2026 Bench Bar Conference
Speaker Biographies
Speakers are organized by conference session. Select a speaker's name to view their biography.
9:00 A.M.
Welcome
Anna Archer
President, Federal Bar Association, Southern District of Texas Chapter
Anna Archer is the President of the Southern District of Texas Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. She is a devoted public servant who currently works as an assistant clinical professor at University of Houston Law Center and previously worked as a career law clerk in the Southern District of Texas for fifteen years. She is also of counsel at Hicks Thomas LLP, where she focuses on complex litigation matters.
9:15 A.M.
The Art of Persuasion
Genesis Draper
Chief Public Defender for Harris County
Genesis Draper serves as the Chief Public Defender for Harris County, making history as the first African American and the first woman to hold the role. She leads one of the largest public defender offices in the nation, grounded in a steadfast belief that freedom is not an aspiration, but a constitutional promise worth defending every single day.
A proud graduate of Spelman College and The University of Texas School of Law, Draper is an alumna of Gideon’s Promise, a national organization dedicated to building a movement of public defenders committed to client-centered, zealous advocacy. She now serves on the organization’s Board of Directors. She is also a Fellow of the American Leadership Forum, where she collaborates with cross-sector leaders to reimagine institutions and expand opportunity.
Geoffrey Harrison
Susman Godfrey
A “rockstar” and “powerhouse litigator” (Chambers USA), Harrison is praised for his relentless courtroom presence, strategic acumen, persuasive advocacy, fearlessness, and for being brilliant and incisive. Lawdragon calls him “one of the great trial lawyers of his generation.” In 2025, Law360 named him one of only five nationwide Energy MVPs. In 2026, the Association of Corporate Counsel – Houston Chapter awarded him and his team “Business Litigation of the Year” for winning a high-profile take-nothing judgment in a $360 million trade secrets case.
Harrison clerked for Chief Judge Tjoflat on the 11th Circuit, joined Susman Godfrey in 1993, and made partner in 1996. He handles high-stakes commercial litigation, jury trials, appeals, and arbitrations nationwide. He focuses on complex commercial matters involving antitrust, contracts, construction, energy, fiduciary duty, fraud, trade secrets, and more. Recent victories include multi-hundred-million-dollar wins and settlements for clients like Apache, Equistar Chemicals, and KBR.
Harrison graduated with high honors from The University of Chicago Law School (J.D. 1992) where he won moot court honors and was an associate editor on the Law Review. He is licensed in Texas and New York and tries cases all around the country.
Raffi Melkonian
Wright Close Barger & Guzman
Raffi Melkonian is an appellate partner at the Houston law firm of Wright, Close & Barger LLP. He litigates state and federal appeals around the United States. In 2019, he argued and prevailed in a Title VII case in the United States Supreme Court, Fort Bend v. Davis, and has argued cases in numerous state Supreme Courts around the country.
Raffi also has an active social media presence on both Twitter and Bluesky, and is credited with starting the popular #AppellateTwitter community.
Raffi is a graduate of the University of St. Andrews, the University of Cambridge, and Harvard Law School, and was a law clerk to Chief Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and Vice Chancellor Stephen P. Lamb of the Delaware Court of Chancery.
Anna Rotman
Kirkland & Ellis
Anna is an accomplished first-chair trial lawyer who represents plaintiffs and defendants nationwide in high-stakes and complex business, environmental, products liability and restructuring disputes. Chambers describes her as a “go-to litigator in energy-sector disputes,” praising her as “very thoughtful and strategic” and an “exceptional advocate” with commanding courtroom presence and practical judgment. She also advises boards, in-house counsel and executives on litigation strategy and corporate governance.
Anna has been honored as one of Benchmark Litigation’s “Top 100 Trial Attorneys” in the country and as one of its “Top 250 Women in Litigation.” She has also been recognized by The Legal 500 U.S. for her work in antitrust litigation, and Law360 named her to its list of “10 Influential Women in Energy.”
Anna is a past president of the Federal Bar Association for the Southern District of Texas.
10:15 A.M.
AI & the Legal Profession: Balancing Innovation, Justice and Responsibility
Hon. Drew Tipton
U.S. District Judge
Biography for Hon. Drew Tipton will appear here.
11:15 A.M.
Meet the New Article III Judges
Anna Archer
President, Federal Bar Association, Southern District of Texas Chapter — Moderator
Anna Archer is the President of the Southern District of Texas Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. She is a devoted public servant who currently works as an assistant clinical professor at University of Houston Law Center and previously worked as a career law clerk in the Southern District of Texas for fifteen years. She is also of counsel at Hicks Thomas LLP, where she focuses on complex litigation matters.
Hon. Nicholas J. Ganjei
U.S. District Judge
Biography for Hon. Nicholas J. Ganjei will appear here.
Hon. John G.E. Marck
U.S. District Judge
Biography for Hon. John G.E. Marck will appear here.
1:00 P.M. • CIVIL
Fifth Circuit and Supreme Court Developments Impacting the Southern District of Texas
Emily Berman
Professor, University of Houston Law Center
Emily Berman is the William B. Bates distinguished chair in law and Assistant Dean for Faculty Research and Development at the University of Houston Law Center.
She is a constitutional scholar with expertise in executive power and national security law, and she teaches Constitutional Law, Federal Courts, and National Security Law. Professor Berman received her A.B. in political science from Duke University and her J.D., magna cum laude, from New York University School of Law, where she was the editor-in-chief of the NYU Law Review.
After graduating from law school, Berman clerked for the Hon. John M. Walker, Jr. of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Prior to joining the University of Houston Law Center faculty in the fall of 2014, she taught for two years as a visiting assistant professor at Brooklyn Law School.
She previously was a Furman Fellow and Brennan Center Fellow at New York University School of Law and held positions as counsel and Katz Fellow in the Liberty and National Security Program at the Brennan Center for Justice. Berman’s work has been published in journals such as the Minnesota Law Review, the Southern California Law Review, the Iowa Law Review, the Boston University Law Review, the Fordham Law Review, the Indiana Law Journal, and the New York University Law Review; her opinion pieces have appeared in Just Security, Lawfare, The Atlantic Online, the National Law Journal, Legal Times Online, and CNN.com, among others.
David Coale
Lynn Pinker Hurst Schwegmann LLP
Biography for David Coale will appear here.
Andrew Gould
Hicks Johnson
Andrew Gould leads Hicks Johnson’s appellate practice, representing plaintiffs and defendants in complex civil matters in trial and appellate courts nationwide. Recognized by Chambers USA for his “sterling appellate practice,” Andrew has served as lead counsel in more than 275 appeals in federal and state courts, including the U.S. and Texas Supreme Courts, and has presented more than 40 appellate arguments.
Andrew is an elected member of the American Law Institute and publishes 1910 & Beyond, a popular Substack covering appellate litigation in Houston, Texas, and beyond. He also is a past president of the Federal Bar Association’s Southern District of Texas Chapter and currently serves as Secretary of the Garland R. Walker American Inn of Court.
Before joining Hicks Johnson, Andrew founded and led the appellate practice at a nationally recognized plaintiffs’ firm. He previously served as a federal appellate prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and practiced complex commercial litigation in Washington, D.C. A graduate of the University of Michigan and Vanderbilt University Law School, Andrew began his legal career as a law clerk to Judge Raymond M. Kethledge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and Judge Lee H. Rosenthal of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.
Aaron Streett
Baker Botts
Aaron Streett chairs Baker Botts' Supreme Court and Constitutional Law Practice. He has presented oral argument in the U.S. Supreme Court, two en banc circuit courts, and numerous federal and state appellate courts across the country. His practices focuses on federal statutory, administrative, and jurisdictional issues, as well as commercial litigation and constitutional law. Mr. Streett is one of only two Texas-based lawyers to be ranked both statewide and nationwide by Chambers USA in Appellate Law. He is an elected member of the American Law Institute and the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, and previously served as President of the Houston Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society. Before entering private practice, he attended Hillsdale College and the University of Texas School of Law and clerked for Judge David B. Sentelle on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist on the Supreme Court of the United States.
1:00 P.M. • CRIMINAL
Noteworthy Supreme Court and Fifth Circuit Criminal Law Cases
Hon. Mitchel Neurock
U.S. Magistrate Judge — Moderator
Biography for Hon. Mitchel Neurock will appear here.
Philip Gallagher
Federal Public Defender
Philip G. Gallagher was appointed as the third Federal Public Defender for the Southern District of Texas by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in January 2025. For the 20 preceding years, he had served as an Assistant Federal Public Defender in that office, where he represented indigent defendants in both the trial and appellate courts of the United States.
Phil started his legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Jon Phipps McCalla of the Western District of Tennessee. He also worked as a lawyer at the Brennan Center for Justice and served as a John J. Gibbons Fellow in Public Interest & Constitutional Law before moving to Texas.
Phil graduated from Georgetown University in 1993 and from NYU School of Law in 1998.
Ashlee Martin
Gerger Hennessy Martin Peterson
Biography for Ashlee Martin will appear here.
2:00 P.M. • CIVIL
Brief Note One: Rules of the Road: Procedure in Practice from the Bench
Heaven Chee
McKnight & Chee — Moderator
Heaven Chee is a partner at McKnight & Chee whose practice focuses on high-stakes commercial disputes, particularly in the technology, financial services, and energy industries. Heaven has achieved significant victories for clients — including defending a major pharmaceutical company against a False Claims Act suit alleging billions in damages and prevailing in a four-week federal jury trial against bank directors deemed to be part of the Government of Venezuela by the Treasury Department.
Heaven has developed expertise in antitrust and securities litigation. In one high-profile matter, she represented a major technology company against a coalition of government enforcers seeking to dismantle the company over alleged antitrust violations in its advertising-technology practices. She has also secured the dismissal of Sherman Act claims against a French aviation company accused of using international tying agreements to monopolize the helicopter parts market.
Heaven graduated from Rice University and the University of Virginia School of Law and clerked for Judges George C. Hanks, Jr. and Yvonne Ho of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Before joining McKnight & Chee, she was a founding partner of León Cosgrove Jiménez, LLP's Houston office and practiced at Yetter Coleman LLP.
Hon. Charles R. Eskridge
U.S. District Judge
Biography for Hon. Charles R. Eskridge will appear here.
Hon. Yvonne Ho
U.S. Magistrate Judge
Biography for Hon. Yvonne Ho will appear here.
Leo McKinney
Career Law Clerk to U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks, Jr.
Leo McKinney has worked as a career law clerk for Judge George C. Hanks, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas for the last eleven years. After graduating from Baylor Law School in 2008, Leo worked as a term law clerk for Judge Hanks at the Court of Appeals for the First District of Texas and then spent six years handling civil litigation and appellate work. Before he became a lawyer, Leo graduated from Southwestern University with a BA and from Northwestern University with an MS and worked as a newspaper reporter for two years in the Austin area.
Leo's beautiful wife is also a lawyer, and the two spend their free time cheering at their eight-year-old daughter's dance and gymnastics events, spoiling their Cavalier Spaniel, and reading.
2:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M. • CRIMINAL
White Collar Enforcement in 2026: Trends, Challenges, and Practical Insights from the Bench, the Defense Bar, and the Government
Hon. Alfred H. Bennett
U.S. District Judge — Moderator
Biography for Hon. Alfred H. Bennett will appear here.
Rusty Hardin
Rusty Hardin & Associates, LLP
Biography for Rusty Hardin will appear here.
Aaron Reitz
U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Texas
Biography for Aaron Reitz will appear here.
2:30 P.M. • CIVIL
Brief Note Two: Damages: Lessons from Trade Secrets Litigation
Hon. Christina Bryan
U.S. Magistrate Judge — Moderator
Biography for Hon. Christina Bryan will appear here.
Paul Benson
StoneTurn
Paul Benson, a Managing Director with StoneTurn, has more than 25 years of experience in consulting clients and counsel on complex commercial disputes and intellectual property matters. Paul has advised clients on economic, valuation and strategy issues related to intellectual property, general business and commercial disputes. His experience includes the evaluation and quantification of economic damages on engagements involving patent infringement, copyright and trademark infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of contract, and financial investigations. Paul is skilled in assessing lost profits, calculating unjust enrichment, and determining reasonable royalty rates.
Paul has performed numerous analyses of market and sales trends, business practices, and lost revenue and profits. He has participated in high-profile cases and has served as a consultant on many cases through trial and jury verdict. Paul has worked with clients across industries such as computer hardware and software, electronics, mobile devices, internet/e-commerce, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, semiconductor, oil and gas, telecommunications, retail, medical device, chemical, manufacturing and automotive.
Paul is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and a Certified Licensing Professional (CLP).
3:10 P.M.
Connecting with Juries
Hon. David S. Morales
U.S. District Judge — Moderator
Biography for Hon. David S. Morales will appear here.
Barrett Reasoner
Gibbs & Bruns
Barrett Reasoner is a partner at Gibbs & Bruns LLP, a premier Houston litigation boutique. With more than three decades of trial experience, he has represented clients in complex commercial matters spanning energy, oil and gas, antitrust, construction, environmental, securities, intellectual property, and legal malpractice defense. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the International Society of Barristers.
Barrett received his J.D. with honors from The University of Texas School of Law, where he was a member of the Order of the Barristers. He also holds a graduate diploma from the London School of Economics and a B.A. cum laude from Duke University. After beginning his career as an Assistant District Attorney for Harris County, he joined Gibbs & Bruns in 1992 and became partner in 1996.
A recognized leader in the legal community, Barrett has been honored by Chambers USA, Legal 500, Best Lawyers in America, Lawdragon, Benchmark Litigation, and Texas Super Lawyers. He has also held numerous leadership roles with the Houston Bar Association, Houston Volunteer Lawyers, and several educational and nonprofit boards. Barrett and his sister Macey Reasoner Stokes received the prestigious 2025 “Karen H. Susman Jurisprudence Award” presented by the ADL Southwest to an “outstanding member of the legal community who exhibits a commitment to equality, justice, fairness, and community service.”
4:10 P.M.
Why Courtroom Civility Matters
Hon. Lee H. Rosenthal
U.S. District Judge — Moderator
Biography for Hon. Lee H. Rosenthal will appear here.
Hon. Fernando Rodriguez, Jr.
U.S. District Judge
Biography for Hon. Fernando Rodriguez, Jr. will appear here.
5:00 P.M.
Closing Remarks
Hon. Randy Crane
Chief U.S. District Judge
Biography for Hon. Randy Crane will appear here.