The Dallas LGBT Bar Association’s Board of Directors for 2026 is comprised of attorneys from a broad range of backgrounds and practice areas:
President: Joshua Dossey (he/him)

Biography and Background
James Joshua Dossey is an associate attorney at Duffee + Eitzen. Following his undergraduate B.A. in Journalism from Baylor University (“Sic’em”), he enlisted in the Army as a 27D Paralegal Specialist. Josh graduated from Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law (“Pony Up”) and was admitted to the Texas State Bar in 2022. Josh practices family law, focusing on contested and uncontested divorce, child custody issues, and complex property division. He also serves on the board of the LGBTQ+ Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. In his spare time, Josh serves on the executive board of Dallas Independent Volleyball Association and travels across North America to compete in tournaments. To recover, you will find Josh at the movies or re-reading Harry Potter.

Immediate Past President: Thomas McMillian (he/him)
Biography and Background
Thomas McMillian has been an Assistant City Attorney with the City of North Richland Hills since November of 2021. Prior to taking on this role, he was an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Amarillo, where he served as the Public Safety Legal Advisor and was primarily responsible for the Amarillo Police Department’s legal matters. Thomas was a prosecutor at both the Potter County Attorney’s Office and then the 47th District Attorney’s Office in Amarillo for 9 years. Thomas also served as a Staff Attorney for Chief Justice Brian Quinn of the 7th Court of Appeals in Amarillo.
Thomas earned his Bachelor of Business Administration with a double major in Economics and General Business from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas in 2004. He earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence from St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas in 2008. Thomas is a Texas Bar Foundation Fellow. He has presented at the Texas Police Chiefs Association Legal Advisor Conference, the Amarillo Area Young Lawyers Association Biennial Las Vegas CLE, and is a former faculty member of the Texas District and County Attorneys Association Prosecutor Trial Skills Course. Thomas was named Young Lawyer of the Year by the Amarillo Area Young Lawyers Association in 2018. He is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas and in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Thomas is a member of Oak Lawn United Methodist Church where he serves on the board and is moderator-elect of the Trustee’s Committee.
Thomas, his partner Dustin, and their (very spoiled) dachshund Tootie live in Oak Lawn. He’s a self-described aviation geek, beer nerd, and has an appreciation for German cars. Thomas loves traveling, especially to Germany, Austria, and New York.

President Elect: Nick Rodriguez (he/him)
Biography and Background
Nick Rodriguez grew up in Brownsville, Texas – a small border community in South Texas. As the grandson of migrant farm workers and Mexican American immigrants, Nick understands the value of hard work and giving it all you’ve got. Having grit, or as his grandparents would say, “ganas,” has served him well throughout his legal career and life. In high school, Nick excelled in academics and athletics. He graduated in the top percent of his high school class and lettered in football, baseball, and track. In college, Nick’s academic success continued. While at Texas A&M University, Nick held several leadership and service positions, including roles in student government, and the Hispanic President’s Council, an umbrella organization for Hispanic student-led organizations on campus. After college, Nick moved to Houston to attend South Texas College of Law Houston. While in law school, Nick competed as a member of the school’s nationally ranked advocacy program and competed with some of the best advocates from around the country. After law school, Nick moved to Dallas where he worked at a large civil litigation firm representing large corporations and big business.
Presently, Nick represents both individual clients and businesses in a wide range of civil litigation matters as both Plaintiffs and Defendants. Nick has centered his practice on handling catastrophic personal injury cases, business litigation, and business transactions. Throughout his career, Nick has remained dedicated to achieving favorable outcomes for his clients. His deep understanding of the legal landscape, coupled with his commitment to providing personalized and effective representation, has earned him the trust and respect of those he serves. Whether in the courtroom or at the negotiating table, Nick’s tenacity, integrity, and dedication never waiver, which makes him a trusted advocate amongst his peers, but more importantly, his clients.

Treasurer: Sean Buckley (he/him)
Biography and Background
Sean is a partner with Dykema and counsels innovators primarily in marketing, media, and advertising. Sean represents prominent clients in technology and new media industries, and regularly drafts and negotiates agreements with ad servers, data suppliers and data management companies, measurement and analytics companies, and other ad and technology platforms and providers in connection with a variety of commercial relationships with local, regional and Fortune 500 brands, agencies, and marketing companies.
Sean and his husband live downtown in the Farmers Market, and you’re likely to find him on the weekend meandering the stalls and sheds of produce and locally-made goods with his dog.

Secretary: Robert Candelas (he/him)
Biography and Background
Roberto is an associate at McGuire Woods and his practice focuses on private equity and corporate transactional matters, representing private equity funds, independent sponsors, emerging managers, and institutional investors.
Prior to joining his firm, Roberto earned a BA in Government from the University of Texas at Austin and a JD from Texas A&M School of Law. During his time at Texas A&M, Roberto served as the president of OUTLaw and as a Student Director for the Dallas LGBT Bar Association.

Director of Technology: Zack McConnell (he/him)
Biography and Background
Zack is a litigation associate at Faegre Drinker and has represented numerous Fortune 500 companies in courts across the US, including several multi-billion dollar disputes. Zack began his academic career at Cornell University, where he studied Industrial Labor Relations and graduated with minors in Law & Society, Business, and Religious Studies. Zack returned to Texas, to earn his Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin. During law school, Zack also studied under leading AI researchers during his time at Bucerius Law School in Hamburg, Germany.
Zack represents prominent clients in financial services, pharmaceutical, and construction disputes, leveraging his extensive knowledge of Artificial Intelligence and data systems infrastructure to elicit evidence of wrongdoing that many others would miss. Zack’s work focuses on multiple stages of the legal process, offering full-service litigation, pre-dispute resolution, and/or focused work as trial counsel.
Zack lives downtown with his two-year-old dog, Nala. In his free time, Zack enjoys tackling home renovation projects, where he combines creativity and craftsmanship to transform spaces.

Director: Callie Butcher (she/her)
Biography and Background
Callie Butcher is a Dallas-based attorney who’s practice has focused on complex patent litigation involving a variety of technologies. Callie also has expertise assisting clients in connection with IP acquisitions, patent cross-licensing, and IP due diligence, as well as trademark, trade secret, and unfair competition claims. Callie has been recognized in the 2021–2022 editions of The Best Lawyers as a “Ones to Watch in America” and “Women In The Law: Ones To Watch” in Intellectual Property Litigation, and was named a 2022 “Top Women Lawyer” by Texas Diversity Council.
When not working, Callie volunteers with local LGBT organizations, including Lambda Legal, where she serves on its Dallas Leadership Committee, and Black Tie Dinner, where she serves on the board and as a member of the Events and Programming Committee. In her free time, Callie enjoys spending time with her partner and two children.
Mackenzie Salenger serves as the advisor for students in the International LL.M., Tax LL.M., General LL.M., and S.J.D. programs. In this role, Mackenzie provides career development training and strategy, develops career-related educational resources and programs, and counsels students.
Mackenzie joined SMU Dedman School of Law as Career Advisor in the Office of Career Services in August 2021. Having practiced at two national law firms and actively participated in her firms’ diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, Mackenzie brings extensive legal industry experience to this position. Mackenzie began her legal career as a Trial Associate with Thompson & Knight LLP and was most recently a Trial Associate with Thompson Coburn LLP, where she handled a broad range of commercial litigation matters, including matters related to fraud and fraudulent transfer litigation, tort and products liability litigation, complex commercial litigation, and social impact litigation.
Mackenzie earned her Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, in Psychology from Southern Methodist University and graduated magna cum laude from Wake Forest University School of Law, where she was admitted to the Order of the Coif and inducted into the Pro Bono Honor Society. Mackenzie is active in the community, where she is a Board Member of Black Tie Dinner, a member of the Young Professionals Advisory Councils for the LGBT Resource Center of Dallas and the Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center, and a member of the Mayor’s Star Council.
Director: T. Hunter Lewis (he/him)

Biography and Background
T. Hunter Lewis, partner at Duffee + Eitzen, is an experienced Family Law litigator and appellate attorney focused on the unique needs of his clients. His clients face life-changing legal matters surrounding divorce, including child custody, possession and support, complex marital property division, pre- and post-marital agreements, paternity, and LGTBQIA+ issues.
Lewis is active in local and statewide bar-related activities and family law organizations. He has held multiple leadership positions in the Dallas Bar Association with the Family Law Section, The LGBT Section, and multiple other committees. He also has been active during legislative sessions as a volunteer at the State Capitol with the lobbying team and has held a long-term position on the Legislative Bill Review and Action committees of the Texas Family Law Foundation. Lewis also has served on Committees of the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers and was selected as a member of the LeadershipSBOT class of 2020–2021.
Lewis has been selected to Best Lawyers in America since 2016, Super Lawyers since 2013, LawDragon 500 Leading Family Lawyers, D Magazine Best Lawyers Under 40 and The National Advocates: Top 40 Under 40. He has an undergraduate degree from Baylor University and graduated from Baylor University School of Law.
Director: Christopher Cornell (he/him)

Biography and Background
Christopher Cornell serves as In-House Counsel for The Walsh Group (Walsh Construction & Archer Western). Christopher Cornell is an experienced attorney, admitted to practice law in Texas and New York. Christopher’s practice focuses, primarily, on construction transactions, as well as related areas of business, real estate, and employment law (and litigation in these areas), as well as research and negotiation.
