Erin Nealy Cox, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas from 2017 to 2021 and NAFUSA Board of Directors member, will join the retail giant on April 13 as Walmart, Inc.’s chief legal officer, executive vice president of global governance, and corporate secretary. She will succeed former DOJ official, and NAFUSA member, Rachel Brand, who stepped down as Walmart’s legal chief in January after having served in that position for nearly eight years. Prior to her appointment at Walmart, Nealy Cox served as a partner at the law firm Kirkland & Ellis, where she specialized in cybersecurity, workplace compliance, and government regulatory and internal
investigations.

Nealy Cox’s experience is expected to significantly strengthen Walmart’s legal and regulatory teams. In her new role, she will work with new president and CEO John Furner as the top lawyer for the “biggest private employer in the U.S.” and will oversee a range of matters including corporate compliance, ethics, and risk management, helping to guide Walmart as it navigates an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.

Upcoming Events

Spring Board Meeting

The NAFUSA Board of Directors will convene for its annual spring meeting on April 10-11, 2026, at the Mountain Shadows Resort located just outside of Scottsdale, Arizona. During this gathering, the Board will focus on developing the program for the 2026 Annual Conference, which is scheduled to take place in St. Louis, Missouri, in October. Additionally, the Board will address other important NAFUSA business matters.

Membership Dues Reminder

If you have not yet paid your 2026 NAFUSA membership dues, please remember to do so. For any questions regarding membership, you are encouraged to reach out to Lisa Rafferty.

Conference Sponsorship Information

The names and contribution levels of sponsors for the 2026 Annual Conference will be posted on the NAFUSA website as they are received. Please take a moment to thank both our returning and new sponsors for their generous support of the organization and its annual conference. If you or your firm have not yet become a sponsor, please consider joining in support of NAFUSA.

NAFUSA welcomed Louisiana native Brandon Fremin as a new member in February. Brandon served as U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana (MDLA) from 2018 to 2021 under President Trump. A former Marine, Brandon served as an Assistant District Attorney in the 19th Judicial District of Louisiana,

Director of the Criminal Division for the Louisiana Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the MDLA prior to his appointment as U.S. Attorney. He is currently Managing Director at Talbot, Carmouche & Marcello.

Former NAFUSA president Paul Coggins is back in the spotlight with his latest book
“Chasing the Chameleon” which is set for release March 6. Paul, who served as U.S.
Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, is both a successful criminal defense attorney
and an award-winning author. His legal thrillers reflect his courtroom and criminal law
experience as well as his knack for telling a good story, a trait many NAFUSA members have
witnessed. His latest book, which has already received positive reviews, continues the
series he has written featuring the adventures of fictional Dallas defense attorney Cash
McCahill.

Paul, who is the current NAFUSA Foundation President, clearly enjoys the intersection of practicing law and writing stories about it. According to him, “Being a federal prosecutor is the best job in the world. Writing about them is the second-best job.”

NAFUSA member Michael Dunavant was sworn in -again- on October 10, 2025, as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. Mike served in the first Trump administration from 2017-2021 and is the first person to serve that district twice as the Presidential appointee. He served as the Deputy Executive Director of Legal Services & Policy for the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference prior to his reappointment as U.S. Attorney.