Four Haynes Boone lawyers from the firm’s Dallas office have been named to D Magazine’s 2026 Best Lawyers Under 40 list: Partners Brent Beckert, Laura Shapiro and Matt Stewart and Associate Kristina Pierre-Louis. The annual listing recognizes outstanding young lawyers in North Texas.
D Magazine compiles its list of “Best Lawyers Under 40” by inviting lawyers with a valid Texas Bar number to nominate up to three young lawyers whose work they have personally observed and consider among the current best. A panel of esteemed lawyers then partners with the magazine’s editors to review the nominations and select the final winners.
Read more about Haynes Boone’s ranked attorneys below.
Brent Beckert | Partner, Mergers and Acquisitions
Beckert focuses his practice on corporate law, private and public mergers and acquisitions, SPACs, venture capital raises and other complex domestic and international transactions across industries, including healthcare, technology, education, manufacturing, aerospace, defense, construction, insurance and professional services. He also helps clients procure and negotiate coverage under representation and warranty insurance policies in M&A transactions.
Laura Shapiro | Partner, Finance
Listed for the second consecutive year, Shapiro represents borrowers, financial institutions and private equity in a wide range of commercial finance transactions. Her practice includes M&A and leveraged financings, general working capital facilities, commercial real estate loans and securitizations, construction lending, public company representations, restructurings and other corporate financing matters across diverse industries.
Matt Stewart | Partner, Investment Management/Private Equity
Stewart focuses his practice on structuring, forming and advising private equity, venture capital, energy and other private investment funds and their management companies. He has assisted private investment funds through every phase of the investment life cycle and regularly counsels funds and their portfolio companies, management teams and private equity and venture capital funds. Stewart also advises clients on the structuring and operation of entities serving as general partners and managers to funds and portfolio companies.
Kristina Pierre-Louis | Associate, Insurance Recovery/Litigation
Listed for the third consecutive year, Pierre-Louis represents individuals and businesses in high-stakes commercial and franchise disputes and advises corporate policyholders in complex insurance recovery matters, drawing on experience across all stages of litigation such as mediation, trial/arbitration and appeals.
