SCOTTHULSE - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Attorney
• Chairman of the Board
• Shareholder

Attorney Bernard Felsen is President of ScottHulse and Chair of the Firm's Board of Directors. Bernard "Bernie" Felsen, a ScottHulse shareholder, practices primarly in the areas of banking, lending, and financial institutions, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate law.

Job Titles:

• Attorney
• Director
• Shareholder
• Member of the American Bar Association

Casey Stevenson practices primarily in the areas of commercial litigation and bankruptcy and creditors' rights. He also advises clients regarding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Mr. Stevenson is licensed in Texas and New Mexico and represents clients in both state and federal court. Mr. Stevenson represents clients in commercial litigation and counsel's clients in a variety of areas including construction matters, contract preparation and negotiation, contract disputes, real estate matters, residential and commercial landlord/tenant issues, creditors' rights and bankruptcy matters, and claims regarding the transportation and carriage of goods. Such representation includes advising credit unions, banks, other financial institutions, transportation and logistics brokers, and other businesses, both domestic and international, with respect to issues related to their consumer and commercial collections accounts, including collection of deficiency balances, sequestrations, and foreclosures of real and personal property. In addition, Mr. Stevenson helps property management companies and real estate developers collect delinquent accounts, resolve construction issues, and assists with evictions as well as the filing of mechanic's and materialism's liens and collection of amounts due on construction contracts. Mr. Stevenson was recognized as a "Texas Rising Star" in 2009-2016 and as a "Texas Super Lawyer" in 2019-2022 by Thomson Reuters. He is a member of the American Bar Association, El Paso Bar Association, Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Transportation Lawyers' Association, and American Health Lawyers Association. Regarding community engagement, Mr. Stevenson is actively involved with the ACTS ministries at St. Patrick's Cathedral, El Paso Diocese. He is the current President of the El Paso Central Business Association and sits on the Parish Council of Sagrado Corazon Catholic Church in the Segundo Barrio of El Paso. In addition, Mr. Stevenson is a former member of the boards of directors for the El Paso Children's Miracle Network, El Paso County Historical Society, and Creative Kids, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting art education and awareness.

Job Titles:

• Attorney
• Director
• Shareholder
• Member of the State Bar of Texas
• Shareholder and Member of the Firm

Francisco Ortega is a shareholder and member of the Firm's board of directors. His experience encompasses complex commercial litigation, appeals, and labor and employment law. In the area of business litigation, Francisco Ortega was recognized in the 2021 and 2022 Editions of The Best Lawyers in America© in the area of Commercial Litigation by BL Rankings. He has also been selected to the 2017, 2018, and 2019 Texas Rising Star list and the 2022 Texas Super Lawyers list by Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters company. In this area of the law, Mr. Ortega's experience includes handling claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties, deceptive trade practices, fraud, usury, trade secrets, shareholder derivative claims, breach of partnership obligations, copyright infringement, trademark infringement, non-compete covenants, construction, RICO claims, tortious interference, labor and employment, and personal injury. Mr. Ortega has also been named an Abogado Consultor by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the Government of Mexico to provide legal counsel to the Consulate General of Mexico in El Paso. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Ortega served as a law clerk to the Honorable David M. Medina of the Supreme Court of Texas and as a law clerk to the Honorable Philip R. Martinez of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas. While attending law school, Mr. Ortega served as Lead Articles Editor for the Wisconsin Law Review, Note & Comment Editor for the Wisconsin International Law Journal, a staff member for the Wisconsin Journal of Law, Gender & Society, and member and team coach of the Wisconsin Moot Court Board. Additionally, Mr. Ortega won First Place Brief and Second Place overall in the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) National Moot Court Competition and was a Midwest Regional Semifinalist in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition. Mr. Ortega is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the State Bar of New Mexico. He currently serves on the Admissions Committee for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas and is a past board member of the El Paso Federal Bar Association. A graduate of the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce Leadership El Paso Class XXXIV, Mr. Ortega is active in the Borderplex community. He was appointed by Mayor Oscar Leeser and later re-appointed by Mayor Dee Margo to serve as a commissioner of the Housing Authority for the City of El Paso, where he was elected chairman. He previously served on the board of directors of El Paso Museum of Art, the El Paso Marathon Foundation, AVANCE-El Paso, and the Ethics Review Commission for the City of El Paso, the last two as vice-chairman.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board

Job Titles:

• Associate
• Attorney

Henry J. Becker is an associate attorney whose practice focuses on commercial litigation and regulatory investigations and responses. Prior to joining ScottHulse, Mr. Becker was an associate in the Palo Alto, California office of a multinational, Vault 100 law firm. There, he represented corporations in complex litigation matters, regulatory investigations, and appeals. He also maintained a pro bono practice assisting individuals in state and federal court. Previously, he was a law clerk to the Honorable John T. Noonan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Mr. Becker earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, where he was a graduate research assistant in privacy law and comparative anti-discrimination law. He further served as an associate editor of the Berkeley Journal of International Law. While attending law school, he was a law clerk for the East Bay Community Law Center in Berkeley, California and the Privacy Enforcement and Protection Unit at the Office of the California Attorney General in San Francisco, California. Mr. Becker earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, San Diego, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He double majored in Biological Anthropology and International Studies.

Job Titles:

• Attorney / Shareholder / Chair - Litigation Section / Chair - Appellate Law

Henry Paoli is a litigation attorney who practices in the areas of commercial litigation, defense of medical professionals in litigation, as well as appeals and appellate law. In addition to chairing the Firm's Litigation and Appellate Law sections, Mr. Paoli is also a construction lawyer with experience in all aspects of construction law. Mr. Paoli is Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. In the entire State of Texas, there are less than 500 attorneys who are board certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Mr. Paoli is an active member in the El Paso Association of Contractors. His construction law experience extends to all stages of the construction process, including determining the appropriate project delivery system; negotiating and drafting project documents; developing risk management programs; instituting contract administration and claims avoidance procedures; advising clients during the construction process; and handling claims through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and trial. His litigation practice includes construction defect litigation, defending against liquidated damages claims, lawsuits to enforce or remove liens, and payment and performance bond claims involving government construction projects.

Job Titles:

• Law Clerk

Job Titles:

• Law Clerk

Job Titles:

• Attorney
• Counsel
• of Counsel
• Counsel to
• Member of the El Paso Bar Association

Mr. Brown is of counsel to ScottHulse after being a Shareholder of the firm for over 25 years. He has been recognized as one of the "Best Lawyers in America" by Woodward White. Mr. Brown serves as counsel to clients during tax audits, administrative appeals and tax litigation, and also assists taxpayers confronted with Government action to collect unpaid taxes. With regard to community engagement, Mr. Brown is a member of the El Paso Bar Association, Texas Bar Association, New York Bar Association, and American Bar Association. Mr. Brown served in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 1971 to 1995, and retired with the rank of Captain.

Job Titles:

• Elder

Job Titles:

• Attorney
• Shareholder

Job Titles:

• Associate
• Attorney
• Member of the Texas Bar College
• War Crimes Research off. - Am. U. Washington C. of L., Case - Based Reparations at the Central African Republic 's Special Criminal Court ( 2019 )

Melissa Martin is a Texas and New York licensed attorney who focuses her practice on real estate and corporations. Ms. Martin assists clients in the acquisition, financing, leasing, and development of improved and unimproved real property throughout the Southwest United States. Melissa Martin has experience in commercial, farm and ranch, and residential real estate transactions with a primary focus on multi-family and retail development/leasing. Ms. Martin also advises clients on estate planning and general corporate matters. Prior to joining ScottHulse, Melissa Martin served as corporate and litigation counsel for a financial investment firm managing real estate portfolios. Ms. Martin earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence and Master of Arts in International Relations from the American University in Washington, DC, where she graduated cum laude. While in law school, she served as a judicial extern for the Honorable G. Michael Harvey at the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. Ms. Martin earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Ms. Martin attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Anthropology with a minor in Middle Eastern and North African Studies. As an undergraduate, she was a research assistant for the UCLA Center for Middle East Development and a reporter for The Daily Bruin. Ms. Martin is a member of the Texas Bar College, an honorary society of legal scholars who champion advanced legal education and professional ethics within the legal profession. She is a graduate of Leadership El Paso Class XLIV, sponsored by the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce. She is a board member of the West Texas Chapter of the American Red Cross, the El Paso Young Lawyers Association, and Secretary (2024-2025) of the Rotary Club of El Paso. Ms. Martin is an active member of several other professional organizations, including the El Paso Women's Bar Association, where she is a mentor to young women pursuing a career in law through the Association's MILE program.

Richard Munzinger devoted his life to God, and in doing so, lived a life of prayer, charity, and service to his family, friends, colleagues, and community. A brilliant and accomplished trial lawyer, Richard Munzinger practiced with the Firm for 55 years. He inspired many through word and action leaving a legacy of honor, integrity, and commitment. Richard Munzinger practiced primarily in the areas of litigation and competition and antitrust. He was a member of the Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee and served on the Pattern Jury Charge Committee (Business, Commercial) and the Administration of Rules of Evidence Committee.

Job Titles:

• Attorney
• Shareholder

Job Titles:

• Attorney / Shareholder / Chair - Labor & Employment Section
• Shareholder, Leads the ScottHulse Labor & Employment Section and Participates Actively in the Firm 's Litigation and Education Practices.

Rosemary Marin is Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and licensed to practice law in both Texas and New Mexico. Ms. Marin has the highest Martindale-Hubbell peer rating of AV Preeminent. An AV Preeminent peer rating reflects an attorney who has reached the heights of professional excellence. It indicates that she has practiced law for many years and is recognized by her peers for the highest levels of skill, ethics, and integrity. She has also been recognized as a 2021 Texas Super Lawyer by Thompson Reuters, included in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, and named the Best Lawyers® 2022 Employment Law - Management "Lawyer of the Year" in El Paso by BL Rankings, LLC. Ms. Marin and her colleagues handle the full spectrum of labor and employment practice, on behalf of local, regional, and national clientele, both large and small. Representing management, Ms. Marin defends against employment litigation and regulatory issues (Title VII, FLSA, ADEA, ADA, FMLA, OSHA), labor union matters (NLRB, NLRA), and provides legal and practical advice on implementing business strategies that affect executives and other employees. Ms. Marin's focus is on both prevention and strong advocacy. She is experienced in providing training and advice to help businesses take proactive steps to prevent employment disputes but is also a seasoned litigator who aggressively defends against lawsuits and other claims of discrimination filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Texas and New Mexico Commissions on Human Rights, with a success rate of more than 90%. She has successfully defended against thousands of workers' compensation claims, also with a success rate of over 90%. Ms. Marin is also a highly experienced trial lawyer who has successfully tried many jury trials on behalf of employers. She has also successfully resolved hundreds of lawsuits, as well as claims and administrative charges and investigations arising from those charges. She has defended against discrimination claims based on a variety of topics including, but not limited to, age, race, sex, religion, national origin, harassment, retaliation, disability, family and medical leave rights, veterans' rights, wage and hour protections, and state tort and contract laws. She is also a certified mediator. Other key services provided by Ms. Marin include mediation services, preventive advice and training; counsel on personnel and labor matters arising from sales, mergers and acquisitions, plant closings, and reductions in force; traditional labor matters, including union avoidance; and, counsel and training regarding restrictive covenants, trade secrets, and non-competition agreements; governmental compliance and audits (ICE, DOL, DOJ, etc.) and numerous other areas affecting employers. For additional detail on these services, see Representative Matters, below. Rosemary Marin, a shareholder, leads the ScottHulse Labor & Employment Section and participates actively in the Firm's Litigation and Education practices.

Job Titles:

• State Bar of Texas ( Member

Job Titles:

• Attorney
• Partner
• Senior Fellow
• Shareholder

Mr. Schwartz is a Senior Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America. Membership is awarded to less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers and is by invitation only. Senior Fellows are selected based effectiveness, accomplishment and dedication for seven years of being a Fellow in litigation, both at the trial and appellate levels, and superior ethical reputation. He has been recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer from 2010 through 2019.

Job Titles:

• Attorney
• Shareholder

Job Titles:

• Director of Administration

Job Titles:

• Associate
• Attorney
• Associate Attorney at Scott

Tomas Porras-Acosta is an associate attorney at ScottHulse whose practice focuses on litigation and general labor and employment law. Mr. Porras-Acosta earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Michigan State University, where he was a Trustee Scholarship Award recipient, part of the Trial Practice Institute, captain of the Moot Court Competition Team, and parliamentary officer of the Executive Board for the Latino Law Society. He was also a clinician for the MSU Housing Law Clinic, where he helped prevent evictions and provide pro bono educational and legal services to low-income citizens on landlord-tenant, housing discrimination, public housing, subsidized housing, land contracts, and affordable housing. While in law school, Mr. Porras-Acosta was a judicial intern to the Honorable Anne T. Berton and the Honorable Robert F. Castaneda of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas. Born and raised in El Paso, Mr. Porras-Acosta grew up in El Paso's Segundo Barrio before moving to the west side where he attended Coronado High School. After high school, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice, with a minor in Business Management, from the University of Texas at El Paso. He is also a graduate of the UTEP Law School Preparation Institute. During his undergraduate studies, he interned for the El Paso County Public Defender's Office and the El Paso 34 th Judicial District Attorney's Office.

Job Titles:

• Associate
• Attorney

Victoria Espinoza's experience includes appellate law in both civil and criminal matters. Prior to joining ScottHulse, Ms. Espinoza served as a staff attorney to the Honorable Chief Justice Yvonne T. Rodriguez of the Court of Appeals Eighth Judicial District of Texas. Ms. Espinoza earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence from Michigan State University in 2020, where she was a Trustee Scholarship Award recipient, President of the Latino Law Society, Vice President of the Jewish Law Society, Diversity and Equity Services Liaison of the Student Bar Association, a clinician of the MSU Immigration Law Clinic, and recipient of the 2020 New York University National Immigration Law Competition Best Brief Award. Ms. Espinoza attended the University of Texas at El Paso where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Organizational and Corporate Communication with a minor in Legal Reasoning. She is also a proud alumna of the UTEP Law School Preparation Institute.

Job Titles:

• Attorney
• Shareholder

Zach Daw is a fourth generation El Pasoan and is a licensed attorney in Texas and New Mexico. Mr. Daw works with clients to determine which estate planning documents will best meet their individual needs, including, wills, living trusts, testamentary trusts, powers of attorney, and other incapacity planning documents. Additionally, Mr. Daw advises clients on probate matters, the administration of trusts and estates, and various matters related to business succession planning, contracts, and transfers of ownership.