M. Jane Murray is a native of Houston, Texas who received her Bachelors Degree at University of Houston and her Doctor of Jurisprudence at South Texas College of Law. She firmly believes that clients are not another file; they are people in a tough situation in need help and who need their rights protected.

CURRICULUM VITAE

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Assistant District Attorney
Harris County District Attorney’s Office
Houston, Texas
August 2002 – October 2006

• Felony District Court Prosecutor – managed trials and cases with a primary focus on violent crimes including murder, sexual assault, and aggravated robbery; grand jury presentations
• Chief Prosecutor of County Court – duties included supervising junior prosecutors in learning and development of litigation skills; management and responsibility of the court’s docket
• Juvenile Prosecutor – handled a myriad of juvenile cases and trials
• Domestic Violence Prosecutor – Prosecuted many domestic violence cases at the misdemeanor and felony level, including cases with no victim testimony
• Litigation – First chair on jury trials at all phases: voir dire, direct and cross examination of witnesses and experts, argument and punishment
• Trial preparation – conducted scene investigations, evidence evaluation, drafted pretrial motions, and prepared exhibits coordinating with DA investigators, meeting with witnesses, law enforcement officers and CPS caseworkers
• Recognizing and researching legal issues – prepared, drafted, and argued memorandums of law
• Reviewing facts presented by officers in the field to determine the existence of probable cause based on knowledge of the law and then accept the filing of a criminal charge based on that determination

Law Clerk
Hinton, Sussman, Bailey and Davidson, LLP
Houston, Texas
May 2001 – August 2002

• Research State and Federal issues ranging from environmental violations to illegal searches
• Draft Memorandums of Law, Motions, and various pleadings for filing in State and Federal courts
• Interview clients and witnesses, collecting the facts and details necessary to establish a defense
• Assist in trial preparation, voir dire, and formulating specific inquiries for examination

Judicial Intern
Judge David Hittner, United States District Court Southern District of Texas, Houston Division
January 2001 – April 2001

• Researched and drafted proposed judicial orders
• Observed all phases of jury trials, bench trials, and hearings

Research Assistant
Professor John Barnes, South Texas College of Law
September 2000 – May 2001

• Co-wrote an explanatory guide to the Texas Rules of Form Conducted seminar class regarding brief writing and researching techniques
• Drafted legal research assignments for first year law students

Judicial Intern
Judge Larry Standley Criminal County Court at Law No. 6
Summer 2000

• Assisted the court coordinator in the daily operations of the court
• Researched legal issues before the court

Litigation Assistant
Quan, Burdette and Perez, P.C.
Houston, Texas
December 1997 – August 1999

• Prepared appeals to be filed with the Board of Immigration Appeals
• Conducted research for asylum cases regarding issues such as excludability due to criminal convictions
• Met with clients to collect information necessary to draft asylum applications
• Prepared detailed trial exhibits focused on the political and religious situations of a specific country
• Drafted memoranda of law, motions, discovery requests, and other litigation pleadings

EDUCATION

SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE OF LAW 

Graduate with Doctor of Jurisprudence, Spring 2002
Law Review: South Texas Law Review, Member

Advocacy:

• Best Brief and Quarter Finalist - 2001 John Marshall National Privacy Law Moot Court Competition
• Best Brief and Quarter Finalist - 2001 Rendigs National Products Liability Moot Court Competition
• Best Brief and Finalist – 2000 Leroy Jeffers Memorial Moot Court Competition
• Mock Trial Competition (Summer and Fall 2000)

Honors:

• Who’s Who: American Law Students, 21st Edition Scholarship
• Recipient: Houston Business Forum, Spurgeon Bell Endowed, Ruth R. Bettes, Charles R. “Bob” Dunn,
• South Texas Academic Merit Scholarship Phi Delta Phi,
• Highest Grade Award – Legal Research and Writing II
• Who’s Who: American Law Students, 20th Edition
• Dean’s Honor Roll

Activities:

• Phi Delta Phi International Law Fraternity
• Houston Young Lawyers Association
• Association of Trial Lawyers of America
• Houston Business Forum

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON – CLEAR LAKE
Bachelor of Science, Legal Studies - American Jurisprudence, December 1998

Activities:

• Founding President, Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity
• President, Legal Studies Association

Honors:

• Alpha Iota Honor Society Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
• National Mock Trial Semi-Finalist - Phi Alpha Delta, Washington, D.C., 1997

CERTIFICATIONS Mediator – pursuant to the Texas ADR Act, TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM CODE § 154.02