Institute for Law and Leadership Speakers

Justice Chari L. Kelly has served on the Texas Third District Court of Appeals since 2019. A U.S. Army veteran and former paratrooper, she was a captain in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, serving as Trial Defense Counsel.

Jennifer is a lawyer and advocate with over 25 years of leadership in state and federal government relations and deep expertise in policy and advocacy.

Susan Blount served as Senior Vice President and then Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Prudential Financial, a leading provider of insurance, retirement and asset management products and services from 2005 to 2015.

Mollie Duckworth is the Local Chair of Latham & Watkins' Austin Corporate Department, with over 20 years of experience in corporate and securities law.

María Amelia Calaf (MAC) is a seasoned litigator known for stepping in high-stakes business disputes when immediate, strategic action is critical.

For more than 23 years, Julia Simon served as in-house counsel at Mary Kay Inc., retiring from her position as Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary in October 2023.

Marcy Hogan Greer understands that real people are affected by everything she does as an appellate attorney. She believes her role is to help her clients get the result they need, solving the problem at hand in a way that most effectively addresses her clients’ needs.

Katie Hobson serves as an Assistant Attorney General in the Environmental Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office managing the Natural Resources and Land Use Section.

With decades of experience navigating the intricacies of government regulations, Lily Chinn adeptly advises clients in the tech, energy, and manufacturing sectors on a spectrum of issues encompassing environmental concerns, workplace safety, trust and safety protocols, and corporate governance.

Gina Shishima provides practical and strategic solutions to life sciences companies (public and private), research institutions and hospitals related to all aspects of patent law—particularly prosecution, post-grant challenges, litigation and due diligence.

Liz Nielsen has guided hundreds of families through the estate planning process, serving as their trusted advisor to bring peace of mind to their lives. She is the founder of Nielsen Law, an estate planning and probate law firm in Austin, Texas.  Liz is Board Certified in Estate Plannin

Sarah Florer is a transactional attorney in FBFK’s Austin office, where she advises corporate and private clients on cross-border investments, domestic transactions, and long-term succession planning.

Robin Glen, a planning-forward life insurance firm, offers creative ways to solve complex tax and planning issues, and focuses on intergenerational wealth transfer and accumulation strategies for ultra-high net worth families and executives, both in the U.S. and internationally.

Veda Tsai graduated from Texas Law in 2025. While in law school, she was Chief Articles Editor for the Texas Law Review, a member of the Society Program, President of the Women’s Law Caucus, and a research assistant for Professor Steven Collis.

Jennifer is a lawyer and advocate with over 25 years of leadership in state and federal government relations and deep expertise in policy and advocacy.

Valerie Esparza joined The Center for Women in Law in 2020.  Prior to CWIL, Ms.