Donna
Barnish

 Bar Admissions

• State Bar of Texas

Memberships & Associations

• State Bar of Texas—Property Tax Section
• Houston Bar Association
• Association of Appraisal District Attorneys
• Texas Association of Assessing Officers
• Texas Association of Appraisal Districts

Education

• Doctor of Jurisprudence

South Texas College of Law, 2012

• Bachelor of Arts (Philosophy)

University of Texas, Austin, 2008

Professional Experience

• Olson & Olson, LLP | Houston, Texas | 2024 – Present | Partner
• Olson & Olson, LLP | Houston, Texas | 2015 – 2023 | Attorney
• Percheron Field Services, LLC | Houston, Texas | 2013 – 2015 | Attorney

Concentration

Donna is a partner at Olson & Olson, LLP. Her practice focuses on ad valorem tax litigation, specializing in advising and defending governmental clients. She represents clients in ad valorem disputes involving commercial and industrial properties, single and multi-family residential communities, tax credit properties, and administration and qualification for exemptions. Donna handles a large civil trial docket as well as appellate matters.

Articles, Publications & Presentations

• Case Law Update, presented at the 2024 Property Tax Seminar, April 2024, Austin, Texas
• Tactical Use of Non-Binding Arbitration, presented at the 36th Annual Legal Seminar on Ad Valorem Taxation, August 2023, San Antonio, Texas
• Discovery Issues in Appraisal District Litigation, presented at Olson & Olson, LLP’s 14th Annual Local Government Seminar, January 2018, Stafford, Texas
• Background Checks under the Fair Credit and Reporting Act, presented at Olson & Olson, LLP’s 12th Annual Local Government Seminar, January 2016, Stafford, Texas

Cases

• Karen Kay Maston v. Harris Central Appraisal District, Case No. 14-23-00830-CV, 2024 Tex. App. LEXIS 8989 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] Dec. 19, 2024, no pet. h.)
• Harris Central Appraisal District v. Shu Sean Zheng, Case No. 01-23-00186-CV, 2024 Tex. App. LEXIS 8814 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Dec. 19, 2024, no pet. h.)
• Sealy IDV Thompson 10, LLC v. Harris County Appraisal District, Case No. 01-22-00584-CV, 2024 WL 269531 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Jan. 25, 2024, no pet. h.)