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

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

PROSPER ISD PARENTS QUESTION DISTRICT RESPONSE TO BUS DRIVER ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING STUDENTS

McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans Announces Stephanie M. Almeter as Managing Partner of Dallas Headquarters

McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans is proud to announce the promotion of Stephanie M. Almeter to Managing Partner of the firm’s Dallas headquarters, marking a significant milestone in the firm’s continued growth and commitment to operational excellence. In her new role, Almeter will oversee the day-to-day operations

McCATHERN, SHOKOUHI, EVANS SECURES $13 MILLION CIVIL RIGHTS VERDICT AGAINST CITY OF HOUSTON IN DEATH OF CHARLES PAYNE, SR.

HOUSTON, TEXAS — November 25, 2025 — A federal jury in the Southern District of Texas has delivered a sweeping $13 million verdict in favor of the family of Charles Payne Sr., finding the City of Houston liable for Payne’s death after a Houston Police

McCATHERN, SHOKOUHI, EVANS NAMED A 2025 SMU COX DALLAS 100™ FASTEST-GROWING COMPANY

Pictured L to R: Partners Brett M. Chisum, Stephanie M. Almeter, Levi G. McCathern II, Arnold Shokouhi, Jennifer L. Falk, Laura Roach McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans is proud to announce that the firm has been recognized as one of the SMU Cox Dallas 100™ Fastest-Growing Companies

McCATHERN, SHOKOUHI, EVANS HONORED IN 2026 BEST LAW FIRMS® RANKINGS

We are proud to announce that McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans has received distinguished rankings in the 2026 edition of Best Law Firms®, reflecting our ongoing dedication to excellence and our mission of Improving People’s Lives. Regional Tier 1 – Dallas/Fort Worth Family Law Family Law Mediation

DANIEL K. HAGOOD FEATURED IN WFAA STORY ON COLLAPSED FEDERAL HEALTH CARE FRAUD CASE

DALLAS, TEXAS — October 2025 — McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans Partner and Chairman of the firm’s White Collar & Government Investigations practice, Daniel K. Hagood, was featured this week in a WFAA Dallas news story after a major federal health care fraud case in Dallas collapsed

McCATHERN, SHOKOUHI, EVANS SECURES $1.71 MILLION JURY VERDICT IN HOUSTON FRAUD CASE

HOUSTON, TEXAS — McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans is proud to announce that Partners Rodney Drinnon and David Clark obtained a $1.71 million jury verdict in favor of their client following an eight-day trial in the 295th District Court of Harris County, Texas. The case involved a

PARTNER JIM SHERRY ARGUES BEFORE THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT

It is an exceptional honor to appear before the Texas Supreme Court, and on October 8th, McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans Partner Jim Sherry had that privilege. Representing both his client and our firm with distinction, Jim argued before the highest court in Texas — a milestone

DALLAS-BASED ATTORNEY KEVIN KOUDELKA AND HIS LAW FIRM MERGE WITH MCCATHERN, SHOKOUHI, EVANS

Dallas, TX – 10/1/25 – McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans (McCathern PLLC) is proud to announce a merger that brings attorney Kevin Koudelka and his law firm into the firm’s expanding practice. Koudelka is a veteran trial lawyer whose work spans complex construction litigation, catastrophic personal injury,

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

February 18, 2026 | By Chelsey Watts

PROSPER ISD PARENTS QUESTION DISTRICT RESPONSE TO BUS DRIVER ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING STUDENTS

December 15, 2025 | By McCathern Law

McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans Announces Stephanie M. Almeter as Managing Partner of Dallas Headquarters

December 5, 2025 | By McCathern Law

McCATHERN, SHOKOUHI, EVANS SECURES $13 MILLION CIVIL RIGHTS VERDICT AGAINST CITY OF HOUSTON IN DEATH OF CHARLES PAYNE, SR.

November 25, 2025 | By McCathern Law

McCATHERN, SHOKOUHI, EVANS NAMED A 2025 SMU COX DALLAS 100™ FASTEST-GROWING COMPANY

November 21, 2025 | By McCathern Law

McCATHERN, SHOKOUHI, EVANS HONORED IN 2026 BEST LAW FIRMS® RANKINGS

November 7, 2025 | By McCathern Law

DANIEL K. HAGOOD FEATURED IN WFAA STORY ON COLLAPSED FEDERAL HEALTH CARE FRAUD CASE

November 5, 2025 | By McCathern Law

McCATHERN, SHOKOUHI, EVANS SECURES $1.71 MILLION JURY VERDICT IN HOUSTON FRAUD CASE

October 16, 2025 | By McCathern Law

PROSPER ISD PARENTS QUESTION DISTRICT RESPONSE TO BUS DRIVER ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING STUDENTS

December 15, 2025

Author: Rebecca Lopez with WFAA Watch the interview here. PROSPER, Texas — Parents of two young girls who say they were repeatedly sexually assaulted by a Prosper ISD school bus driver are speaking out about what they describe as serious failures by the district — including delayed notification to families and promised safety changes they say were never fully implemented. The parents asked that they not be identified to protect their children, who were just elementary school age at the time of the abuse. In a lawsuit filed in 2023, the girls — identified only as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2 — allege former bus driver Frank Paniagua assaulted them repeatedly during the 2021–2022 school year. According to the lawsuit, Paniagua would wait until other students exited the bus, then assault the girls, sometimes holding one child back so he could take her to the rear of the bus. Attorneys say the abuse occurred over several months and was captured on bus surveillance video. How the abuse was discovered The girls’ mother said the abuse came to light after their grandmother noticed troubling comments about gift cards offered by the bus driver. When the mother later questioned the girls again, they disclosed what had been happening. Prosper ISD police reviewed surveillance video from the bus in May 2022. Paniagua was arrested two days later and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14, and indecency with a child. Paniagua later died after jumping from the second floor of the Collin County Jail while awaiting trial. Concerns about delayed notifications Attorneys for the family say more than 100 days passed after Paniagua’s arrest before Prosper ISD publicly acknowledged the allegations — a delay parents say may have prevented other potential victims from being identified. At a packed school board meeting, Prosper ISD parent Morgan Grahovec, a child psychologist whose daughter attended the same school as the victims, told trustees that delays in notifying parents can have serious consequences. “Children who are victims of abuse need to be identified and interviewed as soon as possible because memory fades over time,” Grahovec said. “The longer you wait, it’s harder to get a child to report abuse accurately.” Parents at those meetings called for Superintendent Holly Ferguson’s resignation, arguing district leaders should have acted sooner and communicated more transparently. Ferguson did not step down, instead promising changes to safety protocols. District response and former statement In an earlier written statement to WFAA, Prosper ISD said it took appropriate action once allegations surfaced: “We are horrified that an employee violated the trust of our families and students, as Prosper ISD’s foremost priority is to protect our students’ safety and well-being at all times. We strongly condemn the actions of any adult who would cause mental or physical harm to a child, and we do not tolerate such behavior.” The district has declined additional comment, citing pending litigation. Disputed claims about safety changes Prosper ISD previously told parents it would implement additional safeguards, including increased supervision during bus drop-offs, a volunteer “bus buddy” program, and improved monitoring of bus surveillance video. But the parents and their attorneys say those changes were not consistently put in place. Attorney Levi McCathern says the district does not regularly review bus surveillance footage — even though video captured the alleged abuse in this case. “You would think the first thing you would do after this happens is change your monitoring program,” McCathern said. “They don’t monitor them at all.” McCathern and co-counsel Kristin Hecker say the lawsuit is aimed at forcing policy changes rather than seeking financial gain. Questions about oversight and leadership The case has also raised broader concerns about district leadership and oversight. Prosper ISD’s school board president later resigned in an unrelated child abuse case, further shaking confidence among some parents. Families have also questioned the independence of the district’s internal review, noting that the law firm hired to investigate the district’s response is also defending Prosper ISD in the lawsuit. “All we want is an independent investigation,” McCathern said. Parents push for accountability and change The parents say their children remain enrolled in Prosper ISD, but they continue to press for reforms they believe could prevent similar abuse. “We want justice for our kids,” the girls’ mother said. “But we also want changes to happen at the district so that this doesn’t happen to other children.”

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

PROSPER ISD PARENTS QUESTION DISTRICT RESPONSE TO BUS DRIVER ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING STUDENTS

McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans Announces Stephanie M. Almeter as Managing Partner of Dallas Headquarters

McCATHERN, SHOKOUHI, EVANS SECURES $13 MILLION CIVIL RIGHTS VERDICT AGAINST CITY OF HOUSTON IN DEATH OF CHARLES PAYNE, SR.

McCATHERN, SHOKOUHI, EVANS NAMED A 2025 SMU COX DALLAS 100™ FASTEST-GROWING COMPANY

McCATHERN, SHOKOUHI, EVANS HONORED IN 2026 BEST LAW FIRMS® RANKINGS

DANIEL K. HAGOOD FEATURED IN WFAA STORY ON COLLAPSED FEDERAL HEALTH CARE FRAUD CASE

McCATHERN, SHOKOUHI, EVANS SECURES $1.71 MILLION JURY VERDICT IN HOUSTON FRAUD CASE

PARTNER JIM SHERRY ARGUES BEFORE THE TEXAS SUPREME COURT

DALLAS-BASED ATTORNEY KEVIN KOUDELKA AND HIS LAW FIRM MERGE WITH MCCATHERN, SHOKOUHI, EVANS

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