Governor Abbott Appoints Bill Whitehill To New Court

Please join us in extending a big Congratulations to Dallas County's own William "Bill" Whitehill for being appointed by Governor Abbott to the new First Business Count Division in Dallas, which was created last year to provide an efficient mechanism for businesses to resolve complex commercial disputes in Texas. The Governor has appointed Bill Whitehill to be one of the judges of the First Business Court Division, effective September 1, 2024, for a term set to expire on September 1, 2026. The First Business Court Division is composed of the counties of Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, Kaufman, and Rockwall.

Along with the new 15th Court of Appeals, the new Business Court Divisions were created to efficiently resolve complex litigation throughout the State of Texas. Currently, 30 states have similar business courts that have been established to assure businesses that they will have competent adjudication of their business disputes. They are an important tool in encouraging business giants to establish headquarters and regional offices in Texas. Additional courts are being established regionally throughout the state.

Bill Whitehill, a former justice on the Texas Fifth Court of Appeals and a member of the law firm of Condon, Tobin, Sladek, Thornton, Nerenburg, PLLC has been a strong supporter of conservative politics throughout the North Texas region for many years and will make an excellent Business Court Judge.

CONGRATULATIONS JUDGE WHITEHILL!

From Governor Abbott's Press Release:

William “Bill” Whitehill of Coppell is a member of Condon Tobin Sladek Thornton Nerenberg PLLC, where he is head of its appellate and special issues practice group, and is a former Justice of the Texas Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas. Before joining the Court of Appeals, he was a long-time trial and appellate partner at Gardere Wynne Sewell, LLP (n/k/a Foley & Lardner, LLP). He is the Chair of the Dallas Bar Association Appellate Section and former Chair of the State Bar of Texas Antitrust and Business Litigation Section and the Dallas Bar Association Antitrust & Trade Regulation Section. He is an adjunct trial advocacy instructor at the Robert H. Dedman, SMU Dedman School of Law; a National Institute for Trial Advocacy Deposition Skills Instructor; and a frequent continuing legal education speaker at State Bar of Texas, Dallas Bar Association, and other events. He is a Master of the Mac Taylor Inn of Court, sustaining life fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, and fellow of the Dallas Bar Foundation. Additionally, he is a former member of the Center for International Legal Studies, International Bar Association, Fifth Circuit Bar Association, Rockwall Bar Association, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, and the Texas Association of Bank Counsel. He served as a judge for the Coppell Teen Court, is a homeless kitchen volunteer for Cornerstone Baptist Church, and is a former co-teacher and mentor at Cornerstone Crossroads Academy. Whitehill received a Bachelor of Business Administration from The University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctor from the SMU Dedman School of Law.

Last year, Governor Abbott signed House Bill 19 into law creating a new statewide specialty business trial courts to streamline resolutions of business disputes.