HOUSTON – Texas Lawyer has recognized Bracewell LLP partner Walter A. Simons as an Appellate Rising Star at the 2026 Texas Legal Awards. In addition, three other Houston partners have been named finalists: Heather L. Brown and Stephanie Koo Song for Influential Woman of the Year, and Richard F. Whiteley for Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year. The 2026 Texas Legal Awards recognize attorneys and law firms making a lasting impact on Texas’ legal landscape. The final results will be announced on September 30 at an awards ceremony in Dallas.
Appellate Rising Star: Walter A. Simons
Walter A. Simons won the Appellate Rising Star award, which recognizes early-career appellate attorneys for significant contributions to the field. Simons represents clients in high-stakes and precedent-setting commercial disputes and personal injury matters before Texas and federal appellate courts nationwide. He serves on committees for the Texas Bar Foundation and the Houston Bar Association and has co-authored numerous publications on appellate litigation for the State Bar of Texas.
Influential Woman of the Year: Heather L. Brown and Stephanie Koo Song (Finalists)
Heather L. Brown and Stephanie Koo Song are finalists for Influential Woman of the Year, which honors women attorneys demonstrating exceptional leadership and influence within the Texas legal community.
Brown co-chairs Bracewell’s banking and finance practice and serves on the firm’s management committee. She represents clients on complex and transformative financing transactions across the energy sector and beyond, advising both lenders and borrowers on syndicated and bilateral, secured and unsecured financing arrangements as well as traditional and structured facilities.
Song chairs Bracewell’s business and regulatory section. She advises creditors and borrowers on all types of financings, including traditional syndicated lending and bespoke private credit transactions, with a particular focus on the energy sector. Song has advised on billions of dollars in transactions across multiple commodity cycles, market downturns and regulatory shifts.
Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year: Richard F. Whiteley (Finalist)
Litigation partner Richard F. Whiteley is a finalist for Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year, which recognizes attorneys for outstanding pro bono service. Whiteley co-chairs Bracewell’s firmwide pro bono committee and leads the Houston office’s pro bono efforts. He has organized joint legal clinics between Bracewell and clients to reach underserved populations and mentors associates in their pro bono work. Under his guidance, the firm has surpassed its Houston Volunteer Lawyers pledge for the seventh straight year.
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