Christopher V. Popov Takes Helm as 2022-2023 Houston Bar Association President
Elevating civil discourse and attorney wellness among Popov’s focus areas for the bar year
(HOUSTON – May 20, 2022) Christopher V. Popov of Vinson & Elkins took office as the 2022-2023 Houston Bar Association President at the HBA Annual Dinner on May 19. He succeeds Jennifer A. Hasley of Hasley Scarano, L.L.P.
Popov’s goals for the coming bar year include elevating civil discourse about legal issues that affect our society through HBA programming and communications, enhancing attorney wellness resources, and amplifying the services provided through HBA’s affiliate organizations – the Houston Volunteer Lawyers, the Houston Lawyer Referral Service, and the Dispute Resolution Center.
“We’re living in a bizarre age of misinformation and political polarization. I see an important role for lawyers to lead us back to reverence for civic responsibility and respect for the rule of law,” said Popov. “My aim for the coming year is to engage our members through programs offering meaningful dialogue on the most pressing legal issues of the day, promoting wellness resources, as well as ensuring that Houstonians are educated on the legal services offered through our ancillary organizations.”
Popov is a trial lawyer who practices before courts and arbitration panels across the United States. He has tried a range of commercial cases involving merger disputes, environmental matters, antitrust, corporate governance, intellectual property, constitutional rights, internet media, and other commercial matters. Popov serves as co-head of Vinson & Elkins’ Complex Commercial Litigation practice, where he has spent his entire legal career. Popov recently co-led a V&E team of trial attorneys that secured a $94 million jury verdict for Huntsman Corporation.
Popov was selected as one of Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Lawyers in America earlier this year. He’s also been named on Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers list in 2020 and 2022. He graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Louisiana State University and earned his J.D. with high honors from the University of Texas School of Law, where he was a Chancellor and member of the Texas Law Review.
Other officers for the 2022-2023 HBA bar year are Diana Gomez of Chamberlain Hrdlicka, president-elect; Greg Ulmer of BakerHostetler LLP, first vice president; Greg Moore of Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP, second vice president; David E. Harrell Jr. of Locke Lord LLP, treasurer; Daniella Landers of Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP, secretary; and Jennifer A. Hasley of Hasley Scarano, L.L.P., immediate past president. Directors are Robert Painter of Painter Law Firm PLLC; Keri Brown of Baker Botts L.L.P.; Kaylan Dunn of Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP; Samantha Torres of Okin Adams LLP; Collin Cox of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP; Jeff Oldham of Bracewell LLP; Pamela Medina of Medina Law Texas, PPLC; and Colin Pogge of Gibbs & Bruns LLP.
The Houston Bar Association also presented awards to outstanding committees, sections, and individuals.
Chief Justice Tracy Christopher of the Fourteenth Court of Appeals was awarded the Justice Ruby Kless Sondock Award, which was established by 2019-2020 HBA President Benny Agosto, Jr. to recognize outstanding achievement and leadership for women in the law.
Judge Edith H. Jones, former Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, was awarded the Justice Eugene A. Cook Professionalism Award, the association’s highest award for professionalism.
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The Houston Bar Association is a nonprofit professional organization for attorneys that provides education and service programs for the legal profession and the community. With over 10,000 members, the HBA is one of the largest metropolitan bar associations in the nation. Learn more at HBA.org.
Photo credit: Deborah Wallace, Barfield Photography
