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Jaha Thomas is an Associate Attorney at the Brandy Austin Law Firm.

Jaha (pronounced jay-ya) grew up in the Arlington area. She had a very joyous upbringing and very close-knit family with strong connection with her grandparents. Jaha learned from an early age that education is the great equalizer, so she worked hard to become a life-long learner and took advantage of every opportunity that came her way. Her family has always been tremendously supportive of everything she wanted to do, no matter how unattainable it may have seemed. She vividly remembers when she was 5 years old, telling her grandfather that she wanted to be a ballet dancing surgeon, to which he replied, “Well, let’s get started! We’ve got goals!” This can-do attitude molded her into a person that works for results and never ever gives up, regardless of what people said or did to deter her.

After graduating from Bowie High School, she attended Texas Christian University where she was a pre-med major. After working as a CNA (certified nursing assistant) in various nursing homes, she determined the medical field was not her calling. After receiving her Bachelor’s in Science, she set out to travel the world. Not long after graduation, she moved to Costa Rica where she worked as an English teacher, danced with a Salsa dance company and took Spanish classes. After a year of living the “Pura Vida” (pure life), Jaha decided to move to Queens, New York to experience the big apple. In New York, Jaha continued dancing for fun and she also taught English to adults. She really enjoyed teaching English because her class of thirty students were from 20 different countries. This was a very positive experience, as Jaha witnessed people from all corners of the earth work together and create a unique supportive learning community. This sparked a desire in her to meet and learn from different people of different cultures. From that point on, Jaha traveled to as many countries as she could. She would take out a map, close her eyes and book a ticket for the next unknown adventure.

After a while, the hustle and bustle of New York and homesickness began to wear on her, and she decided to move back to Texas to be near her family. At this point, she realized that teaching came naturally, so Jaha pursued teaching and became certified in elementary bilingual education. She taught bilingual Kindergarten, 3rd grade and first grade. While teaching, Jaha obtained a Master of Arts from the University of Texas in Arlington in Modern Languages with an emphasis in Linguistics. While studying at UTA, Jaha and two other graduate students had the remarkable opportunity to go to San Andres Chicahuaxtla in Oaxaca, Mexico to study the endangered language Triqui. This is one of Jaha’s fondest memories as she felt incredibly fortunate to visit the village, as the habitants were apprehensive of visitors, due to unpleasant interactions in the past, however the people were so welcoming and eager to share their culture, customs and language.

During a 10-year career in bilingual education, Jaha took advantage of the teacher’s schedule and traveled to 43 different countries. Her travels cultivated an appreciation and respect for all people and their differences. Many people would ask her why she was always traveling and was she afraid of what may happen. Jaha always responded in the same manner “carpe diem”, you only live once, cherish the time and opportunities you have now because life can change at any moment and regret is the nemesis. Jaha traveled to many countries alone, but she traveled responsibility with a well-planned agenda and has gained life-long friendships from her travels. Due her extensive travel, she is now fluent in Spanish and also proficient in Brazilian Portuguese and French.

Jaha always had a conviction and zeal for social advocacy, equality and equity. Teaching allowed her to help her students and their families by creating relationships, giving guidance and advice to improve their educational experience. Working with mostly immigrant families who struggled and feared the law, she knew that it was time to do more, so she left education to pursue law. Her reasoning was due to her desire to guide others through the happiest and most challenging moments in life and she also has a devotion to community outreach. Jaha has always been attracted to family law because family is the most precious and valuable asset to most, including herself. She loves the wide umbrella of family law that embodies a person’s entire life. This essentially means that an attorney can represent and advocate for a family for a lifetime.

In the spirit of “go big or go home”, Jaha rented her house to a rental company, packed a U-Haul with her life and moved to Lansing, Michigan for law school at Western Michigan University. While in law school some of her accolades included: Mock Trial Competition Winning duo, Moot Court Competition Finalist and “Top Advocate”, Client Counseling Finalist and being on the Dean’s List for several terms. She also wrote for the Journal of Practical and Clinical Law as an Associate Editor. In addition, she worked for the Sixty Plus, Elder Law Clinic where she advocated for indigent clients in various topics ranging from: landlord tenant issues, civil rights, divorce, guardianship, preparation of wills, powers of attorney, medical health directives, public benefit issues including social security, Medicare, and Medicaid planning.

While in law school, Jaha met and married her husband. After she graduated with her Juris Doctor from Western Michigan University, she and her husband moved back to Arlington. After taking a break to start a family, Jaha became a licensed attorney and began to search for her legal career home.

For Jaha, good health is one of the most important assets a person can have. She works out consistently for a healthy outlet. She enjoys running 5ks, boxing, kickboxing, Muy Thai, and dancing. Her personal goal is to compete in a fitness competition, in the next year. For relaxation she enjoys watching extremely unrealistic shark based sci-fi movies. Work life balance is extremely important to Jaha, as she wants to give the same enthusiasm and excellence to her career as she does her family.

Jaha’s personal mantra is “Let’s make it happen, if I don’t know how, we’ll figure it out”; Integrity or the lack thereof tells a lot about a person. I don’t what the world to be a better place just for me, my family, like thinkers or people that look like me, but I want the world to be a better place for every single person.

Brandy M. Austin

Managing Attorney

Location: Arlington, Texas
Phone: 817-841-9906
800-958-4948
Fax: 817-484-0280

As founder and managing attorney of Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC, Brandy Austin has worked hard to build an innovative law firm that caters to the legal needs of each client, provides professional growth opportunities for each team member, and gives back to the community. She strives to create a diverse team of legal professionals that provides innovative, high-quality, and cost-effective legal services to the everyday person and small business. Brandy frequently represents the underdog against big businesses and insurance companies. She also represents small businesses and business owners who are taken advantage of or who often give more than they receive. As a business owner herself, she shares a special connection and understanding with small business owners and their families.

Brandy Austin manages all the business, financial, marketing, and administrative aspects of the firm. She also supervises client accounts and each department’s case assignments and assists in more complex matters. Committed to the success of happy employees and a positive work-life balance, Brandy has created an inclusive team culture that celebrates individuality and promotes diversity.

Brandy Austin focuses her personal legal practice on multiple types of litigation, including personal injury, business disputes, probate, and contested family law. Brandy has tried multiple cases to verdict and is the lead member of the firm trial team.

Educated clients is one of the founding principles of the firm. Brandy Austin strives to simplify the legal process, automate the routine office tasks, and streamline the typical case process. One way Brandy educates her clients is by hosting a weekly Facebook and YouTube Live show – Disclosure: Live with Brandy Austin Law. Each episode is dedicated to a legal topic or question that may be in the news or that may be a frequent question or topic presented by clients. The show generally begins with a fun segment and local news headline segment before diving into the topic of the week. The show focuses on educating people on Texas law and the rights of its citizens, and even those who are not citizens.

Brandy is involved in the community and instills this principle into the firm culture. Each department and all members of the firm have the opportunity and are encouraged to become active members of the local community, as well as non-profit organizations that directly support the local community.

Born and raised in the small-town Salisbury, North Carolina, Brandy Austin is the first college graduate of her family. Neither of her parents graduated from college and she defied the odds to attain a high level of education. Following law school, she worked on medical malpractice and medical device cases, initially, on behalf of insurance companies. Soon after, Brandy transitioned to representing insured drivers of a non-standard insurance company. This position lacked the client interaction Brandy needed. She also married and became a mom during this time. Work-life balance become the highest priority after having her first child.

Realizing the need for a firm that creates, even encourages, a family-friendly environment, along with a place legal professionals could find value in the day to day work within the field of law, Brandy Austin started her own firm May of 2013. She worked only part-time in the beginning and only had a total initial investment of $300, which was the firm’s business registration fee with the state of Texas. The first year, with only a small number of clients, Brandy continually reinvested in herself and the firm to help it grow. The next few years were a building period. As with most businesses, some decisions were effective and helpful, some failed miserably. Creating a team of people with a shared vision and excitement for each day is a difficult task. People change, lives change. Brandy has worked diligently to find a group of people committed to providing quality, ethical legal services to a diverse community. The goal of the organization is to share differing views in an environment supportive enough to analyze them in a legal context and apply those ideas with the community and the profession of law.

Her life is a testament to what you can achieve through hard work, perseverance, determination, and resilience. She has an entrepreneurial drive that constantly moves her forward in the face of obstacles.

Notable Accomplishments

• Rising Star, Super Lawyers 2015-2018
• Fort Worth Magazine 2015-2018
• Top 10 Attorney Award Under 40, National Academy Of Personal Injury Attorneys
• AVVO Top Attorney Award
• Top Attorney, Ft. Worth Magazine 2015-2016
• 10 Best Client Satisfaction, American Institute of Legal Counsel
• Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation
• Associate Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
• Reversal of existing law: Terry Revell v. Morrison Supply Company, LLC, No. 02-15-00195-CV
• Judgment awarded for over $1,000,000 for dog bite injuries

Bar Admissions

• Texas, 2008
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas, 2013
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas, 2014
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas, 2014

Education

Baylor University School of Law, Waco, Texas

• J.D. – 2008
• Honors: Dean’s List
• Honors: Chair of the Alumni Committee for Phi Alpha Delta
• Honors: Finalist of Naman Howell Smith and Lee Interscholastic Client Counseling Competition
• Honors: Coach of National Client Counseling Team
• Honors: High A; Family Rights Litigation
• Honors: Participant in Strasburger & Price Moot Court Competition

East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina

• B.A. magna cum laude – 2005
• Honors: Dean’s List, Chancellor’s List
• Honors: First Generation College Graduate
• Honors: Recipient of Carlton-Troutman Scholarship for Political Science
• Honors: Attorney General of the East Carolina University Judicial Board
• Honors: Scholar for Council on Legal Education Opportunity
• Honors: Treasurer of Phi Alpha Delta
• Honors: Member of Gamma Beta Phi
• Honors: National Society of Collegiate Scholars
• Honors: Member of East Carolina Honors Organization
• Honors: Chancellor’s List
• Honors: Top 10% of Graduating Class
• Major: English & Political Science

Published Works

• Quarterly Family Law Newsletter, April, 2009
• Cemetery of Roses, Nonfiction, Rebel: 47., 2005
• Uneaten Birthday Cake, Fiction, Rebel: 47., 2005
• At the End of the Dirt Road, Original play performed at Emerge Art Gallery, 2005

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Tarrant County Trial Lawyers, President-Elect
• Tarrant County Bar Association
• Trial Law Institute
• Diversity Law Institute
• Arlington Chamber of Commerce
• Professionals Serving Seniors
• Tarrant County Probate Bar Association
• Arlington Bar Association
• BNI, Lake Arlington

Ancillary Businesses

• Mediation

Sharon Feemster

I was born on January 18, 1961, in Port Arthur, Texas. I have lived in the Port Arthur area all my life. I was blessed with amazing parents, Horace and Lois Bullion. I have two brothers, who still live in that area. All my life my parents were so supportive, loving, and always there for us. I will be forever blessed with them in my life. I pride myself in trying to live my life the way I was so beautifully taught by them.

Growing up I attended Catholic school. In 1979 I graduated from Bishop Byrne High School and was one of the top-ten students and was in the National Honor Society. Even though I was heavily involved in sports, I made sure not to let my academics ever suffer. From a very young age, I was involved in sports, especially softball. During the years, I played on league teams and also traveling teams. My Dad coached some of the teams and my Mom enjoyed being the team mom. I cannot remember a time that my Dad and Mom were not at one of my games. Every day after I got home from school, the first thing my Dad had me do was practice pitching (fast-pitch) with him. I excelled in it and also was a very good hitter. I made the All-Star team every year and in high school our team won the State Championship. I was selected as the All-State Fast Pitch Pitcher. These are some memories for which I will always cherish.

After high school, I went to Lamar in Port Arthur, Texas and graduated in 1980 with an Associate of Applied Science-Paralegal degree. It was not easy, but I did a two-year degree fast by taking classes in the summers and also day and night classes. But once again, even with the heavy schedule, I did not let my grades suffer. In college, I was also a member of the National Honor Society.

In 1980 I started working for Hugh O’Fiel, Attorney At Law, in Beaumont. I worked for Hugh from 1980 to 1995. Learning in school is one thing, but hands on experience is invaluable. Hugh definitely taught me a lot. In August 1995 I went to work at Packard LaPray for the Senior Partner, Bernard Packard. In 2019, the firm separated and I continued to work for Mr. Packard at Packard & Packard until December 2020, when he retired. Mr. Packard is a very special person of whom I am very thankful to know and to have worked for. I was responsible for the handling of the family, criminal, and probate cases from start to finish, with the primary focus in family law. I love what I do and had amazing bosses, who became my dear friends.

I married in 1981 and divorced in 2011. From that marriage I had two amazing children, Jason and Lori. My son, Jason, was born in 1983 and is employed in the medical field. My daughter, Lori, was born in 1989 and is a Paralegal in Dallas. Lori married Brandon in 2011, and he is an attorney in Fort Worth. They gave me the most special, beautiful blessings, two grandchildren, Emma who was born in 2016 and Levi who was born in 2020. They truly make my heart full. I never had thoughts of remarrying, but I met a wonderful man, James, and we married in July of 2018. We took a cruise to the Panama Canal, it was an amazing adventure. We love to travel, and in 2019 took a family trip to Disney World in Florida

My Dad passed away in October of 2016 and that same month I found out that I had breast cancer. It was a very difficult time in my life. I was a “Daddy’s girl” and was so close to him. Having to go through this diagnosis and surgery without him was almost unbearable. Thankfully, I was blessed with amazing support from my mother, children, family, and friends. As a tribute to me, in October 2018, my kids organized our participation in the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Race for the Cure. It was special doing this with them.

My Mom passed away in March of 2020. To this day, it does not seem real. We definitely had a special mother-daughter bond. I miss my parents every day. In their elder years, they depended on me a lot, so I would not have moved out of the Port Arthur area while they were still living. With my parents having both passed away, my husband and I decided it was time to be closer to our children and grandchildren. So in October 2020 we made the move to Fort Worth and bought a house.

One of life’s greatest blessings to me is to be able to see and spoil my grandbabies. Emma loves to play soccer and to dance. We go to her soccer games every week. I cannot wait to see what interests Levi has and to be able to attend those games or activities. My husband’s daughter and family are moving to Fort Worth in January 2021, so more family will be even closer to us.

If I had to summarize myself, it would be “extremely family orientated” nothing means more than family to me. I also am an avid animal lover. We have always had a dog in our family, sometimes two. I look forward to the next stages of our lives here in Fort Worth.

Megan Ward

I was born and raised in Southern Maryland, right on the Patuxent River. I have been drawn to the water since I was a child. I grew up with my father and brother until I turned 7 when my father remarried. I gained a stepmother and a younger sister. Growing up I loved sports and still do. I played competitive Volleyball and Softball from the age of 10 till 21. My senior year of High school I was able to compete in our state championship for Volleyball where we won the game. I was given the award of first team all-state Libero. At this game I was approached by a college coach asking me to join their volleyball team. I decided to continue with Volleyball when I started college in the fall. I went to college in a Small town in western Maryland known as Frostburg which had no water at all, but we did get rigid temperatures. After my sophomore year of College, I decided to take on a double major which had taken me away from playing Volleyball the remaining 2 years. In December 2018 I graduated with a double major in Business Administration and Legal Studies. I would spend most of my summer breaks from College in Ocean City, Maryland working as a bartender and enjoying living walking distance from the Ocean.

I met my husband at Frostburg State University in 2016. We got married in the Spring of 2019 in North Carolina where he was currently stationed. Shortly after we had gotten married, we found out that he was getting stationed in Anchorage, Alaska with the Army.  We decided to drive 13 days from Virginia to Alaska. We drove 6 hours a day, while spending some time in each state that we traveled through. We got to tour the Kentucky Derby, saw the place the Wringling Brothers held their first circus, ate a cheese board for the first time in Wisconsin, walked around the Chicago zoo and saw amazing mountain views along the way. We stopped in approximately 10 different states, as well as traveled 1500 miles through Canada. After about a month in Alaska, we got our first puppy, she is a rescue German Shepherd named Lilly. She turned two in April. Lilly has hip dysplasia causing her hip joint to pop out of socket during everyday activities. In May she received surgery to ease her pain in her hip and help her be able to run again. She has been doing extremely well since the surgery and enjoys playing fetch. During the time of her recovery, we got another German Shepherd puppy names Riggs. He is a super energetic and playful puppy. He loves running and jumping to catch his frisbee. He enjoys the snow in Alaska most of all and spends many hours licking and eating it throughout his potty breaks. They are working dogs so although they enjoy learning new commands and tricks, they are extremely spoiled when it comes to toys, treats and loads of love.

Alaska is extremely cold in the winters, as you could imagine. Summers only reach about a high of 75 and average 60-65. I found a passion for hiking during the warmer months and the view from the top of the mountains makes the hike extremely rewarding. Blueberries are very popular in Alaska. If you hike to the top of most of the mountains there are patches of blueberries that are free to pick. Many natives spend their summers picking pounds of blueberries to have for the winter. Alaska is known for their wildlife, mainly, the moose and bears that roam the woods. I never had an encounter with a bear while hiking, but I have seen many moose outside of my front door. In the winter times, I spent majority of the months learning to snowboard. There are many ski resorts to enjoy different mountain ranges. Alaska Snow is extremely hard due to the amount of ice that accumulates through the winter months so learning how to stop and not fall were crucial in my snowboarding journey. I have always been a skier so having both feet strapped into one board was a very different experience. It was a harder adjustment than I had thought it was going to be. There are very limited activities to do in the winter because of the negative temperatures. I decided to spend those months continuing my education.

I have always dreamt of becoming a Lawyer since I was a child. When I graduated College, I did not want to go straight to Law School because I was unsure if I wanted to continue with Legal Studies or Business Management. I wanted to make sure that was the right path for me, and it would be something I was still passionate in. While in Alaska I had the ability to work as a Law Office Assistant and from there my passion for law has continued to grow. In March 2019 I went back to school at the University of Texas at Arlington to achieve my Paralegal Degree. I graduate from that program with a 3.99 GPA and was able to receive my Paralegal Certificate. I hope to continue my education and apply to Law schools in the upcoming months. I have a passion for many different areas of law. I hope to find the one I love working with through this experience and hopefully I will be able to excel in that area.

My husband was born in Fort Worth. When he was 12 his family moved to Virginia where he has stayed until he joined the Army. He has always dreamed of moving back to Texas. When we found out that he was finishing his contract with the Army, we decided that it was the perfect time to make Texas our home. This is my first time even visiting Texas, let alone be moving. Through my time here I have fallen in love with the sunsets and open skies Texas provides. It is very different from the living situations I am used too, that being the Ocean. I will definitely be making every family vacation from here on out near the Ocean.

Jessica Rabena

Jessica Rabena, as the Firm’s newest extern, is in her last semester of law school at Texas A&M University School of Law in Fort Worth. Jessica is also a member of Tarrant County’s Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court. As a law student, Jessica worked at a general practice trial law firm focusing on personal injury, criminal defense, and family law. Additionally, driven by a passion to support military veterans and their families, Jessica participated in the Texas A&M Family and Veteran’s Law Clinic and will be participating in the Texas A&M Criminal Defense Clinic during her last semester. In the future, after gaining a lot of experience in the legal field, she thinks she would enjoy being a mediator or a law professor. She is primarily interested in family law, criminal defense, estate planning, business law, and as mentioned previously – serving veterans and their families whenever possible.

Prior to law school, Jessica was enrolled at Texas A &M University in College Station (Go Aggies!), where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology. Jessica balanced her undergraduate studies as a full-time student while working as a bartender throughout her time at Texas A&M University. She also did volunteer work at an animal shelter in College Station. Additionally, she took on an active role writing for the psychology department blog and served as a research assistant for psychology labs focusing on cognitive processes. Her initial intent was to immediately pursue a Master of Science Degree in Psychology after graduation; however, after much soul searching, which included taking several employment personality assessments where she continuously saw the word “attorney” in the assessment results, Jessica realized a career in law was her calling all along.  After extensive research, she decided she wanted to completely switch paths and apply for law school. Her goal was to be in a career path that would allow her to use her interpersonal skills, education, and passion for helping and advocating for those in need. While a career in psychology would likely have met this goal as well, she felt a much stronger calling to be a lawyer and is confident she made the correct choice. Her passion for learning and practicing the law grows every day.

Although Jessica hails from Harker Heights, Texas (in the Ft Hood – Central Texas region), she grew up as a military brat and has lived in various military communities across the United States and overseas. Jessica’s father was a career Army officer. Both her mother and father are her role models because of the strength they exhibited throughout her life and the sacrifices they made for their family and others. She also remains very close to her siblings – two brothers (one older and one younger) and one older sister. Between her father’s multiple deployments and moving on average every two years, Jessica experienced first-hand the sacrifices that military families endure. Although always changing with each move and new school, the close-knit military family environments taught her the value of sacrifice, commitment, and community. She’s thankful for the experience and feels it made her more resilient.  In addition to growing up in Copperas Cove and Harker Heights, Texas, Jessica has lived in Kansas, Pennsylvania, the Mojave Desert in California, Giessen Germany, and a quaint little Bavarian village in Germany named Beratzhausen. While living in Germany, Jessica and her family traveled to France, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Switzerland. Aside from Texas (of course), her favorite place to live was Germany because of the cultural experiences, travel, skiing, and food. She looks forward to future travel in Europe.

Jessica’s family stopped moving when they were stationed at Ft Hood the second time in her father’s career. It was here that she attended Harker Heights High School in Texas, where she excelled in academics, music, and competition cheer. An honor graduate, National Honor Society member, a leader in Student Government, choir, and cheerleading (school and competitive), Jessica served in various leadership positions and was selected as the Varsity Cheer Captain and Choir President her senior year of High School. She’s achieved regional singing competition recognition in high school, and is no stranger to performing on stage either with a group or as a solo singer. Although she’s moved on from her choir days, Jessica isn’t shy around the mic in an occasional Karaoke Club.

Currently, Jessica Rabena channels her time and energy into excelling in law school, networking, and learning from the keen and experienced legal minds of Tarrant County’s Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court members who practice law in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and the Professors at her law school. She also prioritizes maintaining balance in her life by staying active in the gym, jogging, taking her dog on walks, and yoga. She recently started playing the piano again, and tends to her family away from family (her Golden Retriever puppy, Buddy, and her cat, Stella). Jessica is a huge football fan and blocks her calendar for Aggie football and the Baltimore Ravens each weekend (Monday Night Football and Thursday nights when applicable).

Eventually, Jessica would like to have children and a family, but right now, her focus is on building a career in law. She is detail-oriented, a hard worker, well-organized, very punctual (subscribes to the Vince Lombardi 15-minute rule), friendly, and dedicated to making a positive impact on as many people’s lives as she can. Jessica is excited for the opportunity to work for the Brandy Austin Law Firm because of shared values – specifically the emphasis the Firm places on client satisfaction and communication.

Sylvester “Trey” Spencer, III

Sylvester Spencer III, also known as “Trey,” is a legal assistant and attorney liaison at the Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC. As the legal assistant, Trey assists in drafting various case-related documents and directly communicating with the clients and Courts. He is not only responsible for the client’s case progression but also ensuring the attorney’s equipped with all the necessary tools for success. He is responsible for schedule coordinating and inquiry screening but also efficiently managing the client intake process. The attorney liaison is imperative for the law firm’s success. In both positions, the individual needs to possess specific characteristics, such as self-motivation, detail-oriented, and highly organized, while managing high client demand. For Trey, this is indicative of the lifestyle he’s accustomed to from growing up on a ranch.

Trey grew up in Wills Point, a small, quiet town, located about 55 miles east of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. He graduated from Wills Point High School in 2007 in which participated in numerous extracurricular activities. These activities ranged from sports (fall and spring), marching band, student council, and academic societies. Mr. Spencer received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth. Similar to his high school tenure, Trey quickly became engaged in campus organizations, for example, Model Arab League, Mock Model United Nations, Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl, Student Veterans Organization, and Mortar Board Senior National Honor Society. For Trey, you must possess the mindset of capitalizing on the advantages that each organization provides. The organizations not only educate but also exemplify unparalleled practices in critical thinking, international knowledge, leadership activities, and diplomacy. Trey utilized the involvement to expand his global perspective and learn about cultural differences.

In addition to his involvement with academia, Trey spent multiple occasions assisting his aunt, Joyce Ann Brown, with her nonprofit organization, Mothers (Fathers) for the Advancement of Social Systems (MASS, Inc). After serving nearly ten years in prison, his aunt founded the organization after her wrongful conviction. This event sparked not only his initial interest in judicial reform but also the desire for societal unification. The wrongful conviction of his aunt was an unusual obstacle and hardship that his family faced. The particular circumstance does not occur in every family, so first-hand witnessing the improvement of the United States legal system was inspirational.

When Trey isn’t busy with work and preparing for law school, you can find him providing for the agriculture economy. As a third-generation rancher, the Spencer Boyz Ranch in
Wills Point prides itself as an efficient operation. Annually, the Spencer Boyz Ranch manages roughly 80-100 head of cattle and harvest the hay that feeds them throughout the colder months. By doing so, this allows them to save money on purchasing hay from an outside source. They are a family that loves their Ford trucks, Kubota Tractors, and John Deere hay equipment. In other words, if it isn’t broke then don’t fix it. His passions are to continue the ranching operation while advocating for more societal participation in agriculture.

As for his leisure time, Trey enjoys pretty much anything that requires him to be outdoors. When the weather is beautiful, he loves attending country concerts at venues around the state of Texas. Some of his favorite singers, preferably Texas country artists, include Turnpike Troubadours, THE King himself aka George Strait, Wade Bowen, the Randy Rogers Band, and Kasey Musgraves. One thing he loves about being from a small town is the space and quietness away from the big city. In the country, one factor that everyone loathes is the seclusion. For Trey, the isolation allows him to roam the country streets on his horses or ATV’s, but most importantly, it will enable him to spend time with his hometown friends. He also enjoys putting a pole in the water. In the Spencer family, fishing was a way of relaxing and bonding with each other. He still fishes today when given the opportunity, whether it is on a boat with his uncles or on land with his grandmother. During football season, you can find him rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers and cheering for the Oklahoma Sooners (Boomer Sooner!). To him, there isn’t a sport he doesn’t enjoy watching. Wholeheartedly, Trey considers himself as a small-town kid who’s devoted to God, his enormous family, future career, and the agriculture community.

Like many individuals worldwide, the pandemic inspired Trey to find additional activities to help pass the time. Recently, he has channeled his inner-green thumb and became obsessed with plants. The plant’s primary function focuses on assisting with air pollution and helps with allergies. Allergies are a constant battle every year, primarily while residing in an apartment. You cannot have plants and not give them names. As an agriculture member, it is common for them to be extremely personable with creatures, considered their “children.” Trey joined the club and named a few of his first plants. Their names are “RiRi” for Rihanna (Ivy), Black Betty (Majesty Palm Tree), Ole Lucille (Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree), and Adele (Aloe Vera).

In light of his favorite teacher’s passing, he has decided to read more books. A message the teacher always advocated for that “we [humans] need to educate our minds constantly,” and he has been doing just that. He’s currently reading novels, such as Crime and Punishment, Color of Law, and Sense and Sensibility, and relaxing while lounging next to his plants.

A few quotes that exemplify Trey’s outlook on life:

● “There is no greater honor than to sacrifice for a brother (sister). That should encapsulate your mindset on how you operate throughout life.” – As a sports fanatic, this quote from the Sam Houston State University head baseball coach portrays Trey’s mindset when working in a team atmosphere. When there is a strong team dynamic, it can strengthen the weaker areas.

● “Give people their ‘flowers’ while they are still alive and get the chance to enjoy them.” – This quote from his dad illustrates how too often we overlook the magnitude of a small gesture and the impact it can make on someone’s day.

● “One exceptional aspect of being an agriculture member is the fact that we not only provide for our family and friends but also the people who consider you an enemy.” – This quote from his grandpa represents the foundation of Trey’s philosophy on life. Growing up, his grandpa reiterated this quote for just about any scenario, from complaining about stringing a mile worth of barbed wire to missing friend’s birthday celebrations because we had to bale hay before it rained. He’d recount this quote to explain the hatred throughout society despite being born around the “The Red Summer” period in the United States of America. He instilled how even your biggest adversary relies on our agricultural contribution.

● “The grass is not greener on the other side of the fence; it is greener where you most water it.” – To Trey, this quote represents the temptation of comparing and desiring another’s life to yours. Everyone must walk their journey. Once you believe in your mission and who you are and the importance of loving something greater than yourself, you will understand your real purpose.

Bryant Surley-Strong is the Personal Injury Litigation Paralegal at the Brandy Austin Law Firm. As a litigation paralegal, Bryant assists the Personal Injury attorneys with managing cases in litigation. He works closely with clients to help make their lawsuit move forward as smoothly as possible.

Bryant grew up in the DFW metroplex and graduated from Mansfield-Summit High School in 2005. During his senior year of high school, Bryant had the incredible opportunity to attend President George W. Bush’s second inauguration as a part of the National Youth Leadership Institute. This event helped foster his passion for politics and civic engagement. Bryant received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in German from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. At UNT, Bryant quickly became involved with student leadership, becoming a resident assistant at Kerr Hall and chairman of the North Texas College Republicans. As College Republican chairman, Bryant honed his skills as a student leader, participating in numerous televised student debates, campus political demonstrations, and campaign volunteer events. Bryant’s first job after graduating was with the College Republican National Committee. As a field representative for the CRNC, Bryant worked with College Republican chapters at colleges and universities across the commonwealth of Pennsylvania to grow their memberships and volunteer in campaigns in the 2010 midterm elections. He is proud of the work he did helping Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) and former Governor Tom Corbett (R-PA) win their elections. Bryant then returned home to DFW to work as a campaign representative for local Republican candidates. Two years later, Bryant returned to Pennsylvania to serve as the digital director for Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign. Working on a presidential campaign was the opportunity of a lifetime, and although Mitt Romney did not win, Bryant is incredibly grateful for the time he spent working during such an important moment in our nation’s history.

Although politics will always remain a personal passion and pastime for Bryant, the life of a traveling campaign consultant had started to lose its appeal. In 2013, Bryant decided to leave Washington, DC and return home to Texas. After leaving politics, Bryant briefly pursued a career as a teacher. He taught 7th grade Texas history and 11th grade SAT English prep at a charter school in south Dallas. Although teaching was an incredibly rewarding experience, he ultimately decided that it was not for him. He entered the legal profession in 2016, working for a boutique family law practice in Dallas. When that firm dissolved, Bryant joined a civil rights firm in Arlington as a legal assistant. It was at this job that he discovered a passion for law Working in civil rights law was deeply rewarding, and Bryant especially enjoyed working with clients to defend their rights.

In 2018, Bryant was thrilled when he received an offer to join the Brandy Austin Law Firm as a personal injury paralegal. New to personal injury law and a passionate lifelong learner, Bryant loved delving into the art of personal injury law. When working in pre-litigation, he loved taking all the disparate facts and figures from complicated cases and carefully crystalizing them into a single, easily understood narrative. Now as the litigation paralegal, Bryant loves working closely with clients to help them navigate the tricky waters of litigation. He is honored to work with such dedicated and exceptional team of attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants, and attorney liaisons. Joining the litigation side of personal injury has been an exciting and rewarding experience.

Bryant has a passion for Personal Injury. In college, Bryant was once rear ended while waiting at a red light by an uninsured, unlicensed driver. He understands how difficult and
devastating a car accident can be, particularly when you are not at fault. While he is forever thankful that neither he nor his passenger were injured, losing his car hundreds of miles away from home was a disaster. Bryant takes pride in helping others navigate through stressful situations like the one he had to endure years before. He firmly believes that no one should have to suffer because of someone else’s negligence.

In the Fall of 2013, Bryant met the man who would become his husband. After dating for a few months, Bryant knew that if he was going to make a life with his boyfriend, he would have to find a career with the stability that campaigns could not offer. Leaving professional politics was an easy choice when compared to the happiness that he had found with his boyfriend. Two years into their relationship, Bryant planned a trip for the two of them to visit the Grand Canyon. After a long day of hiking, he suggested that they stay at the park until after dark to gaze at the stars, where he then proposed. They married in the summer of 2016 and have been happily together ever since. In March of 2020, they adopted a precious baby girl, and they could not be happier! As a new parent, he cannot thank Brandy Austin and all of his coworkers enough for all the love and support they have shown him and his family.

When not working, Bryant loves spending time with his family and friends, watching movies with his husband, going to the theater, playing video games, cooking, and traveling. Bryant has had the opportunity to travel abroad to countries such as Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Czech Republic, England, and Wales. He and his husband hope to add France, Japan, and Norway to that list soon. Bryant became an Episcopalian in college, and he and his husband are active members of their church. Bryant and his husband also have three cats: Freddy, Jason, and Michael.

Emily Pyle

Family Law Paralegal

Emily Pyle was born in Vernon, Texas and was the youngest of four children. Shortly after turning 3, her mother, sister, and she moved into her grandmother’s house in Dallas. When she was five, her mother remarried and relocated the family to Arlington, where she has stayed since then.

Emily played competitive softball throughout her childhood and received scholarships to play in College. When she was only twelve, she was asked to pitch for her older sister’s 16&U select team. Her dream was to play Women’s Pro Fastpitch. However; her dreams changed, and she gave everyone a shock when she joined the US Army as a combat medic. Unfortunately, after only a year and a half in, she received an honorable medical discharge due to a heart condition

Emily’s love of law started at a young age. She was raised in the family law firm setting, with her mother working as a paralegal and also as the Court Coordinator in the 322nd District Court in Tarrant County. Emily spent as much time as she could with her mother, she loved hearing about the cases and learning the court procedures. When she was ten she went to Court with her mother for take your daughter to work day; Judge Harris allowed her to get into his seat before his trial started. Emily enjoyed sitting on the bench so much, she did not want to leave, she decided that was her calling

After graduating from Arlington High School and coming home from the Army, Emily attended college at UNT Dallas, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. During her time there, through her own initiative, she revamped the Pre-Law Society and brought it back to life by increasing membership and bringing attention to the organization, organizing activities and charity work. Emily served as President until graduating on the President’s List in May of 2017. After receiving her bachelor’s degree, she was accepted into the JD program at the University of North Texas at Dallas.

Throughout Emily’s last year of undergrad and during her second year of law school, she had the opportunity to intern with the Joyce Ann Brown Innocence Clinic. She was assigned an average of 10 cases a semester. It was here that Emily gained the most insight and had the largest eye opening when she saw first-hand how the justice system could fail someone. One case in particular dragged her in and did not let go for three years. She truly felt this person was wrongly convicted and serving a term for something they did not do. She was consumed with this case and made it her goal to find new evidence. Unfortunately, it was not as she had thought or how she was led to believe it was by the client and was left with a feeling of being jaded and betrayed by her client. However, she now looks at the positives and all the things she was able to take away from the program. She had the chance to meet several amazing people and one exoneree who forever changed her thought process. Since being released this exoneree decided not to sit around mad and angry at the world but to give back, he started a nonprofit organization founded solely to help recent parolees or persons released from incarceration, Miles of Freedom. It was through this exoneree that she was able to remember why she became so passionate about the innocence clinics, there are more people just like him out in the world and locked up behind bars, and they need a voice.

Growing up around and being exposed to law starting at such a young age was beneficial. Emily has done everything from working for criminal defense attorneys, assisting in voir dire, trial preparation, jury trials, client and court communications, to drafting legal documents.

Emily’s passion for the legal field is a driving force in her. She loves the feeling of being able to help someone, whether it be in the innocence program or helping a parent get visitation or assist with receiving child support. Knowing that she is making a difference in people’s lives is a huge reward.

At home, Emily stays busy with her three young daughters, ages 12, 9, and 5. She enjoys hanging out with her kids and doing arts and crafts or playing at the playground with them. When she is not working or going to school, she volunteers with the Autism Speaks annual walk, serving as the chair of the marketing committee. This organization is very important to her as her middle daughter received the diagnosis of autism about five years ago. Although her daughter may have the diagnosis of autism, Emily never lets that be an excuse for her to give up on anything. She has worked hard to teach her daughter to not let anything stop her from achieving her goals. She has a huge admiration for her daughter, who Emily believes has overcome more in her nine years of life than anyone else she knows.

Her twelve-year-old daughter played volleyball for her junior high and fell in love with the sport. She is also a huge helper, always protecting her little sisters. She looks up to Emily and wants to also become an attorney like her mother is working towards. Emily’s five-year-old is a firecracker, she is the life of the party. There is never a dull moment when any of her kids are around.

Emily has worked for several attorneys but believes Brandy Austin sets herself apart from the rest. She believes Brandy’s care for each client and their case is something a lot of attorneys do not possess, she enjoys working for someone with those values.

Samantha Ortiz Flores

Legal Assistant

Samantha Ortiz has been raised by her loving family in Texas. She graduated from a high school in Fort Worth and continued her education in a university in Fort Worth. She has a lot of love for Texas.

Samantha graduated from Texas Wesleyan University in 2020 where she majored in political science. Samantha grew up being very close to her family. She has a younger sister who is in high school. Her younger sister is also interested in a career in politics.

Samantha has a very supportive mother and father who she is really grateful to have. Her mother had her at a very young age, so they both grew up together, creating a tight bond between the two. Her father has always taught her how to be an independent woman. However, knowing how to change her own tire and wanting to do so are completely separate things, so it’s safe to say that she struggles with actually being independent.

Nearly as loved and ranking dangerously close to most liked by all of her family members are her two dogs, Buddy and Maxi. They are incredibly spoiled. Both dogs are beautiful black labs, and just like most Labrador retrievers, they are incredibly sweet and intelligent. Buddy is growing older, and that’s scary for both Samantha and Maxi.

Another thing that Samantha loves to do is travel. It’s most people’s goal to travel the world, and that goal is not excluded from her bucket list. Her plans to travel have never strayed, and her list for places she would like to visit continues to grow. One of the places she would love to visit is Italy, specifically for the amazing food, but the sights, culture, and history are also important. When it comes to travel, she always makes it a goal to include at least one trip a year to visit her family in her hometown in Mexico.

Her favorite thing to do when visiting a new location for vacation is to hike and explore “haunted” areas. After every slight scare at a haunted location, Samantha gets scared over any small noise for at least a week after. She blames this on watching “The Ring” at an early age. This is especially surprising because as a child, she could not watch Scooby-Doo or Coward the Cowardly Dog, and she has yet to watch any slightly scary Tim Burton movie.

Whenever she gets dragged to a horror movie showing, she brings a blanket and makes sure to only look at the corner of the screen during a scary scene. Moving on to sweeter thoughts; her love for chocolate. Having always had a big sweet tooth, she is very fond of chocolate, cinnamon rolls, and waffles with strawberry toppings. She has also recently found that she’s a fan of pie, as long as the pie has fruit stuffing. However, nothing beats her love for chocolate cake. She has yet to find the perfect one and remains on the lookout for the lifechanging slice.

Samantha’s interest in politics began at a very young age. Growing up, Samantha would hear stories from her great grandfather about his experience as a Bracero. Her great-grandfather worked in California in the strawberry fields. He would speak about how prior to the activism strikes and marches led by Chaves, he didn’t quite realize how poor the conditions truly were. In his mind, he was simply grateful to have a job opportunity that paid more than what he has been earning in Mexico. He worked as a Bracero for several years prior to National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) founded by activist Cesar Chavez. Hearing about how conditions were and how conditions became after the NFWA really inspired Samantha to do as much as she possibly could to improve the life of others, especially those who have no idea what legal options they have. She is very passionate about the injustices faced in the world, especially since she herself has experienced discrimination. With improving her community and the life of others constantly in her mind, Samantha made it a goal to do something meaningful with her career.

At first, and possibly due to too many nights binge-watching Criminal Minds, her dream was to become a phycologist and study the behavior or criminals. However, the more stories that were told to her of the experiences that Samantha’s great grandfather had lived through trying to provide a better life for his family, the more that she began to look into policies and social justice organizations.

Samantha became the first person in her family to go to college. Setting a path for her sister to follow is something that she was always told to do, and she feels proud to have accomplished that. In less than a year, Samantha will be the first one to graduate college. Her goal of making her parents proud will be complete, but her own personal goal of advancing her career by going to law school will have just begun, and she’s very excited to further her education and do as much as she can to help all in her community.

Although she has many future plans to do big things to help, she is also doing as much as she can right now. Her career goal is to work for a non-profit organization doing as much as she can to assist those around her. Although she’s not sure on which direction she wants to go to accomplish these goals of her, she has always found support through friends, family, and coworkers.

Working in the family law department with Brandy and Emily has been exciting and very educational. There has been so much information and advice that she has received. Samantha is very grateful for the great experience that working at the Brandy Austin Law Firm has provided. For that reason, and because she has a great understanding of how great everyone works together to form a very unified team, Samantha is very happy knowing that each client will receive amazing care from the team at the Brandy Austin Law Firm.