Class Notes 1980-1989

Class of 1980

Donna Smith Galchus, ’80, was selected in the top 50 Arkansas lawyers in the 2013 Mid-South Super Lawyers edition of Super Lawyers magazine. Ms. Galchus was also on the top 50 Mid-South Women lawyers list.

William Gosner, ’80, was named a Top Lawyer of 2018 by Delaware Today. 

Brad Hendricks, ’80, was named as a 2020 Legal Elite in Arkansas Money and Politics, for being 1 out of 100 of Arkansas’ top attorneys, specializing in areas of the law ranging from sports law to bankruptcy.

James W. Tilley, ’80, was selected in the top 50 Arkansas lawyers in the 2013 Mid-South Super Lawyers edition of Super Lawyers magazine. He was also recognized in Soirée Magazines Best 100 Lawyers in Little Rock in 2015. Soirée Magazines recognized him in 2019 Best Lawyers.

Class of 1981

Richard Bell, ’81, was appointed to the Arkansas State Board of Public Accountancy by Gov. Asa Hutchinson. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Accounting from Arkansas Business as part of their “CFO of the Year” recognition in December 2020. 

Edwin L. Lowther, Jr., ’81, was selected in the top 50 Arkansas lawyers in the 2013 Mid-South Super Lawyers edition of Super Lawyers magazine and Arkansas Business Power List 2016.

William T. Marshall, ’81, was recognized in Best Lawyers in America for the 2020 edition.

Charles D. McDaniel, ’81, was named as a 2020 Legal Elite in Arkansas Money and Politics, for being 1 out of 100 of Arkansas’ top attorneys, specializing in areas of the law ranging from sports law to bankruptcy.

Scotty Shivley, ’81, has been elected to the board of directors of the North Little Rock Arkansas Hospice. He was also recognized in Soirée Magazines Best 100 Lawyers in Little Rock in 2015.

Class of 1982

W. Ellis Arnold III, ’82, is now Senior Executive Vice President, Dean of Advancement and General Counsel for Hendrix College.  Mr. Arnold began his tenure as the President of Hendrix College on December 31, 2019.

M. Steve Bingham, ’82, was recognized in Soirée Magazines Best Lawyers in 2018 and 2019.

Gary D. Corum, ’82 has been named to the 2015 Edition of the Best Lawyers in America.

Timothy O. Dudley, ’82, has been named to the 2015 Edition of the Best Lawyers in America.

Barbara Womack, ’82, was appointed to Circuit Judge for the 22nd Judicial Circuit by Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

Class of 1983

Gail Inman-Campbell, ’83 has been appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to complete the remainder of the term as Circuit Judge in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.

Neil Deininger, ’83, was named as a 2020 Legal Elite in Arkansas Money and Politics, for being 1 out of 100 of Arkansas’ top attorneys, specializing in areas of the law ranging from sports law to bankruptcy.

Brooks A. Gill, ’83, was named a 2018 Pro Bono Attorney of the Year by Arkansas Access to Justice.

Sam Ledbetter, ’83, was recognized as one of the 250 Most Influential Arkansans by Arkansas Business in 2019.  Sam was also recognized in Soirée Magazines Best Lawyers in 2019.

JoAnn Maxey, ’83 has been appointed general counsel at the University of Arkansas System.

Randy Sims, ’83 has been appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Class of 1984

Kevin A. Crass, ’84, was selected in the top 50 Arkansas lawyers in the 2013 Mid-South Super Lawyers edition of Super Lawyers magazine and to the 2015 Edition of the Best Lawyers in America. Mr. Crass was recognized as one of the 250 Most Influential Arkansans by Arkansas Business in 2018.  He was appointed to serve on Mayor Scott’s Transition Team as a member of the Quality of Life Subcommittee.  Mr. Crass was recognized as one of the 250 Most Influential Arkansans by Arkansas Business in 2019.

Timothy W. Grooms, ’84, was selected in the top 50 Arkansas lawyers in the 2013 Mid-South Super Lawyers edition of Super Lawyers magazine. He was also recognized as one of the 250 Most Influential Arkansans by Arkansas Business in 2018.

Hani Hashem, ’84, was appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson as a Special Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Arkansas.

Denise Hoggard, ’84, was elected the new AR Bar Association President-Elect Designee. She was also recognized in Soirée Magazines Best 100 Lawyers in Little Rock in 2015.  She was also recognized in Soirée Magazines Best Lawyers in 2018 and 2019.

The Honorable Judge Alice Lightle, ’84, was awarded the 2015 Justice Robert L. Brown Community Service Award

Cal McCastlin, ’84, has joined the Expert Network, an invitation-only service for distinguished professionals.  He was recognized in Soirée Magazines Best Lawyers in 2019.

Rosalind M. Mouser, ’84, has joined Simmons First National Bank as senior vice president and deputy general counsel.

Lyn P. Pruitt, ’84, has been named director of the International Association of Defense Counsel’s 2017 Trial Academy, a defense advocacy program founded in 1973. Ms. Pruitt was selected in the top 50 Arkansas lawyers in the 2013 Mid-South Super Lawyers edition of Super Lawyers magazine. Ms. Pruitt was also on the top 50 Mid-South Women lawyers list.  She was recognized as one of the 250 Most Influential Arkansans by Arkansas Business in 2019.

Bill Waddell, ’84, was awarded the American Bar Association Pro Bono Award in 2017.  Mr. Waddell was honored as a recipient of the Mary and Ira Brumley Award for Religious Education.

William “Bill”  A. Waddell, Jr., ’84, Bill was honored as a recipient of the Mary and Ira Brumley Award for Religious Education at the 2019 Steel-Hendrix banquet. He was also awarded the American Bar Association Pro Bono Award in 2017, and named in the top 50 Arkansas lawyers in the 2013 Mid-South Super Lawyers edition of Super Lawyers magazine.

Class of 1985

Mark Allison, ’85, was recognized in Soirée Magazines Best Lawyers in 2018.  Mark and wife Becky Allison are serving as co-chairs for the Centers for Youth and Families 2020 Evolve Gala.

David Couch, ’85, has been recognized in Soirée Magazines Best 100 Lawyers in Little Rock in 2015. He was also recognized as one of the 250 Most Influential Arkansans by Arkansas Business in 2018.

Allen Dobson, ’85, has joined Sam Baxter and John Jewell to form Baxter, Jewell & Dobson PA.

O. Jerome Green, ’85 was named the 45th President for Shorter College.

Mark Hampton, ’85, was named as a 2020 Legal Elite in Arkansas Money and Politics, for being 1 out of 100 of Arkansas’ top attorneys, specializing in areas of the law ranging from sports law to bankruptcy.

Patrick C. Harris, ’85 has assumed the position of Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

Lance Miller, ’85, will manage and oversee operations of the new Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, PLLC office in Jonesboro. He will also serve as the liaison between the Jonesboro and Little Rock office. He was also recognized in Soirée Magazines Best 100 Lawyers in Little Rock in 2015.

Chris Palmer, ’85, has been appointed to the Arkansas Sentencing Commission by Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

Bud Roberts, ’85, is now the Director of the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Division.

Richard Roderick, ’85, was recognized in Best Lawyers in America for the 2020 edition.

Class of 1986

Thomas Barber, ’86, attorney at Munsch Hardt in Texas, was recently featured in the Chambers USA 2021 rankings for his work in construction law.

Mark Hayes, ’86, is now the Executive Director of the Arkansas Municipal League.  He was named the Blue Ribbon Bash Honoree by the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Lynda Johnson, ’86, was recognized as one of the 250 Most Influential Arkansans by Arkansas Business in 2018.

Stephen N. Joiner, ’86, was named to the 2015 Edition of the Best Lawyers in America.  Mr. Joiner was named as a 2020 Legal Elite in Arkansas Money and Politics, for being 1 out of 100 of Arkansas’ top attorneys, specializing in areas of the law ranging from sports law to bankruptcy.

R. Scott Morgan, ’86, of PPGMR Law will lead the firm’s new office in Stuttgart.

Michelle Strause, ’86, was voted “Best Attorney” by the Hot Springs Sentinel-Record. 

Class of 1987

Wendy Kelley, ’87, was named the Director of the Arkansas Department of Correction by Gov. Asa Hutchinson. She then joined Gov. Hutchinson’s Cabinet as Secretary of the Department of Corrections on July 1, 2019.

Troy Price, ’87, was recognized in Soirée Magazines Best Lawyers in 2019.

Class of 1988

Valerie Boyce, ’88, was named Chief Administrative Law Judge and Chief of Commissioners’ Staff for the Arkansas Public Service Commission.

Brad Cazort, ’88, was named Director of the Arkansas Crime Information Center.

Gunner DeLay, ’88, was appointed by Gov. Hutchinson to serve as judge for the 12th Judicial Circuit.

John Edwards, ’88, has been recognized as one of the 250 Most Influential Arkansans by Arkansas Business in 2018.

Price Gardner, ’88, has been recognized as one of the 250 Most Influential Arkansans by Arkansas Business in 2018. He was also elected as managing partner of Friday, Eldredge and Clark, LLP.  Mr. Price was recognized as one of the 250 Most Influential Arkansans by Arkansas Business in 2019.  Price was also named as a 2020 Legal Elite in Arkansas Money and Politics, for being 1 out of 100 of Arkansas’ top attorneys, specializing in areas of the law ranging from sports law to bankruptcy.

Mariam T. Hopkins, ’88, was selected in the top 50 Arkansas lawyers in the 2013 Mid-South Super Lawyers edition of Super Lawyers magazine. Ms. Hopkins was also on the top 50 Mid-South Women lawyers list and the 2015 Edition of the Best Lawyers in America.

Sandra Jackson, ’88, was reappointed to the Arkansas State Board of Collection Agencies by Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

The Honorable Holly Lodge Meyer, ’88, has been appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to the Arkansas Sentencing Commission.

Randy Murphy, ’88,  was recognized in Soirée Magazines Best 100 Lawyers in Little Rock in 2015.  He was recognized in Soirée Magazines Best Lawyers in 2019.

Lisa Mathis Peters, ’88, is now the Federal Defender for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

Stuart Miller, ’88, was recognized as one of the 250 Most Influential Arkansans by Arkansas Business in 2019.

Troy A. Price, ’88, was selected in the top 50 Arkansas lawyers in the 2013 Mid-South Super Lawyers edition of Super Lawyers magazine and the 2015 Edition of the Best Lawyers in America. 

Brian Ratcliff, ’88, has joined PPGMR as the El Dorado Law office managing member. Brian served as the AR Bar Association President in 2014.

Jack Wagoner III, ’88,  has been named to the 2015 Edition of the Best Lawyers in America. 

Class of 1989

Mark Breeding, ’89, was recognized in Best Lawyers as a Lawyer of the Year 2020.

Bud Cummins, ’89, was selected to serve on Mayor Scott’s Transition Team as a member of the Public Safety Subcommittee.

Professor Joseph Custer, ’89, is now the Director of the Judge Ben C. Green Law Library and Associate Professor of Law at Cas School of Law Cas Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH.

Tona DeMers, ’89, is now an attorney at Sutter & Gillham, PLLC.

The Honorable Patricia S. Harris, ’89 was sworn in as United States Magistrate Judge on October 2, 2015.

Patricia Hays, ’89, was re-elected to serve as chair of the Pulaski County Election Commission for the Pulaski County Republican Committee.

Edward Oglesby, ’89, was elected President of the Judge Henry Woods American Inn of Court.

Stacey Pectol, ’89, is now Clerk of Courts for the Supreme Court of Arkansas.

Don A. Taylor, ’89, was selected in the top 50 Arkansas lawyers in the 2013 Mid-South Super Lawyers edition of Super Lawyers magazine.