School of Law Alumnus, Student Honored by Fort Worth Business Press

A student at Texas Wesleyan School of Law and an alumnus of the law school have been named to this year’s 40 Under 40 list by the Fort Worth Business Press.

Matthew Avila is a part-time evening student at Texas Wesleyan School of Law and currently works at Thos. S. Byrne, Ltd. as the director of risk management. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1998 with a B.A. in psychology; he also holds a Ph.D. in behavioral medicine from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

Each year, the newspaper honors young professionals who are “striving to make Fort Worth a better place to live, work or play,” Bob Francis, editor of the Business Press, said in the 40 Under 40 special publication.

“He has achieved a high degree of success in his endeavors and has used those experiences to advance his business goals and his commitment to family and community,” Keith Muskrat of Thos. S. Byrne said in an interview with the Business Press.

David L. Cook ’96 is an attorney with Harris Cook, LLP. His practice focuses on divorce and family law, including complex property division and contested child custody matters, and civil litigation. Cook also serves as the mayor of the city of Mansfield.

“As mayor, people also come to me or to the mayor’s office for problems they may be experiencing. I enjoy being able to assist citizens in problem-solving when possible,” Cook said in an interview with the Business Press.

To view the entire 40 Under 40 list, visit the Fort Worth Business Press website.