Two former justices on Texas appeals courts and an experienced appellate lawyer have launched Kelly Watkins McPheeters, a civil appeals boutique with statewide reach focused on civil appeals and strategic trial support on the plaintiffs side.

Peter Kelly was a justice on the First Court of Appeals in Houston from 2019 through 2024, and Beth Watkins served as a justice on the Fourth Court of Appeals in San Antonio, serving the same six-year term. The third partner is Morgan McPheeters, who joined from her own small firm in Dallas, but formerly practiced with Kelly at the appellate firm now known as Durham, Pittard & Spalding.