Practice Areas and Experience

  • Appellate
  • Original proceedings
  • Error preservation
  • Amicus curiae briefs
  • Oral argument preparation
  • Trial court support  

 

Appellate and Trial Court Support
 

Laurie represents individuals and companies on appeal in a variety of substantive law areas. Laurie handles all aspects of an appeal or an original proceeding, and also assists other counsel with appellate procedural issues, brief writing, and oral argument preparation.  Laurie also maintains an active practice representing clients through the filing of amicus curiae briefs.

In the trial court, Laurie partners with trial counsel through research, drafting, and presentation in motion practice, summary judgment proceedings, discovery disputes, and other legal issues. Laurie also assists trial counsel with evidentiary matters and error preservation.   

Board Certification

  · Civil Appellate Law – Texas Board of Legal Specialization  

Judicial Clerkships

· Briefing Attorney – Seventh Court of Appeals, Amarillo (1992-1993)

· Staff Attorney – Third Court of Appeals, Austin  (1998-2001)

Representative Matters

· Authored amicus curiae brief on behalf of a statewide trade association that the majority of the en banc Dallas Court of Appeals quoted and cited favorably in a dispute over contract language in a residential real estate transaction. Aflalo v. Harris, __ S.W.3d __, 2018 WL 6566636 (Tex. App.—Dallas Dec. 13, 2018, no pet. h.). 


· Persuaded the Corpus Christi Court of Appeals to grant mandamus relief when a trial court indefinitely abated a case. In re Benge, No. 13-18-00283-CV, 2018 WL 3233867 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi-Edinburg July 3, 2018, orig. proceeding) (mem. op.). 


· Argued the first case where the Texas Supreme Court addressed the merits of whether tortious interference with inheritance is a cause of action under Texas law.  Ultimately, the Court relied primarily on an out-state law review article and refused to recognize the tort. Archer v. Anderson, 556 S.W.3d 223 (Tex. 2018).


· Authored amicus curiae brief that the Waco Court of Appeals cited and quoted in analyzing a case of first impression on the constitutionality of a tax exemption statute.  Brazos County Appraisal Dist. v. Bryan-College Station Regional Assoc. of Realtors, Inc., 419 S.W.3d 462 (Tex. App.—Waco 2013, pet. denied).


· In the leading case on taxability of crude oil, persuaded the Eastland Court of Appeals to construe the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution to hold that oil moving through a tank farm remains in interstate commerce and not subject to ad valorem taxation.  Successfully persuaded the Texas Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court to decline review of the appellate court.  Midland Cent. Appraisal Dist. v. BP America Prod. Co., 282 S.W.3d 215 (Tex. App.–Eastland 2009, pet. denied), cert. denied, 563 U.S. 936 (2011).


· Persuaded the Texas Supreme Court to transfer 19 appeals pending in two appellate courts to a third appellate court.  After transfer, successfully upheld the dismissal of 19 ad valorem taxing unit suits against numerous oil companies for failure to exhaust administrative remedies. Jim Wells County v. El Paso Production Oil and Gas Co., 189 S.W.3d 861 (Tex. App.–Houston [1st Dist.] 2006, pet. denied).


· In a case of first impression, successfully argued and obtained mandamus relief from the Amarillo Court of Appeals directing a trial court to dismiss on jurisdictional grounds a case brought by governmental entities alleging fraud and negligent misrepresentation.  In re ExxonMobil Corp., 153 S.W.3d 605 (Tex. App.–Amarillo 2004) (orig. proceeding).
 

Available Resources

Please see downloads section below for  selected papers. 

Selected Articles and Presentations

 · “How to Draft Good Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law” SBOT Civil Appellate Practice 

      101 (Sept. 2018)

· “How to Draft Good Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law” SBOT Advanced Civil Trial (June,

       Aug., & Oct. 2018)

· “Standing, Capacity, and Necessary Parties in Trust Litigation” SBOT 42nd Annual Advanced 

       Estate Planning * Probate (June 2018)

· “Case Law Update” SBOT 30th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course (June 2018)

· “Case Law Update” UT 12th Annual Advanced Texas Administrative Law Seminar (Sept.     

       2017)

· “Case Law Update” SBOT 29th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course (June 2017)

· “Case Law Update” UT 11th Annual Advanced Texas Administrative Law Seminar (Sept 2016)

· “Case Law Update” SBOT 28th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course (June 2016)

·  “Case Law Update” UT 10th Annual Advanced Texas Administrative Law Seminar (Aug 2015)
 “ Case Law Update” SBOT 27th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course (June 2015)

· “Trial Court Motions Practice: Drafting Persuasive Motions and Effective Advocacy at the 

     Hearing” Corpus Christi Bar Association 2015 Advanced Civil Trial Seminar: “The Ultimate

      Trial Notebook: From Case Screening to Verdict” (March 2015)

· “Trial Court Motions Practice: Drafting Persuasive Motions and Effective Advocacy at the 

     Hearing” SBOT 30th Annual Advanced Personal Injury Law Course (July – August 2014)

· “What Happens After the Jury Verdict?” SBOT 38th Annual Advanced Estate Planning & Probate 

     Court (June 2014)

· “How to Draft Good Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law” Texas Center for the Judiciary

     Winter Regional Conferences (Jan. 2014)

· “Motions for Summary Judgment” State Bar of Texas Ultimate Motions Practice (Sept. 2013)

· “Brought in on Appeal: Practical and Legal First Steps” State Bar of Texas 27th Annual 

    Advanced Appellate Practice Course (Sept. 2013)

· “Transparency and its limits: Recent Court Pronouncements in the Area of Open Government” 

     Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University 27th Annual Legal Seminar on Ad Valorem 

     Taxation (August 2013)   

· “Administrative Case Law Update,” State Bar of Texas 25th Annual Advanced Administrative 

      Law Course (June 2013)

· “Conflict of laws,” State Bar of Texas 37th Annual Advanced Estate Planning & Probate Course 

       (June 2013)

· “Winding down the trial gearing up for the appeal” SBOT 26th Annual Advanced Appellate      

     Practice Course (Sept. 2012)

· “Administrative Case Law Update,” State Bar 24th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course 

    (June 2012)

· “Fiduciary Duty to Disclose: Informal demand for information or formal discovery: the debate 

     on obtaining information from fiduciaries under their duty to disclose” State Bar of Texas 

    Fiduciary Litigation: Beyond the Basics Course (December 2011)

· “Post Trial Preservation of Error: Practice, Procedure, & Strategy” State Bar Appellate Practice 

    101 (September 2011)

· “Winding down the trial, gearing up for appeal: Tips to get your case from the trial court to the 

      court of appeals,” Austin Bar Association Fourth Friday CLE Series (June 24, 2011)

· “Property in transit: Implications of recent cases and strategy considerations” Texas Oil & Gas 

    Association 2011 Property Tax Representatives Annual Conference (February 2011) (co-

     presenter)

· “Appealing Bench Trials” State Bar Appellate Practice 101 (September 2010)

· “Probate, Guardianship & Trust Statutes of Limitations Issues” State Bar 34th Annual Advanced

      Estate Planning and Probate Course (June 2010)

· “Statute of Limitations Issues in the Probate, Guardianship & Trust Context” THE ADVOCATE 

     (Vol. 48 Fall 2009)

· “Appealing Bench Trials” State Bar Appellate Practice 101 (September 2009)

· “Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask: an open Q&A with Judicial Panel” 

    (moderator) Austin Bar Association Bench bar (April 2009)

· “Oil Tank Farm and Gas Storage Cases on Appeal” Texas Oil & Gas Association 2009 Property 

     Tax Representatives Annual Conference (February 2009) (co-presenter)

· “Case Law Update” Austin Bar Association Nuts & Bolts of Administrative Law Seminar 

    (February 2009)

· “Practice Before the Courts of Appeals” State Bar Appellate Boot Camp (September 2008)

· “Jury Charge Issues” 31st Annual Advanced Civil Trial Course (Fall 2008)

· “Midland Tank Farm Appeal Update” Texas Oil & Gas Association 2008 Property Tax 

     Representatives Annual Conference (February 2008) (co-presenter)

· “Not Just for Toxic Tort Cases: Strategic Use of Multidistrict Litigation Consolidation” 

     71Tex. Bar J. 98 (2008) (co-author with Lynne Liberato)

· “Preserving Issues in Post-Trial Motions” Austin Bar Association Civil Litigation Section Ultimate 

     Trial Notebook Seminar (June 2007)

· “Shaking Out the New Multidistrict Litigation Rules and MDL Panel Decisions” Permian Basin 

     Oil & Gas Law Weather Report (March 2007)

· “Appellate Practice Tips Every Lawyer Needs to Know” Austin Bar Association First Friday CLE 

      Series (December 2006)

· “Multidistrict Litigation” 20th Annual Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course (Sept 2006)

· “Case Law Update” 7 TEX. TECH. ADMIN. L.J. 1 (Spring 2006) (co-author)
“Appeals Involving the Government” 19th Annual Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course 

    (September 2005)

· “Case Law Update” Austin Bar Association Annual Advanced Administrative Law Seminar

     (2005, 2004, 2002)

· “Supreme Court Update” College of the State Bar Summer School (co-presenter) (July 2005)

· Ethics Seminar Class, “Lifestyle Issues” South Texas College of Law (co-presenter) (Oct 2004)

· “Third Court of Appeals Update” Travis County Bar Association Bench-Bar Conference 

    (April 2004)

· Austin Lawyer: “Third Court of Appeals Update” – monthly article (2001-present)

· The Appellate Advocate: “Texas Supreme Court Update” – annual article (co-author) 

   (2002-2011)


Education

 · Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D., 1992, Research Editor, Texas Tech Law Review

· University of Texas at Austin, B.B.A., 1989

Licenses and Admissions

 · State Bar of Texas 1992

· Supreme Court of the United States

· United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

· United States District Court Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas

Professional Activities, Community Involvement and Honors

· AV Peer Review Rating by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell

· Selected as a Super Lawyer, sponsored by Thomson Reuters, (2005-2018)

· Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition, Appellate, sponsored by Thomson Reuters, (2009)

· Super Lawyers, Business Edition, Appellate, sponsored by Thomson Reuters, (2011)

· St. Andrew’s Episcopal School – Board of Trustees (2016-19); Financial Development  

   Committee member (2013-14; 2014-15); Co-Chair Annual Fund (2013-14; 2014-15)

· The Settlement Club (a non-profit organization that supports a residential care facility for 

    abused children) Board of Directors (2008-15)

· Third Court of Appeals Pro Bono Committee member (2008- 2014)

· Appellate Section member, State Bar of Texas

· Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation

· Past Chair, Travis County Bar Association Civil Appellate Section