Kendall Speer
Senior Associate
Kendall Speer focuses her practice on complex business disputes and commercial litigation, with wide-ranging experience in construction, oil and gas, real estate, employment, trade secret, and probate litigation. Such extensive and varied experience has made her extremely versatile, allowing her to hit the ground running when taking on complex cases.
Before joining the team at Rusty Hardin, Kendall spent seven and a half years at Houston firm, Crady Jewett McCulley & Houren LLP, where she gained extensive experience preparing cases for jury and non-jury trials. With meticulous attention to detail, Kendall was often successful in arguing motions, managing discovery, deposing witness, and she quickly became the firm’s go-to briefing attorney. Kendall has also served as lead appellate counsel for a number of appeals, which included presentation of oral argument before the El Paso and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals.
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Even outside of her appellate experience, Kendall is often recognized for her strong writing skills and ability to synthesize complex information in ways that are easy to understand. Kendall is able to quickly connect with judges and juries and make a compelling case for her clients. Above all, she recognizes that at the center of her work are real people facing real issues, and she works tirelessly for all those she represents to help solve those problems. Kendall also understands the importance of remaining accessible and staying in constant communication with her clients throughout the litigation process.
A native Texan, Kendall studied Public Relations at the University of Texas at Austin before attending South Texas College of Law, where she graduated second in her class Summa Cum Laude. During this time, Kendall represented South Texas as a varsity advocate in several national moot court tournaments and was also a member of South Texas Law Review. During law school, Kendall also interned for the Honorable Vanessa D. Gilmore of the Southern District of Texas, as well as the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office. After receiving her law degree, Kendall served as Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable John Phillip Devine of the Texas Supreme Court.
In her spare time, Kendall enjoys exercising and spending time with her husband and young daughter.
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Education
- J.D., South Texas College of Law, 2014
- Graduated Summa Cum Laude
- B.S., The University of Texas at Austin, 2010
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Representative Cases
- Served as lead counsel in residential construction dispute which lead to favorable settlement for clients.
- Served as lead appellate counsel in the interlocutory appeal of an order denying anti-SLAPP motion which resulted in favorable decision from the Fourteenth Court of Appeals.
- Served as lead appellate counsel in title dispute over mineral interest and presented oral argument to the El Paso Court of Appeals.
- First-chaired jury trial in breach of contract case pending in Harris County Court that led to successful verdict in favor of client, including award of attorneys’ fees.
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Published Cases
- Meta Plan. + Design LLC v. BGE, Inc., No. 14-19-00253-CV, 2021 WL 1421056, at *1 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] Apr. 15, 2021, no pet.).
- Lockhart as Tr. of Lockhart Fam. Bypass Tr. v. Chisos Mins., LLC, 621 S.W.3d 89 (Tex. App.—El Paso 2021, pet. filed).
- Smith v. Barnhart, 576 S.W.3d 407 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2019, no pet.).
- Harris Cty. v. Park at Westcreek, LP, No. 01-18-00343-CV, 2020 WL 826725 ( App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Feb. 20, 2020, no pet.) (mem. op.).
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Court Admissions
- State Bar of Texas
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
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Professional Memberships
- Houston Bar Association, Special Olympics Committee
- Association of Women Attorneys Houston, Member
- Business Networking International, Member of Business Referral Partners of Pearland Chapter