Dean A. Riddle received his B.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981 and 1985. He is licensed to practice law in and is a member of the state bars of Texas (1990), Georgia (1985) and North Carolina (1988) and has represented clients in at least ten states. He is admitted to practice before the U. S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina, the U. S. District Court for Northern District of Georgia and the U. S. District Court for Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas. Mr. Riddle previously worked for a large, nationally recognized, full-service law firm which trained him in litigation techniques and real estate law. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Dallas Bar Association, the Tarrant County Bar Association and the American Association for Justice. He is also a member of the Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section and Litigation Section of the State Bar of Texas. In 1994, as a member of the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, he was chairman of the Homeowners’ Rights Committee. Mr. Riddle served two separate terms on the Board of Directors of the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of the Community Associations Institute (CAI) and served as its President in 1994. He has written and lectured extensively on numerous topics impacting community associations at the state and national level. As an active member of CAI, Mr. Riddle has served as a delegate to the Texas Legislative Action Committee from 1993 to the present, has actively participated in drafting proposed legislation affecting planned communities, and has received numerous awards including speaker of the year, outstanding service and Hall of Fame. Mr. Riddle is also a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. The Million Dollar Advocates Forum is recognized as the most prestigious group of trial lawyers in the United States with membership limited to attorneys who have won million and multi-million dollar verdicts, awards and settlements. Less than 1% of U.S. lawyers are members. Mr. Riddle is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating an attorney can receive.

Lance E. Williams was admitted to the bar in Texas in 1986 and was also admitted to practice before U.S. District Courts in the Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas. He received his B.S. (magna cum laude) degree in 1983 from Oral Roberts University and a J.D. in 1986 from Southern Methodist University. While in law school, he was awarded the American Jurisprudence Award in Torts, Business Associations and Evidence. Mr. Williams is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the American Bar Association, the Dallas Bar Association, and the Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of the Community Associations Institute, where he has served as a board and a committee member. He has also conducted industry seminars and workshops and been actively involved in drafting proposed legislation affecting planned communities. Mr. Williams is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating an attorney can receive.

David A. Surratt was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1991. He received his B.A. degree from the University of Tennessee in 1973 and his J.D. degree from Saint Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas in 1991. While in law school, he served as the student representative to the faculty committee on student academic standards. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Dallas Bar Association, and various specialty sections of both organizations and currently serves on the Legal Ethics Committee of the Dallas Bar Association. Mr. Surratt served as the editorial/research assistant for a multi-volume publication for trial lawyers and has served as an adjunct instructor in the ABA-Approved Paralegal Studies Program, El Centro Community College, Dallas, Texas. He is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating an attorney can receive. In addition to his practice in community association law, Mr. Surratt has a background in civil litigation, to include medical malpractice professional liability claims. He has worked for several high-profile litigation firms. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Surratt was a certified paramedic and an emergency medical services training coordinator (U.T. Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas). He served on the advisory committee to the Texas Department of Health Emergency Medical Services Division. Upon graduation from college, Mr. Surratt served as a Medical Services Corps officer in the active duty Army as an instructor at the Army’s Academy of Health Sciences, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and subsequently held command level positions in the Army Reserves.

Sloan Rawlins was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 2000 and is admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas. She received her B.A. degree (magnum cum laude) from the University of Texas at Dallas in 1995 and her J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law in 2000. While in law school, Ms. Rawlins received the prestigious Hatton W. Sumners Foundation Scholarship, was a Regional Finalist in the ATLA Mock Trial Competition and received a nomination for Best Brief in the Jackson Walker Moot Court Competition. She clerked for Chief Judge John W. Lungstrum, U.S. District of Kansas. In both 2004 and 2005, Ms. Rawlins was selected as a “Rising Star” in the annual Super Lawyers Edition of Texas Monthly Magazine. She has been a member of the Board of Directors for the Dallas Women Lawyers Association since 2003 and served as DWLA’s President in 2005. She has also served as Chair and Vice-Chair of several committees for the State Bar of Texas and local bar associations. Ms. Rawlins has also been active in her community as an advocate for child abuse prevention, working with the Child Abuse Prevention Center, the State Bar of Texas Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect, and the Shaken Baby Alliance. She represents clients in all principal areas of business litigation, including contract related disputes, employment disputes, and fraud related claims.

Chad E. Robinson received an A.B. degree in Economics and certificate in Political Economy from Princeton University in 1999. At Princeton, Mr. Robinson was a pitcher on the Varsity Baseball Team. In 2002, Mr. Robinson received his J.D. degree from the SMU School of Law. During law school, Mr. Robinson served as an articles editor for the International Law Review and was honored as an octa-finalist in the Jackson Walker Moot Court Competition. He was also a Dean’s Scholarship Recipient. Prior to joining Riddle & Williams, Mr. Robinson worked for six years for one of the largest and most prestigious full-service law firms in the State of Texas, where he was trained in litigation techniques and real estate law. At that firm, Mr. Robinson handled a variety of complex commercial litigation matters, including real estate and construction disputes. He has successfully represented clients in state and federal trial and appellate courts throughout Texas. Mr. Robinson is admitted to practice before all district courts in Texas. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Dallas Bar Association, and the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers. Mr. Robinson has co-authored articles that have been featured in trade publications.

Andi R. Clinger was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 2005. Ms. Clinger received her B.A. degree from Oklahoma State University in 2002 and her J.D. degree from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law in 2005. While in law school she was elected to serve as a student representative of the Student Bar Association. Ms. Clinger is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the American Bar Association, and the Dallas Bar Association.

Kathleen M. Kilanowski was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 2006, and is also licensed to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. She received her B.A Degree from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2002, and her J.D from the St. Mary’s School of Law. While in law school, Ms. Kilanowski was an Associate Editor of The Scholar Law Review. She has since written appellate briefs for Texas’ 5th and 2nd Courts of Appeal, and participated in appellate briefs for New York and California jurisdictions. Ms. Kilanowski has also composed articles featured in various legal trade publications. She currently serves on the Alumnae Board of Ursuline Academy of Dallas, and is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Dallas Bar Association, and the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers.

Julie L. Dupont was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 2006 and is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas. She received her B.G.S. degree from Louisiana State University in 2002, and her J.D. degree from Southern Methodist University in 2006. While in law school, she was a member of the Corporate Law Society and the Association for Public Interest Law. Ms. Dupont is a current member of the State Bar of Texas.

Caroline A. McClimon was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 2009. Ms. McClimon received her B.A. degree in Political Science from Southern Methodist University in 2005. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Ms. McClimon received an athletic-scholarship and lettered in Women’s Crew. In 2008, Ms. McClimon received her J.D. degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. While in law school, Ms. McClimon served as assistant editor of the Oklahoma Law Review, received an American Jurisprudence (Am. Jur.) Award for Agricultural Environmental Law and served as President of the Christian Legal Society. Ms. McClimon has previously worked for United States Senator John Cornyn and on several grassroots campaigns. She currently is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the American Bar Association and the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers.

– Of Counsel –

Christopher A. Payne born Detroit, Michigan, May 19, 1953. Education: University of Notre Dame, B.S., 1975; University of Detroit, M.B.A.,1977; University of Notre Dame, J.D., 1979. Admitted to practice law in Texas in 1979; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit in 1986; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas in 1988; U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit in 1994; U.S. Supreme Court in 1994. Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law since 1993, Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Areas of specialty include oil and gas, nursing home liability, wrongful death, negligence, medical malpractice, personal injury, premises liability, professional negligence, products liability, class action litigation, business torts, commercial negligence, commercial litigation. A member of the Martindale Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, State Bar of Texas.

Beth S. Janicek was admitted to the State Bar of Texas 1993. She received her B.A. Degree from the St. Mary’s School of Law in 1993 and her J.D. degree from the St. Mary’s School of Law. She is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law.

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