State Bar Office of Minority Affairs Spotlights Chevazz Brown and Chris Mugica at the 27th Annual Texas Minority Counsel Program

November 11, 2019 | Attorney News



Jackson Walker commends Chevazz G. Brown, Christopher R. Mugica, and Nathaniel St. Clair, II on the impact they have made in enhancing opportunities for minority, women, and LGBT attorneys within the Firm and the broader legal community—as demonstrated during the 27th Annual Texas Minority Counsel Program. Held November 6-8, 2019, at the Four Seasons Resort and Club in Las Colinas, the legal diversity conference featured client development and networking opportunities, CLE programs, and a Keynote Awards Luncheon, during which Chris took the stage to announce Chevazz as the TMCP Trailblazer of the Year Award honoree.

Presented every year to a Texas attorney who has practiced for 20 years or less, the TMCP Trailblazer of the Year Award honors an individual who has “done the most to effectuate the promotion of diversity within the legal profession through hiring, retention, and mentoring of minority, women, and LGBT attorneys, partnering with minority, women, and LGBT owned law firms, and involvement with Bar and/or community activities designed to promote diversity within the legal profession.”

A member of the TMCP Steering Committee, Nate noted: “Chevazz is a highly esteemed member of the legal community and is very deserving of this honor. I am proud to call him a colleague.”

“I am honored to have been named the TMCP Trailblazer of the Year,” Chevazz said. “Most of all, I am grateful for the opportunity to help move our profession closer toward professional equality—equal access, equal opportunity.”

“I am grateful for the opportunity to help move our profession closer toward professional equality—equal access, equal opportunity.”

In addition to serving on Jackson Walker’s Diversity, Recruiting, and Mentorship committees, Chevazz takes an active role in elevating diversity in the legal profession.

Within the Houston legal community, Chevazz has served as a leader within the Houston Bar Association (HBA), having co-chaired the Diversity and Inclusion Committee—formerly known as the Minority Opportunities in the Legal Profession Committee (MOILP)—the Juvenile Consequences Partnership Committee, the Communities in Schools Committee, and the Fun Run Committee. He also co-founded in 2017 the Coalition of Houston Diverse Bar Associations, an organization dedicated to encouraging better coordination among the seven affinity bar associations and advancing the cause of diversity and inclusion in the Houston area. From 2015-2017, Chevazz was the Trustee and Treasurer for the Houston Young Lawyers Foundation. Beyond the Houston community, he previously served as a liaison to the American Bar Association Commission on Racial & Ethnic Diversity in the Profession.

Today, Chevazz remains extremely active at his law school alma mater, Thurgood Marshall School of Law (TMSL), one of the most diverse law schools in the country with a proud legacy as a historically black institution. He frequently speaks and mentors students and has held leadership positions on numerous committees at the school, including as a director of the Alumni Association and a co-chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Professional Identity. In 2017, he helped organize and implement the first annual TMSL alumni networking reception. He also chaired the first-ever TMSL Fundraising Gala.

In recognition of his commitment to service, Chevazz was honored in 2017 with the Houston Bar Association President’s Award and as one of the Top 50 Multicultural Lawyers by the National Diversity Council. Also, he was named among the top one-third of 1% of State Bar members to be elected as a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation in 2018.

In addition to presenting Chevazz with the TMCP Trailblazer of the Year Award, Chris moderated a panel discussion on “Compassion Fatigue and Self-Care” as part of the professional development track of the breakout sessions following the awards presentation. Panelists included Jenny Gomez of Koons Fuller and Prof. Nathalie Martin of the University of New Mexico School of Law.

“All too often, lawyers forget to prioritize their well-being. I am honored to have been asked to moderate this panel on Compassion Fatigue and Self-care to raise awareness about the mental health issues confronting our profession,” Chris said.

For more information about the legal diversity conference, visit the Texas Minority Counsel Program page of the State Bar of Texas website.

Meet Chevazz

Chevazz G. Brown is a dispute resolution lawyer experience resolving a broad range of business and commercial disputes. Chevazz typically handles disputes involving breach of contract; breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, fraud, and other torts; oil and gas; CERCLA (Superfund) contribution claims; real estate; employment; insurance coverage; investor; professional and amateur athletes; and more. Prior to joining Jackson Walker, Chevazz had the distinct honor of serving as law clerk to the Honorable Kenneth M. Hoyt of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division.

Meet Chris

Christopher R. Mugica has a broad commercial litigation practice that includes fiduciary litigation, first-party insurance defense, and consumer and employment litigation. Chris has handled a wide variety of complex commercial matters for clients, including class action, fraud, and fiduciary litigation. He also has sophisticated experience in real estate litigation representing developers, lenders, and property owners associations.

Meet Nate

Nathaniel St. Clair, II is an intellectual property litigator and counselor. In his sports and entertainment practice, Nate has worked with and represented clients such as professional sports entities, fashion designers, record labels, recording artists, television and movie production studios, publishing houses, and authors. Prior to practicing law, Nate worked as a patent engineer/agent for GE Healthcare for several years and as a law clerk for the General Counsel and Vice President of the Milwaukee Bucks NBA Franchise.