Kristina Williams
Senior Counsel
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Biography
An experienced trial and appellate lawyer, Kristina Williams leverages the perspective she gained as a Texas state district court judge to assist clients in navigating the courtroom and developing effective litigation and appellate strategy.
As Judge of the 192nd Civil District Court in Dallas, Kristina presided over 35 jury trials, 20 bench trials and over 900 hearings. Her docket ranged from complex commercial litigation to personal injury cases, and she disposed of almost 4,000 cases. Her time on the bench gives her a unique perspective on all things trial, from discovery battles and picking the jury to effective summary judgment practice and charging the jury.
As an advocate, Kristina has presented 11 appellate oral arguments and filed over 90 appellate briefs. Kristina has represented clients before the United States Supreme Court, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the Supreme Court of Texas and the Texas Courts of Appeals, both in interlocutory and post-judgment appeals and petitions for writ of mandamus. Kristina is also a "lawyer's lawyer" who is adept at using procedure, strategy and innovative tactics to best position her co-counsel and clients in litigation.
Prior to taking the bench, Kristina served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Texas, Appellate Section. As a federal prosecutor, Kristina successfully prosecuted healthcare fraud, drug, crime of violence, child enticement, gun and immigration cases.
Kristina practiced appellate and commercial litigation with an AmLaw 100 law firm prior to government service. She also served as a Law Clerk to Hon. Edith H. Jones of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht of the Texas Supreme Court.
Professional experience
Collapse allJD, summa cum laude, University of Houston Law Center, 2011
BBA, cum laude, Texas A&M University, 2008
Kristina is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the United States District Courts for the Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas.
- Texas State Bar
- Counsel to interest group in amicus brief before the United States Supreme Court.
- Lead counsel for the Government defending the conviction where the defendant argued that the government breached his plea agreement.
- Lead counsel for the Government on appeal of conviction for illegal manufacture of firearms without a license. The conviction was affirmed on appeal, without argument, after multi-day, highly technical trial.
- Primary draftsman of Appellant's briefs in appeal to the Fifth Circuit, successfully obtaining reversal of summary judgment against an American consumer-goods company in favor of entrepreneur client on breach of contract, fraud and other claims.
- Primary draftsman of Bank's briefs in appeal to the Fifth Circuit, successfully obtaining enforcement of the arbitration agreement and establishing precedent concerning arbitration principles and Fair Labor Standards Act.
- Primary draftsman of briefing in an arbitration hearing regarding a business ownership dispute, achieving denial of the petition for review before the Supreme Court of Texas.
- Primary draftsman of response to petition for review in a in a major property rights case, successfully shutting down petition for review to the Supreme Court of Texas, without request for briefs on the merits and securing final victory for homeowners.
- Successfully argued charge conference as appellate counsel in a breach of contract case, obtaining US$1.3 million verdict for plaintiff corporation against defendant C-suite former employee.
- Counsel in the preparation and filing of an amicus curiae brief on behalf of 20 members of the Texas Legislature in successful efforts to overturn a plastic bag ban.
- Appellate counsel on team securing agreed judgment and wavier of appeal, following unanimous defense verdict against wrongful death claims arising from triple-fatality trucking collision where Texas DPS placed sole fault upon defendant-driver.
- Appellate counsel on team securing unanimous defense verdict against claims for negligence and gross negligence arising from a trucking collision.
- Appellate counsel on team securing reverse-and-render decision from the Louisiana Court of Appeal, Third Circuit, for banking client, where trial court erroneously found personal jurisdiction over defendant bank client because one of the other defendants was a significant bank client.
- Texas Rising Star, Appellate and Business Litigation, Thomson Reuters, 2017-2019
- Author, Can Rights be Different?: Justice Stevens' Dissent in McDonald v. City of Chicago, 2013
- Author, From Grutter to Fisher: Is Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's Legacy in Danger?, 2012
- Author, Will Equal Again Mean Equal?: Understanding Ricci v. DeStefano, 2010
- Vice Chair, Dallas Bar Association Judiciary Committee
- Member, Dallas Bar Association Appellate Section
- Member, State Bar of Texas Appellate and Judiciary Sections
- Dallas Chapter of the Federalist Society
- Barrister, The Patrick E. HIgginbotham American Inn of Court