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My Five Favorite Books: Andrew Gratz (Deputy General Counsel at Archrock)

The lawyers who have the greatest impact are those who know how to lead. This realization led me to create the Lawyers as Leaders course and the Initiative on Lawyers as Leaders at the University of Houston Law Center. These books have influenced how I practice, how I teach, and how I mentor others. They reinforce a simple but powerful idea. Leadership is not defined by a title. It is defined by trust, judgment, and the ability to help others navigate complex decisions with confidence.

Andrew Gratz

My Five Favorite (True Crime) Books: Natalie LeVeck (Senior Counsel at Google/YouTube)

When I was asked to write about my five favorite books, I initially shuddered at the idea of admitting to my law colleagues that I have a long-standing (and deeply ingrained) obsession with true crime. But after a quick dive into statistics about the popularity of true crime shows, films, and podcasts — particularly among women in my age range — I felt a little less exposed. Maybe what started for me in middle school, watching Dateline with my family, isn’t quite as niche as I once thought.

Natalie LeVeck

My Five Favorite Books: Kristen Cook (Chief Legal Officer at The Brink’s Company)

While I gravitate toward fiction, I do enjoy mixing in leadership and business books to challenge myself and broaden my perspective, but I won’t stray from fiction for too long, as I am convinced that even the lightest works of fiction offer valuable insights. Each of these works has moved me profoundly, resonating with me on a personal level. They all share themes that have shaped my outlook and contributed to my understanding of myself and the world.

Kristen Cook

My Five Favorite Books: Conrad Hester

Whether it’s the psychological depth of Dostoyevsky or the lyrical observations of Annie Dillard, I’m drawn to stories that linger long after the final page. These books aren’t just entertaining; they are challenging but ultimately reward the time investment with illuminations on what it means to exist in our world. They’re the kind of books that make you think harder, feel deeper, and read slower.

Conrad Hester

My Five Favorite Books: Shamoil Shipchandler

When I set out to write this column, I thought about all the ways in which I’d try to impress you. Law is, after all, a see-and-be-seen profession! Perhaps I’d start with William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying and its dense stream-of-consciousness prose (I can’t stand it). Or the scope and cultural impact of David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest (I couldn’t get through it). Or maybe I’d do something unexpected about influential children’s books and write about Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree (a truly awful, dreadful thing – I won’t be taking any questions at this time).

But what I kept coming back to was something that plays a huge role in my personal and professional life: humor. So, I chose five books that never fail to make me laugh.

Shamoil Shipchandler

My Five Favorite Books: Dr. Bill Chriss

I have more than five favorite books. This list represents a smattering of what I have enjoyed most across different genres: ancient history, historical fiction, anti-western, philosophy and theology, and non-fiction.

Dr. Bill Chriss

My Five Favorite Books (Veterans Day Edition): Brett Govett, Norton Rose Fulbright

These books captured my attention and taught me valuable lessons on sacrifice and leadership. All of them have connections to Texas in some way and I have found them applicable in the practice of law. They also help to maintain perspective when – one thinks – it was a tough day. As Admiral William H. McRaven and the SEALs say – “The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday.” I hope you enjoy these, and please remember and thank our Veterans at all times – not only on Veterans Day.

Brett Govett

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