Yetter Coleman appellate partner April Farris has been appointed by Governor Greg Abbott as a new Justice of the First Court of Appeals effective on January 1, 2021 for a two-year term to replace retiring Justice Evelyn Keyes.
Honored as a 2020 appellate “Rising Star” by Law360 and recognized in appellate law by Best Lawyers in America and Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers, Farris has focused her appellate practice on high-stakes commercial matters, including contract disputes, business torts, and government-law issues. She joined Yetter Coleman in 2010 after clerking for the Hon. Jennifer Walker Elrod on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Farris left the firm to serve as Assistant Solicitor General for the State of Texas from 2014-2015. She returned to Yetter Coleman in 2016 and was promoted to partner in 2018.
“This appointment is wonderful recognition of April’s skills and integrity, and it’s a reflection of her hard work, many successes, and stellar reputation,” says Paul Yetter. “While we will miss her at the firm, we are incredibly proud of her and know this is a huge gain for the First Court of Appeals,” comments Connie Pfeiffer, head of the firm’s Appellate Group. Farris says, “It is truly an honor to be selected for this role by Governor Abbott, and I am excited to join the bench and serve the people of this great State.”
Yetter Coleman focuses exclusively on high-stakes business and technology litigation for plaintiffs and defendants in a broad spectrum of matters, with particular expertise in contract and business torts, appellate, intellectual property, and antitrust and securities litigation for clients involved in the energy, technology, and finance industries.