactions and federal tax issues. He assists clients in a broad range of general corporate matters, mergers and acquisitions and tax issues, including tax-efficient structures for corporate mergers, acquisitions and reorganizations and the formation and operation of tax-exempt organizations. Dowdy is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center (LL.M., Honors, 2010), Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2009) and the University of Texas at Austin (B.A., 2005). This is his second selection to the “Texas Rising Stars” list.

Fourmy is a senior associate in the firm’s Creditors’ Rights and Litigation group. He focuses his practice in civil litigation in areas such as debtor/creditor and consumer rights, construction, property disputes, oil and gas, contracts, premises liability, focusing on complex disputes in state and federal court throughout the country. Fourmy represents individuals, small and mid-sized businesses, and international Fortune 500 companies. Fourmy was a member of the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers 2017 Leadership Class and currently serves as a Vice-Chair of the Dallas Bar Association’s Law in Schools Committee. Fourmy is a graduate of Wake Forest University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2013) and North Carolina State University (B.A., 2002).

Hill is a partner and member of the firm’s Litigation and Labor, Employment and Benefits practices. He focuses on complex and high-stakes business disputes, trials and arbitrations matters involving non-compete, confidentiality and non-solicitation agreements; business divorces; fiduciary duties; trade secrets; oil and gas investments; and construction defects. Hill also advises both employers and employees regarding the terms of non-compete agreements and related departing employee issues. He is a graduate of Baylor Law School (J.D., 2008) and Texas Tech University (B.B.A., cum laude, 2005). This is Hill’s seventh consecutive appearance on the “Texas Rising Stars” list.

Hockaday is a senior associate in Bell Nunnally’s Litigation and Labor, Employment and Benefits practices. He represents, advises, and counsels businesses of all sizes in the legal aspects of their business, focusing on labor and employment and complex commercial issues. Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in labor and employment law, Hockaday represents employers and businesses in federal and state court, as well as arbitration and in matters before administrative agencies. He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 2012) and Baylor University (B.B.A., 2005). This is Hockaday’s second selection to the “Texas Rising Stars” list.

Larson is an associate and member of the firm’s Litigation; Bankruptcy and Financial Restructuring; Entertainment, Advertising and New Media; Supreme Court and Appellate; and Intellectual Property practices. He has experience steering cases through complex discovery and pretrial disposition in state and federal court, as well as representing creditors in promissory notes, guaranties, unpaid accounts and lien claims. Larson also regularly represents commercial landlords in tenant bankruptcies. He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2015) and Iowa State University (B.A., summa cum laude, 2012).

Syed is a senior associate and member of Bell Nunnally’s Litigation and Appellate sections. She represents clients in civil litigation matters across multiple industries, including real estate investment trusts, self-storage retailers, construction suppliers, construction subcontractors, interior construction designers, commercial landlords and event industry planners. Recipient of the “2019 Outstanding Minority Attorney Award” by the Dallas Bar Association, Syed is a graduate of Baylor Law School (J.D., cum laude, 2013) and the University of Texas at Austin (B.A., magna cum laude, 2009).

Turman is a senior associate in the firm’s Litigation and Entertainment, Advertising and New Media practices. His experience includes representing companies and individuals in business disputes, complex arbitration, defamation, and intellectual property litigation. He gives trial skills presentations to bar associations and law firms across the country. Turman’s entertainment law practice touches various industries, including film and television production, literary publishing and media development and distribution. He is a past chair of the Dallas Bar Association Entertainment, Art & Sports Law Section and currently serves as a board member for several non-profit organizations. Turman earned both his legal and undergraduate degrees from Southern Methodist University (J.D., cum laude, 2012; B.B.A. and B.A., cum laude, 2007). This is his fourth consecutive selection to the “Texas Rising Stars” list.

Williams is a partner in Bell Nunnally’s Commercial Litigation; Cryptocurrency; Labor, Employment and Benefits; Intellectual Property; and Advertising and New Media practices. He tackles complex disputes involving trade secrets, breach of contract, cryptocurrency and blockchain, non-competes and other restrictive covenants, unfair competition, business torts, real estate, and internet defamation. Williams has briefed appellate matters before Texas and Federal courts of appeal, the Supreme Court of Texas and the U.S. Supreme Court (twice at certiorari). A passionate Dallasite, in 2017, Williams served on Dallas’ first-ever Citizens Bond Task Force Economic Development and Housing Subcommittee, helping shape a billion-dollar ballot initiative to support key infrastructure projects. He was a city official, serving as District 14’s commissioner on the City of Dallas’s Community Development Commission from 2016 until February 2020. Williams is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law (J.D., with honors, 2008) and Tulane University (B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 2005). Recently named to the Dallas Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” list for 2020, this is his seventh consecutive year on the “Texas Rising Stars” list.



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