Experience

• 

  Texas Dept Of Criminal Justice

  • Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area

  • General Counsel I

    • Feb 2022 - Present
    • Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area

• 

  Self Employed

  • Houston, Texas Area

  • Semi Retired

    • Oct 2018 - Aug 2021
    • Houston, Texas Area

• 

  The Lift: Books and Other Good Things

  • Houston, Texas Area

  • Business Owner

    • Apr 2010 - Oct 2018
    • Houston, Texas Area

    I visualized and opened The Lift, an independent bookstore and gift shop in the historic Heights area of Houston, in nine weeks. With its unique style of fun and color, it was positively received by customers, fellow businesses, vendors, and the media from the beginning. Through the years, I have continued to improve upon every aspect of the business, including customer relations, purchasing, inventory control, employee management and training, sales analysis, physical improvements, display and design, store events, public relations, advertising, accounting, and book industry participation. The Lift has won many awards including, in 2015, in the Houston A-List contest, both best bookstore and second-best gift shop. The Lift is a member of the American Booksellers Association and the regional organization as well. I sold my shop in the fall of 2018, but kept Local Twang, a line of local-interest items I had developed.

• 

  Bakerbotts LLP

  • Houston, Texas Area

  • Document Review Attorney

    • Oct 2006 - Nov 2008
    • Houston, Texas Area

    Worked on a team reviewing, flagging, and categorizing documents electronically in the discovery phase for complex commercial litigation cases.

• 

  Gibbs & Bruns LLP

  • Houston, Texas Area

  • Contract Attorney; Staff Attorney

    • Feb 2002 - Apr 2006
    • Houston, Texas Area

    Electronic discovery contract hire, then briefing/discovery staff attorney. First, as a contract hire, acted as team leader for a large electronic production of documents for a complex commercial matter. Coordinated assignments for eight contract attorneys, acted as liaison to firm, prepared daily reports, and communicated with client, as well as reviewing and categorizing documents. Then, as a staff attorney, drafted research memoranda and managed documents for litigation. For a large oil and gas litigation matter, designed an efficient computerized production of documents utilizing a team of contract attorneys and support staff. Wrote the accompanying protocol and created a training curriculum.

• 

  Parenthood Resources

  • Houston, Texas Area

  • Co-Author/Publisher for Houston Parents' Grapevine, a resource guide

    • Oct 1992 - Mar 1998
    • Houston, Texas Area

    Co-authored 508-page book, Houston Parents' Grapevine: A Guide to Local Resources for Expectant Parents and Parents of Young Children, by Rhonda Rhodes and Therese Hartwell. Researched and compiled data, wrote and edited, and handled business aspects of endeavor, including creating a partnership as publisher, Parenthood Resources. Orchestrated marketing campaign that resulted in countless book-signings, TV appearances, and write-ups. Marketed HPG to book distributor, major book chains, retail outlets, and organizations. Oct. 1992 began work; published Dec. 1994; marketed until Mar. 1998

• 

  Vinson & Elkins

  • Houston, Texas Area

  • Associate Attorney

    • May 1986 - Aug 1989
    • Houston, Texas Area

    Associate on partnership track. Drafted pleadings, motions, briefs, opinion letters, and jury charges, as well as handling various aspects of pretrial discovery. Dedicated principally to the general litigation section, specializing in research and briefing for oil and gas litigation and complex commercial cases.

• 

  Ford Aerospace; Kentron/Omniplan

  • Houston, Texas Area

  • Techinical Editor

    • Jan 1981 - Jul 1983
    • Houston, Texas Area

    Before law school, technical editor for NASA contractor Kentron International/Omniplan, publishing technical manuals for the Mission Planning & Analysis Division of JSC. Department transferred to Ford Aerospace & Communications Corporation. Technical editor then of Space Shuttle workbooks for Astronaut Training Program. In compiling each workbook, met with astronaut training engineers, coordinated with graphics and word processing departments, and submitted document to astronaut board for review. Also edited government contract proposals and other documents.