QUALIFIED

I earned my Bachelor of Arts from Rice University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston's Law Center. The son of a truckdriver, I am the first of my family to graduate college. I worked my way through law school as a paralegal at Texaco, graduated cum laude from the University of Houston's Law Center, and earned a position as an environmental litigator for the Company. After leaving Texaco, I helped the citizens of East Houston and Harris County fight air pollution by suing the plants that regularly released toxic pollutants into the air. In addition to extensive environmental experience, my legal background includes commercial, bankruptcy, transactional and non-profit law.

EXPERIENCED

I was first appointed in 2001, as Associate Municipal Judge for the City of Houston. Since December 2002 I served full time as Judge in the Courts. As Judge I handle arraignment dockets, judge and jury trial dockets, juvenile dockets and jail dockets. I have also handled many of the administrative chores required of our judges. Many days, I have the honor of greeting and qualifying our citizens for jury duty.

“Houston is a microcosm of the world, and that fact is proven to us every day in municipal courts. My favorite part of the job is meeting the people. Every day, over 100 times a day, I get to look at the world through someone else's eyes and that is truly exciting.”

FAIR

In the May 2007 Houston Bar Association poll, 73% of the lawyers responding had a favorable view of my Courtroom, and 56 % gave me an outstanding rating for being fair.

In December 2006, the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston and Harris County recognized my work in making our Courts accessible. The Coalition named me their Government Friend of the Homeless Award for developing and implementing Houston's Homeless Recovery Court, the first such Court in the State of Texas. The Homeless Court allows people who are working through programs at various homeless shelters to clear up delinquent traffic tickets and other Class C misdemeanor warrants by performing community service at their shelters. This allows people to move forward into productive lives. This is a win-win for us all.


OFF THE BENCH

Off the bench, I am an advocate for responsible redevelopment of near town neighborhoods by participating in projects and groups that promote the inclusion of affordable housing in redevelopment plans, the preservation of historic architecture, and the provision of public infrastructure and amenities that improve the quality of life for inner city Houstonians.

In 1991, I joined with like minded neighbors as a founding board member of Avenue Community Development Corporation. For ten years, I served on the board and my life partner Mark Parthie continues serving today. Avenue has grown over the years and built or restored over 350 units of affordable housing in the Near Northside and Washington Avenue Corridors. Just prior to my full time appointment to the Municipal Courts, I served as Director of Rental Housing at Avenue.

My historic preservation efforts have been recognized by the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance. In 1996, my business partners and I received the Good Brick Award for Neighborhood Revitalization for a block face of properties we restored in the Old Sixth Ward. Two of my projects at Avenue CDC were also recognized: the Summer Street Rentals and the Elder Street Lofts (formerly the Jefferson Davis Hospital).

I am an advocate for human rights, including participating in the election campaign of Annise Parker, Houston's first openly gay or lesbian officeholder as Campaign Chair and Treasurer, serving on the board of Stonewall Lawyers (formerly Bar Association of Houston Rights), serving as Secretary and Councilmember for the State Bar of Texas Section on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues and numerous Houston based political campaigns.

I have served the citizens of Houston and Texas in a number of ways including: Vice Chair, Old Sixth Ward Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Board; Secretary, Houston Buyers Club; Chair, Abandoned & Contaminated Sites Subcommittee, Houston Foresight II Committee; Member - Houston's Committee for Sustainable Community Redevelopment; Founding Board Member & Past President - Avenue Community Development Corporation.
David Lewis Studio
CIVIC/COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS AND/OR ACTIVITIES

Boardmenber and Secretary, Houston Buyers Club, 2005 to present
Annual Harvey Milk Award, Houston Stonewall Young Democrats, 2008
Vice Chair, State Bar of Texas, Sexual Orientation Gender Identity Issues Section - 2003 to 2008
Vice Chair, Old Sixth Ward Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Board -2000 to present
Treasurer, Annise Parker Campaign, 1991 to 2001
Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation, 1999
Chair, Abandoned & Contaminated Sites Subcommittee, Houston Foresight II Committee -1998 -2000
Member - Houston's Committee for Sustainable Community Redevelopment - 1998
Member - Pro Bono College of Texas - 1996 to 2001
Board Member & Past President - Avenue Community Development Corporation - 1992 to 2001
Board Member - Bar Association for Human Rights - 1992 to 1993
Board Member - Old Sixth Ward Neighborhood Association - 1991 to 1998
Member - Order of the Barons - 1990
Joint Ventures for Business and Humanities - 1982
Baker College Shakespearean Theater Producer - 1982
Chairman - Texas Public Interest Research Group - 1979 to 1980

AWARDS
Government Friend of the Homeless Award, Coalition for the Homeless of Houston & Harris Co. -- 2006
Greater Houston Preservation Alliance's Good Brick Award for Neighborhood Revitalization - 1996
AmJur Award, Antitrust -1988
Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities - 1982
Baker College Fellow - 1982
Philpott Award for Exceptional Service to Baker College - 1982


PRESENTATIONS

“Judicial Role and Responsibilities”
Houston Municipal Court
New Associate Judge Training - 2006

“Anatomy of a Speeding Case”
Stonewall Lawyers CLE Luncheon --2006

“Anti-Gay Bias in the Courtroom”
Stonewall Lawyers CLE Luncheon --2004

“Municipal Court Practice”
Stonewall Lawyers CLE Luncheon --2003
Community Law Day - 2003

“Jefferson Davis Artist Lofts - New Life for an Old Hospital”
City of Houston, Brownfields Conference -- 2003

“The Washington Courtyards Story”
City of Houston, Brownfields Conference -- 1999

“The Petrochemical Industry Lawyer's Role in a Sustainable America”
National Association of Environmental Law Students - 1998

“Missed Opportunities; Avoiding Litigation and Claims by Appropriate Timely Response”
Texaco International Marketing and Manufacturing
Operations and Environmental Conference - 1998

“Won Lost and Why?”
Texaco Environmental Remediation Management Workshop - 1997

“Legal Issues for the OPA Qualified Individual/On Scene Commander”
Oil Pollution Act Training Workshops for Texaco Trading and Transportation
and Texaco Caribbean - 1997

“A Legal Perspective of Fugitive Hydrocarbon Data”
Texaco R&D Hydrocarbon Characterization and Source Identification Workshop - 1995

"Environmental Law, An Overview"
Texaco Legal Department, Paralegal Development -- 1994

Political advertising paid for by Judge Steven Kirkland for Judge, 215th Judicial District Court, David Arpin Treasurer, in compliance with the voluntary limits of the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act. (Labor Donated)

Copyright, 2007 - 2009