Firm Updates Archives - Page 10 of 11 -

McCathern Legal Secretary Fights Cancer and Wins Bachelor Degree

McCathern is proud to congratulate one of our legal secretaries, Tami Blake-Choice, on receiving her Bachelor of Science in Business/ Human Resource Management from the University of Phoenix. Tami first received her Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Arts while working full time, raising her son as a single parent, receiving no financial aid, and battling breast cancer. Tami […]

McCathern to Sponsor West Coast Casualty’s 2015 Construction Defect Seminar

McCathern is pleased to support West Coast Casualty’s 2015 Construction Defect Seminar as a contributing sponsor Los Angeles, CA – McCathern is pleased to announce its gold sponsorship of West Coast Casualty’s 2015 Construction Defect Seminar. This is the 22nd anniversary of the seminar, which will be held May 14-15, 2015 at the Disneyland Hotel […]

McCathern is Proud to be a Platinum Level Sponsor of Judge Phyllis Lister Brown’s Campaign

We snapped this photo at last night’s campaign reception for Judge Phyllis Lister Brown, 162nd Civil District Court. McCathern was thrilled to be a Platinum sponsor and we had a great time showing our support!

The No-Comfort Zone

McCathern business lawyer Jesse Hoffman likes to tackle questions that haven’t already been answered. PUBLISHED IN: 2015 TEXAS RISING STARS — APRIL 2015 – By: Beth Taylor Q: You went to the state AG’s Office straight from law school. Any surprises? A: Everything. Law school teaches you a lot about how to think like a […]

Dallas-based Law Firm McCathern, PLLC Celebrates One Year Anniversary of Opening Los Angeles Office

McCathern Los Angeles opened last spring to strengthen the firm’s influence in California and its relationship with clients across the nation. Litigation attorneys and staff celebrated this milestone and look forward to continued success. Law firm McCathern, PLLC is thrilled to celebrate the one-year anniversary of opening its Los Angeles, California location, which opened last spring upon […]

McCathern Supports the 2015 One Mission Buzz Off for Kids with Cancer for the Second Year in a Row

McCathern, PLLC will participate in the One Mission Buzz Off for Kids with Cancer and make a BALD statement against pediatric cancer. On Sunday, April 26, Matthew S. Muckleroy, Ramez F. Shamieh, and Daleroy Stewart of McCathern, PLLC will make a BALD statement against pediatric cancer by participating in the One Mission Buzz Off for […]

Improving People’s Lives: A Growing Year

The year of 2014 was an exciting one for McCathern, PLLC with expansions and growth geographically, internally, and personally, including: a new location, new section, new Partners, and giving back to our communities. On March 17th we were proud to announce the opening of a new office in Los Angeles, California. The merge with Los Angeles-based law […]

McCathern Promotes Dallas Attorneys Joseph Sampson and Ty Sheaks to Partners

McCathern, PLLC is pleased to announce that attorneys Joseph E. Sampson and Ty M. Sheaks have been named Partners of the firm. Both attorneys are experienced litigators who have worked to achieve the best possible results for each client, and their promotions strengthen McCathern’s practice as leaders in civil and business litigation cases. What Does […]

Thank You for Your Support for One Mission’s Kid’s Cancer Buzz-Off

This past Sunday three of McCathern’s very own attorneys participated in One Mission’s Kid’s Cancer Buzz-Off. Joey Sampson, Arnold Shokouhi, and Greg Kline (pictured from left to right) shaved their heads along with 208 other people at AT&T Stadium to support children battling cancer. See the before and after pictures below – our attorneys are […]

Three McCathern Attorneys Invited to Join the CLM

McCathern is pleased to announce that Carl Evans, Jeff Wright, and Ty Sheaks have been invited to join the prestigious Claims and Litigation Management Alliance. The CLM is a nonpartisan alliance comprised of thousands of insurance companies, corporations, Corporate Counsel, Litigation and Risk Managers, claims professionals, and attorneys. Through education and collaboration, the organization’s goals are […]

Standing on Their Shoulders: Black Legal Pioneers and Our Responsibility Today

February 18, 2026

Author: Attorney Chelsey L. Watts Black History Month is more than reflection; it is recognition of the legal architects who reshaped our Constitution, our courts, and our profession. For Black attorneys in particular, the law has represented more than a career, it has been a vehicle for structural change, civic participation, and the pursuit of equality under the Constitution. I still remember the first time I walked into a courtroom as a young attorney. I paused for a moment before taking my seat at the counsel table. I thought about how, not long ago, someone who looked like me would not have been permitted in that room, except perhaps as a defendant. That realization was both humbling and motivating. Among the most influential was Thurgood Marshall, whose litigation strategy dismantled legalized segregation and culminated in his appointment as the first Black Justice of the United States Supreme Court. His work, including his role in Brown v. Board of Education, reshaped constitutional law and redefined equal protection for generations. As a graduate of the law school named for Thurgood Marshall, I felt a profound sense of history, and the weight of that legacy was never lost on me. Each time I entered the law library to study, I was reminded that I was walking in the footsteps of a jurist whose work reshaped the Constitution. Before Marshall, trailblazers like Charlotte E. Ray broke both racial and gender barriers when she became the first Black woman admitted to the bar in the United States in 1872. Equally foundational was Charles Hamilton Houston, often referred to as “The Man Who Killed Jim Crow.” As a legal strategist and educator, Houston trained a generation of civil rights lawyers and engineered the constitutional framework that would later dismantle segregation. His belief that the law could be used as an instrument of social engineering continues to influence modern advocacy. Before becoming the 44th President of the United States, President Barack Obama was a constitutional law scholar and civil rights attorney. His legal training deeply influenced his approach to governance, policy, and judicial appointments. The career of Vice President Kamala Harris, a former prosecutor and state attorney general, reflects the expanding presence of Black women in positions historically closed to them within the legal and executive branches. For me, entering the legal profession was driven by a belief that the law is one of the most powerful tools for shaping opportunity. I was drawn to the discipline not only because of its intellectual rigor, but because of its capacity to shape outcomes that affect families, businesses, and communities. Over the course of my career, I have worked to build not only a record of professional accomplishment but also a platform for leadership and mentorship beyond the firm. My commitment to leadership is not about individual advancement, but about stewardship. This belief in stewardship extends to my work with the JL Turner Legal Association, a historical organization dedicated to advancing Black attorneys and strengthening professional development across the Dallas metroplex. The JL Turner Legal Association serves as both a professional network and a platform for service. Through continuing legal education initiatives, mentorship programming, and community outreach efforts, the organization seeks to strengthen the pipeline of diverse legal talent while supporting attorneys at every stage of their careers. As the current President-Elect of this Association, I am reminded that institutional progress requires both vision and action. The gains secured by Marshall, Ray, and Houston were not abstract ideals; they were the result of strategic litigation, disciplined scholarship, and courageous leadership. Our work today builds upon that same foundation. To honor the legacy of Black legal pioneers is to pursue excellence in our craft. It is to mentor intentionally. It is to advocate ethically. It is to lead with integrity. And it is to ensure that the profession continues to evolve toward greater inclusion and equity. Standing on the shoulders of those who came before us, we are called not only to remember but to build. When I stood in that courtroom years ago, I felt the weight of history. Today, I feel the responsibility of leadership. Black History Month reminds us that representation in law is not symbolic, it is structural. It shapes who is mentored, who is heard, and how justice is delivered. The pioneers opened the doors. It is our responsibility to keep them open, and to widen them for those coming behind us.

Category: Firm Updates