HYLA UPDATE

Meet Houston Young Lawyers Association 2006-2007 Officers

President
DOMINIQUE MARSHALL VARNER is a partner at HughesWattersAskanase, LLP where she practices creditor’s rights and consumer bankruptcy law. She has been actively involved with the Houston Young Lawyers Association since 1995, when she served as a committee member of the Arts & Entertainment Committee. She chaired the committee from 1998 to 2000. Varner has been on the board of directors since 1999, where she served as treasurer (2001-2003), secretary (2003-2004), vice president (2004-2005), and president-elect (2005-2006). She has also been active in the Texas Young Lawyers Association Reading Power Club Committee, sponsoring reading contests for children at B.C. Elmore Middle School and Lee Elementary School from 1996 to 2000.
Varner was president of the Italian-American Lawyers Association of Texas from 1997 to 2000. She also served as treasurer for the Houston Young Lawyers Foundation from 2003-2006 and has been a trustee of the Foundation since 2000. Varner is currently on the board of directors for Ser Ninos Charter School, the Federation of Italian-American Organizations of Greater Houston, and the Pastoral Counsel of Holy Ghost Catholic Church. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1990 and earned her J.D. from South Texas College of Law in 1994. She and her husband, Roy Varner, have a six-year-old son, Grant, and a six-month-old son, Nicholas.

President-elect
JULIE P. BAUMGARTEN is a senior attorney with The Williams Companies, Inc. She completed her B.B.A., J.D. and M.B.A. at the University of Houston and is serving her sixth year on HYLA’s board of directors. Baumgarten has been treasurer and secretary of HYLA, and she has chaired several HYLA committees including Membership, Law Day and Texans for Safe and Affordable Water & Wastewater Services. 
Baumgarten is a life fellow and past chair of the Houston Young Lawyers Foundation. She is also a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, and she served on the board of directors for the Texas Young Lawyers Association. Baumgarten also volunteers for the University of Houston, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, and the HBA’s annual all-lawyer musical, Night Court.

Secretary
TANYA N. GARRISON is a sixth year attorney practicing in the area of business and consumer litigation at Weycer Kaplan Pulaski & Zuber, P.C. She obtained her J.D., cum laude, at the University of Houston Law Center, where she graduated with both academic and oral advocacy honors. Garrison holds a bachelor of science degree from Oklahoma State University. She is licensed to practice in both the State of Texas and the State of New Mexico, and is admitted in the United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of Texas and the District of New Mexico.
Garrison is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the HBA and the HYLA, where she also serves as chair of the Membership Committee. In her role on the HYLA executive committee, Garrison oversees and assists with the Professional Development Committee, the Civil Trial Academy and HYLA for Scouting. Tanya is married to Darin Garrison, who works in the estimating department at Universal Sprinkler. They have a two-year-old daughter, Grace.

Treasurer
LEIF A. OLSON is an associate at Dobrowski L.L.P., a boutique firm specializing in commercial litigation. He has served on and chaired HYLA committees, graduated from the HYLA Leadership Academy, served on the HYLA board of directors, and received the HYLA President’s Award. Olson has volunteered in the community through the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program, the Southern District of Texas indigent appointment program and various HYLA projects. He is also a fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation and the Houston Young Lawyers Foundation.
Olson and his wife, Johanna, are members of Trinity Lutheran Church and the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston. They are the proud parents of a son, Anders, and are expecting their second child in October.

Immediate Past President
JILL McCARTHY ARNTZ currently serves as immediate past president of the HYLA. She previously served on the board as president, president-elect, vice president, secretary and as a director of the HYLA, as well as editor-in-chief of Pocket Parts, the bi-monthly newsletter. Arntz also chaired the Long Range Planning Committee and the Animal Welfare Committee. Since 1995, she has been active in numerous other HYLA activities including the Special Olympics, Adopt an Angel, Teen Court and Fun Run committees. Arntz is a fellow of the Houston Young Lawyers Foundation and served as secretary of the State Bar of Texas Court Rules Committee. She is also active in the Houston Bar Association.
Jill practices commercial and employment litigation with Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman LLP. She received her B.A. in English from Michigan State University in 1991 and her J.D. from South Texas College of Law in 1995. Prior to graduation, Arntz clerked for Judge Charles Baird with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. While in law school, she competed on the National Environmental Law Moot Court Team. Arntz recently was selected as a 2005 Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star Attorney. She is married to Kevin, an officer with the Houston Police Department. They have a two-year old daughter, Emmaline, and are members of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church.

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