Resume

Experience

Jun 2009 to Present

Arbitrations, mediations, visiting judge (State of Texas), private judge.

Jan 2009 to Jun 2010

General Counsel, Chief Administrative Officer and Corporate Secretary of Water Standard (CI) GP, Inc., a fully funded, start up international water/marine desalination company. General Counsel duties include management of legal and compliance issues, budgets, internal staffing, legislative/political issues, and managing outside counsel in specialized areas. Reduced outside legal fees by 33% in first six months and by 55% in first twelve months. Implemented an internal system for document control of all corporate documents, including engineering designs and patents. Created and implemented in house legal resources section and forms file. Manage IP portfolio of 8 U.S patents and 16 foreign patents, as well as 50+ pending applications, and 5 trademarks. CAO duties include management of all administrative functions including human resources, marketing, preparation of budgets and management of independent contractors worldwide. Headed management team which reduced outside contractors by 50% in first six months and re-staffed corporate offices to accommodate the change. As Corporate Compliance Officer, advised Board and Company on ethics/compliance issues ranging from FCPA to internal accounting to corporate compliance and created compliance program to provide management/oversight for foreign independent contractors. Appointed to Audit Committee and Chair of Intellectual Property Committee. Represented company at International Desalination Association Awards in Zurich, Switzerland, May 2009, where Company received an international award from former V.P. Al Gore, and the Global Water Conference in Dubai, U.A.E. in November 2009.

1992 to 2009
District Judge

165th Judicial District Court, Houston, Texas

1998 to 2002
Administrative Judge

Elected by the 59 District Court Judges of Harris County to serve as Administrative Judge for the Harris County District Courts. First female and youngest judge ever elected to this position. In charge of spearheading the effort to obtain voter approval for $119 million of bonds to construct new civil courthouse for Harris County; oversaw design and construction of new courthouse; managed budget of $26 million and 230 employees. Also created and implemented judicial/legislative agenda; jury management criteria; technology implementation.

2000
Gubernatorial Appointment

Appointed by then Governor George Bush as special arbitrator to resolve dispute between district judges in Brazoria County regarding the judicial appointment of the county auditor.

1997 to 1999
Adjunct Professor

South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas
Pre-trial Advocacy Course to graduating seniors

1987 to 1992
Partner

Dillard & Ray, Houston, Texas
Founded law firm of Dillard & Ray, which specialized in commercial litigation in both state and federal courts and real estate and business transactions. Lead counsel in charge of local litigation for national commercial real estate developer specializing in the creation and management of local shopping malls, an oil and gas supply company, a national lender, a NASA related engineering company, a real estate development company and a large commercial laundry business. Received certification as a trained Mediator.

1984 to 1987
Senior Associate

Calvin, Dylewski, Gibbs, Maddox, Russell & Verner, Houston, Texas
Commercial litigation at state and federal levels. Lead counsel on jury and bench trials including trials involving real estate, banking practices, RICO, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, deceptive trade practices and contracts.

1982 to 1984
Senior Associate

Hirtz & McDonough, Houston, Texas
Commercial litigation at state and federal levels; emphasis on white collar criminal defense practice and civil RICO actions.

1981 to 1982
Sole Practitioner

Engaged in all types of civil practice including litigation in state and federal courts.

1979 to 1981
Law Clerk

Clerked for United States Magistrate Alex McGlinchey, Ft. Worth, Tx.

Education

1993

Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Board Certified, Civil Trial Law

1992

Attorney's Mediation Institute, Mediation Training

1978

Baylor University School of Law, J.D., Waco, Texas

1975

Texas Tech University, B.A., Lubbock, Texas

Non-Legal Employment Experience

1975 - 1976

Realtor, Kodiak Realtors, Houston, Texas

1974 - 1975

Owner and Manager, Cotton Club, Lubbock, Texas

1974 - 1975

Music Supervisor, Lubbock State School for the Mentally Retarded

1973 - 1974

Counselor for the profoundly retarded, Lubbock State School

Admissions

1984

United States Supreme Court

1980

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit*

1979

Texas Supreme Court

*Admitted to all U.S. District Courts in Texas

Professional Memberships

 

American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
Board of Directors, Baylor University Alumni Association
Texas Bar Foundation
Texas College of Law
Houston Bar Association (Fellow)
Houston Bar Foundation
National Association of Women Judges
Past President, Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity, Baylor

Legal Activities

 

Chairman of the Houston Bar Association Section of Litigation (1991 -1992)

Member, Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Gender Fairness (2006-2008)

Member of the Judiciary/Legislative Relations Committee (1996-2002)

South Texas College of Law Planning Committee for Advanced Civil Litigation Seminar (1998 - 2000)

Board of Civil District Judges Committee Member on:
ADR Committee (1995, 1996); Policies and Procedures Committee (1995); Rules Committee (1996); Chair, Special Dockets Committee (1996); Mass Torts Committee (1996)

Houston Bar Association Planning Committee for the Bench/Bar Conference (1994 - 1999, 2002-2003)

Member of the Houston Bar Association Combined Committee:
Administration of Justice, Appellate Judiciary and Courts and Courthouse Facilities (1989-1991)

Rated "AV" by Martindale - Hubbell

Additional Activities

 

Board of Directors, Texas Appleseed (current)
Board of Directors, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
Houston Livestock and Rodeo, International Committee (current)
Lamar High School PTO Board member (current)
Selected as one of ten "Women On the Move" by the Texas Executive Women (1999)
Selected as Trial Judge of the Year by the Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists (2006)
American Red Cross, Host Committee (2000)

Seminar & Speaking Activities

 

Over 50 speeches in Harris County during 1998 and 1999 to civic clubs, legal organizations and various public forums regarding the construction of the new civil courthouse

University of Houston Continuing Legal Education, "After Voir Dire – The Opening – The Real Rules for Getting Off the Island" (2007)

South Texas College of Law, "A True Story About Sanctions and Its Evil Twin Mandamus" (1994 - 1996)

Speaker, Houston Bar Association Ad Litem Seminar (1995 -1998)

Planning Committee, "Motion Advocacy - Trial and Techniques" Seminar, South Texas College of Law (1991)

Speaker to Conoco Oil, Inc. Legal Staff on Trial Tactics (1991) and "How to Deal Effectively with Outside Counsel" (December, 1989)

Speaker on behalf of Houston Bar Association on Business and Consumer Law (1989 - 1992)

Speaker to Aramco Oil Co. Legal Staff - "How to Deal Effectively with Outside Counsel" (September, 1989)

Speaker for Women's Legal Forum, South Texas College of Law (Spring, 1988 - 1990)

Founding Member of the Houston Bar Association's AIDS Committee (1989)

Member of the Houston Bar Association's Pictorial Directory Committee (1985 - 1986)

Personal

 

Graduated from Highland Park High School, Dallas, Texas.
Four Children: Joseph, Tricia, Morgan, Jake.
Active in St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, Houston, Texas.