Kathryn Elizabeth Boatman

Katy is counsel in the Litigation section of the Houston office. She has experience in all stages of the trial and appellate processes and is board certified in civil appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She served as Law Clerk to The Honorable J. Dale Wainwright of the Texas Supreme Court and as Law Clerk to The Honorable Jennifer Walker Elrod of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. In 2016, Katy was the sole recipient of the American Bar Association’s National Outstanding Young Lawyers Award, Outstanding Young Lawyer of Houston Award, and the Outstanding Young Lawyer of Texas.

• Representation of a real estate investment company in a dispute involving the applicability of the Rule Against Perpetuities to an option to purchase the land upon which a multi-story downtown parking garage was constructed.
• Representation of a large aerospace company in defense against a Texas Public Information Act request.
• Representation of a leading global investment bank in modifying a federal court injunction prohibiting foreclosure on properties worth millions of dollars.
• Representation of a large homebuilder in defending against claims of copyright infringement of architectural designs for duplex townhomes involving complex issues relating to substantial similarity and the extent of copyright protection afforded to derivative works.
• Representation of senior executive of oil and gas companies in connection with disputes relating to covenants not to compete, severance payments, incentive awards, and other benefits.
• Representation of a school district in a lawsuit for injunctive relief brought by community members seeking to prevent the school district from demolishing a historic school.
• Representation of a public entity in a lawsuit brought by members of the public seeking to prevent the entity from building public transportation in a busy area of Houston.

Representative Published Decisions

• City of Houston v. Houston Prof'l Fire Fighters' Ass'n, Local 341, 664 S.W.3d 790 (Tex. 2023)
• Massey v. DISA Glob. Sols., Inc., No. 01-21-00355-CV, 2022 WL 3970075, at *1 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Sept. 1, 2022, no pet.)
• Harris Cnty. v. Coats, 607 S.W.3d 359 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2020, no pet.)
• Hughes v. Giammanco, 579 S.W.3d 672 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2019)
• Meyers v. JDC/Firethorne, Ltd., 548 S.W.3d 477 (Tex. 2018)

• Gonzalez v. Harris County, Tex., 601 F. App’x 255 (5th Cir. 2015)
• Lennar Homes of Texas Sales and Marketing, Ltd. v. Perry Homes, LLC, 2015 WL 4633514 (S.D. Tex. July 24, 2015)
• Boeing Co. v. Paxton, 466 S.W.3d 831 (Tex. 2015)
• Ezer v. Texas Tower Ltd., 2014 WL 3669222 (S.D. Tex. 2014)
• Dernick Resources, Inc. v. Wilstein, 2014 WL 4088150 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2014, no pet.)
• Grynberg v. BP PLC, 527 F. App’x 278 (5th Cir. 2013)

• Honoree, 2021 Houston Business Journal’s 40 Under 40
• Selected as a Rising Star for Appellate, Texas Monthly and Texas Super Lawyers Magazine, 2014-2022
• Winner, American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division’s William Reece Smith Jr. National Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, 2016
• Winner, Texas Young Lawyers Association Outstanding Young Lawyer of Texas Award, 2016
• Winner, Houston Young Lawyers Association Woodrow B. Seals Outstanding Young Lawyer of Houston Award, 2016
• Winner, Texas A&M 12 Under 12 Young Alumni Spotlight Award, 2013 

• State Bar of Texas Appellate Section, Chair (2018-2019)
• Yellowstone Academy Young Professionals Council, Chair (2016-present)
• Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow (2010-present)
• Texas Young Lawyers Association (2010-present)
• Board of Directors (2010-2014)
• eNews Committee, Law Focused Education Committee
• Houston Bar Association
• Appellate Practice Section (2009-present)
• Campaign for the Homeless Committee (2009-2010)
• Communities in Schools Committee (2009-2010)
• Houston Young Lawyers Foundation, Fellow (2011-present)
• Houston Young Lawyers Association (2009-present)
• Board of Directors (2014-2015)
• Bears for Babies Committee Chair (2014-2015)
• The Women's Home, Board Member (2015-present)
• The Women’s Home Young Professionals Council (2012-present)
• President (2016) 
• Vice President (2015)
• United Way Young Leader (2013-present)
• Houston Urban Debate League Young Professionals Council (2012-present)
• Hermann Park Conservatory (2013-present)
• Bayou Buddies (2013-present)