First Admitted: 1993, Texas

Professional Webpage: https://www.williamslawpc.com/people/holly-williams/

Bar/Professional Activity:

National Employment Lawyers Association
Permian Basin SHRM (President 2003 - 2004) (Legislative Director 2018-2021)
Midland County Bar Association - (President 2000 – 2001)
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
State Bar of Texas Committee on Pattern Jury Charges - Business, Consumer, Insurance, and Employment (2009 - 2018)
Texas Employment Lawyers Association Secretary (2023-present) Director (2021-2023) Treasurer (2017-2019)

Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):

Amber Ibarra v. United Parcel Service. A $600,000 federal gender discrimination and wrongful termination jury verdict on behalf of a female UPS driver. This verdict was recognized by VerdictSearch as the third largest discrimination verdict of 2013 in Texas., 2013
Sara Roberts v. Brinkerhoff Inspection Inc. dba SMOB. A $1 million sexual harassment and pregnancy discrimination verdict against an Odessa-based oilfield services company., 2018
Appellate Opinion, Midland Judicial Dist. Community Supervision & Corrections Dep't v. Jones, 92 S.W.3d 486 (Tex. 2002). Reaffirmed doctrine of employment at will.
Appellate Opinion: Walton v. Phillips Petroleum Co., 65 S.W.3d 262 (Tex. App. El Paso 2001, pet. denied)
Wetherbe v Texas Tech University et al: Represented Texas Tech University professor in a federal First Amendment/discrimination lawsuit against Texas Tech University. Developments in this lawsuit have raised provocative questions and generated a national discussion about the future of tenure in academia.
Appellate Opinion: Brim v. ExxonMobil Pipeline Co., 213 Fed.Appx. 303, 2007 WL 62866 (5th Cir. 2007)
EEOC v. Blue Ridge Resources LLC, (7:10-CV-00117-RAJ). Intervened in a national origin and discrimination lawsuit filed by the EEOC, essentially serving as co-counsel. Lawsuit charged that that Blue Ridge Resources subjected three former oil rig workers to a hostile work environment based on their Mexican national origin. The discrimination alleged was at the hands of a supervisor who repeatedly referred to the subordinates as “wetbacks” irrespective of the fact that one was born in the United States and the other two were permanent residents who have been authorized to work in the U.S. for decades. The lawsuit settled on the second day of trial in July 2012., 2012
Appellate Opinion: City of Colorado City v. Ponko, 216 S.W.3d 924 (Tex. App. – Eastland 2007, no pet.)
Appellate Opinion - Ibarra v. United Parcel Service, 695 F.3d 354 (5th Cir. 2012). Obtained reversal of summary judgment so case could be tried to a verdict. Held that employee's statutory right to be free of discrimination under Title VII was separate and independent from contractual rights under the collective bargaining agreement, and therefore CBA was not employee's exclusive remedy.

Representative Clients:

Obtained arbitration award of approximately $350,000 in breach of contract case for executive., 2025

Special Licenses/Certifications:

Admitted to practice, State Bar of New Mexico, 2001
Board Certified, Labor & Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2000

Pro bono/Community Service:

League of Women Voters of Texas Director (1999 – 2001)
Junior League of Midland Community Advisory Panel
UTPB College of Business Advisory Council
Casa de Amigos, Vice President. Midland non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life throughout the community by helping people help themselves., 2019
Midland College Adjunct Instructor, Government (2001 – 2002), Employment Law (2009)
Midland Need to Read Board of Directors (2004 – 2010, President 2008)
League of Women Voters of Midland Treasurer (1994 – 1995), President (1995 – 1997), Vice President (2004)
Rice University School of Social Sciences Dean's Advisory Council (2010 - 2018)

Honors/Awards:

AV Rating, Martindale Hubbell, 2023
Top 100 Civil Plaintiff, National Trial Lawyers, 2024

Educational Background:

Rice University, B.A. English and Political Science, 1989
The University of Texas at Austin, School of Law and LBJ School of Public Affairs, J.D./M.P.Aff. , 1993
Washington & Lee University, Lexington, Virginia, 1985-1987

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

"The 10 Biggest Legal Mistakes Physicians Make in Dealing with Noncompete Issues," in The Biggest Legal Mistakes Physicians Make and How to Avoid Them, Steven Babitsky, Esq. and James J. Magraviti, Jr., Esq., Eds. (2005) – Contributor
"Injuries to Third Parties Arising from Oil & Gas Operations: An Analytical Framework for Examining Indemnity and Additional Insured Issues," Journal of Natural Resources & Environmental Law (Spring 2000) – Co-Author

Other Outstanding Achievements:

Holly Williams is the only lawyer in the Midland/Odessa metropolitan area who is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Holly B. Williams