Kelly Sandill

With over two decades of courtroom experience, Kelly is known for her adept handling of complex, high-stakes litigation. She approaches every case with intense focus and a keen understanding of her clients’ goals. Clients highly value Kelly’s deep knowledge of courtroom procedure, talent at distilling nuanced facts and legal arguments, and penchant for developing creative litigation strategies.

Kelly’s cases often involve cutting-edge issues of first impression in Texas and garner media attention, including coverage in the Houston Chronicle, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. She is especially well known for her experience with internet liability, first amendment rights, the scope of governmental powers, and state and federal constitutional issues. In addition to her courtroom work, Kelly frequently counsels clients on crisis management and assists with local and state legislative matters as a registered lobbyist in Texas.

Kelly has long been recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer and has repeatedly been named a Local Litigation Star in the national Benchmark Litigation rankings. She was named one of Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women in 2017 and a Premier Woman in Law in 2020. She is a Fellow of both the Texas Bar Foundation and the Houston Bar Foundation and is a member of the Texas Bar College.

Kelly is also known for her strong commitment to diversity, equality, and the advancement of underserved communities. She serves as a co-chair of the firm’s Women Lawyers Subcommittee and has been recognized for her pro bono legal work to support the rights of same-sex couples. An involved member of the Houston community, she is a supporter of numerous local initiatives and philanthropic causes and is married to Judge R.K. Sandill of Texas’s 127th Civil District Court.

Public /Constitutional Law Experience

• Trial and appellate counsel for Texas’s largest municipal police officers’ union in action to invalidate unconstitutional city charter amendment requiring “parity” between the compensation of fire fighters and police officers, in conflict with state law.
• Trial and appellate counsel for largest Texas municipality in action to validate city ordinance adopting increase in water and sewer service rates pursuant to the Texas Expedited Declaratory Judgment Act.
• Trial counsel for largest Texas county in Section 1983 action by law enforcement personnel alleging sexual harassment and retaliation in connection with undercover law enforcement sting operations
• Appellate counsel for largest Texas county in action by the Texas Attorney General concerning alleged violation of Texas vote-by-mail statute.
• Lead lawyer for coalition of energy companies in developing and supporting passage of state legislation protecting two-way vessel traffic in the Port of Houston.
• Trial counsel for tax-increment-funded local development association in action challenging constitutionality of supporting tax increment.

• Trial counsel for Texas municipality in action alleging violations of the Voting Rights Act in connection with change from single-member city council districts to mixed single-member and at-large system.
• Trial counsel for largest Texas county in Section 1983 action alleging termination of contract in retaliation for constitutionally protected speech.

• Trial counsel for metropolitan transit system in action alleging violation of contract with voters over building of light rail.
• Trial and appellate counsel for largest Texas public school system (seventh largest in the nation) in action to enjoin new school construction based on allegations of improper use of public bond funds.
• Trial and appellate counsel for third largest county in the United States in action alleging violations of the Voting Rights Act in connection with redistricting of electoral maps.
• Trial counsel for Houston area sports and community venue district in action by bond insurer to compel increase in rate of taxes imposed as revenue source for outstanding public bonds.

Business Litigation

• Trial and appellate counsel for global social media company in defense of multiple actions alleging statutory and common law liability for content published by users of platform.
• Trial counsel for banking institution in action against former executives for usurpation of corporate opportunities.
• Trial counsel for investment fund manager in action alleging breach of fiduciary duty and negligence in management of Texas limited partnership.
• Trial counsel for oil refiner and marketer in action by the production subsidiary of the national oil company of Mexico alleging conversion and conspiracy in connection with the import, purchase, and sale of natural gas condensate allegedly stolen by Mexican drug cartels.
• Trial and appellate counsel for oil and gas company in federal court action by Ukrainian company relating to dispute over joint development of natural gas fields in Ukraine.

Internal Investigations

• Counsel for school district in internal investigation concerning misuse of district property.
• Counsel for community college district in internal investigation of campus shooting incident.
• Counsel for local governmental entity in internal investigation of sexual harassment claims against government contractor.
• Counsel for school district in internal investigation of ethics and procurement matters.
• Counsel for local governmental entity in internal investigation of suspected employee theft of governmental property.
• Counsel for pipeline manufacturer in internal investigation of fatality accident.
• Counsel for energy sector services company in connection with government investigation relating to federal export and trade regulations.

• Named a Litigation Star, Texas, Benchmark Litigation, 2021-2025
• Named among 2023 Women Worth Watching, Profiles in Diversity Journal, 2023
• Recipient of Houston Association Women Attorneys’ Premier Women in Law Award, March 2020
• Honored as one of “Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women of 2017,” Houston Woman Magazine, February 2018
• Selected as a Super Lawyer for Civil Litigation Law, Texas Monthly magazine, 2017-2020
• Recognized as a Texas Rising Star, Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters (published in Texas Monthly magazine), 2012-2016
• Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow

• Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
• Fellow, Houston Bar Foundation
• American Bar Association
• Houston Bar Association
• Co-Chair, Bench Bar Conference Committee, Houston Bar Association, 2023-2024
• Co-Chair, Gender Fairness Resources Subcommittee, Houston Bar Association, 2022-2023
• Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit
• National Association of Women Lawyers
• Houston Association of Women Attorneys
• Human Rights Foundation—Federal Club
• United Way of Greater Houston, Alexis De Tocqueville Society
• Center for Houston’s Future, Spring 2015 Business/Civic Leadership Forum
• Commissioner, Harris County Appraisal District 2014
• Fellow, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, 2013