| September 15, 2020, Dallas: The board of directors of Dallas LGBT Bar Association is delighted to announce the appointment of two new directors, Adwoa Asante (left) and Callie Butcher (right), to the board. Asante is the Principal Attorney of Asante Legal PLLC, a Dallas-Fort Worth law firm that practices exclusively in criminal defense. Adwoa Asante is committed to protecting the rights and liberty of those accused by the State of Texas. Prior to founding her own firm she was a Public Defender in Dallas County. Adwoa is a member of Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, J.L. Turner Legal Association, and Dallas Black Criminal Bar Association. She hopes that in service to the Dallas LGBT Bar Association she can aid in addressing the hyper-criminalization and the systemic murder of LGBTQ persons who are also Black. Adwoa will serve as the association’s Vice President for Community Partnerships. Butcher is an associate in both the IP Litigation group and the Technology and IP Transactions group in the Dallas office of Sidley Austin LLP. Her practice focuses on complex patent litigation involving a variety of technologies, such as wireless communications, semiconductor manufacturing, and consumer electronics. Callie also has expertise assisting clients in connection with IP acquisitions, patent cross-licensing investigation and negotiation, and IP due diligence, as well as trademark, trade secret, and unfair completion claims. When not practicing law, Callie enjoys spending time with her partner and children. Callie is also passionate about cycling, and you are likely to see her putting in a few laps or leading a group ride on the weekends. Callie will serve as the association’s Vice President for Membership. |
 Six other board members continue, some with changing rolesBeginning in June 2020, six members who served on the 2019-20 board were reappointed to positions on the board for the 2020-21 year. Pictured from left to right are Mario Nguyen, President; Derek Mergele-Rust, Secretary; Michael Debnam, Treasurer; Kim Austin, Vice President for Professional Development; Nadia Haghighatian, Vice President for Programming; and Brian Larson, Vice President for Communication. Mergele-Rust had previously served as Vice President for Membership, Debnam as Vice President for Community Partnerships, and Larson as Secretary. |
Dallas LGBT Bar Association 