News

Austin, TX – April 2, 2012 – David Davis, the founder and name partner of the law firm of Davis & Wilkerson, has been named a member of the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association. 

The “River Rats,” as it has become known, were formed in 1969 by Brigadier General Robin Olds and Colonel Scrappy Johnson, two renowned fighter pilots.

Its original mission was to generate awareness of the Prisoners of War and aircrews Missing or Killed in Action (“POW”, “MIA” and “KIA”) and their families. Since 1970 the organization has awarded more than 1,500 scholarship grants with a value of nearly $2 million to the children of military personnel, who were POWs or MIA/KIA in armed conflicts. The name of the organization comes from combat missions flown over the “Red River Valley of North Vietnam” – a heavily fortified area North of Hanoi and South of China.

Davis was honored as a new member “for Successfully Striking Targets Located in the Southeast Asia Theater of Operations and for gallantry in facing MIGS, SAMS and guns defending those targets.”  He served two combat tours, flying from Ubon and Udorn air bases in Thailand in the F-4 Phantom Fighter Jet as a Weapon Systems Officer over North and South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Davis’s combat missions, some euphemistically named the “Run for the Roses” and the “Dawn Patrol,” included  escort of B-52 bombers, other F-4 fighter bombers and reconnaissance aircraft as well as bombing missions delivering conventional bombs and “illuminating” laser guided bombs over heavily defended military targets in the Red River Valley. These missions sometimes converted to air to air combat. 

“I lost six pilot and WSO friends during the war,” said Davis. “That makes my inclusion in the River Rats all the more meaningful for me.”

Austin, TX February 17, 2012 — V. Elizabeth (Junie) Ledbetter, a shareholder at Davis & Wilkerson, has been elected as Executive Vice President of the Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Inc.

Ledbetter, who has been a member of the TADC since 1985, said that she believes strongly in the TADC’s stated purpose of “bringing together by association, communication and organization” lawyers engaged in civil litigation/trial practice.

At Davis & Wilkerson, Ledbetter focuses on commercial and civil litigation, personal injury trial law (defense), employment law, construction litigation, professional liability, first party insurance defense, products litigation, and appellate law.

That diverse practice experience, said Ledbetter, has given her a strong foundation, enabling her to excel as TADC board member (1995), and more recently as an officer of the organization.

She added that she may not have been able to take a leadership position with the Counsel were it not for Davis & Wilkerson’s philosophy of encouraging its attorneys to participate in both the legal and local communities.

“Davis & Wilkerson recognizes that giving back to the community creates opportunities for professional growth,” said Ledbetter. “Ultimately, the client wins because they are being served by more capable attorneys.”

Ledbetter is on track to become president of the organization, only the second female president in 54 years.

Austin, TX February 16, 2012 — The Austin chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators honored the lifetime achievements of Davis & Wilkerson Administrator Mary E. Smith in a breakfast meeting earlier this month

Smith, who has participated in the Austin chapter for 25 years (serving as president in 1993 and 1994), received the award from Chapter President Chrissie Eastin of Walsh, Anderson, Gallegos, Green, & Treviño P.C. and President-Elect Chris Sims of Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta LLP.

Eastin said in her speech that Smith had “rendered extraordinary service to the chapter.” She cited her “outstanding service to our chapter and the leadership and guidance you have demonstrated to us. We are honored to be members alongside you.”

Smith said the chapter has “made tremendous strides” since she became involved. “That’s a credit to the membership as well as the many attorneys and law firms that support the professional growth of their administrators.”

David M. Davis, the founding shareholder at Davis & Wilkerson, said the firm was “privileged” to have “MERS” as its administrator. “MERS wears so many hats at the firm, which makes her truly irreplaceable,” said Davis. “We wouldn’t be where we are today without MERS.”

AUSTIN (February 7, 2012) — The Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) has announced that Michael S. Wilson, a shareholder at Davis & Wilkerson, has received Board Certification in Administrative Law.

Board Certification is a voluntary designation program certifying Texas attorneys in 21 specific areas of law. Board Certified attorneys must be licensed for at least five years, devote a required percentage of practice to a specialty area for at least three years, attend continuing education seminars, pass an evaluation by fellow lawyers and judges and pass a 6-hour written examination.

“Board Certified attorneys, like Michael Wilson, have made a commitment to excellence to serve the justice system in Texas and to benefit individuals and institutions in Texas,” said Robert Valdez, Chairman of the TBLS Board of Directors. “They have dedicated their time to meeting all the requirements for initial certification and they have made an ongoing commitment to continue working and acquiring knowledge in their specialty area.”

Wilson, who represents Davis & Wilkerson as insurance regulatory and litigation counsel to statutory associations and other property and casualty carriers, is a 1991 graduate of the University of Texas Law School. Wilson has been a part of Davis & Wilkerson since 1992 and was licensed by the State Bar of Texas in 1992.