David Calvillo, Erica Opitz, and Kellen Scott elevated to Equity Shareholders and Patrick McCann, Steven Wyatt, and Kelly Shields to Shareholders
Chamberlain Hrdlicka is pleased to announce that it has elevated three of its shareholders to equity shareholders and elevated three attorneys to shareholders. Moving up to equity shareholders are Atlanta-based attorney Erica L. Opitz and Houston-based attorneys David N. Calvillo and Kellen R. Scott. Additionally, Atlanta-based attorneys Patrick J. McCann, Jr., Steven M. Wyatt and Houston-based attorney Kelly Boss Shields were elevated to shareholder. These promotions were affirmed during the firm's virtual annual meeting held on Feb. 5, 2022.
“We are excited for the elevation of these attorneys to our shareholder ranks,” said Larry Campagna, Chamberlain Hrdlicka’s managing shareholder. “They have played key roles in the firm’s success over the past few years through their hard work and commitment to client service. We look forward to seeing what else they achieve for our firm and within the legal industry.”
Calvillo has successfully tried, litigated and arbitrated matters in diverse practice areas, including breach of contract, business separation, commercial liability, construction, tax controversy, shareholder rights, professional malpractice, personal injury and wrongful death, employment, debt collection and intellectual property. He is a Board-certified Civil Trial Specialist and a Texas CPA. Calvillo earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Texas School of Law and his Master of Laws degree in taxation from Georgetown University Law Center. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the State Bar of Texas and has been listed as a Texas “Super Lawyer” for fourteen (14) consecutive years.
Opitz is a member of the Corporate, Securities and Finance practice group and often serves as a client’s outside general counsel. She assists clients with corporate governance, commercial contracts, mergers and acquisitions and privately held securities matters. Opitz represents clients in a variety of industries, including moving and storage, merchant services, certified public accounting, investment management, manufacturing and building supply distribution industries. She also serves as the Atlanta office’s primary drafter of Georgia legal opinions. Opitz earned her undergraduate degree from Binghamton University and her law degree from Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law.
Scott maintains a general civil litigation practice in state and federal courts, with emphasis on employment law, restrictive covenants and trade secret matters. He counsels employers and businesses in state and federal courts, arbitration proceedings, and in matters before state and federal administrative agencies, including the Department of Labor, the Texas Workforce Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Evansville and his law degree from South Texas College of Law Houston.
McCann is a member of the Tax Controversy and Litigation Practice based in Atlanta, Georgia. He focuses his practice on representing taxpayers at all stages of tax controversy including examination, appeals and litigation. McCann has advised clients on a full range of federal tax controversy matters including federal income tax, corporate income tax, partnership tax matters, employment taxes, estate and gift tax issues and tax shelter penalty and promoter examinations. He also advises clients on various tax planning and restructuring matters designed to withstand future scrutiny from the Internal Revenue Service. McCann earned his undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University, his law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law and his Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Florida Levin College of Law.
Shields is a litigation attorney who maintains a diverse litigation practice, representing clients in probate and fiduciary litigation, labor and employment litigation, complex commercial litigation and arbitration. She has successfully represented both plaintiffs and defendants in federal and state courts in a variety of cases including will contests, trust disputes, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, FLSA, Title VII, ADA/ADEA, contractual disputes, and construction disputes. Shields graduated magna cum laude from Washington and Lee University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and psychology. Shields then graduated with honors from the University of Texas School of Law. She was named to 2021 Best Lawyers in America "Ones to Watch" and 2021 Super Lawyers “Rising Star.”
Wyatt is a member of the Tax Controversy Practice Group and the Estate & Income Tax Planning & Estate Administration Practice Group. He has experience in wealth and asset protection planning, life insurance planning, incapacity planning, and other matters dealing with pre-mortem and post-mortem planning. Wyatt currently serves as chairman of the Tax Section of the Alabama State Bar Association. He is a member of the American Bar Association and past president of the Tuscaloosa Estate Planning Council. While in law school, he served as the editor of the Alabama Law Review. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama, his law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law and his Master of Laws in Taxation from New York University School of Law.