Haynes and Boone, LLP is proud to announce the promotion to counsel of 10 lawyers from the firm’s Austin, Dallas, Houston, New York and Richardson offices.
The new group of counsel comprises Dina Blikshteyn, Rachel Davis, Brian Giovannini, George Graves, Eric Li, Jennifer Littlefield, Matt McGee, Thuc Nguyen, Nicole Somerville and Jarom Yates.
“We are pleased to advance these deserving lawyers to counsel,” Managing Partner Tim Powers said. “This promotion is a true testament to the lawyers’ professional growth and our commitment to providing the highest level of client service.”
Dina Blikshteyn
Dina Blikshteyn is a member of the Intellectual Property (IP) Practice Group in the New York office. Her practice focuses on representing clients in post-grant proceedings before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), including inter partes review (IPR) and covered business method (CBM) review proceedings in the computer and technology space. Dina’s practice also includes preparing and prosecuting domestic and international patent applications in various industries and technologies, including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, web applications, mobile applications, financial trading software, cyber security, and telecommunication systems. Dina also handles matters involving trademark and other IP disciplines. Dina received her bachelor’s degree, with high honors, from Rutgers University School of Engineering and her Juris Doctor from Rutgers School of Law.
Rachel Davis
Rachel Davis is a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the Richardson office. She helps clients build and manage domestic and international patent portfolios. Rachel prepares, prosecutes, and enforces patent applications covering a range of technologies including integrated circuit devices, semiconductor manufacturing, analog and digital circuits, networking, cloud-based computing and services, software, hardware, telecommunications, information technology systems and methodology, and medical devices. Rachel also performs patentability, validity, and infringement investigations and prepares related opinion letters. Her practice also includes post-grant proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. She holds a Bachelor of Science in applied physics, summa cum laude, from Angelo State University and a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law (now Texas A&M University School of Law).
Brian Giovannini
Brian Giovannini is a member of the Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation Practice Group in Houston. He provides practical legal advice on establishing and maintaining employee benefit plans and executive compensation arrangements to a broad array of clients—from government entities and nonprofits to Fortune Global 500 corporations. He received his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from the University of Houston and his Juris Doctor, with honors, from the University of Texas School of Law.
George Graves
George Graves is a member of the Litigation Practice Group in the Dallas office. His litigation and trial experience includes representing clients across a range of industries, including telecommunications, oil and gas, and manufacturing. Whether a case involves trademark matters, partnership disputes, or real estate issues, George has the experience and knowledge to navigate the litigation process in both state and federal court. His practice primarily focuses on commercial litigation, including business torts and contract matters. George also has substantial experience litigating trademark matters in federal court as well as before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. In addition to assisting clients with all aspects of the litigation process – including motion practice, discovery, and trials – George frequently assists clients with pre-litigation disputes and provides clients with analysis and strategies to help them resolve these disputes quickly and efficiently. He received his bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University and his Juris Doctor, with honors, from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law.
Eric Li
Eric Li is a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the Richardson office. He focuses on IP law, including patent preparation and prosecution. His technical areas of experience include semiconductor processing, solid-state lighting, telecommunications, computer software, and medical devices. Prior to joining Haynes and Boone, Eric was an electrical engineer at two well-known telecommunications companies and worked on the development and testing of GSM and CDMA transceivers. He received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, his master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of California, San Diego, and his Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.
Jennifer Littlefield
Jennifer Littlefield is a member of the Energy, Power and Natural Resources Practice Group in the Austin office. She represents electric cooperatives, renewable energy generators, and other clients on a range of electric power regulatory matters, including compliance with state and federal rules governing the electric industry, establishing or expanding operations in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) market, and contested case proceedings and rulemakings before the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT). Jennifer is an active supporter of the Austin Independent School District (AISD), serving on the AISD Facilities and Bond Planning Advisory Committee and the Boundary Advisory Committee. She received her bachelor’s degree from Texas State University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law.
Matt McGee
Matt McGee is a member of the Litigation Practice Group in the Dallas office. He represents companies, directors, and officers in complex business litigation, class action defense, shareholder derivative suits, securities fraud class actions, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) litigation. He is a zealous advocate for his clients and has proven to be a trusted advisor at the highest levels of companies and organizations. Matt has consistently secured favorable results for his clients, including victory on behalf of alleged controlling majority shareholders in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He received his bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Auburn University, master’s degrees from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Dallas Theological Seminary, and a Master of Laws and Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from the Duke University School of Law.
Thuc Nguyen
Thuc Nguyen is a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the Austin office. Thuc counsels clients at all stages of growth in developing new technologies and bringing them to market. Whether advising startups or Fortune 500 companies, she strives to help her clients achieve their business objectives and maximize their IP and technology assets. Her practice focuses on the preparation and prosecution of patent applications. Thuc uses her technical knowledge to help clients in a number of technological fields including databases, medical devices, geographic information systems, business methods, and computer hardware and software. Her extensive technical experience allows her to obtain high-value patents that support clients' business needs. Additionally, Thuc has obtained asylum for pro bono clients, who would have faced persecution if returned to their native countries. She received her bachelor’s degree, with honors, from the University of California, Davis and her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law.
Nicole Somerville
Nicole Somerville is a member of the Government Enforcement and Litigation Practice Group in the Dallas office. She is a trusted advisor to healthcare clients in complex litigation matters, internal investigations, and government enforcement actions, and her practice is largely focused on False Claims Act qui tam litigation. Nicole has helped hospital systems, laboratories, nursing homes, insurance companies, and physicians navigate complex fraud and abuse laws, including the False Claims Act, the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Stark Law, and the Civil Monetary Penalties Law. She routinely helps her clients respond to Civil Investigative Demands under the False Claims Act and other administrative subpoenas, as well as self-disclosures to enforcement agencies. Nicole received her bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Texas Christian University and her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.
Jarom Yates
Jarom Yates is a member of the Restructuring Practice Group in the Dallas office. His practice focuses on all areas of restructuring. Jarom has represented debtors, secured creditors, private equity funds, purchasers, franchisors, franchisees, landlords, unsecured creditor committees, equity holders, and trustees in all aspects of in and out-of-court restructuring transactions and bankruptcy litigation cases and adversary proceedings. Jarom has experience representing clients in a broad range of industries including exploration and production (E&P), oilfield services, healthcare, hospitality and lodging, retail, technology, construction, real estate, manufacturing, and agriculture. Jarom is also fluent in Spanish and has experience representing clients in cross-border matters involving Mexico and other Latin American countries. He received his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and his Juris Doctor from Vanderbilt University Law School.