Benny Agosto Jr., a partner in Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Aziz, is the new president of the Houston Bar Association. He succeeds Warren W. Harris, a partner in Bracewell, who will serve on the HBA Board of Directors as immediate past president.
As president, Agosto intends to focus on celebrating the diversity of the HBA during his term. He has a summer conference planned to educate the legal community and community at large on diversity and inclusion issues. Agosto will also launch a new library project to benefit local schools.
Benny Agosto Jr., a partner in Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Aziz will serve as Houston Bar Association for 2019-2020.
Agosto is the first Spanish-speaking president of the HBA and the second Hispanic to lead the bar association. Among his honors and awards are the National Diversity Council’s Top Latino Lawyers Award, New York University School of Law’s Legacy Builder Award, the Latino Learning Center’s Humanitarian Award, Houston Baptist University’s Distinguished Alumnus Award, South Texas College of Law Houston’s Outstanding Public Service Award, Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law Student Bar Association’s Thurgood Marshall Legacy Award, and the Anti-Defamation League’s Civil Rights Medal.
Other new officers of the HBA are President-elect Bill Kroger, of Baker Botts,; First Vice President Chris Popov, of Vinson & Elkins; Second Vice President David Harrell, of Locke Lord; Treasurer Jennifer A. Hasley, of Hasley Scarano; and Secretary Diana Gomez, of Chamberlain Hrdlicka.
New directors for 2019-21 are Collin Cox, of Yetter Coleman; Daniella Landers, of Reed Smith; Erin Lunceford, of Norton Rose Fulbright; and Pamela A. Medina, of Cadence Bank.
Finishing terms as directors for 2018-2020 are Greg Moore, of Norton Rose Fulbright; Robert Painter, of the Painter Law Firm; Greg Ulmer, of BakerHostetler; and Mitch Reid, of Hunton Andrews Kurth.
For more information about the Houston Bar Association, go to hba.org.