Cherry Petersen Landry Albert LLP (CPLA) announced that they had added four new associates to the firm: Jonathan Aldaco, Catherine Baldo, Tillie Benson, and Troy Stevenson. CPLA is a leading law firm that specializes in real estate transactions, commercial litigation, and dispute resolution.
Jonathan Aldaco is a commercial litigator at CPLA focusing his practice on resolving eminent domain, real estate, and other business disputes. Jonathan’s clients include real estate developers, executives, and businesses of all types and sizing ranging from closely held companies to Fortune 500. Jonathan has also successfully represented landowners in various types of takings from commercial, industrial, and rural properties.
Jonathan has been nominated by peers to The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch for 2021 for Commercial Litigation. He received his J.D. from the University of South Carolina in 2015 where he was part of the Phi Delta Legal Honor Society.
Catherine (Cat) Baldo is an associate in the firm’s Litigation Section. Cat earned a B.S. in Public Relations and a Business Foundations Certificate from the University of Texas at Austin in 2017. She earned a J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law, where she graduated summa cum laude.
During her time at Texas Tech, Cat published a Comment in Texas Tech Law Review, for which she received the “Most Innovative Comment Topic Award” from the Texas Tech Law Review Board of Editors, was named the “Most Outstanding Third Year Member” of Texas Tech Law Review and was chosen to serve in the Civil Practice Clinic her 3L year.
Tillsley “Tillie” Benson is an associate at CPLA, working in the transactional practice with a focus on commercial real estate law. Prior to beginning her third year of law school, Tillie worked as summer law clerk at CPLA.
Tillie completed her law degree from the SMU Dedman School of Law in May 2020. While in law school, Tillie was elected to serve as Secretary of the Student Bar Association during her third year. Also, in her final year of law school, Tillie was the Administrative Managing Editor of the International Law Review Association/Journal. After her first year of law school, Tillie had the unique experience of working in Washington, D.C. as a law clerk for U.S. Senator John Cornyn and the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Troy Stevenson joined CPLA as an associate in the firm’s Transactional Section. Troy earned a B.B.A in Finance with a minor in Psychology from Texas Christian University in 2017. He earned a J.D. from SMU Dedman School of Law, where he graduated cum laude. During his time at SMU, Troy participated in the Student Bar Association as a member of the voting council and was the treasurer of the Hispanic Law Students Association.
During his summer sessions of law school, Troy served as a law clerk for a full-service boutique business firm in Addison, Texas as well as a full-service business law firm in Fort Worth, Texas. In his final year of law school, Troy served as a law clerk with the Dallas Cowboys in their legal department. During these clerkships, Troy gained experience and practical skills in all areas of Business Law as well as experience in a corporate counsel environment.
“I am pleased to welcome Jonathan, Cat, Tillie and Troy to our firm,” said, Jonathan R. Smith, CPLA partner. “We are dedicated to recruiting superior talent who will benefit our firm and our clients.”
Based in Dallas, CPLA has 20 attorneys that offer legal services to a variety of businesses and industries, primarily in the areas of real estate transactions, commercial litigation, and dispute resolution. The firm offers unique perspectives and practical solutions for their clients. Their goal is to consistently deliver efficiency, value, and results.
