Mary focuses on appellate law, mediation and litigation, with over four decades of experience representing individuals, state agencies, corporations, charitable organizations, officers and directors and the public interest in state and federal courts. From serving as briefing attorney to the Honorable Fortunato “Pete” Benavides immediately after law school to litigating multi-million dollar complex cases as lead counsel, she has also represented the State of Texas in numerous cases involving consumer protection, health and human services, employment, tort litigation and risk management.
Mary is board certified in Civil Appellate Law and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Seedling Foundation and has held leadership roles in numerous professional and community organizations.
Representative Matters
- Served as senior counsel and civil appellate specialist to multiple corporate organizations and boards of directors;
- Represented the public interest as Deputy Division Chief of the Consumer Protection Division for the Office of the Attorney General of Texas, appearing before the Texas legislature and handling a large litigation and appellate caseload;
- Served as Associate Commissioner for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, managing all aspects of regulatory services for the State of Texas long term care facilities, negotiated complex IT contracts, case settlements, and managed multimillion dollar state and federally funded budgets;
- Managed all aspects of employment and tort litigation for the University of Texas Office of General Counsel;
- Litigated complex corporate, construction, personal injury, medical malpractice, labor law and consumer protection matters in State and Federal courts across Texas
CLE Presentations
- University of Texas 43rd Annual Nonprofit Organizations Institute, “Examining the Complexities of Protecting the Privilege In Internal & Government Facing Investigations & Practical Tips to Ensure Enforcement Readiness” (2026)
- Butler Snow, LLP In House CLE, “The Anatomy of Mediation” (2025)
- OAG CLE, “Taking & Defending Depositions: Procedures & Strategies – Purposeful Depositions: examples, tips & best practices” (2022)
- State Bar of Texas, Governance of Nonprofit Organizations Course, “Identifying Breaches of Fiduciary Duties: When the Attorney General Intervenes” (2021)
- Venable LLP Nonprofit Webcast, “Nonprofit Enforcement in the Time of COVID: A Virtual Fireside Chat with State Regulators” (2020)
- TEGE Annual Exempt Organizations Meeting & Update, “State Regulation of Charitable Organizations (Why We Care and What Is Our Role)” Washington, D.C. (2020)
- The University of Texas School of Law 37th Annual Nonprofit Organizations Institute, “Panel Discussion: State Attorney General Offices – Updates From State Attorneys General: Recent Developments In Regulation and Enforcement” (2020)
- International Charity Fraud Awareness Week webinar, “Fighting Fraud on All Fronts” (2019)
- NAAG/NASCO (National Association of Attorneys General/National Association of State Charities Officials) Annual Conference, “Using A Form 990 to Construct a Request to Examine Documents” Nashville, Tennessee (2019)
- AHFSA (Assoc. of Health Facility Survey Agencies) Annual Conference (2018), “Emergency License Suspension, Closure and Systems Improvement Agreements,” and “Being Prepared in the Eye of the Storm: Disaster Response 101”
Activities and Affiliations
- Certified Mediator (1986, 2024)
- Certified Guardianship Attorney and Attorney Ad Litem
- American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) – National Board Representative,
- Austin ABOTA Secretary, Sustaining Life Fellow
- State Bar of Texas Pattern Jury Charge Oversight Committee Member
- American Bar Foundation Fellow
- Texas Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
- Robert W. Calvert American Inn of Court, Master of the Bench
- Austin Bar Association, Board of Directors, Civil Litigation Section Board of Directors, Life Fellow
- Travis County Women Lawyers’ Association (TCWLA)
- Travis County Women Lawyers’ Foundation Board of Directors, Life Fellow
Admissions
- Board Certified Civil Appellate Law – Texas Board of Legal Specialization
- United States Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- U.S. District Courts, All Districts of Texas
- State Bar of Texas
