Lisa A. Brown
Partner
T: (713) 554-6741
lbrown@thompsonhorton.com
- J.D., with honors, The University of Texas School of Law, 1989
- B.A., with honors, The University of Texas at Austin, 1986
Bar Admissions
- Texas
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
- U.S. District Courts for the Western, Northern and Southern Districts of Texas
Affiliations and Honors
- Texas Council of School Attorneys, Chair, 2006-2007
- State Bar of Texas School Law Section , Chair, 2002-2003
- National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys, Board of Directors, 2010-Present; Amicus Brief Committee, 2007-Present
- Texas "Super Lawyer," Texas Monthly magazine, 2003 - 2011
- Houston Bar Association President's Award for Outstanding Service, 1992
Lisa A. Brown is a founding partner of Thompson & Horton LLP. Prior to joining the firm, she practiced law at Bracewell & Giuliani for 19 years and was a Bracewell partner from 1997 to 2008. Ms. Brown represents school districts, public and private institutions of higher education, cities and other governmental entities, and private employers. She regularly handles lawsuits and appeals involving employment law and discrimination law; state and federal constitutional issues; civil rights law; education law, including student discipline and student rights; child abuse law; and local government law, including issues relating to public information and open meetings laws. Ms. Brown’s particular areas of interest and expertise include the First Amendment; harassment law; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; 42 U.S.C. § 1983; the Family Medical Leave Act; Americans with Disabilities Act; legal issues pertaining to campus law enforcement; and trustee rights and responsibilities. She represents employers in grievance and termination hearings before the EEOC and other agencies.
In addition to her litigation and appellate practice, Ms. Brown assists clients with policy manual development, preparation and review of business contracts and employment contracts, and compliance with ethics and conflict of interest laws. She also regularly provides training on employment law and legal issues affecting students.Representative Matters
8100 North Freeway Ltd. v. City of Houston, 329 S.W.3d 858 (Tex.App. -- Houston [14th Dist.] 2010, no pet.). Affirming injunction against adult-arcade operator and rejecting claims that injunction was an unlawful prior restraint.
Aspenwood Apt. Corp. v. Link, 129 S.Ct. 997 (2009). Successful opposition to petition for writ of certiorari involving application of collateral estopped to lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
Obtained summary judgments in a pregnancy discrimination case (2009),two sexual harassment cases (2008, 2011), FMLA/termination case (2008), a whistleblower action (2007), two First Amendment actions (2006, 2010), and an age discrimination/procedural due process case (2006)
Lead author of three amicus briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of the National School Boards Association in three Title IX sexual harassment cases: Gebser v. Lago Vista Indep. Sch. Dist., 118 S.Ct. 1989 (1998); Davis v. Monroe County Board of Educ., 119 S.Ct. 1661 (1999); Fitzgerald v. Barnstable School Committee, 555 U.S. 246 (2008)
Lead author of amicus brief on behalf of the National School Boards Association in the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance: Elk Grove Unified School Dist. v. Newdow, 524 U.S. 1 (2004)
Argued two federal appeals involving religious speech by students: Ward v. Santa Fe Independent School District, 393 F.3d 599 (5th Cir. 2004); Doe v. Santa Fe Independent School District, 168 F.3d 806 (5th Cir. 1999), aff’d, 530 U.S. 290 (2000)
Obtained injunctions barring an allegedly disruptive employee and allegedly disruptive student from returning to campus (2004 and 2010)
Successfully defended an institution of higher education in an injunction proceeding in which an employee sought to prevent a reassignment (2005)
Gant v. South Texas College of Law et al, 2006 WL 1951398 (N.D. Tex. 2006). Granting summary judgment in discrimination/law school admissions case.
Becerra v. Asher, 105 F.3d 1042 (5th Cir. 1997). Affirming summary judgment in favor of school district in civil rights case involving alleged abuse of a student
Zolbrod v. Texas Dept of Protective & Regulatory Services et al, 137 Fed.Appx. 625 (5th Cir. 2005). Affirming summary judgment of claims brought by parents who claimed that their children were unlawfully placed in foster care.
Morriss v. Concordia University at Austin, 2006 WL 1347918 (W.D. Tex., May 11, 2006). Granting summary judgment in age discrimination case.
Neely v. Houston Community College Sys., 2006 WL 23655555 (S.D. Tex., Aug. 14, 2006). Granting summary judgment of claims based on non-renewal of instructor.
Ross v. Houston Community College Sys., 2005 WL 2656372 (S.D. Tex. 2005), aff'd, 213 Fed. Appx. 297 (5th Cir., Jan. 9, 2007), cert. denied, 550 U.S. 960 (2007). Dismissing civil rights claims filed by student who was dismissed from health professions program.
Nickerson v. Texas, 35 F.Supp.23 512 (E.D.Tex. 1988), aff'd, 209 F.3d 718 (5th Cir. 2000). Granting immunity to state prosecutors.
Fowler v. Szostek, 905 S.W.2d 336 (Tex. App.--Houston [1st Dist.] 1995, no writ). Interlocutory appeal reversing denial of educators' motion for summary judgment in student suicide case.
Massey v. Houston Baptist Univ., 902 S.W.2d 81 (Tex. App.--Houston [1st Dist.] 1995, writ denied). Affirming summary judgment in breach of employment contract case.
representative publications and Speeches
Speaker, "Employment Law Issues in a Down Economy," Texas Association of Community College Attorneys, 2011
Speaker, “Ethical Considerations During Settlement,” National School Boards Association Legal Conference, 2009
Speaker, “Ethical Considerations During Settlement,” Texas Council of School Attorneys Legal Conference, 2009
Contributing author, "Prayer on Campus: Forty-Five Years of Litigation and Counting," Religion & Public Schools: Striking a Constitutional Balance, National School Boards Association, 3d. ed., 2008
Speaker, “Sexual Harassment Law: Beyond the Basics,” University of Texas School Law Conference, 2009
Speaker, "Ethical Considerations in Dealing with Pro Se Plaintiffs and Other Unrepresented Persons," National School Boards Association Conference (2007)
Speaker, "Legal Issues Regarding Grading Practices," University of Texas School Law Conference, 2007
Speaker, "Employment Law Issues Affecting Higher Education," Texas Association of Community College Attorneys, 2008 and 2006
Co-Author, "Recent Developments in Employee Privacy Law and the Fourth Amendment," Inquiry & Analysis, National School Boards Association, December 2005
Speaker, "Attorneys' Fees in Civil Rights Cases: Issues, Ethics, and Strategy," National School Boards Association Advocacy Seminar 2005
Author, "Student Privacy on Trial: Complying with FERPA During Litigation and Other Adversarial Contexts," INQUIRY & ANALYSIS, NSBA, May 2005
Speaker, "Ethics for Government Lawyers," State Bar of Texas Government Lawyers Section, 2005
Speaker. "Employment Law Issues Affecting Higher Education," University of Texas Advanced Employment Law Conference, 2005
Speaker, "Sexual Harassment Prevention," National School Boards Association Convention, 2004
Speaker, Update on Ethics for School Lawyers, University of Texas School Law Conference, 2003
Author, "Schools, God, and the Pledge of Allegiance," TEXAS LAWYER, August 19, 2002
Speaker, Update on Ethics, University of Texas School Law Conference, 2003
Speaker, “Ethics for School Attorneys,” University of Texas School Law Conference, 2002
Speaker, “Religion on Campus: A Year 2000 Update,” University of Texas School Law Conference, 2000
Author, "New harassment ruling can work," THE NATIONAL LAW JOURNAL, June 14, 1999
Speaker, “Retaliation Claims under the First Amendment and Title VII,” South Texas College of Law Employment Law Conference, 1999
Author, "Employer Liability Lessons," TEXAS LAWYER, July 20, 1998
Co-author, "The State Action Requirement Under 42 U.S.C. § 1983," WEST'S EDUCATION LAW REPORTER, Vol. 121, p. 875 (Dec. 1997).