The School of Law is proud to announce the new Law Alumni Society Board of Directors officers and new members for the 2025-26 academic year.

Each board member is selected for a three-year term, and the officers are elected by the board membership to serve one-year terms. The board sponsors six awards to recognize alumni and friends for their service to the legal community and law school, which are presented at the Awards Dinner during Alumni Reunion Weekend. The 2026 Alumni Reunion Weekend is scheduled for April 10-11, and nominations for awards are open now.  

"We are deeply grateful for each board member's unwavering commitment and insightful guidance," said Susie Nicholson, associate director of development for the School of Law.

A full list of board members can be found on the Law Alumni Society web page.

NEW OFFICERS

Mieka Hatcher (J.D. '96) - President

Hatcher is currently a deputy public defender at the Arkansas Public Defender Commission Conflicts Office in Fayetteville. She began her career in the Benton County Juvenile Court in 1997 and moved to the Washington County Prosecutor's Office in 1998, where she served as chief deputy prosecutor. Hatcher is a member and past president of the Washington County Bar Association. She is a graduate of the FBI Citizen's Academy, a member of the Arkansas Prosecuting Attorney's Association and has taught Trial Advocacy as an adjunct professor at the School of Law.

Hatcher graduated magna cum laude from Hendrix College in 1993 and received her Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1996.

Austin Todd (J.D. '17) - Vice President

Todd serves as an instructor at the Air Force Judge Advocate General's School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala., where he previously held the positions of assistant staff judge advocate and victims' counsel within the Corps. He began his career as a law clerk for the Missouri Court of Appeals-Southern District. Following his clerkship, he joined the United States Air Force JAG Corps in 2019.

He received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Georgia in 2014 and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 2017.

NEW BOARD MEMBERS

Clark Donat (J.D. '10) of Dallas is a partner at Reed Smith LLP. As a first chair trial lawyer, he counsels both plaintiffs and defendants in complex commercial litigation in suits involving aviation, technology, commercial banking/mortgage lending, financial services, real estate, health care, construction, energy (oil and gas), insurance, consumer finance, securities litigation, property assessed clean energy financing, and employment disputes.

He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Arts in 2007 and his Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, in 2017. During law school, he was a note and comment editor for the Arkansas Law Review.

Andrew Dixon (J.D. '19) of Springdale is an associate at Quattlebaum Grooms & Tull PLLC. During law school, he served as an articles editor for the Arkansas Law Review and as a faculty research assistant. served on the executive board of the school's Business Law Society, participated in the law school's litigation clinic and worked on pro bono projects to provide estate planning services in rural Arkansas. Following law school, Dixon served as a law clerk to the Hon. Robert T. Dawson, United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas.

He graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Arts in 2016 and a Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, in 2016.

Brandon Maxey (J.D. '14) of Dallas is a partner at Mayer LLP, where he represents clients in appellate and trial courts across Texas and the country. His matters have included a wide range of subject areas, including business disputes, employer liability, products liability, and constitutional issues. While in law school, Maxey served as an editor for the Arkansas Law Review. He was also a teaching and research assistant for two professors in property and constitutional law.

He graduated cum laude from The University of Texas at Dallas with a Bachelor of Science in 2011 and the University of Arkansas School of Law with a Juris Doctor, cum laude, in 2014.

Dana McGee (J.D. '22) of Little Rock is an associate attorney at Big Rock Legacy Law Group. During law school she was selected as the American Bar Association's inaugural Legal Education Police Practices Consortium Fellow and served as a note and comment editor of the Journal of Food Law and Policy. She also served as chair of the Honor Council, chair of the Anti-Bias and Racism Taskforce, chief justice of the Graduate and Professional Student Congress, vice president of the Black Law Student Association and vice president of the Criminal Law Society.

She graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Arts in 2019, a Master of Arts in 2023 and a Juris Doctor in 2022.

Brice White (J.D. '09) of Dallas is an assistant general counsel/head of Americas compliance at Infosys, where he leads the Americas Ethics and Compliance Department, ensuring regulatory compliance while also being responsible for managing high-stakes litigation matters and all regulatory related matters. Before joining Infosys, held positions with Meta, Tyson Foods Inc., the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Arkansas and as a solo practitioner for the Law Offices of Brice R, White, PLLC.

He graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Arts in 2006, a Master of Arts and a Juris Doctor in 2009.

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About the School of Law: The law school offers J.D. as well as an advanced LL.M. program, with classes taught by nationally recognized faculty. The school offers unique opportunities for students to participate in pro bono work, externships, live client clinics, advocacy and journal experiences, and food and agriculture initiatives. From admitting the Six Pioneers who were the first African American students to attend law school in the South without a court order to graduating governors, judges, prosecutors, and faculty who went on to become president of the United States and secretary of state, the law school has a rich history and culture. Follow us at @uarklaw.