Two of Texas football’s most influential donors are receiving national recognition far beyond the gridiron last week.
Houston attorneys Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin, co-founders of Arnold & Itkin LLP and longtime supporters of Texas Athletics, were named to the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, the publication announced. Both were recognized in the plaintiff litigation category, marking another milestone in their legal careers and philanthropic ties to the University of Texas.
Lawdragon’s annual guide recognizes attorneys who demonstrate professional excellence and sustained success at the highest levels of legal practice. Honorees are selected through extensive research and peer nominations from across the legal community.
The honor comes after the two families’ names took a prominent place at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium. Before the 2024 season, the names Kurt & Tara Arnold and Jason & Kisha Itkin appeared atop the south end zone video scoreboard, recognizing one of the largest philanthropic commitments in Texas Athletics history.
The Kurt and Tara Arnold Family Foundation and the Jason and Kisha Itkin Family Foundation have collectively pledged $40 million to Texas Athletics, supporting major projects such as the stadium’s south end zone renovation and the football training complex. Jason and Kisha Itkin have also made a $10 million gift to support the new Silver Spurs Center, which will be named in their honor.
Arnold and Itkin, both Houston residents, were classmates at the University of Texas, earning undergraduate and law degrees before launching their firm in 2004.
Since then, they have built a national reputation representing victims of catastrophic injuries, securing more than $20 billion in verdicts and settlements across maritime, industrial and energy-related cases.
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