Mr. Banks is the principal attorney at Banks & Associates, PLLC, a Houston-based law firm focused on meeting the needs of government and construction contractors throughout Texas. He is a trusted advisor for licensed professionals, CEOs and managers in construction firms, and government contractors. Mr. Banks was licensed as a CPA in 2003 and has more than 20 years of experience as a lead accountant and CFO for successful government contractors. He earned his B.B.A. degree with a double major in Accounting and Finance from the Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston, and secured his J.D. degree from South Texas College of Law. Mr. Banks is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Association of Corporate Counsel and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Mr. Banks is a member of the Construction Law Section of the State Bar of Texas.

Partner/Attorney at Vinson & Elkins
Mr. Dobbins’s practice focuses on complex regulatory counseling for major industrial and infrastructure projects, site remediation and redevelopment, environmental litigation, and climate change issues. He routinely advises private equity groups and financial institutions on mitigating environmental risks arising from transactions. He also frequently directs compliance audits and advises clients on compliance with federal and state air, water, waste, remediation, and pipeline safety requirements. Mr. Dobbins has extensive experience advising clients on federal waste management regulations and state beneficial reuse requirements, including advising on industrial wastewater management, recycling, and reuse.

Senior Attorney at Macdonald Devin
Ms. Hardy represents architects, engineers, and other design professionals as a senior attorney at Macdonald Devin. Holding a degree in Architecture as well as a J.D. degree, she is uniquely positioned to help those in the construction and design industries protect their interests, minimize their risks, and achieve their goals. Focusing her practice on construction litigation, Ms. Hardy’s background and professional experience in architecture includes working on numerous multimillion-dollar projects for multi-family, retail, office, mixed-use, industrial and institutional clients. She received her Bachelor of Architecture degree from Auburn University School of Architecture and earned her law degree from the University of Alabama School of Law.

Attorney at Cokinos Young
Ms. Hubbard is an attorney in the Houston office of Cokinos Young where she focuses on intellectual property, contract, and business litigation. Ms. Hubbard has experience representing large business entities, start-up companies, and individuals in complex business disputes, intellectual property, and construction matters in both state and federal courts. She also has extensive experience successfully prosecuting trademarks with the USPTO and registering copyrights with the United States Copyright Office. Ms. Hubbard has also represented architects, general contractors, and developers in copyright infringement cases and contract negotiations involving claims to and use of architectural plans.

Principal at Statereview
Mr. Huszka has been responsible for expert witness consultation, construction document review, and assessment and inspection of buildings and facilities for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, the Texas Architectural Barriers Act, and related federal and state codes for thousands of projects that include locations in over 40 US states. Some of his clients have included the Mississippi Bureau of Buildings, Grounds and Real Property Management; the Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority; the Houston Independent School District; Reliant Center (NRG Stadium); Hilton; and Macy’s, Inc.

Partner/Attorney at Diamond McCarthy LLP
After practicing complex commercial and environmental litigation for ten years, Ms. Valastro recently become a Business Law Professor at Louisiana State University – Shreveport and a consultant for a prominent litigation funder.  Her research agenda includes greenwashing and legal ethics issues.  Ms. Valastro graduated first in her college class from Texas Tech University, summa cum laude with honors, with a B.A. degree in Spanish and Political Science and received her J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Texas Tech University School of Law.