Officers, Directors & Nominating Committee

Chair

TERM EXPIRATION: 2027

Scott Fournier
The Cweren Law Firm, PLLC
3311 Richmond Ave., Ste. 305
Houston, Texas 77098
Phone: 713.622.2111
Email

Named by Texas Monthly as a Texas Super Lawyers, Rising Star (Real Estate) for 2018. This selection is based on peer nominations and a Blue Ribbon Panel review process.

Mr. Fournier joined The Cweren Law Firm as an associate attorney in bringing with him a background in personal injury defense and civil litigation from his previous employment. While his legal practice at Cweren Law is mainly in residential and commercial real estate matters, Mr. Fournier has assisted and represented our clients with a wide variety of other legal matters including, but not limited to the following: entity formation, commercial disputes, and estate planning. Mr. Fournier is primarily responsible for our forcible detainer docket. He has successfully tried hundreds of forcible detainer (“eviction”) lawsuits in a variety of Texas venues.

Mr. Fournier serves as both a board member and the secretary for the Justice of the Peace Courts Section of the State Bar of Texas. He is a member of the Texas Young Lawyers Association and the Houston Bar Association. He is also a member of the Houston Apartment Association, as well as the Galveston County Apartment Association.

Mr. Fournier graduated with honors from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, with a bachelor’s of business administration. While at Texas State University Mr. Fournier was extremely involved in extracurricular organizations as he was the president and treasurer of his fraternity-Sigma Nu, the treasurer of Order of Omega Honor Society, the coordinator of events for Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol, and a member of Phi Eta Sigma International Honour Society and Golden Key International Honour Society.

Thereafter, Mr. Fournier attended South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas, and graduated in the top quarter of his class. While in law school he was a member of Phi Delta Phi (South Texas College of Law’s honors fraternity) and participated in Appellate Advocacy (Moot Court).

Mr. Fournier was born and raised in the Friendswood, Texas. Mr. Fournier and his wife, reside in Houston, Texas, with their two dogs. In his free time, Mr. Fournier enjoys spending time with his wife, fostering and finding permanent homes for stray or homeless dogs, hunting, fishing and occasionally playing golf.

Chair Elect

TERM EXPIRATION: 2026

Hon. Judge Sylvia Holmes
Justice of the Peace, Pct 3
8656-B West Hwy 71 #200
Austin, TX 78735
Travis County, Texas
Office: (512) 854-6763

Judge Sylvia Holmes assumed office as Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, in 2019, with a commitment to upholding fairness and compassion in the legal system. Re-elected unopposed in 2022, she continued her mission to serve the community. Holmes holds a BBA in Marketing from The University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business and earned her law degree from The University of Alabama School of Law in 2006. Prior to her judicial role, she worked in private practice and served as Associate Director of the Legal Services for Students Office at UT Austin for eight years.

With 18 years of legal experience, she brings a wealth of knowledge to her roles, including former President of the Rotary Club of Austin, serving on the Austin Bar Association’s Board of Directors, and Editor of the JPCA Gavel & Badge newsletter. Committed to community service, she’s a lifetime member of the Travis County Women Lawyers Association and volunteers in various initiatives, including supporting the Community First Village and fostering civic engagement among students with Early Act First Knight. Passionate about mentoring aspiring legal minds, Judge Holmes strives to make a meaningful impact and foster a stronger, more inclusive legal community.

Secretary

TERM EXPIRATION: 2027

Lizbeth Parra Davila
St. Mary’s School of Law
2507 N.W. 36t Street
San Antonio, Texas 78228
Office: (210) 431-5764
Email: ldavila5@stmarytx.edu

Lizbeth Parra Davila (J.D. ’19) is Practicing Faculty teaching Deposition Skills and a Staff Attorney with the Real Estate Clinic at the St. Mary’s University School of Law. Her clinic work and advocacy focus on preserving homeownership and building generational wealth in marginalized communities. She also co-teaches clinic seminar classes and assists with the supervision of clinic student attorneys.

She is a frequent speaker on heir’s property topics around the country. Davila uses her experience to advocate for legislative and local policy reform on issues important to low-income Texans, including homeowner and landlord-tenant issues. Her work has been covered nationally in the ABA Journal, and locally in the San Antonio Express-News.

Prior to joining St. Mary’s, Davila was a managing attorney and the director of the Tenant Eviction Relief Project (TERP) with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) in San Antonio, Texas, where she primarily defended tenants and homeowners facing displacement but also represented clients against fraud, deceptive practices, and partition cases. She has also handled state appeals and mandamus cases. While at TRLA, she created the Tenant Eviction Relief Project (TERP), a state-wide crisis response team focused on helping renters access rental assistance and preventing evictions.

After graduating from law school, Davila joined The University of Texas School of Law as a Housing Justice Fellow, where she worked to increase housing stability in San Antonio, with a focus on the preservation of mobile home ownership.

Davila is currently Co-Chair to the Community Development and Environmental Justices Taskforce and a Director and Secretary of the Texas Justice Court Section.

Treasurer

TERM EXPIRATION: 2027

Rebecca Glisan, M.S.Ed., J.D.
Director of Curriculum and Staff Attorney
Texas Justice Court Training Center
1701 Directors Blvd, Suite 530
Austin Texas 78744
Phone: 512-347-9927, Ext. 211
E-mail: rebecca.glisan@txstate.edu

Rebecca Glisan is the Director of Curriculum and Staff Attorney at the Texas Justice Court Training Center in Austin, Texas, which she joined in September 2016. Rebecca previously worked as a staff attorney at Family Violence Prevention Services in San Antonio, Texas and at Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid in Corpus Christi, Texas. Rebecca is also a member of the National Association of Stage Judicial Educators (NASJE) and has served as the chair of NASJE’s Education and Curriculum Committee. Rebecca Glisan received a BA in French Studies and English from Rice University in 2008, an M.S.Ed. from City University of New York – Lehman College in 2010, and a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law in 2013.

Section directors

TERM EXPIRATION: 2026

Marty B. Leewright, M.A., J.D.
Attorney, Mediator & Arbitrator
Of Counsel, Bob Leonard Law Group, PLLC 101 Summit Avenue, Suite 300
Fort Worth, Texas, 76102
Phone: 817-716-5110
Fax: 817-332-4330
Email: mleewright@gmail.com

Mediator, Litigation Attorney, Arbitrator, with degrees in Psychology and Sociology, extensive experience in Mediation, Arbitration, Litigation, Negotiation, Settlement, Criminal Prosecution; University Teaching and State Bar, Speaking, Authorship, Community, Educational and State Bar Leadership. Appointed 2011-2013, Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice to Task Force to write new Rules of Civil Procedure for the 800+ Texas Justice Courts; Honored by the Texas Supreme Court 2012 for “serving with distinction”. Special Award received from the Texas Justice Court Judges Association in 2015.

EDUCATION

Doctor of Jurisprudence,Texas Tech University School of Law (1985)

Master of Arts,in Legal Studies, Magna Cum Laude, University of North Texas (1982)

Bachelor of Arts,Sociology and Psychology, University of North Texas (1980)

All coursework completed Ph.D. in Higher Education (ABD), University of N. Texas (1992-99)

PROFESSIONAL LICENSES

Certified Mediator; Advanced Mediator Certificate; Advanced Arbitrator Certificate. Intermediate Collaborative Law Certificate. Licensed United States Supreme Court, U.S. Federal District Courts of Texas, all State Courts in Texas. Also admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Washington, D.C.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2005–Present, Attorney, Mediator, Arbitrator; Of Counsel, Bob Leonard Law Group, PLLC, Fort Worth, civil law practice; Frequent Guest Speaker Texas Justice Court Judges Association (15+ Procedure and Legal Seminars 2011-2019); guest speaker Texas A&M University School of Law, University of North Texas, Texas Woman’s University. Arbitrator for Attorney-Client Fee Dispute Arbitration Program Tarrant County Bar Association. Previous referral attorney for TAA; authored numerous Landlord-Tenant articles.

2001-2005, LitigationAttorney, Erskine & McMahon, LLP, Longview & Marshall, Texas, prosecution and defense of lawsuits, tried numerous jury trials to successful jury verdicts, torts, employment, wrongful death, insurance, premises liability, contract, consumer, etc., numerous appearances in State and Federal courts. Substantial litigation cases, involving more than one million dollars.

1990-2000,Legal AdvisorforStudents, UniversityofNorthTexas, AttorneyandMediator
1987-1990, Attorney, Law Offices of Don R. Windle (Hon. Don R. Windle), Denton, Texas
1985-1987, Attorney and Criminal Prosecutor, Williamson County, Texas

MILITARY SERVICE & EXPERIENCE:

U.S. Army Combat Engineer, two tours of combat in Vietnam and Cambodia; National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Campaign & Combat medals; Agent Orange Vietnam Veterans Registry; Also

U.S. Army Reserves and Texas Reserves, served in underground Federal Intelligence & Communications facility, Top-Secret U.S. Security Clearance, Honorable Discharge. Awarded seven military medals.

AWARDS & HONORS

Texas Justice Court Judges Association special award (for service and training contributions) 2011-2018 Texas Supreme Court Award for “Serving with Distinction” Justice Court Rules Task Force 2011-13 University of North Texas, Star Award for Special Achievement, for “Consistent Exceptional Service” Texas Tech University School of Law, “Humanitarian Award”

Judge Meade F. Griffin Award, for “Professionalism”

“Most Outstanding Student Legal Services Office” Southwestern United States (30 Universities) Selected (one of 50 lawyers in U.S. annually) to attend national intensive TrialLawyersCollege1995-96 Elected to Council, ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution Section), State Bar of Texas 1994-1998 Appointed to State Bar of Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee on ADR 1996-1998

Editor, “DisputeResolutionTexasStyle” official ADR publication of State Bar of Texas 1997, newly revised

COMMUNITY SERVICE & COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES

Assistant Children’s Supervisor, Bible Study Fellowship International (BSF)

Sunday School Teacher and Peacemaking Course, Arborlawn United Methodist Church, Ft Worth, TX Appointed, Supreme Court Task Force drafting Court Procedural Rules for Texas Justice Courts 2012-2013 Founder, Texas Tech University School of Law “Dax S. Cowart Scholarship” (Endowed)

Volunteer Iglesia San Miguel Church, Fort Worth Texas (low income Hispanic church) Volunteer Read2Win Program for elementary children, Fort Worth, ISD

FAMILY

Mr. Leewright was born in Fort Worth, Texas. He is married to Dr. Malinda Fasol-Leewright, PhD., tenured Professor & Chair of University Graduate Psychology Program and Distance Education, a trained Mediator/ Mediation Trainer. Daughter Daxi attends the University of Texas at Arlington, earlier the Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts, is an avid photographer and videographer, has traveled to several foreign countries, having graduated as a High School Honors student at age 16.

TERM EXPIRATION: 2027

Rockland Gleason
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
1111 N. Main Ave.
San Antonio, Texas 78208
Office: (210) 240-1006
Email: rgleason@trla.org

Kevin Fulton has dedicated his life to serving others, beginning with his service in the Army. After his military discharge, he volunteered with community-based organizations addressing critical issues like teen suicide, domestic abuse, and poverty. His commitment to both community and education led to a Juris Doctor Degree with a notation for Distinguished Public Service.

Kevin has led the Fulton Law Group for 15+ years, skillfully handling complex litigation in both the public and private sectors.

TERM EXPIRATION: 2027

Craig Noack
Partner
Noack Law Firm, PLLC
24165 IH-10 West, Suite 217-418
San Antonio, Texas 78257
Tel: 210-963-5733
Email: craig@noacklawfirm.com

Kevin has led the Fulton Law Group for 15+ years, skillfully handling complex litigation in both the public and private sectors.

TERM EXPIRATION: 2026

Marisela Gonzales
Attorney
Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center
Email: marisela@dallaseac.org
Telephone: 469-436-2704

Riecke Baumann has been licensed in Texas and Louisiana since 1974. He has served on various committees of the American Bar Association, Texas Bar Association, and Houston Bar Association in the areas of bankruptcy and collections law. He is a frequent CLE speaker for CLE courses for the State Bar of Texas, National Association of Collection Managers, and National Association of Retail Collection Attorneys.Historically, Mr. Baumann represented primarily consumer creditors, in state and bankruptcy courts, throughout Texas, filing 200 plus suits, per month. He has fiied suits in over 200 counties and appeared in over 70 counties. He has served as Receiver and Master in over 400 cases, statewide, and in federal and bankruptcy courts.

TERM EXPIRATION: 2026

Stuart Campbell
Chief Legal Officer
Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center
Email: stuart@dallaseac.org
Telephone: 469-405-5979

Stuart Campbell is the Managing Attorney at the Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center (DEAC), which is a non-profit law firm that provides free legal services to tenants facing eviction in Dallas County, Texas. Stuart graduated from Texas A&M School of Law in 2017 and has been licensed to practice law in the State of Texas since November 2017. Stuart’s passion is to keep people housed, which has been the singular driving force throughout his legal career. After becoming licensed, Stuart began his career as a Staff Attorney with the Housing, Consumer, and Public Benefits Unit of the Fort Worth Office of Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas. Stuart was the highest producing eviction defense Staff Attorney in the Fort Worth office, trained multiple new attorneys in the practice of eviction defense, taught several CLEs to housing attorneys across the state, presented at many community engagement events, and helped establish the first communication channel for Legal Aid housing attorneys throughout Texas to communicate and cooperate with each other about their cases. Many of Stuart’s notable eviction cases have garnered local and national press coverage.

Stuart joined the DEAC team as a Managing Attorney in June 2021. While at DEAC, Stuart has grown the DEAC from a staff of only two employees, to over 15 today. Stuart has overseen his team of Staff Attorneys represent over 10,000 tenants in eviction court, and has personally represented over 1,000 low-income tenants. Stuart has built lasting relationships with community members, local nonprofits, and social workers to provide full wrap-around services to his clients. Stuart continues to serve his client, in court every day, fighting for their rights to stay housed.

Stuart is also very engaged in the community in Dallas and the greater DFW area. He served as a Commissioner on the 2023 – 2024 Dallas City Chater Review Commission, and is active in many local community organizations.

When Stuart isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Halie, and their dog Eliza. He’s an avid ice hockey fan and plays in local recreational leagues year-round.

nominating committee

Scott Fournier
The Cweren Law Firm, PLLC
3311 Richmond Ave., Ste. 305
Houston, Texas 77098
Phone: 713.622.2111
Email

Howard M. Bookstaff
Equity Partner
HooverSlovacek LLP
Galleria Office Tower 2
5051 Westheimer, Suite 1200
Houston, TX 77056
Office: 713-977-8686
Email: bookstaff@hooverslovacek.com

Nelson H. Mock
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Telephone: (512) 374-2723
Email: nmock@trla.org

Howard Bookstaff
Galleria Tower II
5051 Westheimer, Suite 1200
Houston, Texas 77056
Phone: 713.977.8686
Email

Howard Bookstaff is the head of the multi-family practice at Hoover Slovacek. For over 25 years, he has focused on commercial and residential real estate, landlord/tenant law, condominium law and community association law. Mr. Bookstaff has been honored to serve as general counsel of the Houston Apartment Association since 1995, has authored amicus curia briefs and is actively involved in the apartment industry’s legislative efforts, both locally and in Austin. Additionally, he has assisted in the drafting of a number of Houston city ordinances as well as Texas state landlord/tenant laws.

Mr. Bookstaff is a frequent speaker at various landlord/tenant and fair housing seminars and he authors a monthly article in Abode, the Houston Apartment Association magazine. There he writes about a variety of topics of interest to the apartment industry.

Mr. Bookstaff serves a number of clients that own and manage a wide range of real estate concerns. His practice includes representation of clients in the purchase and sale of real estate and litigation matters ranging from premises liability cases in the district and appellate courts to evictions in the justice courts and administrative proceedings under the federal and state fair housing acts.

AWARDS:

Selected to theSuper Lawyers®, 2011-2012, 2014-2016, Super Lawyers® is a registered trademark of Thompson Reuters
Martindale-Hubbell rated AV® Preeminent™ – An AV® certification mark is a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS:

State Bar of Texas, Member
State Bar of Texas, Justice of the Peace Courts Section, Chair
Houston Bar Association, Member
American Bar Association, Member
Texas Inter-Faith Housing Corporation, General Counsel
Houston Apartment Association, General Counsel, 1995
Community Association Institute Legal Committee – Chairman, 1991
American Bar Association Special Committee on Dispute Resolution Law Student Liaison, 1984

CERTIFICATION/SPECIALTIES:

Fair housing trainer, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, 2016
Mediator, A.A. White Dispute Resolution Center, 1992

CLASSES/SEMINARS TAUGHT:

Speaker, Landlord-Tenant Issues, Community Association Issues and Fair Housing Issues

TERM EXPIRATION: 2026

Kevin Fulton
The Fulton Law Group
7676 Hillmont, Ste. 191
Houston, Texas 77040
713.589.6964
Email

Kevin has led the Fulton Law Group for 15+ years, skillfully handling complex litigation in both the public and private sectors.

TERM EXPIRATION: 2025

Hon. Ralph Swearingin Jr.
Tarrant County Justice Court
Precinct 1
100 W. Weatherford
Room 450
Fort Worth, Texas 76196
Phone: 817-884-1395

Judge Ralph Swearingin has dedicated his life to serving the law and community. Judge of Tarrant County Precinct 1 Justice Court since 2007. He has decades of law enforcement experience, legal knowledge and judicial experience in Justice Court. He held a career in policing for more than 30 years, 19-years at the command level. He received Ft Worth Police Dept’s Medal of Valor, is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, and holds a Master Police Officer Certification. He is a 1994 graduate with honors from Texas Wesleyan University’s School of Law and licensed attorney since 1994. He has implemented In-court Mediation, a Program receiving Texas Assoc. of Counties’ 2009 “Best Practices Award” for Court Innovation. Since 2013, his Court has made e-filing available, in 2015 added Guide-N-File for prose litigants, and since 2019 all filings are all mandated to be electronic. Judge Swearingin has served on various Texas Supreme Court’s Committees including appointed by Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court to the Task Forces for “Rules in Small Claims Cases and Justice Court Proceedings”* and “Landlord-Tenant Forms”. He is a frequent CLE presenter. In 2015, he was chosen as “Justice Court Judge of the Year” by the Texas Justice Court Judges Association. *(Procedural Rules adopted for the 800+ Texas Justice Courts in 2013).

Judge Swearingin Receives the Highest Alternative Dispute Resolution/Mediation Award in the State of Texas

TERM EXPIRATION: 2025

Michael Scott
Scott & Associates
1120 Metrocrest Dr., Ste. 100
Carrollton, Texas 75006
972.428.3599
Email

Candidates Nominated for Election to DIRECTOR POSITION FOR Section BOARD for 2026-2027 Term

Hon. Judge Sylvia Holmes, Justice Court, Precinct 3, Travis County, Texas

Marisela Gonzales, Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center, Dallas, Texas

Stuart Campbell, Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center, Dallas, Texas

Travis M. Miller, Law Offices of R. David Fritsche, San Antonio, Texas