Business litigator Paulette Miniter has joined Brown Fox as partner, the Dallas-based boutique law firm announced Monday, Miniter’s first day on the job.
Miniter moved to Brown Fox from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher where she grew her litigation and appellate practice as an associate. Her focus is on business litigation, as well as appeals.
She previously worked at “some of Dallas’ most highly regarded firms,” as Brown Fox litigation partner Cort Thomas said, including Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. Miniter also clerked for Judge Catharina Haynes on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit when she and Thomas met.
“Paulette is a first-rate litigator and an even better human being,” Thomas said. “We are ecstatic to have Paulette join the Brown Fox team.”
Miniter said she is excited to join Brown Fox’s “top-notch business lawyers.”
“In addition to providing clients with high-caliber advocacy and counsel, Brown Fox places unique emphasis on the values of integrity and servant leadership,” Miniter said. “That is such a powerful combination for clients, and I’m honored to be a part of it.”
Miniter obtained her law degree from the University of Virginia and served as an editor for the Virginia Journal of International Law. She also has a master of arts degree from Skidmore College in New York and obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas.
Miniter serves on the board of the nonprofit organization New Friends New Life that helps survivors of human trafficking and exploitation. She is also a member of the Fifth Circuit’s Pro Bono Panel and the Texas State Bar Appellate Section Pro Bono Program.
“Paulette is committed to serving her clients with excellence and giving back to her community, which makes her a perfect fit for Brown Fox and our clientele,” said Brown Fox Managing Partner Russ Brown.
The following is a Q&A between Miniter and The Texas Lawbook.
You were most recently a litigation associate at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, correct? How much did the opportunity to become a partner at Brown Fox play into your decision to move?
Yes, I was most recently in the litigation group of Gibson Dunn in Dallas as an associate in my eighth year of practice. Gibson Dunn is one of the top law firms in the nation, with an incredibly strong litigation team in Dallas led by Trey Cox and one of the best appellate lawyers in the country, Allyson Ho. I was fortunate to practice there with great lawyers. Joining Brown Fox as a partner was a unique opportunity that was just impossible to pass up. Brown Fox is a boutique law firm that provides a very distinctive platform for building my practice as a business litigator and appellate lawyer. At the same time, I get to team up with a group of incredibly high-caliber lawyers who share a belief in the nobility of our profession and a commitment to core values of integrity, servant leadership and excellence.
Two years ago, we wrote about another Gibson Dunn alum, Brian Robison, moving to Brown Fox. Did you two work together much at Gibson Dunn? Did Brian’s move to Brown Fox have any influence in your decision?
I knew Brian Robison because of his reputation as a phenomenal trial lawyer and litigator, but we did not overlap at Gibson Dunn. That Brian is a partner at Brown Fox certainly influenced my decision, as it was one of many indications that Brown Fox is home to exceptional lawyers of strong character.
What are a couple of the biggest or most gratifying cases you’ve worked on that you can discuss?
Among the more gratifying cases that I have worked on was a pro bono case, in which I was appointed by the Fifth Circuit to represent a federal prisoner in a challenge to his sentence under the Sixth Amendment. That case not only dealt with a relatively novel legal issue, but it was a chance to be of service to the Court by providing strong advocacy on issues that might otherwise not be adequately presented. To me, that is one of the most important roles that lawyers can play, so it was an honor to do.
You’ve been practicing law in Texas about eight years, right? Before that, you were a journalist in D.C. and New York. Why did you decide to pursue a career in law?
That’s right. I decided to pursue a career in law because, to me, the law is foundational to building a free and just society. My parents were war refugees, and I feel pretty lucky to be in America, so I have a personal interest in doing my part to give back. That is also among the reasons why I have always wanted to pursue a purpose-driven career. The law provided a path for me to do that.
What trends are you seeing in your practice area and how are you advising clients about them?
One trend that I am seeing is an increase in mandamus practice. Traditionally, mandamus is viewed as an extraordinary remedy. But there is some case law, such as in the Fifth Circuit, indicating that mandamus-type relief might be more obtainable in practice than what the “law in the books” would suggest. Each case is unique, of course, and whether it is advisable to seek mandamus turns on various factors, including what the client’s goals are and the risks given the procedural posture of the case.