Office of External Communications

Houston, TX 77204-5017 Fax; 713/743-8199

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2004

Contact: Eric Gerber
713/743-8189 (office)
713/617-7130(pager)
egerber@uh.edu

HOUSTON, May 20, 2004 – Tommy Fibich has been named alumnus of the year by the University of Houston Law Center and the UH Law Alumni Association.

Fibich, a principal of the Houston law firm of Fibich, Hampton, Leebron & Garth, LLP, is board certified in Civil Trial Law and is a member of American Board of Trial Advocates. He is a frequent speaker and lectures across the nation on a broad range of issues. He has been involved in numerous mass torts cases, including psychiatric hospital abuse cases, Fen/Phen, Baycol, Ephedra drug cases, and Jehovah’s Witness sexual abuse cases, and was plaintiff's counsel for the first Fen/Phen class action certified in the United States.

In 2003, 20,000 of his peers voted Fibich a Texas SuperLawyer, for which he was featured in Texas Monthly. This recognition places him among the top five percent of all attorneys in the State of Texas.

Fibich has been instrumental in the advancement of the UH Law Center, serving in various capacities within the UH Law Alumni Association. He is a continuing supporter of the UH Law Center, its events and its programs.

Other alumni award honorees:

• Dean’s Award – Marvin D. Nathan (’66), of Nathan Sommers Jacobs & Gorman.
• Faculty Award – George A. Hrdlicka, Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Martin
• President’s Award – Mary Chapman Cantu (’86), StarTex Title Compan
• Ethel Baker Faculty Award – Seth Chandler, UH Law Center
• Law Gala & Auction Awards – Ellen Elkins Grimes (’79), Ellen Elkins Grimes Law Office; Denman H. Heard (’92), Heard, Robins, Cloud, Lubel & Greenwood, LLP; Gary S. Lewis (’88), Lewis & Gaylor; Patrick W. Mizell (’89), Vinson & Elkins, LLP; Chelita Riley (’96).
• Rising Star Award – Barbara J. Stalder (’03), Lone Star Legal Aid
• Faculty Distinction Award – G. Sidney Buchanan, UH Law Center
• Public Sector Achievement Award – Alistaire Bambach (’86), Chief Bankruptcy Counsel/Assistant Regional Director, Division of Enforcement, SEC
• Private Sector Achievement Award – Jack T. Trotter (’52)
• Coporate Sector Achievement Awards – Suzie Thomas (’78), Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Chief Administrative Officer, Houston Texans; Steve Underwood (’77), Executive Vice President/General Counsel, Tennessee Titans
• Honorary Alumnus Award – Harry Gee Jr., Harry Gee Jr. & Associates

A high-resolution photograph of Tommy Fibich is available by contacting Leah Gross at 713/743-2201.
For more information about the UH Law Center, visit the Web site http://www.law.uh.edu/.

About the University of Houston

The University of Houston, Texas’ premier metropolitan research and teaching institution, is home to more than 40 research centers and institutes and sponsors more than 300 partnerships with corporate, civic and governmental entities. UH, the most diverse research university in the country, stands at the forefront of education, research and service with more than 35,000 students.

For more information about UH visit the university’s ‘Newsroom’ at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.