Biography
Dawn Holiday is an experienced litigator and trial attorney representing clients in civil disputes. Dawn’s practice is focused on labor and employment law litigation and she regularly counsels clients on minimizing the risks of costly litigation and develops strategies to obtain prompt dispute resolution. Client’s appreciate Dawn’s understanding of the impact litigation plays on their business strategy and her ability to craft tailor-made solutions to address client needs. While Dawn excels in the courtroom, she understands that trial is not always the most effective way to resolve an issue for her clients, and uses her extensive negotiation experience to settle cases in an appropriate manner when necessary.
In her practice as a trial and appellate lawyer, Dawn has first-chair jury trial experience, and has represented parties in arbitration proceedings, mediations and appeals across the State of Texas.
Dawn is a champion of diversity, equity and inclusion in the legal profession. Dawn has personally mentored law students and young lawyers on navigating the complexities faced by diverse lawyers. Internally, Dawn is a member of Jackson Walker’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee and externally, she is a frequent speaker on issues related to hiring, retaining and advancing people of color. Dawn is also a Fellow of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity.
Dawn is also passionate about exposing young students in under-served communities to the possibility of choosing a legal career and is a sought-after Career Day presenter for primary and secondary schools. Dawn has volunteered countless hours of her time teaching 5th and 7th grade classes about the Texas civil and criminal court systems and prominent diverse legal leaders through the Houston Bar Association’s Constitution Day and Teach Texas programs. Dawn is a coordinator of Jackson Walker’s annual participation in the Houston Young Lawyers Foundation’s Adopt-An-Angel Program.
In addition to her commitments to diversity, community service and future generations, Dawn brings leadership to her practice. Dawn is a graduate of the Houston Young Lawyers Association’s Leadership Academy and Leadership Montgomery County. Dawn also serves on the Board of Directors for Northland Christian School.
Education
B.A., magna cum laude, University of Houston
M.A., summa cum laude, Moody Bible Institute
J.D., South Texas College of Law Houston
- South Texas Law Review, Articles Editor
Diversity and Inclusion Certification, Cornell University
Bar Admissions
Texas, 2004
Court Admissions
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
United States District Court for Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas
United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas
Labor & Employment (Advice and Counsel, Investigations and Litigation)
- Successfully represented national staffing agency in contractual dispute related to staffing agreements, employee compensation and commissions
- Obtained dismissal of lawsuit against a national healthcare company in class action suit for unpaid wages under the FLSA
- Successfully defended Texas school district in FLSA retaliation suit brought by former employee
- Settled numerous suits against national employers for wrongful termination, harassment, hostile work environment and discrimination based on race, age, disability and gender
- Counseled and represented employers on issues implicating the Family Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities, Act, Workers’ Compensation, paid/unpaid sick leave, and Families First Coronovirus Response Act
- Successfully obtained injunctive relief for employers in non-competition litigation involving forensics investigation of computer systems, virtual environments and electronic devices
Trial & Appellate
- Served as lead appellate counsel for appeals at the state and federal court levels on professional liability matters
- Successfully defended multi-million claims against intermediate care facilities on Chapter 74 Health Care liability claims for wrongful death and survival, traumatic brain injuries and catastrophic personal injury claims
- Negotiated settlements in multi-party suits involving professional negligence and breach of fiduciary duty claims against lawyers, accountants, realtors, insurers and healthcare facilities
- Represented licensed professionals before respective state boards for ethics investigations, disciplinary rule violations, state board rule violations and grievances
- Lawdragon 500 Leading US Corporate Employment Lawyers, 2020
- The National Black Lawyers Top 100, 2020
- H Texas Top Lawyers of Houston, 2020
- “Top 100,” The National Black Lawyers, 2019
- Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation, 2019
- AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell
- Selected, Texas Rising Stars, Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2012-2018
- Selected, Who’s Who in Black Houston
- Selected, International Women’s Leadership Association
- Houston Young Lawyers Association Leadership Academy Graduate
- Leadership Montgomery County Class of 2017
- Selected, National Bar Association’s Top 40 Under 40
Publications
- “Why Are Diversity & Inclusion Programs Missing the Mark on Meaningful Change?” Texas Lawyer (September 2021)
Speaking Engagements
- “Leaders of Color: The Changing Landscape,” Centerforce USA’s The Women in Legal & Corporate Leadership Summit: Houston (2020)
- “Buried Silver: Confidentiality Orders and Issues with Sealed Documents,” Houston Bar Association’s 2019 Civil/Appellate Bench Bar Conference (2019)
- “Trust Me, I’m A Lawyer: Ethical Considerations of Attorney Marketing,” Texas Minority Attorney Program CLE (2018)
- Women in Law and Leadership Houston, Speaker (2018)
- “Confusion Amongst Texas Courts: When Can Insureds Recover Policy Benefits for Statutory Violations?” Steptoe & Johnson, PLLC First Look – Winter Issue 2018
- “When Lawyers Get Sued, Who’s Got Your Back: The Ends and Outs of Legal Malpractice in Texas,” The Woodlands Bar Association Ethics CLE (2017)
- How Does the New Texas Open Carry Law Affect Employers? (2016)
- Texas Supreme Court Examines Liability for Property Owners (2016)
- Texas Supreme Court Rules that General Contractor is Not a Seller Entitled to Statutory Indemnity (2016)
- “Enforcing Mediated Settlement Agreements,” Texas State Bar CLE (2014, 2015)
- “Legal Malpractice in Texas,” Texas State Bar CLE (2014)
- Don’t Be a Vegan at the Courthouse: Drafting Orders that Stick (2013)
- The Surveyor’s Guide to Contract Law in Texas (2013)
- Don’t Let the Data Byte You in the ASCII: Discovering E-Discovery in Texas (2012)
- Houston Bar Association’s Teach Texas, Volunteer
- Houston Bar Association’s Constitutional Day Reading Program, Volunteer
- The Woodlands Chamber of Commerce
- The Woodlands Bar Association
- Houston Bar Association, Minority Opportunities in the Legal Profession Committee
- Texas Young Lawyers Association
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Class of 2018, Fellow
- Houston Young Lawyers Association, Lifetime Fellow
- Northland Christian School (term expires 2021), Board Member
- South Texas College of Law Black Alumni Chapter, Charter Member
- Houston Young Lawyers Foundation’s Adopt-An-Angel Program, Coordinator