About Maureen Singleton
Legal Assistant: Lin DuBois | 713-554-6787 | ldubois@thompsonhorton.com
Belief in strong educational foundations has underscored much of Maureen’s life. Her belief, derived from her family’s strong commitment to education, is that the world can change for the better one person at a time through education. Maureen’s experience as a teacher and an administrator for a large public school district and community service focused on education strengthens her determination that educational institutions deserve the best legal representation available and brought her to the law, where she has provided legal counseling and advice to her clients for the past 20 years.
Maureen represents public school districts, public and private colleges, charter schools, private schools, and other public, private, and quasi-governmental entities in matters pertaining to business and real estate, contracts, policy development, governance, condemnation proceedings, and general education. Maureen is a former teacher and administrator for the Houston Independent School District and served as an intern for a Federal District Judge and Fifth Circuit Judge. Prior to joining Thompson & Horton, Maureen practiced law with Bracewell in Houston.
Education
- J.D., summa cum laude, South Texas College of Law, 1998 Assistant Editor, Law Review; American Jurisprudence awards in multiple subjects; Order of the Lytae; Phi Delta Phi, Dean’s List
- B.A., University of Houston, 1971
Licensing & Court Admissions
- Licensed in the state of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
Memberships & Recognition
- Texas Rising Star, Schools and Education Law, 2004-2009
- State Bar of Texas, School Law Section, Construction and Real Estate Sections
- Houston Bar Association
- Texas Association of School Boards, Council of School Attorneys
- Texas Association of Community College Attorneys, Member, former Director
- Pasadena ISD Educational Foundation, Founding Member and former Director
- Katy ISD Education Foundation, Founding Member and former Director
- Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Speakers Committee, 1985-Present; Wine Committee, 2003-Present
- International Wine and Food Society, Board of Advisors
- Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, Elder
Selected Client Representations
- Assisted community college with removing a historic architectural designation through the city planning committees; effectuating closure of public streets through two campuses; identifying and abandoning an undeveloped public road through property being purchased; and negotiating with the city on a prescriptive easement through another property
- Represented public school district in sale of multi-million dollar school property and lease back to school district
- Represented school districts, community colleges, and quasi-governmental entities on several multi-million dollar acquisitions, including navigating deed restrictions and wetlands issues; assisting in the development of infrastructure, roads, sidewalks, and drainage on undeveloped land; and working with developers, utility and water improvement districts, and area property owners to put in place mechanisms for providing services to the properties
- Represented client in historic conservation easement dispute for road through to client’s property
- Prepared energy performance contracts for multiple clients
- Prepared professional service and construction contracts of every type, including architectural, engineering, lump sum construction, construction manager-at-risk, design-build, program management services, job order contracts, and emergency purchases for projects ranging from $45,000 to $60,000,000 and which include projects in which bond funds were involved
Representative Speeches & Presentations
- “College Purchasing, Construction, and Operations”, TASB/TACCA Post-Legislative Seminar for Community Colleges and their Attorneys
- “Legal Issues in Procurement and Contracting”, Texas Association of Community College Attorneys, 17th Annual Conference
- “Land Use and Real Estate Challenges Faced by School Districts”, Texas Association of School Business Officers, Annual Conference
- “Educational Foundations: Legal Requirements and Best Practices”, TASBO Annual Conference
- “The Ties That Bind: Contracting”, Region 4 Legal Summit