Download NSW Attorney Resume - Law Office of Nina S Willis | Attorney

Attorney Resume
NINA S. WILLIS ( ATTORNEY AT LAW )
375 County Road, Llano, Texas 78643
Tel: (325) 247-2068
Fax: (866) 794-1382
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
LITIGATION ATTORNEY
EMPLOYED FEBRUARY 2005-PRESENT
Law Offices of Nina S. Willis
Warren, Texas and Llano, Texas
Handled litigation matters varying from family law, real estate law, landlord/tenant disputes,
commercial litigation, and criminal defense. Performed contract legal work for law firms and
private attorneys.
EMPLOYED JANUARY 2003 – JANUARY
2005
Marble Falls, Texas
Handled litigation matters and a small amount of transactional matters as both primary counsel,
and secondary counsel to senior attorney. Acted as primary counsel on approximately 80% of the
litigation caseload worked on by attorney. Litigation matters varied from general commercial
litigation, construction litigation, real estate litigation, landlord/tenant disputes, contested
guardianship and probate, family law, criminal defense, attorney ad litem in CPS matters representing both children and parents, attorney ad litem in ad valorem tax foreclosure suits, and
personal injury suits. Represented plaintiffs in most commercial litigation matters. Participated in
Court Appointed Special Advocacy (CASA) training panels. Handled transactional work involving
contract interpretation, and corporate issues. Handled probate work. Tried several commercial
litigation and family law matters to the bench during this period of employment. Left the firm to
move to East Texas.
LITIGATION ATTORNEY
Kennedy Law Office, PLLC
LITIGATION ATTORNEY
EMPLOYED JUNE 2000 - DECEMBER 2002
Law Office of Nina S. Willis
Marble Falls, Texas
Handled litigation matters varying from family law, commercial litigation, criminal defense,
attorney ad litem in CPS matters -representing both children and parents, and attorney ad litem in
ad valorem tax foreclosure suits. Performed contract legal work for the Kennedy Law Office, the
Law Office of Robert B. Malcolm, and the Law Office of Robert Klaeger. Acted as special prosecutor
for the Llano County Attorney’s Office. Participated in CASA training panels. Tried 1 criminal case
to a jury as special prosecutor and 2 criminal cases as defense attorney to a jury, and several
criminal and family law matters to the bench during this period of employment.
ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY
EMPLOYED NOVEMBER 1998 - APRIL 2000
33rd Judicial District Attorney’s office
Llano, Texas
District Attorney - Sam Oatman
Felony drug prosecutor. Grant position through grant for the Narcotics Enforcement Team (NET),
the 33rd Judicial District drug task force. Employee of the City of Marble Falls/Marble Falls Police
Department, and assigned to the NET. Functioned as an assistant district attorney under the 33rd
Judicial District Attorney, Sam Oatman. Duties included handling all aspects of felony drug
prosecution from investigatory stage to trial and probation revocation. Duties included review and
approval of search warrants, warrant execution plans, stings, raids, use of confidential informants,
review of asset seizure affidavits and cases, review and approval of felony drug cases, presentation
of felony drug cases to Grand Jury, prosecution of felony drug cases, and litigation of asset
forfeiture cases. Participated in other aspects of the 33rd Judicial D.A.’s Office and prosecuted
non-drug cases on occasion. Advised law enforcement and lectured at law enforcement training
seminars regarding search and seizure law. Tried approximately 7 cases to a jury and many bench
trials and evidentiary hearings during this period of employment.
ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL
Attorney General's Office - Child Support Division
EMPLOYED JUNE 1998 - OCTOBER 1998
Harlingen, Texas
Handled child support matters, including review of pleadings and prosecution of same. Working
use of spanish was mandatory in and out of the courtroom. Many hearings conducted in
spanish. Left this employment to prosecute in the Highland Lakes area.
ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY
EMPLOYED JANUARY 1998 - MAY 1998
Cameron County District Attorney’s Office
Brownsville, Texas
District Attorney - Yolanda De Leon
Felony drug impact court first chair prosecutor. Grant position. Duties included handling all
aspects of felony drug prosecution from investigatory stage to trial and probation
revocation. Duties included review and approval of search warrants, warrant execution plans,
stings, raids, and use of confidential informants, review of asset seizure affidavits and cases,
review and approval of felony drug cases, presentation of felony drug cases to Grand Jury,
prosecution of felony drug cases, and litigation of asset forfeiture cases. Handled large caseload of
criminal cases and asset forfeitures. Supervised one second chair attorney, and assisted in
training new prosecutors, and legal assistants. Advised law enforcement regarding search and
seizure law. Tried several cases to a jury and the bench during this period of employment. Grant
position ended in May 1998 due to loss of grant, necessitating closing the drug impact court.
EMPLOYED OCTOBER 1997 - DECEMBER
1997
Brownsville, Texas
Associate attorney for civil defense litigation firm. Worked directly under Cindy Garcia. Handled
pre-trial matters including written discovery, drafting motions for summary judgment, interviews
with witnesses, opposing counsel contact, writing litigation plans, and communicatng with
adjusters. Brownsville office closed shortly after hire.
ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY
Hirsch, Sheiness & Garcia
ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY
EMPLOYED JANUARY 1997 - SEPTEMBER
Cameron County District Attorney’s Office
1997
District Attorney - Yolanda De Leon
Brownsville, Texas
Felony prosecutor. Prosecuted several jury and bench trials as either first or second chair
attorney, including aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, murder, felony DWI, aggravated
assault with a deadly weapon, insurance fraud. Transferred to the drug court in summer 1997 to
revamp the asset forfeiture division outside of the grant. Completely reorganized the division,
including creating forms, filing system, training support staff, troubleshooting problems with cases,
and successfully litigating asset forfeitures to fruition, reporting weekly regarding funds and assets
forfeited and brought into the District Attorney’s Office for working capital.
ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY
EMPLOYED DECEMBER 1995 - DECEMBER
Cameron County District Attorney’s Office
1996
District Attorney - Luis Saenz
Brownsville, Texas
Misdemeanor and felony prosecutor. Started as a first chair misdemeanor prosecutor assigned to a
county court from January 1996 to June 1996. Tried approximately 4 jury trials and 68 bench trials
in county court. Assigned to felony intake for two months where prepared two murder
cases. Transferred to district court. Worked as second chair under a first chair prosecutor for two
months. Assigned as second chair to a district court in October 1996. Handled entire caseload as
no first chair was assigned to the court. Tried one locally high profile Deadly Conduct case to a
jury, resulting in a conviction. Tried approximately 3 cases as first chair to a jury, and several
bench trials. Second chaired several jury trials. The majority of the cases prosecuted and tried
were sexual assault type and violent offenses. Appointed as attorney ad litem on guardianships
and personal injury suits.
ATTORNEY
Law Office of Nina R. Sanchez
EMPLOYED MAY 1994 - NOVEMBER 199
San Antonio, Texa
San Marcos, Texas
General practice including misdemeanor and felony criminal defense, and family law. Worked as a
contract attorney for small civil defense practice, and small plaintiff’s practices.
LAW CLERK
EMPLOYED AUGUST 1993 - JANUARY 1994
Gendry, Sprague and Wachsmuth
San Antonio, Texas
Law clerk for civil defense firm. Conducted written discovery and performed legal research.
CONTRACT LEGAL RESEARCH ASSISTANT
EMPLOYED 1992-1993
St. Mary’s University School of Law and various small
San Antonio, Texas
law firms
Assisted several law professors with their legal writing by performing legal research of many
different legal issues, including reviewing and analyzing the Tax Code. Drafted memorandums
regarding legal research and assisted in editing in some instances.
EDUCATION:
JURIS DOCTORATE DEGREE
St. Mary’s University School of Law
Competed in Moot Court and Mock Trial.
1991-1993
San Antonio, Texas
COMPLETED ONE SEMESTER
1981 - 1981
Monterey Institute of International Studies
Monterey, California
Completed one semester of french translation/interpretation program, with emphasis on
international business.
DEGREE EARNED
La Sorbonne
Completed La Cours De Civilization Francaise program.
1980 - 1981
Paris, France
BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE
1978-1981
State University of New York at Stony Brook
Stonybrook, New York
Achieved BA in double major: French and Linguistics. Competed on the National Champion
Intercollegiate Equestrian Team as a point rider over fences. Placed third in jumping in the
Intercollegiate Nationals in 1981. Competed on the Intercollegiate Karate Team. Achieved green
belt in Euichi-Ryu.
TRANSFERRED
1977-1978
State University of New York at Cobleskill
Cobleskill, New York
Ag/Tech school. Took liberal arts courses, animal husbandry and genetics. Competed on the
Intercollegiate Karate Team on the MARS circuit. Achieved green belt in Shotokan.
JUDICIAL ADMISSIONS:
Admitted to the Texas State Bar.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:
State Bar Of Texas
Highland Lakes Bar Association
American Bar Association – Former Member
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association - Former Member
Cameron County Bar Association – former member
1st Judicial District Bar Association – former member
OTHER ASSOCIATIONS: (Past and Present)
National Cutting Horse Association – Current member
American Cutting Horse Association
– Current member
American Paint Horse Association– Current member
American Quarter Horse Association– Current member
American Southwest Texas Cutting Horse Association – Current member
American South Texas Cutting Horse Association– Current member
United State rquestrian Federation – former member
United State Hunter/ Jumper Association - former member
Texas Hunter/Jumper Association - former member
Central Texas Hunter/Jumper Association - former member
OTHER INTERESTS:
Owner of equestrian business Playhorse Farm: raise, train and show sporthorses-showjumpers
and cutting horses.
Formerly competed in showjuping, hunters, equitation, teampenning, ranch sorting, ranch
versatility, and barrel racing. Raised cow bred quarter horses.
Trained in classical piano
Gardening with antique roses and other heirloom plants. Interest in propagation and hybridizing.
REFERENCES:
Professional and personal references available upon request.