Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, I have successfully resolved cases before the Supreme Court of Texas, the Texas courts of appeals, and the federal circuits, including the Fifth Circuit, for over 25 years. I have presented oral arguments in complex commercial appeals, including appeals involving oil and gas and royalty-related disputes, federal income tax matters, commercial torts, and contract and indemnity disputes. I also regularly collaborate with leading trial lawyers to develop the legal issues for complex cases and to present the necessary briefs, arguments, motions, and objections to lay the groundwork for a successful appeal.
Best Lawyers in America (Woodward White, Inc.) and Texas Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters) have recognized me repeatedly over the last decade for my appellate expertise. I graduated from the University of Houston Law Center magna cum laude and Order of the Coif. I earned my undergraduate degree from Rice University, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. While at Rice, I was also captain of the Rice Volleyball Team, which in itself was a priceless education on the importance of hard work and the immense value of relationships and teamwork.
After clerking for the Honorable Carolyn Dineen King on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, I spent the first two decades of my legal career in the Appellate Section of Vinson & Elkins LLP. In 2015, I left the V&E partnership to form my own firm. That entrepreneurial venture allowed me to work with trial lawyers from many strong firms and gave me the flexibility to handle appeals in a more personal and cost-efficient manner for my clients. That value proposition is even stronger at Copeland & Rice, where I have the pleasure of working alongside top-flight trial lawyers who are not only former colleagues but also friends. Copeland & Rice provides excellent trial and appellate services in a boutique setting focused on excellent client service, teamwork, respect, and integrity.
I am a proud native Texan who has spent my entire adult life in Houston. My husband Dan and I raised our family here, and we are avid Houston sports fans.