Page 24 - Briefcase V35 Number 1

AL UMNI NEWS AL UMNI NEWS

Michelle Gray ’11 Ricky A. Raven ’86 The Honorable Eva M.

RISING STAR AWARD DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION Guzman
In recognition of future promise and notable AWARD HONORARY ALUMNA AWARD
commitment to the UH Law Center In recognition of significant achievement to- In recognition of outstanding dedication to the
ward developing a more diverse and inclusive UH Law Center
Michelle Gray is a founding partner legal community
at Fogler, Brar, Ford, O’Neil & Gray Eva Guzman was appointed to the Supreme
LLP, a lean trial firm. She represents Ricky A. Raven is a member of the Reed Court of Texas in 2009, making history as the
both individuals and corporations, Smith Complex Litigation Group and first Latina to sit on the state’s highest civil court.
plaintiffs and defendants. She has serves as co-leader of the Mass & Toxic The next year, she became the first Hispanic
tried cases to juries and arbitrators. Torts team. He is a trial lawyer who woman elected to statewide office in Texas and
Her areas of practice include ethics focuses on products liability and mass tort was re-elected in 2016. A proud Texan, Guzman
and legal malpractice, construction litigation. For the past 25 years, he has had strives for excellence in her work on our state’s
disputes, dealership disputes and general first-chair trial responsibilities on behalf of highest civil court and believes “a judge’s highest
commercial litigation. Honeywell International, Inc.’s national trial duty is to uphold the Constitution.”
Gray is on the board of the Houston team in multidistrict litigation involving She previously served as a justice on the
Young Lawyers’ Foundation and is Bendix brakes. He is also a member of Houston-based Fourteenth Court of Appeals
a past board member of the Federal the national trial team for Union Carbide and as judge of the 309th District Court in
Bar Association and the Houston Law Canada involving its personal watercraft Harris County. Now in her 16th year on the
Review. She is active as a Friend of Child litigation. Being assigned to national bench, Guzman consistently receives high
Advocates, and for the past two years, trial teams, Raven works effectively marks in judicial evaluation polls as well as
she chaired the Houston Young Lawyers’ with numerous local counsels across the accolades from professional, civic and law
Adopt-an-Angel program. For the past United States and North America. He has enforcement groups.
two years, Super Lawyers has named her first-chaired more than 115 jury trials to
a “Texas Rising Star.” verdict. In 1998, a trial verdict decision in As the Supreme Court’s liaison to the Texas
Prior to starting Fogler Brar, Gray was Jefferson County, Texas, was designated Access to Justice Commission, Guzman works
to expand access to justice in civil legal matters
one of the Top 10 Verdicts in the United
an associate at one of Houston’s top States by National Law Journal. Raven has for low-income Texans. She also chairs the
litigation boutiques and clerked for represented major chemical companies in high court’s Permanent Judicial Commission
U.S. District Judge David Hittner. She federal litigation across the United States for Children, Youth, and Families, working
graduated from the Law Center at the top arising under the CERCLA and RCRA with leaders across the state to help those
of her class and is a highly supportive and Superfund statutes. These matters involved most vulnerable. She also serves with other
engaged alumna through her involvement all facets of Superfund litigation, including institutions within the legal community as a
with the Annual Law Gala & Auction, issues relating to the identification of member of the board of trustees for The Center
Student Scholarships and Awards and the principally responsible parties, selection of for American and International Law; the Duke
Law Annual Fund. While in school, she remedy, cost recovery and contribution. University School of Law Board of Visitors; the
served as editor-in-chief of the Houston A former criminal prosecutor, Raven board of trustees of South Texas College of Law
Law Review and was a member of the maintains a significant white collar criminal Houston; the executive committee, Appellate
Order of the Coif, the Order of the defense practice. He has successfully Judges Conference-American Bar Association
Barons, Mock Trial, The Advocates and defended the largest shopping mall Judicial Division; and as an adviser to the
the Association of Women in Law. owner in the United States and its senior American Law Institute.
management in a criminal prosecution Before taking the bench in 1999, Guzman had a
involving environmental pollution. Raven private law practice in Houston for 10 years. She
has conducted internal investigations for holds a B.B.A. from the University of Houston,
many Fortune 100 corporations where a J.D. from South Texas College of Law and an
he reported his findings directly to senior LL.M. from Duke University School of Law.
management and the board of directors.

22 Briefcase 2017