(TEXAS) Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C. (Munsch Hardt) proudly announces its 2024 first-year associate class, representing several areas of specialization that will undoubtedly add to the Firm’s range of expertise in the future. Haley Carter, Luke Davis, Sonia Gonzalez, Sean Griffith, Andrea Herrera and Brie Miller in Dallas and Weston Light, Melanie Madden and Frank Patsouras in Houston officially started at the Firm on Sept. 3, 2024.
“We are thrilled to welcome this talented new group of associates,” said David Coligado, CEO-elect of Munsch Hardt. “We are confident their diverse backgrounds, fresh perspectives and dedication to excellence will contribute significantly to Munsch Hardt’s continued success and our commitment to providing outstanding service to our clients. As we enter our 40th anniversary year in 2025, the next generation of attorneys will be key in guiding our Firm into the future."
More information on Munsch Hardt’s 2024 first-year associate class can be found below:
Haley Carter: Litigation – Dallas
Carter is a member of Munsch Hardt’s Litigation practice. Carter earned her Juris Doctor from Washington and Lee University School of Law, graduating magna cum laude and receiving the A.H. McLeod-Ross Malone Oral Advocacy Award. During law school, Carter served as a Lead Articles Editor of the Washington and Lee Law Review and as President of the Federalist Society. Carter also worked as a student case worker in the Advanced Administrative Litigation (Black Lung) Clinic where she argued and won a case in the United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Before joining Munsch Hardt, Carter was a summer associate in the Firm’s Dallas office, and previously served as a legal intern for a large legal nonprofit organization. She earned her bachelor’s degree from New York University in theater where she was a member of the Honors Program.
Luke Davis: Real Estate – Dallas
Davis is a member of the Firm’s Real Estate practice. He received his Juris Doctor from the Baylor University School of Law, graduating magna cum laude. While in law school, Davis served on the Executive Board of the Baylor Law Review and competed in multiple Moot Court competitions. Prior to joining Munsch Hardt as an Associate, Davis was a summer associate in the Firm’s Dallas office and served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Martin Hoffman of the 68th Civil District Court. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Baylor University.
Sonia Gonzalez: Litigation – Dallas
Gonzalez is a member of the Firm’s Litigation practice. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of North Texas Dallas College of Law, graduating in the top 5% of her class. While in law school, Gonzalez earned several distinctions, including being named the Dallas Bar Foundation Sarah T. Hughes Scholar and serving as the CEO of the UNT Dallas Law Review. Prior to joining Munsch Hardt, Gonzalez served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Irma Carrillo Ramirez at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and as a judicial intern to the Honorable Martin Hoffman of the 68th Civil District Court in Dallas. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame in science business and poverty studies.
Sean Griffith: Litigation – Dallas
Griffith is a member of the Firm’s Litigation practice. She received her Juris Doctor from the SMU Dedman School of Law where she graduated in the top 25% of her class. Her involvement included the First Amendment Clinic and she participated in multiple Moot Court competitions. Sean was named to the Pro Bono Honor Roll and received the Dean’s Scholarship. Before joining Munsch Hardt as an Associate, she served as a Summer Associate at Munsch Hardt. She also served as a legal intern for the Dallas County District Attorney’s office, as well as a judicial intern for the Texas Sixth District Court of Appeals and for the Honorable Rebecca Rutherford of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Griffith earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science and Philosophy from SMU where she graduated cum laude.
Andrea Herrera: Real Estate – Dallas
Herrera is a member of Munsch Hardt’s Real Estate practice. She received her Juris Doctor from The University of Texas at Austin School of Law, where she served in various roles for the Texas Hispanic Journal of Law and Policy, was a member of the Texas Journal of Oil, Gas and Energy Law Society, the Chicano/Hispanic Latino Law Student’s Association Women’s Law Caucus, and served as a Society Coordinator for UT Law School. Before joining Munsch Hardt, Herrera was a summer associate in the Firm’s Dallas office and also served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Martin Hoffman of the 68th District Court. Herrera received her bachelor’s degree in public relations at The University of Texas at Austin, where she graduated with honors.
Brie Miller: Litigation – Dallas
Miller is a member of the Firm’s Litigation practice. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, graduating with pro bono honors and a certificate in Business & Transactional Law. During law school, she earned several distinctions, including national recognition by the Federal Bar Association as a Robert A. McNew Scholar and by OU Law as the recipient of multiple American Jurisprudence Awards, the Reid Robison Litigation Scholarship and as a Wilkinson Scholar. She took part in the Dallas Women Lawyers Association’s 2022 Leadership Program, competed on multiple Moot Court teams, and served in leadership roles as Operating Editor for the Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal and as President for the Federal Bar Association (OU Chapter). Prior to joining Munsch Hardt as an Associate, Miller served a summer associate at the Firm, a judicial intern to the Honorable Rebecca Rutherford in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas and as in-house legal extern for SLB (Schlumberger). Before law school, she taught middle school through Teach for America and managed brand marketing programs at Southwest Airlines. Miller graduated magna cum laude from SMU with bachelor’s degrees in Communication Studies and Public Relations.
Weston Light: Litigation – Houston
Light is a member of the Firm’s Litigation practice. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Houston Law Center, where he earned the Dean’s Scholarship and was named to the Dean’s List. His involvement in law school included memberships in the UHLC National Mock Trial Team, the Houston Young Lawyers Association, and the Houston Intellectual Property Law Association. Prior to joining Munsch Hardt, Light was a summer associate in the Firm’s Houston office and served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Alan D. Albright of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. He received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Clemson University, where he was named to the Dean’s List for several semesters.
Melanie Madden: Litigation – Houston
Madden is a member of the Firm’s Litigation practice. She received her Juris Doctor from the South Texas College of Law Houston, where she was in the top 10% of her class, graduating magna cum laude. During law school, she served as a staff member for the South Texas Law Review, an advocate for the South Texas Moot Court and Mock Trial Team, and was named a Presidential Fellow, a Dean’s Merit Scholarship Recipient and to the Phi Delta Phi International Honors Society. Prior to joining Munsch Hardt, Madden served as a legal intern for an onshore drilling company. Madden received her bachelor’s degree in communications and public relations from the University of Houston.
Frank Patsouras: Litigation – Houston
Patsouras is a member of the Firm’s Litigation practice. He received his Juris Doctor from the South Texas College of Law Houston, where he graduated in the top 5% of his class, was named to the Dean’s List and as a Presidential Fellow. Prior to joining Munsch Hardt, Patsouras was a summer associate in the Firm’s Houston office and also served as a research assistant and file clerk at a Houston law firm. He started his career at a consulting firm. He received his bachelor’s degree in government and a certificate in business from The University of Texas at Austin.