Partner, Lehotsky Keller Cohn LLP
Andrew Davis has extensive experience litigating and advising on high-stakes and nationally recognized matters. He has served as lead counsel in over 20 cases in state and federal courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Texas Supreme Court, has counseled trial teams, and has tried a bench-trial to verdict.
Before joining Lehotsky Keller Cohn LLP, Mr. Davis most recently served as Chief Counsel to Senator Ted Cruz on the Senate Judiciary Committee. In that capacity, Mr. Davis advised the Senator on many of the most important and difficult legal and public policy issues in the country, including the limits on Congressional, Presidential, and agency authority. He also worked closely with outside counsel to lead amicus curiae briefs before the Supreme Court of the United States and advised the Senator on judicial selection.
Prior to serving Senator Cruz, Mr. Davis served as an Assistant Solicitor General in the Office of the Attorney General of Texas. As an Assistant Solicitor General, Mr. Davis both defended Texas and its agencies in appeals across the state and challenged local ordinances that harmed Texas businesses. For example, he successfully defended Texas's redistricting plan at the Supreme Court of the United States, and persuaded an Austin-based appellate court that an Austin ordinance was preempted by the Texas Minimum Wage Act.
Mr. Davis previously practiced law as a trial and appellate litigator at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Washington D.C., where he represented clients across different industry sectors.
After graduating from Columbia Law School, Mr. Davis served as a judicial clerk for Judge Reena Raggi of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Judge Sidney Fitzwater of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Before law school, Mr. Davis was a strategy business consultant with Accenture, where he advised power utility companies.
President, Harned Strategies LLC
Karen Harned is President at Harned Strategies LLC. Previously, she served as Executive Director of the National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Legal Center, a post she held from 2002-2022. Prior to joining the Legal Center, Ms. Harned was an attorney at a Washington, D.C. law firm specializing in food and drug law, where she represented several small and large businesses and their respective trade associations before Congress and federal agencies. She also served as Assistant Press Secretary to U.S. Senator Don Nickles of Oklahoma from August of 1989 to March of 1993. Ms. Harned received her B.A. from the University of Oklahoma in 1989 and her J.D. from The George Washington University National Law Center in 1995. She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.
As Executive Director of the NFIB Small Business Legal Center, Ms. Harned commented regularly on small business cases before federal and state courts, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court. She has appeared on Fox News, Fox Business, NBC Nightly News, CNN, CNBC and MSNBC, as well as National Public Radio, CBS Radio, and radio outlets across the country. Her opinion editorials and articles regarding healthcare, lawsuit abuse, regulation, and other issues important to small business have been published in newspapers and other publications nationwide.
Ms. Harned has testified before Congress on the small business impact of regulation and the civil justice system. Additionally, she has conducted numerous webinars and legal compliance seminars for small business owners across the country on issues relating to employment law, including unionization and immigration.
Stone Hilton, Founding Partner
A founding partner of Stone Hilton, Judd Stone is well respected both in Texas and across the nation as an insightful and tenacious appellate litigator. A lifelong Texan, Judd has argued dozens of appeals in both federal and state court, including arguing eight cases before the United States Supreme Court.
Judd began his legal career clerking for United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and Fifth Circuit Chief Judge Edith H. Jones. With a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law where he graduated first in his class, Judd's academic and professional credentials place him among the most distinguished lawyers in the profession. At the helm of countless major legal battles and emergency appeals for the State of Texas, Judd's deep understanding of the law and persuasive advocacy have been instrumental in shaping legal precedents. His tenure as the Solicitor General of Texas is a testament to his expertise and the trust placed in him by high-ranking state officials. Judd's strategic prowess extends beyond the courtroom; his advisory roles have made him a respected figure among policymakers.
His contributions to Stone Hilton and the legal community are characterized by his meticulous approach to cases, his acumen as a counselor, and his unwavering commitment to justice. As a partner at Stone Hilton, Judd continues to apply his formidable talents to advocate for his clients with the utmost dedication and to uphold the pillars of integrity and excellence that the firm stands for.
Partner, Lehotsky Keller Cohn LLP
Andrew Davis has extensive experience litigating and advising on high-stakes and nationally recognized matters. He has served as lead counsel in over 20 cases in state and federal courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Texas Supreme Court, has counseled trial teams, and has tried a bench-trial to verdict.
Before joining Lehotsky Keller Cohn LLP, Mr. Davis most recently served as Chief Counsel to Senator Ted Cruz on the Senate Judiciary Committee. In that capacity, Mr. Davis advised the Senator on many of the most important and difficult legal and public policy issues in the country, including the limits on Congressional, Presidential, and agency authority. He also worked closely with outside counsel to lead amicus curiae briefs before the Supreme Court of the United States and advised the Senator on judicial selection.
Prior to serving Senator Cruz, Mr. Davis served as an Assistant Solicitor General in the Office of the Attorney General of Texas. As an Assistant Solicitor General, Mr. Davis both defended Texas and its agencies in appeals across the state and challenged local ordinances that harmed Texas businesses. For example, he successfully defended Texas's redistricting plan at the Supreme Court of the United States, and persuaded an Austin-based appellate court that an Austin ordinance was preempted by the Texas Minimum Wage Act.
Mr. Davis previously practiced law as a trial and appellate litigator at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Washington D.C., where he represented clients across different industry sectors.
After graduating from Columbia Law School, Mr. Davis served as a judicial clerk for Judge Reena Raggi of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Judge Sidney Fitzwater of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Before law school, Mr. Davis was a strategy business consultant with Accenture, where he advised power utility companies.
President, Harned Strategies LLC
Karen Harned is President at Harned Strategies LLC. Previously, she served as Executive Director of the National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Legal Center, a post she held from 2002-2022. Prior to joining the Legal Center, Ms. Harned was an attorney at a Washington, D.C. law firm specializing in food and drug law, where she represented several small and large businesses and their respective trade associations before Congress and federal agencies. She also served as Assistant Press Secretary to U.S. Senator Don Nickles of Oklahoma from August of 1989 to March of 1993. Ms. Harned received her B.A. from the University of Oklahoma in 1989 and her J.D. from The George Washington University National Law Center in 1995. She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.
As Executive Director of the NFIB Small Business Legal Center, Ms. Harned commented regularly on small business cases before federal and state courts, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court. She has appeared on Fox News, Fox Business, NBC Nightly News, CNN, CNBC and MSNBC, as well as National Public Radio, CBS Radio, and radio outlets across the country. Her opinion editorials and articles regarding healthcare, lawsuit abuse, regulation, and other issues important to small business have been published in newspapers and other publications nationwide.
Ms. Harned has testified before Congress on the small business impact of regulation and the civil justice system. Additionally, she has conducted numerous webinars and legal compliance seminars for small business owners across the country on issues relating to employment law, including unionization and immigration.
Stone Hilton, Founding Partner
A founding partner of Stone Hilton, Judd Stone is well respected both in Texas and across the nation as an insightful and tenacious appellate litigator. A lifelong Texan, Judd has argued dozens of appeals in both federal and state court, including arguing eight cases before the United States Supreme Court.
Judd began his legal career clerking for United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and Fifth Circuit Chief Judge Edith H. Jones. With a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law where he graduated first in his class, Judd's academic and professional credentials place him among the most distinguished lawyers in the profession. At the helm of countless major legal battles and emergency appeals for the State of Texas, Judd's deep understanding of the law and persuasive advocacy have been instrumental in shaping legal precedents. His tenure as the Solicitor General of Texas is a testament to his expertise and the trust placed in him by high-ranking state officials. Judd's strategic prowess extends beyond the courtroom; his advisory roles have made him a respected figure among policymakers.
His contributions to Stone Hilton and the legal community are characterized by his meticulous approach to cases, his acumen as a counselor, and his unwavering commitment to justice. As a partner at Stone Hilton, Judd continues to apply his formidable talents to advocate for his clients with the utmost dedication and to uphold the pillars of integrity and excellence that the firm stands for.
Independent Analyst, None
Allison Hayward most recently served as the Head of Case Selection at the Oversight Board. Previously, she was a Commissioner at the California Fair Political Practices Commission, a Board Member at the Office of Congressional Ethics, and an Assistant Professor of Law at George Mason University School of Law. She also previously worked as Chief of Staff and Counsel in the office of Federal Election Commission Commissioner Bradley A. Smith and practiced election law in California and in Washington DC.
In 1994-1995, Professor Hayward was a judicial clerk for the Honorable Danny J. Boggs, United States Court of Appeal for the Sixth Circuit.
She is a member of the State Bar of California and the District of Columbia Bar.
Partner, Lehotsky Keller Cohn LLP
Andrew Davis has extensive experience litigating and advising on high-stakes and nationally recognized matters. He has served as lead counsel in over 20 cases in state and federal courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Texas Supreme Court, has counseled trial teams, and has tried a bench-trial to verdict.
Before joining Lehotsky Keller Cohn LLP, Mr. Davis most recently served as Chief Counsel to Senator Ted Cruz on the Senate Judiciary Committee. In that capacity, Mr. Davis advised the Senator on many of the most important and difficult legal and public policy issues in the country, including the limits on Congressional, Presidential, and agency authority. He also worked closely with outside counsel to lead amicus curiae briefs before the Supreme Court of the United States and advised the Senator on judicial selection.
Prior to serving Senator Cruz, Mr. Davis served as an Assistant Solicitor General in the Office of the Attorney General of Texas. As an Assistant Solicitor General, Mr. Davis both defended Texas and its agencies in appeals across the state and challenged local ordinances that harmed Texas businesses. For example, he successfully defended Texas's redistricting plan at the Supreme Court of the United States, and persuaded an Austin-based appellate court that an Austin ordinance was preempted by the Texas Minimum Wage Act.
Mr. Davis previously practiced law as a trial and appellate litigator at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in Washington D.C., where he represented clients across different industry sectors.
After graduating from Columbia Law School, Mr. Davis served as a judicial clerk for Judge Reena Raggi of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Judge Sidney Fitzwater of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Before law school, Mr. Davis was a strategy business consultant with Accenture, where he advised power utility companies.
President, Harned Strategies LLC
Karen Harned is President at Harned Strategies LLC. Previously, she served as Executive Director of the National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Legal Center, a post she held from 2002-2022. Prior to joining the Legal Center, Ms. Harned was an attorney at a Washington, D.C. law firm specializing in food and drug law, where she represented several small and large businesses and their respective trade associations before Congress and federal agencies. She also served as Assistant Press Secretary to U.S. Senator Don Nickles of Oklahoma from August of 1989 to March of 1993. Ms. Harned received her B.A. from the University of Oklahoma in 1989 and her J.D. from The George Washington University National Law Center in 1995. She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.
As Executive Director of the NFIB Small Business Legal Center, Ms. Harned commented regularly on small business cases before federal and state courts, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court. She has appeared on Fox News, Fox Business, NBC Nightly News, CNN, CNBC and MSNBC, as well as National Public Radio, CBS Radio, and radio outlets across the country. Her opinion editorials and articles regarding healthcare, lawsuit abuse, regulation, and other issues important to small business have been published in newspapers and other publications nationwide.
Ms. Harned has testified before Congress on the small business impact of regulation and the civil justice system. Additionally, she has conducted numerous webinars and legal compliance seminars for small business owners across the country on issues relating to employment law, including unionization and immigration.
Stone Hilton, Founding Partner
A founding partner of Stone Hilton, Judd Stone is well respected both in Texas and across the nation as an insightful and tenacious appellate litigator. A lifelong Texan, Judd has argued dozens of appeals in both federal and state court, including arguing eight cases before the United States Supreme Court.
Judd began his legal career clerking for United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and Fifth Circuit Chief Judge Edith H. Jones. With a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law where he graduated first in his class, Judd's academic and professional credentials place him among the most distinguished lawyers in the profession. At the helm of countless major legal battles and emergency appeals for the State of Texas, Judd's deep understanding of the law and persuasive advocacy have been instrumental in shaping legal precedents. His tenure as the Solicitor General of Texas is a testament to his expertise and the trust placed in him by high-ranking state officials. Judd's strategic prowess extends beyond the courtroom; his advisory roles have made him a respected figure among policymakers.
His contributions to Stone Hilton and the legal community are characterized by his meticulous approach to cases, his acumen as a counselor, and his unwavering commitment to justice. As a partner at Stone Hilton, Judd continues to apply his formidable talents to advocate for his clients with the utmost dedication and to uphold the pillars of integrity and excellence that the firm stands for.
Independent Analyst, None
Allison Hayward most recently served as the Head of Case Selection at the Oversight Board. Previously, she was a Commissioner at the California Fair Political Practices Commission, a Board Member at the Office of Congressional Ethics, and an Assistant Professor of Law at George Mason University School of Law. She also previously worked as Chief of Staff and Counsel in the office of Federal Election Commission Commissioner Bradley A. Smith and practiced election law in California and in Washington DC.
In 1994-1995, Professor Hayward was a judicial clerk for the Honorable Danny J. Boggs, United States Court of Appeal for the Sixth Circuit.
She is a member of the State Bar of California and the District of Columbia Bar.
Chief of Staff and Attorney Advisor, FTC Commissioner Mark Meador
John Ehrett is Chief of Staff and Attorney Advisor to FTC Commissioner Mark Meador. He previously served as Senior Counsel at the U.S. Department of Education and Chief Counsel to U.S. Senator Josh Hawley. Prior to that, he was an associate at Gibson Dunn and a law clerk to Judge James Ho on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and Judge Alex Kozinski on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a graduate of Yale Law School and Patrick Henry College.
Deputy General Counsel, Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott
Trevor serves as General Counsel to Governor Greg Abbott. In that role he provides strategic counseling to the State’s Chief Executive Officer on a range of issues under both state and federal law, including litigation involving the Governor, appointments to state courts, clemency applications and executive orders, and draft legislation and administrative rules.
Before joining the Governor’s Office, Trevor litigated complex cases at every level of the state and federal judiciaries, both in private practice at Clement & Murphy in Washington, D.C., and in government service as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas. He twice clerked for Justice Neil Gorsuch on the Supreme Court of the United States. He also clerked for Judge Andrew Oldham on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and now-Chief Judge Jeffrey Sutton on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. For several years, Trevor taught as an adjunct professor a course on the writ of habeas corpus, with material covering the Suspension Clause, wartime detention, immigration, and post-conviction review.
He is a graduate of Stanford Law School and Kenyon College. He and his wife Khina live in Austin, Texas, with their son Ransom.
Chief Deputy Solicitor General, Florida Attorney General's Office
Jason Muehlhoff is Chief Deputy Solicitor General in the Florida Attorney General's Office. Prior to that, he was an associate in the Dallas office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He previously served as a law clerk for the Honorable Lawrence VanDyke of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Mr. Muehlhoff graduated with Honors from Harvard Law School in 2021. While in law school, he served as the Articles Chair of the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree summa cum laude from Biola University in 2016, where he studied Political Science and Theology.
United States Attorney, Northern District of Texas
Ryan R. Raybould was named the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas on November 17, 2025, by United States Attorney General Pam Bondi.
His appointment followed President Donald Trump’s nomination of Mr. Raybould on October 21, 2025, to serve a four-year term in this role. The President’s nomination of Mr. Raybould is currently pending United States Senate confirmation.
Mr. Raybould is now the chief federal law enforcement officer for the district, which covers 96,000 square miles and a population of approximately eight million, including those in Dallas, Fort Worth, Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene, San Angelo, Wichita Falls, and surrounding areas. Mr. Raybould oversees roughly 220 attorneys and staff across five division offices and is responsible for all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States government in the region.
Before his tenure as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Mr. Raybould was a litigation partner at Kirkland & Ellis in the Government, Regulatory, and Internal Investigations Practice Group.
Mr. Raybould previously served as a federal prosecutor with the Department of Justice for almost seven years, including as Deputy Chief of the White Collar and Public Corruption Unit in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas. As a federal prosecutor, Mr. Raybould investigated and tried cases involving public corruption, tax fraud, securities fraud, cybercrime, national security, violent crime, money laundering and other white-collar crimes.
Mr. Raybould also served as Chief Counsel to former Assistant Majority Leader and U.S. Senator John Cornyn. As Chief Counsel to Senator Cornyn, Mr. Raybould helped draft and negotiate numerous pieces of legislation that became law on national security, government accountability and drug diversion control. Mr. Raybould also advised Sen. Cornyn’s work on the Judiciary Committee and the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control.
After receiving his J.D. from Notre Dame Law School, Mr. Raybould clerked for Chief United States District Judge Reed O'Connor of the Northern District of Texas. Mr. Raybould is a graduate of Yale University.
National Director of Public Policy, Human Coalition Action
Chelsey Youman, Esq., serves as the National Director of Public Policy for Human Coalition, working to save lives by advancing strategic pro-life policies through legislation, litigation, alliances, and communication.
In her role, Chelsey advocates for pro-life policies and jurisprudence; mobilizes and educates local grassroots to strengthen the pro-life movement and its footprint; and engages with the public to ultimately strengthen our culture’s desire to empower women and protect preborn children from abortion.
Chelsey holds deep relationships with policymakers and pro-life leaders across the country. Through these vital partnerships, Chelsey advocates for political action to affirm and advance strategic and constitutionally sound pro-life policies. She serves as an expert pro-life legal and strategic resource for some of the most impactful pro-life legislation in decades.
For example, Chelsey leads multiple statewide efforts to introduce and pass the Every Mother Matters Act – a pro-woman bill which would create a tangible system of support for at-risk women considering abortion. Chelsey also provided strategic legal, testimonial, messaging and advocacy assistance for the Texas Heartbeat Act, a law passed in May 2021 that prohibits abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected.
Chelsey partners with key allies to support pro-life legal arguments in the federal and state court systems. For example, she posed novel arguments to the U.S. Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade in July of 2021. Human Coalition Action partnered with Students for Life of America to file an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief in the first challenge to Roe in 30 years—Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
During her time at Human Coalition Action, Chelsey also emerged as one of the leading voices in the media for the pro-life movement. Her analysis and op-eds run in hundreds of publications, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, USA Today, the Washington Times, the National Review, and many others.
Prior to working at Human Coalition, Chelsey served as Senior Counsel and Chief of Staff for First Liberty Institute, concentrating on religious liberty matters and First Amendment rights. At First Liberty Institute, she litigated on behalf of and advised hundreds of clients regarding conscience rights nationwide. Chelsey also worked in private practice, where she successfully litigated corporate fraud matters, complex commercial litigation, and consumer rights issues in both federal and state courts.
Chelsey holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Texas A&M, and a J.D. from Southern Methodist University. Chelsey is happily married and has three children. Her family is active in their church, serving in the premarital and pro-life ministries there. They enjoy traveling, adventuring, and eating good food.
Private Attorneys General: Bridging Gaps in Law Enforcement?
Andrew Davis, Karen Harned, Judd Stone
Should private attorneys general enforce laws? Proponents argue that this approach allows individuals and private...
Private Attorneys General: Bridging Gaps in Law Enforcement?
Andrew Davis, Karen Harned, Judd Stone
Should private attorneys general enforce laws? Proponents argue that this approach allows individuals and private...
Private Attorneys General: Bridging Gaps in Law Enforcement?
Topics
Who Owns the Law? The Pro Codes Act’s Copyright Conundrum
Voluntary consensus standards have become an essential but unseen part of everyday life. From ensuring...
2024 Supreme Court Roundup with Lanora Pettit
Tyler Lawyers Chapter
Tyler, TXTopics
SCOTUS DIGs Idaho Abortion Cases
On June 27, 2024, the Supreme Court issued a one-sentence per curiam order in Moyle...
Courthouse Steps Decision: NetChoice Cases
Allison R. Hayward
Two cases involving NetChoice, a company that represents social media giants like Facebook, Twitter, Google,...
Courthouse Steps Decision: NetChoice Cases
Topics
Louisiana's Ten Commandments Statute and the Establishment Clause
On June 19, 2024, the governor of Louisiana signed into law House Bill No. 71....
Panel I – Executive and Legislative Solutions
2024 Texas Young Lawyers Summit
Dallas, TX