About Philip D. Fraissinet
Legal Assistant: Kristy Alonzo | 512-615-2350 | kalonzo@thompsonhorton.com
Philip’s father, a school superintendent, taught him the great value of education. Philip’s career has focused on helping Texas educators fight for increased education funding, better education laws, and legal outcomes that result in improved educational opportunities.
Philip, a founding partner of Thompson & Horton, has over twenty years of experience counseling government and private entities and officials in many areas, including government procurement and contracting; conflicts of interest; nepotism; financial disclosure; ethics; political and campaign activities (including bond elections); and real estate and construction. Philip also represents government and private clients in disputes and litigation concerning public school finance, construction, eminent domain for public and private entities, public employment, and constitutional and civil rights matters. Philip was instrumental in several high-profile school finance cases, including the recent challenge to the constitutionality of the Texas school funding system. Philip has also represented clients on federal and state legislative matters, including the recent reauthorization of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.
Philip has served as T&H’s managing partner since the firm started in 2009. Prior to that, Philip was a partner at Bracewell.
Education
- J.D., The University of Texas School of Law, 1995
- B.A., Harvard University, 1991
Licensing & Court Admissions
- Licensed in the state of Texas
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Southern and Eastern District of Texas
Memberships & Recognitions
- Texas Rising Star, 2005-2006
- Houston Read Commission, Board Director (Appointed by Mayor/City Council)
- Collaborative for Children, Board Director
- Humble Independent School District Education Foundation, Founding Director
- Houston Bar Association
Selected Client Representations
- Represented 84 public school districts, serving 1.8 million students, in the lawsuit challenging the current public school finance system as being in violation of the Texas Constitution
- Represented plaintiff school districts in the prior successful challenge to the Texas school finance system at trial and before the Texas Supreme Court
- Obtained unanimous jury verdict for school district in breach of contract lawsuit involving school construction issues
- Lead attorney in successful defense against discrimination lawsuit
- Lead attorney in successful defense against injunction proceeding regarding school graduation ceremonies
- Successfully defended City of Houston in lawsuit challenging City’s legal authority to implement red light camera program
- Member of team retained by Texas Attorney General to investigate high-profile matters involving president and chief financial officer of large Texas university
Representative Speeches & Presentations
- “Moving Forward or Rolling Back: School District Tax Rate Elections” Texas Association of School Administrators Mid-Winter Conference and Texas Association of School Boards Annual Conference.
- “School Funding Elections – Who Needs ‘Em?” Texas School Public Relations Association Conference, Austin.“Red Light Cameras – Continuing Implementation Issues,” Texas City Attorneys Association Conference, South Padre Island
- “Attorney Fees in Pro Bono Cases: For the Public Good?” Practicing Law Institute Eighth Annual School Law Institute, New York City