Experience

Solo Practictioner

• Law Practice
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Attorney at Law

  • Jan 2019 - Present



Dallas County District Attorney's Office

• United States
• Law Practice
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Chief of Appellate Division

  • Feb 2015 - Dec 2018

  My duties included responsibility over a department of 23 attorneys, 3 legal secretaries, and 1 clerk; supervising multiple areas, including direct appeals, post-conviction writs of habeas corpus, Chapter 64 DNA motions, post-conviction capital litigation, expunctions, misuse of identity, public information act requests, subpoenas for criminal records, and extraditions; managing overall docketing and assignment of direct appeal briefs and other miscellaneous projects; hiring and training staff in the division; mediating and resolving personnel issues; conducting performance evaluations of attorneys and support staff; preparing yearly budget request; editing work product of attorneys in division; preparing memoranda, motions, and letters; frequently advising administration on legal and policy issues; coordinating the Dallas County District Attorney’s Expunction Expos in 2017 and 2018; and participating in the work and decision-making of the executive administration leadership team.



Lori L. Ordiway, Attorney at Law

• Criminal Appellate Attorney

  • Jul 2007 - Jan 2015

  I researched and prepared direct appeal briefs in many criminal cases. In that connection, I represented individuals appealing their convictions. Occasionally, I was appointed as attorney pro tem on appeals of cases in which the Dallas County DA's office had a possible conflict. I also worked on a contract basis with small counties that do not have appellate specialists and assisted those DAs with their State's briefs. In addition, I received appointments as writ master for several Dallas County district judges, which involved reviewing the claims in the particular 11.07 application for a writ of habeas corpus filed by a convicted person and the State's response to the writ application; investigating the claims in the writ application; sometimes conducting an evidentiary hearing; performing legal research; and, ultimately, drafting findings of fact and conclusions of law for the judge who had appointed me as writ master. Further, I occasionally represented convicted persons in filing 11.07 applications for writ of habeas corpus. Finally, from time to time, I was called upon by criminal law trial attorneys to assist them during some stage of trial. My assistance included legal research and drafting trial motions.



Dallas County District Attorney's Office

• United States
• Law Practice
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Assistant District Attorney

  • Aug 1992 - May 2007

  I served as an assistant district attorney in the appellate division, preparing hundreds of appellate briefs, from August of 1992 until December of 1999. I then was promoted to chief of the appellate division in December of 1999, overseeing a department of 23 attorneys and 3 support staff, in which position I served until I completed my work in that office in May of 2007. I served as an assistant district attorney in the appellate division, preparing hundreds of appellate briefs, from August of 1992 until December of 1999. I then was promoted to chief of the appellate division in December of 1999, overseeing a department of 23 attorneys and 3 support staff, in which position I served until I completed my work in that office in May of 2007.



Law Offices of Phillip L. Wein

• Associate Attorney

  • Aug 1991 - Jul 1992



Godwin, Carlton & Maxwell

• Associate Staff Attorney

  • Apr 1988 - Jul 1989



Fifth District Court of Appeals

• Staff Attorney

  • Sep 1985 - Apr 1988

• Research Attorney

  • Jan 1985 - Sep 1985



Rohde, Chapman, Ford & Howe

• Associate Attorney

  • Sep 1984 - Dec 1984



Fifth District Court of Appeals

• Briefing Attorney

  • Sep 1983 - Jun 1984