Professional Resume
LEGAL/BUSINESS CAREER
Royal Dutch Shell plc | 2000 - 2011
Group Litigation Counsel (2005-2011)
Chief litigation counsel responsible for management of multi-billion dollar risks associated with global corporate litigation portfolio, major matter oversight, regulatory reporting, legal contingency process development, legal training and strategic planning. Position required frequent interface with Royal Dutch Shell Executive Committee, full Board of Directors, Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, external banking professionals and external auditors. Developed and delivered regulatory investigation and litigation training to senior executives in global venues. Developed Group-wide disputes matter management system, risk analysis templates and case reporting processes. Trained international lawyers in litigation management, risk assessment and financial reporting. Instituted program for Nigerian legal professionals to intern in US. Developed and implemented records management and e-discovery processes and strategies. Directed three cases won by Shell in the US Supreme Court.
Skills utilized: managing multiple levels of legal professionals across cultural spectrum; legal analysis; employee reviews and skills assessments; high profile presentations and speeches; developing materials for and teaching internally and externally; professional writing; process development and management; strategic planning; interpersonal communication skills.
Associate General Counsel – Litigation, Shell Oil Company (2000-2011)
Responsible for US litigation and discovery management, supervised team of 65 professionals and all external counsel, managed $100 million budget, member of Shell “Scenarios” team. “Double-hatted” role with Group Litigation Counsel 2005-2011.
Shook, Hardy & Bacon, L.L.P. | 1995 - 2000
Equity partner
Co-founding partner of Houston office. Managed teams of attorneys and other legal professionals representing major energy, pharmaceutical and tobacco clients in complex litigation. First chair trial counsel.
Representative clients/engagements: Koch Industries Inc. (MDL 1206, Lease Oil Antitrust Litigation and Anna Nicole Smith/Howard Marshall litigation); Bristol-Myers Squibb (MDL 926, Breast Implant Litigation); American Home Products (Fen-Phen litigation); Philip Morris (tobacco litigation); Lorillard (tobacco litigation); Colt’s Manufacturing Inc. (commercial litigation).
Chamberlain, Hrdlicka | 1981 – 1995
Equity partner, first woman partner, litigation section head
Managed teams of attorneys representing mid-sized businesses in major complex litigation. Argued twice to Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, twice to Fifth Circuit, twice to Texas Courts of Appeal. Conducted approximately 15 first-chair trials.
Representative clients/engagements: Customer parties’ lead counsel in MDL 644, the ContiCommodities securities litigation; City of Houston Municipal Employees’ Pension System securities litigation; the Estate of Reginald Hamilton fraud litigation; the bankruptcy of Allied American Gypsum.
Andrews & Kurth | 1979 - 1981
Associate attorney
Worked on the Howard Hughes Estate litigation, the Corrugated Container Antitrust Litigation (MDL 310), the Offshore Marine Antitrust Litigation (MDL 417) and was first chair trial counsel in small commercial cases.
Law Office of James R. Lee | 1978 - 1979
Captive counsel for CNA Insurance
Writing Career
The Devil’s Match
Author. A thriller; 2012-2016
Matches in the Gas Tank, Trial by Fire in the Armstrong Cult
Author. Memoir, published by Bright Sky Press, Houston, Texas. 2009.
Academic Teaching/Writing
University of Houston Law Center
Adjunct Professor of Law
Mass torts, trial advocacy, civil procedure – 1985-1997
Carla Powers Herron and Kelli DeGeeter, “Can Texas Escape the Unavoidably Unsafe Medicine of Comment k by Adopting §8 of the Proposed Restatement Third of Torts?” 49 Baylor L.R.1 1997
Professional Licenses/Distinctions/Affiliations
- Admitted to State Bar of Texas, 1978 (age 22)
- Admitted to US Supreme Court, numerous US District and Circuit courts, US Court of Claims
- CPR Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution, Co-Chair, Executive Advisory Committee; Co-Chair, Diversity Task Force
- State Bar of Texas Task Force on Retention of Women and Minorities, Vice-Chair
- Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Director
- Texas Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
- Houston Bar Foundation, Fellow
- Texas Super Lawyer – 2004-2006
- Sixth Annual Energy Litigation Conference, Co-Chair
- Seventh Annual Energy Litigation Conference, Chair
- International Association of Defense Counsel, Vice-Chair, International Corporate Committee
Not-for-Profit Boards/Community Outreach
- Shell Oil Company 2008 United Way Campaign, Chair
- Shell Oil Company 2007 United Way Campaign, Vice-Chair
- Alexis de Tocqueville Society Member (Houston)
- Houston Area United Way Women’s Initiative, corporate campaign chair
- Texas Appleseed, Trustee
- Cardigan Mountain School, Canaan, New Hampshire, Trustee
- Inprint, Executive Advisory Committee
Professional Speaking/Teaching/Writing
- National Institute for Trial Advocacy, 4 programs
- Emory University School of Law, Faculty member, Trial Advocacy Program
- American Bar Association, Annual Meeting panelist, 5 programs
- CPR Institute for Conflict Prevention/Resolution, 5 programs
- State Bar of Texas, 4 programs
- International Association of Defense Counsel, 8 programs
- Institute for Transnational Arbitration, luncheon speaker
- International Bar Association, 4 panels
- Houston Bar Association, 8 programs
- South Texas College of Law, 2 programs
- University of Texas Law School
- University of Texas International Law Symposium
- International Academy of Mediators
- Lawyers for Civil Justice Reform
- National Black Law Students’ Association Annual Meeting
- Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Strategic Risk Management Institute
- Defense Research Institute
- CNN/TIME/Fortune/Shell Principal Voices, participant
- Leading Legal Innovation, USC Gould School of Law (Law/Economics Center), participant, 2008
- Table Talk 2010, University of Houston Women’s Studies Program
- Vault Career Library, Q & A Legal Women Leaders 2006
- Table Talk 2010, University of Houston Women’s Studies Program
- Vault Career Library, Q & A Legal Women Leaders 2006
Carla Powers Herron, “Whose Arbitration Is It, Anyway?” World Arbitration & Mediation Review, Volume 3, No. 3, 2009.
Carla Powers Herron, Graham Kerin Blair, David Brakebill, “Getting a Fair Shake from the Long Arm”, ACCA Docket, Vol. 21, No. 6, June 2003.
Carla Herron and LeAnn Morrissey, “Can a Class That Isn't a Class Still Be a Class?” ABA Class Action Newsletter, Spring 1997, Vol. 7.
Carla Herron and Brian Casey, “An Introduction to Texas Class Action Law”, ABA Section of Litigation, 1999 Annual Meeting Program Materials, pp. 389-406.
Education
Baylor University School of Law, J.D. | 1978
Louisiana Tech University, B.A. Speech, summa cum laude | 1975