Spring 2024 Commencement

William “Willie” Hornberger, J.D.

William “Willie” H. Hornberger is a transactional tax lawyer at Jackson Walker L.L.P. in Dallas. His practice emphasizes transactional and international legal matters. Willie received his undergraduate degree in Accounting with High Honors, and his J.D. degree, with Honors, from The University of Texas. He also has an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University and is a Certified Public Accountant. 

Willie is a native of Laredo and is the son of Jack and Cordy Hornberger and the grandson of Matias and Lola de Llano.  As the grandson of Mexican immigrants who came to America with nothing, Willie has felt a tremendous amount of responsibility to give back to the underserved Latino population in North Texas. Driven by this desire to help others, he has chaired the Board of AVANCE-North Texas and co-founded its annual Latino Street Fest in 2014. 

Beyond his service to the Latino community, Willie is a current member of the Board of the North Texas Commission, a public-private partnership among cities in North Texas, the DFW Airport and major public and private corporation in North Texas.  He is a founding sponsor of D CEO’s Energy Awards, which recognizes leaders in oil, natural gas, and renewable energy in North Texas. He is a former Chair of the 28,000-member Texas Society of CPAs and is the outside General Counsel of the Dallas Chapter of Financial Executives International, the principal trade association for Chief Financial Officers in the Greater Dallas area.

He previously served as General Counsel to the Klyde Warren Park Foundation during the critical development phase of the Park. He has also served as a director of The Real Estate Council Foundation of Dallas and The Covenant School. He emceed the 2022 Latino Street Fest which drew thousands of people to Klyde Warren Park in downtown Dallas.

He is currently serving as Adjunct Professor in Energy Tax at Texas Tech Law School and has previously served as an Adjunct Professor in International Taxation at Southern Methodist University Law School.  Willie is a frequent speaker and author on both domestic and international tax topics and has been listed in “Best Lawyers in America” under Tax Law since 2003.  He has been selected by his peers as the Best Lawyers’ 2013 Dallas Tax Law “Lawyer of the Year,” and has been listed as one of the Best Lawyers in Dallas by D Magazine.  

In recognition of his commitment to service, Willie was recognized with the Amigo de México Award from AEM DFW (2018), the Distinguished Public Service Award from the Texas Society of CPAs (2019), and the North Texas Inspirational Leadership Award from AVANCE-North Texas (2019).

Willie has been married to Gigi for 34 years. They have three children, Jake Hornberger (Whitney), Allie Moore (James), and Claire Fisher (Jack).

For more information, please contact the Office of the University Registrar at graduation@tamiu.edu or at 956.326.2250.