Experience

Ms. Stuart’s practice focuses on commercial litigation, employment law, premises liability and products liability, including toxic tort defense. Ms. Stuart has represented large corporations in litigation in state and federal district and appellate courts. She handles all varieties of employment disputes, including claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination, breach of contract, and employment-related torts. Ms. Stuart also advises employers on all aspects of employment and labor law. She drafts, evaluates and updates personnel handbooks, workplace policies, and employment contracts and severance agreements. She defends employers and employees on covenants not to compete.  Ms. Stuart has defended numerous clients in matters before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Texas Workforce Commission and the Department of Labor as well as other state’s agencies resulting in dismissals. In the areas of premises liability, Ms. Stuart has successfully defended several Fortune 500 companies, such as Wal-Mart and Home Depot, in state and federal appellate courts. Ms. Stuart also pursues the enforcement of arbitration agreements.

Prior to entering private practice, Ms. Stuart served as briefing attorney to Judge Margaret Garner Mirabal on the Court of Appeals for the First District of Texas.

Associations/Affiliations

• Houston Bar Association
• American Bar Assocation
• Houston Young Lawyers Association
• Houston Downtown Alliance Emerging Leaders
• United Way Young Leaders
• Law Review, Assistant Articles Editor 1995
• Board of Advocates President 1995, Director 1994
• Phi Alliha Delta Law Fraternity Justice 1994 1995

Publications/Speeches

• Singapore Accident, Singapore Plaintiff, Singapore Law, Where Else But Texas? Texas
• Courts Will Apply State Forum Non Conveniens Law in Admiralty Actions Involving Foreign Nationals, Exxon Corp. v. Chick Kam Choo 881 S.W.2d 301 (Tex. 1994),37 S. TEX. L. REV. 231 (1996).
• Wal Mart Stores, Inc. v. Rodrigo Bazan, 996 S.W.2d 745 (Tex. App.-- San Antonio, 1998).
• Bandeaux v. Home Depot USA, Inc., 136 F.3d 136 (5th Cir. 1998) (unreported).
• Blum v. Lanier, 2 S.W.3d 278 (Tex. App.--Houston [14th Dist.] 1997).
• Blum v. Lanier, 997 S.W.2d 259 (Tex. 1999).
• In re L & L Kempwood Associates, L.P., 9 S.W.3d 125 (Tex. 1999).
• “Putting your Money where the SOX is: Sarbanes-Oxley and the Financial Implications of Retaining, Reporting and Auditing”, Lorman Education Services Seminar on Document Retention and Destruction in Texas, Summer 2005

Press Releases/Honors

• Included in the list of Texas Rising Stars for 2008 by Thomson Reuters
• Empire Who’s Who
• Order of the Barristers
• F. Lee Bailey Moot Court Competition; Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition Regional Finalist; John Marshall National Privacy Moot Court Competition Quarter finalist; John Brown National Admiralty Moot Court Competition Finalist, Best Petitioner's Brief; Giles Rich Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition Regional Quarter finalist, Best Oralist, Best Appellee's Brief; Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition, Regional Semi finalist, Second Best Oralist