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Elaine Makris Williams, Esq.
President and Founder
emwilliams@mslegalsearch.com
Elaine Makris Williams has a twenty-two year track record of recruiting attorneys for in-house and law firm openings. She is a regular speaker and author on legal employment matters and is frequently quoted in news publications on attorney hiring and economic trends in Texas. Elaine has trained law firm partners at firms across the country on marketing and communication skills, and she has served as an expert witness for attorney employment and recruiting lawsuits. A former practicing attorney, Elaine handled banking and real estate work at a large Austin firm before joining a national attorney search firm in 1988, where she became a principal/owner. Elaine formed MS Legal Search in 1995, creating a structure unlike any in the industry, where her recruiters (who do not work on strict commission) function as a team so that clients and candidates alike benefit from the recruiters' collective efforts and contacts.
Originally from Houston, Elaine spent her junior high and high school years overseas, was educated at Mount Holyoke College, and graduated cum laude from the University of Texas at Austin, with Special Honors in the Plan II Interdisciplinary Honors Program. She received her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law, and prior to law school she worked in New York City as a legal assistant for a law firm and for a real estate development corporation. Elaine resides in Houston with her husband and son. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Houston Area Women’s Center, where she chaired the 2010 Race Against Violence. She previously served on the Board of Trustees for Annunciation Orthodox School, where she chaired the Board's Diversity Committee. |
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Jane Pollard, Esq.
Attorney Placement
jpollard@mslegalsearch.com
Jane Pollard places attorneys nationwide for MS Legal Search. She has more than ten years of experience as an attorney recruiter, with an established expertise in building in-house legal departments across many industries, including energy and renewable energy, biotech, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and technology. An accomplished attorney and CPA, Jane obtained her J.D. with honors from the University of Texas, where she was Order of the Coif and an associate editor of the Texas Law Review. After law school she practiced litigation with the Austin office of an international Texas-based firm. Also a practicing CPA prior to law school, Jane obtained her undergraduate degree with high honors in Accounting from the University of Arkansas.
Jane lives in Austin with her husband and son. She has been a speaker on legal hiring and career development, and she previously served as Board President of the Westminster Presbyterian Day School, and as a member of the Board of Directors of Meals on Wheels. Jane currently spends her free time catering to the interests of her middle school-age son, gardening and cycling. |
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Tamara LeFevre, Esq.
Attorney Placement
tlefevre@mslegalsearch.com
Tamara LeFevre is a former practicing lawyer and certified mediator. She has more than 20 years of business and legal experience focused in the national healthcare industry. Tamara has practiced in both law firm and in-house environments, has managed a corporate recruiting and hiring process, and as the member of an executive management team, she has overseen quality assurance, compliance, and employee training.
Tamara is a magna cum laude graduate of Southern Methodist University and received her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. She practiced with a national law firm and a boutique law firm before moving in-house with a growing litigation management company, where she was promoted to Chief Legal Officer. Tamara has been a long-time friend of MS Legal Search, initially as a successfully placed candidate, and later as a valued client. She is a native Houstonian and spends most of her free time involved with her son’s numerous activities, including volunteer projects at his school. Tamara serves as the firm member of the Corporate Guild for Dress for Success, a nationwide charitable organization servicing the career development needs of low income women transitioning into the workforce. |
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Kristen Olson Lyons, Esq.
Attorney Placement
klyons@mslegalsearch.com
Kristen Lyons is a graduate of Emory University and the University of Texas School of Law. She formerly practiced law at a regional firm as a commercial litigator, with an emphasis on media-related cases and clients. Kristen also participated actively in firm recruiting and served on the firm's hiring committee.
Prior to law school, Kristen worked in the media industry in New York City.
She programmed websites at Oxygen Media, assisted at Harper's Bazaar, and wrote and edited for JD Jungle Magazine. She also interned on Capitol Hill, at the White House, and at George Magazine.
Kristen enjoys pro bono legal work, volunteering with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and participating in the Houston Marathon and the MS 150. She and her husband reside in the Houston Heights with Izzy Olson, a very spoiled and happy labradoodle. |
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Kristin Johnston, Esq.
Attorney Placement
kjohnston@mslegalsearch.com
Kristin Bliss Johnston graduated cum laude from Southern Methodist University and received her JD from SMU’s Dedman School of Law in 2002. Her legal experience included insurance coverage, risk management, legal malpractice, and general negligence litigation in Dallas for a national law firm, a local law firm, and a large corporation. While practicing law, she actively participated in her firms’ attorney recruiting and hiring programs.
Kristin is a Texas native, having grown up in the Dallas area. She enjoys running and yoga, and she volunteers with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She currently resides in Uptown with her husband. |
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Mary Emma Civins, Esq.
Attorney Placement
mcivins@mslegalsearch.com
Mary Emma Civins, a former practicing attorney, has a background in career counseling. She opened MS Legal Search’s Austin office after serving as Director of Public Service Programs at the University of Texas School of Law’s Career Services Office. While working in the Career Services Office, Mary Emma advised students on their legal careers through counseling and programming, and she developed relationships between the students’ prospective employers and the law school. Prior to joining the Career Services Office, Mary Emma was an assistant district attorney in Dallas County, where she prosecuted a broad range of crimes, including family violence assault cases, burglary, and murder. Mary Emma tried over thirty cases before juries and held one of the highest conviction rates among her peers.
A graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, with undergraduate degrees in English and Art History from Emory University, Mary Emma is originally from San Antonio. She and her husband are brand new parents to their baby son. When Mary Emma is not working as a recruiter, she relishes every minute in her new role as a mom. |
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LaQuisha Taylor
Search Coordinator
ltaylor@mslegalsearch.com
LaQuisha brings ten years of customer service and management experience to MS Legal Search. Prior to joining MS Legal Search, she was an assistant manager in the office services department of a Houston boutique law firm. LaQuisha is currently pursuing a business degree in Marketing at the University of Houston, where she attends part-time.
An Alaska native, LaQuisha enjoys the outdoors, traveling, and spending time with her family. She is also an enthusiast of spoken word and spends her free time in various poetry lounges in the downtown Houston area and occasionally performs. In addition, she has a passion for cooking, and you will often find her in the kitchen fine-tuning her culinary skills.
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Tammy Torres
Office Administrator
ttorres@mslegalsearch.com
Tammy Torres is a Houston-area native who worked in law firm administration and support before joining MS Legal Search. It was during her long tenure at a Houston boutique law firm that Tammy discovered her passion for technology, which ultimately led to her decision to seek a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science. Tammy is pursuing her degree at the University of Houston Downtown, where she attends part-time.
In addition to technology, Tammy enjoys cooking, photography, and spending time with her family. She and her husband live in the Cypress-Fairbanks region of Houston with their two sons.
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Victor Brooks
Special Projects
vbrooks@mslegalsearch.com
Victor Brooks graduated from Rice University with a B.A. in English. While at Rice, he spent four years on the football field as a defensive lineman. When he wasn’t on the field or in the classroom, Victor was heavily involved in the Rice Mock Trial program.
Victor is a music lover and a former Division-1 athlete. He loves trying new things, and on any given weekend, he can be found exploring the city, or pursuing any number of activities including dance classes, zumba, spinning, weight lifting, and his personal favorite, capoeira.
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Gina Cao Yu
Research Team
gyu@mslegalsearch.com
Gina Cao Yu graduated magna cum laude from Rice University with a B.A. in History and Asian Studies. She grew up in Galveston and is passionate about traveling. She especially enjoys sightseeing historical landmarks and visiting living history sites. In her leisure time, Gina likes to play tennis, cook for friends and family, and watch critically acclaimed Chinese films. One of her notable accomplishments is guest acting in a supporting role for a Chinese TV show. In the future, Gina would like to chronicle her family history. She and her husband live near the Energy Corridor in Houston. |
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Michelle Orchard
Research Team
morchard@mslegalsearch.com
Michelle Orchard graduated from Rice University with a B.A. in political science and economics. She loves to travel and studied abroad in both Rome and London. During her time in London, Michelle interned in a criminal defense firm where she gained exposure to the British legal system. Sometime in the future, she plans to attend law school.
In her spare time, Michelle is an avid lacrosse player. She was president of the women’s team at Rice and has coached at a local high school. Michelle also enjoys exploring Houston and is a recent devotee of weekly bingo in the Heights.
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