(DALLAS and HOUSTON) Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. (Munsch Hardt) today announced seven promotions – one to equity shareholder and six to shareholder – spanning two offices and multiple practice groups.

“These seven attorneys have consistently provided outstanding service and guidance to our clients,” said Phil Appenzeller, CEO of Munsch Hardt. “Through their energy, dedication, and conscientious work, they have proven themselves to be worthy additions to the shareholder level, and we look forward to many more years of their contributions to the firm.”

The Firm’s Newest Equity Shareholder:

• Robert N. Hancock, Jr. (Houston) is a member of the Firm’s Construction and Commercial Litigation practices and serves as Co-Chair of the Firm’s Construction practice group. He represents owners, general contractors, subcontractors, sureties and suppliers in matters related to construction. Hancock assists clients with matters such as construction defect and contract disputes, arbitration, mediation, contract drafting and negotiations, insurance coverage matters, development projects, strategic planning and general commercial litigation. Hancock also represents clients in aviation disputes. Active within the industry, Hancock is a past board member of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Houston and sits on the State Legislative Drafting and Review Committee for the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Texas. He has been named Woodward/White, Inc. “Best Lawyers in America”, Texas’ Best Lawyers for Litigation – Construction (2020-2022).

The Firm’s Newest Shareholders:

• Huma Ali (Houston) is a member of the Firm’s Commercial Litigation practice, where she primarily focuses on resolving complex commercial litigation and appellate matters within the energy, banking and financial services, health care, transportation, manufacturing and real estate industries. Ali’s significant experience in civil trial law, appellate and arbitration matters allows her to guide clients through every stage of the trial and appellate process, as well as the arbitration process, in both state and federal courts. She has been named Woodward/White, Inc. “Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch” for both Commercial Litigation (2022) and Energy Law (2022). Active in her community, Ali currently serves as an active Committee Member of the Firm’s Women’s Initiative Group and was selected to be a member of the Institute for Energy Law’s 2021-2022 Leadership Class.
• William Zac Duffy (Dallas) is a member of the Firm’s Commercial Litigation and Intellectual Property practice groups. He represents companies in litigation involving software and intellectual property, including copyrights, patents, trademarks and trade secrets, and assists with the negotiation of licensing agreements and the development and management of copyright and trademark portfolios. Duffy also provides counsel on data privacy and cyber security law issues, including data breach and cyber security incidents, as well as compliance with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). He has been named Thomson Reuters – Texas Rising Stars (2011-2018).
• Jacklyn M. Dyer (Dallas) is a member of the Firm’s Real Estate practice, where she primarily focuses on representing clients in real estate developments, acquisitions and dispositions for multifamily, retail centers, office buildings and mixed-use projects. In addition to her primary practice, Dyer also represents borrowers in debt and equity financing, including construction and permanent loans. Active in her community, Dyer was a member of the Texas Real Estate Council’s (TREC) 2019 Associate Leadership Council, served as a Committee Member of the Firm’s Women’s Initiative Group and has been an active member of various real estate committees within TREC.
• Winston Huff (Dallas) is a member of the Firm’s Commercial Litigation and Intellectual Property practices. His patent litigation experience includes technology ranging from flash memory devices and heart stents to embedded MEMS devices and related mobile device technology. His patent prosecution experience includes satellite communications, medical devices, disc drive circuitry, programming guide software and business method patents. He has been named Thomson Reuters – Texas Rising Stars (2012).
• Courtney Sauer Collins (Dallas) is a member of the Firm’s Commercial Litigation and Labor & Employment practices. Collins is an experienced trial attorney with more than 20 civil jury trials under her belt. She has successfully defended clients in complex commercial cases involving breach of contract, antitrust, products liability, real estate, fraud, employment discrimination and business torts. She also counsels clients regarding restrictive covenants and handles non-compete litigation. Active in the legal community, Collins is a recent graduate of the Dallas Bar Association’s “WE LEAD: Women Empowered to Lead in the Legal Profession” program and is also a member of both the Firm’s Women’s Initiative Group Committee and Recruiting Committee.
• Julian P. Vasek (Dallas) is a member of the Firm’s Bankruptcy, Restructuring & Insolvency Practice, where he primarily focuses on corporate restructuring and bankruptcy litigation. He has extensive experience representing Chapter 11 debtors, trustees and other parties in interest in all aspects of bankruptcy and related litigation. He has been named Woodward/White Inc. “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” for Bankruptcy and Creator Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law (2022).