We are pleased to welcome our inaugural class of summer law interns, Katherine Dyer and Ben Blefeld, to the firm. Katherine and Ben, both native Houstonians, are 1Ls at the University of Houston Law Center (UHLC).

SHJ established the Summer Law Intern Program as part of our ongoing commitment to cultivating lawyers from the local community. The program, which recruits exclusively from Houston-area law schools, gives 1L students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience at a successful trial firm and position themselves as outstanding candidates for top summer associate programs the following year. “Investing in local law schools helps us fulfill our mission of providing early, effective mentorship to aspiring lawyers,” said recruiting partner Adam Dinnell. “Beyond creating a pipeline for future growth, this program gives 1L students valuable experience that sets them apart from their peers.”

Katherine, who previously taught algebra at a Title I college preparatory charter school in Houston, was recently honored by UHLC for receiving the highest grade in a first-year law course. “I was drawn to SHJ because it is a smaller firm, and the work the partners and associates accomplish is fantastic,” she said. “I’m excited to refine my research and writing skills, work on substantive projects, and gain as much exposure to litigation and client interaction as possible. So far, my time at SHJ has been exactly what I’d imagine being a real lawyer is like.”

Ben entered law school after majoring in psychology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he served as a research assistant in the university’s Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab. At UHLC, he received the Lex Award for the highest grade in his Civil Procedure class. “SHJ’s emphasis on teamwork and reputation as a premier litigation boutique firm appealed to me since I want to learn from the best trial lawyers in the country,” he said. “I look forward to working on complex commercial disputes and learning how trial lawyers operate on a daily basis.”

Five 2L summer associates will also join the firm in July. “This class of associates and interns is not only our largest, but also our most accomplished group yet,” Adam noted. “We’re building for the future.”

Schiffer Hicks Johnson PLLC is a Houston-based trial firm with an exceptional track record and a pragmatic, business-oriented approach. Founded in 2007 to provide sophisticated, efficient litigation services in the Houston market, the firm has grown into a 17-lawyer litigation and arbitration boutique with national and international reach. More information: adinnell@shjlawfirm.com.