Jennifer Banda, Director of the Center for Women in Law, will host a conversation with Arleas Upton Kea, former Deputy to the Chairman for External Affairs at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and current President of the Texas Exes, the Alumni…
Susan Blount Power Lunch Series
The Center for Women in Law, through the Susan Blount Power Lunch Series, seeks to provide students with role models and mentors by exposing them to prominent lawyers and other public figures from a wide range of career paths. These events provide students with opportunities to ask questions and discuss their own career goals in an informal and interactive environment. The series is named after Susan Blount, a Founding Member of the Center, in honor of her generous gifts of time and talent as she stepped into the role of interim executive director in 2019.
Upcoming Events
2025 Power Lunch Series
Power Lunch with Sandra Phillips
CWIL hosted a Power Lunch Series conversation with Sandra Phillips, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Integrity, Chief Sustainability Officer and Chief Legal Officer at Toyota Motor North America (TMNA). Phillips spoke with Center Director, Jennifer Banda, about her legal career, the path to her current role, and the ethical standards and challenges of a corporate general counsel.
Power Lunch with Becky Melton
The Center for Women in Law was excited to host a Power Lunch Series conversation with Becky Melton, Vice President of Legal for SolarWinds. Melton discussed her legal career and her duties and responsibilities running an in-house legal department, and the heightened challenges and response presented by an unprecedented and very public cyberattack.
Power Lunch with Amy M. Stewart
CWIL hosted a Power Lunch Series conversation with Amy M. Stewart, Founding Partner of the Stewart Law Group. Stewart discussed her legal career, the decisions and challenges related to starting and maintaining her own law firm, and how her athletics and coaching background gives her an edge in zealously and respectfully representing her clients and working with opposing counsel.
Power Lunch with Ambassador Carrin F. Patman
The Center for Women in Law was excited to host a Power Lunch Series conversation with Ambassador Carrin F. Patman. She spoke with Center Director, Jennifer Banda, about her 30-year litigation career and her just completed ambassadorship, with a discussion about the diplomatic role of an ambassador and the path to public service.
Power Lunch with Arleas Upton Kea
The Center for Women in Law hosted Arleas Upton Kea, former Deputy to the Chairman for External Affairs at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and current President of the Texas Exes, the Alumni Association of the University of Texas at Austin, for a Power Lunch series event. Kea discussed her legal career, and the duties of a public sector lawyer in terms of strategic leadership, governance, compliance, and finance and securities law.
2024 Power Lunch Series
Power Lunch with Regina Jones
During this conversation, Regina Jones discussed her legal career and the ethical standards and challenges of a corporate general counsel. Jones discussed how to help companies navigate regulatory frameworks and how regulatory and compliance expertise can transfer across industries.
Power Lunch with Sara Moss
Judge Nancy Atlas, retired U.S. District Judge, hosted a conversation with Sara Moss, Senior Advisor and former Vice Chairman, The Estée Lauder Companies. During this conversation, they discussed their legal careers, including Judge Atlas’s path to the bench and Ms. Moss’s path to becoming General Counsel and Vice Chair of the Board for Estée Lauder.
2023 Power Lunch Series
Power Lunch with Ambassador Kristen Silverberg
On 1/19/23 Ambassador Kristen Silverberg, COO of the Business Roundtable, discussed her legal and professional career and the ethical standards and challenges of a lawyer in public service.
2022 Power Lunch Series
Election Law and Voting Rights with Liz Avore and Mimi Marziani
This program was a timely discussion before Election Day on November 8. During this conversation, Liz Avore of the Voting Rights Lab discussed her pathway to advocating for better voting laws.
Power Lunch with Chief Justice Martinez and Dolores Atencio
During this event, we heard Chief Justice Rebeca Martinez, Chief Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals for the State of Texas, and Dolores Atencio, former co-chair of the HNBA Latina Commission and creator of the Luminarias de la Ley Project, speak about their career journeys as Latinas in the legal profession.
Past Events
Oct 15, 2025
Jennifer Banda, Director of the Center for Women in Law, hosted a conversation with Ambassador Carrin F. Patman, former ambassador to Iceland, respected litigator, public service leader and CWIL Founder.
For three decades,…
Oct 01, 2025
Jennifer Banda, Director of the Center for Women in Law, hosted a conversation with Amy M. Stewart, Founding Partner of the Stewart Law Group.
Mar 11, 2025
The Center for Women in Law was excited to host a Power Lunch Series conversation with Becky Melton, Vice President of Legal for SolarWinds, an Austin-headquartered global IT software company. SolarWinds is publicly traded on the NYSE but recently signed an agreement to be taken private by…
Feb 12, 2025
The Center for Women in Law was excited to host a Power Lunch Series conversation with Sandra Phillips, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Integrity, Chief Sustainability Officer and Chief Legal Officer at Toyota Motor North America (TMNA).
In these roles, Phillips helps Toyota…
Apr 10, 2024
Judge Nancy Atlas, retired U.S. District Judge, hosted a conversation with Sara Moss, Senior Advisor and former Vice Chairman, The Estée Lauder Companies.
During this conversation, they discussed their legal careers, including Judge Atlas’s path to the bench and Ms. Moss’…
Mar 19, 2024
Regina Bynote Jones, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary of ADM (one of the world’s largest nutrition companies), was interviewed by our Executive Director, Veronica Stidvent.
During this conversation, they discussed Jones’s legal career and the ethical…
Jan 19, 2023
COO of the Business Roundtable, Ambassador Kristen Silverberg, joined UT Law School for a lunch and a conversation. Ambassador Kristen Silverberg discussed her legal and professional career and the ethical standards and challenges of a lawyer in public service.
Nov 03, 2022
During this Power Lunch Series Mimi Marziani moderated a timely discussion with Liz Avore of the Voting Rights Lab who discussed her pathway to advocating for better voting laws.
Oct 06, 2022
The Center for Women in Law hosted Chief Justice Rebeca Martinez, Chief Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals for the State of Texas, and Dolores Atencio, former co-chair of the HNBA Latina Commission and creator of the Luminarias de la Ley Project, to speak about their career journeys as…
Oct 15, 2021
The Center presented a Susan Blount Power Lunch Series event: A Conversation with Erin Nealy Cox
Oct 21, 2020
The Susan L. Blount Power Lunch Series spotlights remarkable lawyers from diverse backgrounds and careers to share their experiences with students and Center guests. To launch the 2020's event series, The Center for Women of Law presented The Susan L. Blount Power Lunch Series: A…
Oct 28, 2019
Brigadier General Susan Escallier is a career Army officer in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. She has decades of experience practicing law in deployed settings, advising commanders, coalition partners, host nation governments, and working in conjunction with international organizations and…
Oct 30, 2018
Students, faculty and staff were invited to attend the Power Lunch Series showcasing the career of Elsa Alcala, judge of the Texas Court of Appeals.
Oct 23, 2018
Students, faculty and staff were invited to attend the Power Lunch Series showcasing the career of Karen Popp, Partner and Global Co-Chair of White Collar & Compliance Group at Sidley Austin LLP.
Oct 16, 2018
Students, faculty and staff were invited to attend the Power Lunch Series showcasing the career of Mandy Price, Co-Founder and the CEO of Kanarys.
Oct 09, 2018
Students, faculty and staff were invited to attend the Power Lunch Series showcasing the career of Denise Davis, Partner of Denise Kaufman LLP.
Oct 02, 2018
Students, faculty and staff were invited to attend the Power Lunch Series showcasing the career of Juanita Harris, the Assistant Vice President and Senior Legal Counsel to Human Resources at AT&T.
Oct 24, 2017
Students, faculty and staff were invited to attend the Power Lunch Series showcasing the career of Angela Styles, the former chair of Crowell & Moring and a partner in the Government Contracts Group.
Oct 17, 2017
Students, faculty and staff were invited to attend the Power Lunch Series showcasing the career of Kim Lubel, former Chairman and CEO of CST Brands, Inc., and one of Fortune’s 50 Most Powerful Women in 2013 and 2015.
Oct 10, 2017
Students, faculty and staff were invited to attend the Power Lunch Series showcasing the career of the Hon. Hilda Tagle, the first Hispanic female in Texas to become a federal judge.
Oct 03, 2017
Students, faculty and staff were invited to attend the Power Lunch Series showcasing the career of Jenny Yang, former vice chair and current commission of the EEOC.
Oct 25, 2016
Students, faculty and staff were invited to attend the Power Lunch Series showcasing the career of Hilda Galvan, a nationally recognized trial lawyer, recognized as a global IP leaders, and named one of "The Most Powerful Business Leaders" in Dallas-Forth Worth.
Oct 18, 2016
Students, faculty and staff were invited to attend the Power Lunch Series showcasing the career of Nina Cortell, the top appellate lawyer in Texas and one of the top 10 lawyers in Texas.
Oct 11, 2016
Students, faculty and staff were invited to attend the Power Lunch Series showcasing the career of Elizabeth Moore, who was honored as one of the "25 Influential Black Women in Business" and recognized as a "Leader for a New Century" by the Association of Black Women Attorneys.
Oct 04, 2016
Students, faculty and staff were invited to attend the Power Lunch Series showcasing the career of Hon. Nancy Atlas, who began her career as an Assistant United States Attorney in New York before making her way to Houston, Texas.
Jun 21, 2016
In 1995, Hon. Micaela Alvarez was appointed by then Governor Bush to serve as a District Judge for the 139th Judicial District Court in Hidalgo County. Judge Alvarez was the first woman to sit as a District Judge in Hidalgo County.
In 1997, she returned to private practice and was a…
Jun 21, 2016
Two of Andrews Kurth’s best real-estate lawyers: Center for Women in Law Founding Member Kathleen Wu and fifth-year attorney Kathleen Tarbox. Kathleen Wu shared stories from her near 30 years of experience in economic recovery, real estate, and real estate finance. She offered invaluable insight…
Jun 21, 2016
Sandra Phillips (’91) is the General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer at Toyota Motor North America. In her role, Sandra is responsible for legal operations, legal technology, and managing the representation of Toyota’s affiliates in North America. Sandra has litigated and helped manage some of…
Jun 21, 2016
In 2013, Susan L. Blount, ’81, became a member of Prudential Financial, Inc.’s Office of the Chairman Group, the six senior-most officers of the company. She is responsible for overseeing the company’s Law, Compliance, Business Ethics and External Affairs departments. Susan joined Prudential in…
Jun 21, 2016
VIDEO – THRIVE: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom and Wonder
Jun 21, 2016
Following decades of work in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s legal community, Arleas Upton Kea, a Texas Law alumna, answered the call of then-Chairman Sheila Bair to head up the FDIC’s Division of Administration. When the economy collapsed in 2008, Arleas supervised a dramatic…
Jun 21, 2016
This Power Lunch Series focused on learning how to build a leadership portfolio from Janiece Longoria of Ogden Gibson Broocks Longoria & Hall, LLP. Janiece has held some of the most influential roles in Texas including: Chairman of the Port of Houston Authority, the nation’s 2nd…
Jun 21, 2016
Kristi Swartz is the managing partner of Bryan Cave’s Hong Kong office.After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Business Administration, Kristi earned a Graduate Diploma in Law and Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice at universities in England and Master of…
Jun 21, 2016
Jane Webre (’89) is a partner at Scott, Douglass & McConnico, L.L.P., in Austin. She practices civil appellate law and handles most of the firm’s appeals. Her practice also includes trial court litigation involving complex matters that present significant legal issues, including oil and gas…
Jun 21, 2016
Linda L. Addison, ’76, is one of the most widely-acclaimed litigators in the country. Linda has tried more than 50 cases to judgment as lead counsel. She has tried cases involving intellectual property, breach of contract, business torts and disputes, international disputes, securities, common…