Six Jackson Walker Attorneys Named “2017 Lawyers of the Year”

August 17, 2016 | Attorney News



Only a single lawyer in each practice area in each community is being honored as a "Lawyer of the Year." Lawyers who receive this honor are selected based on particularly impressive voting averages received during the exhaustive peer-review assessments that Best Lawyers conducts with thousands of leading lawyers each year. Bill Dahlstrom was selected as Dallas' Litigation - Land Use and Zoning “Lawyer of the Year.” Bill combines the practical knowledge learned as a professional jackson-walker-attorney-thumb-DahlstromWilliamland planner with his legal training to provide a most unique approach to land use matters.  He focuses his practice on all areas of land use and incorporates a planning problem solving process in land use and land development issues. Bill has spoken at numerous seminars on land use law, including programs at the University of Texas School of Law Land Use Law Conference, State Bar of Texas Advance Real Estate Law Course, PESI Land Use Law Seminar, CLE Eminent Domain Conference, TXAPA Conferences, The Institute for Local Government Studies Short Course.   Gary Fowler was selected as Dallas' Employment Law - Management “Lawyer of the Year.” Gary advises and defends his clients on labor and employment matters.  His particular jackson-walker-attorney-thumb-FowlerGaryinterests include executive compensation and contracts, covenants not to compete, and disability law.  He provides emergency, “on the spot” advice for clients on employment crises requiring immediate attention.  He represents employers in nationwide collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Gary is a frequent speaker on non-competition issues and employment law. He advises clients in specific difficult workplace situations, provides preventative services in employee handbooks, documentation, and in-house seminars, and prepares and analyzes employment contracts and related documents to protect his client’s interests. Albon Head was selected as Fort Worth's Railroad “Lawyer of the Year.” Albon, a partner in the Fort Worth office, has practiced in the federal and state courts in Texas and in jackson-walker-attorney-thumb-headnumerous other jurisdictions since 1971, concentrating on a variety of matters including complex business litigation, contract disputes, real estate conflicts, eminent domain and condemnation, pipeline and right-of-way litigation, and railroad litigation. He has conducted trials for major oil companies in defending environmental claims relating to abandoned tanks and abandoned refineries, the defense of class actions brought against banks and publicly traded companies by shareholders and former employees, and defense of a U.S. major railroad and short lines regarding catastrophic injuries and claims. Alfie Meyerson was selected as Houston’s Real Estate “Lawyer of the Year.” Alfie focuses his practice on all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, including leases (retail, jackson-walker-attorney-thumb-meyersonoffice, industrial, warehouse, build-to-suit, and ground leases), purchase and sale agreements, development agreements and construction contracts, partnership and joint venture agreements for developers and equity investors, interim, permanent, and construction financing for both borrowers and lenders, and debt restructuring, workouts, foreclosures, and problem loans.   Jed Morrison was selected as San Antonio’s Healthcare Law “Lawyer of the Year.” Jed has practiced healthcare law for 35 years. He served as Republican counsel to the United jackson-walker-attorney-thumb-MorrisonJedStates House of Representatives Budget Committee, and later counsel to the Healthcare Financing Administration, in Washington, DC, before returning to Texas. Jed joined Jackson Walker as one of the founding members of its Healthcare Law section in 1994. He focuses his practice on the regulatory and transactional aspects of healthcare law. Jed exclusively represents healthcare providers and other industry participants.  His primary focus is helping his clients plan and structure their business operations to maximize their competitive effectiveness, while remaining aware of and compliant with vast state and federal healthcare laws and regulations.   Jim Pledger was selected as Austin's Banking and Finance “Lawyer of the Year.” Jim is a banking and corporate attorney and recognized authority on financial institution law and jackson-walker-attorney-thumb-PledgerJimregulation and mortgage regulation and licensing.  With  more than 35 years of experience, his practice focuses on the regulation and operation of banks, savings banks, credit unions, bank holding companies and mutual holding companies, financial institution public and private equity and debt offerings. Jim focuses his practice on the regulation and operation of commercial banks, savings associations, savings banks, credit unions and financial institution holding companies, and the regulation of mortgage brokers and mortgage bankers.  He has experience in such areas as acquisitions and control of depository institutions and holding companies, the establishment of de novo charters and charter conversions, resolution of supervisory and enforcement matters, transactions with affiliates, loans to one borrower, subsidiary, affiliate and service corporations, and public equity and debt offerings by depository institutions and their holding companies.  Jackson Walker LLP has more than 125 years of experience in providing legal counsel to clients throughout Texas, the United States and internationally. The firm provides a strong regional base of more than 400 attorneys in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Angelo, San Antonio and Texarkana.