Karen Singer

Bar Admissions

• State Bar of Texas

• State Bar of New York

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

• U.S. District Courts:
  Southern District of Texas

Memberships & Associations

• Houston Bar Association

Education

• Doctor of Jurisprudence

Brooklyn Law School (Top 14%), 1992

• Bachelor of Arts (Urban Studies)

George Washington University, 1981

Professional Experience

• Olson & Olson, LLP | Houston, Texas | 2022 – Present | Senior Counsel
• Olson & Olson, LLP | Houston, Texas | 2013 – 2021 | Attorney
• City of Houston | Houston, Texas | 2004 – 2012 | Senior Assistant City Attorney
• Private Practice | Houston, Texas | 2004 | Contract Attorney
• Private Practice | New York, New York | 1997 – 2002 | Associate
• Private Practice | New York, New York | 1995 – 1997 | Associate

Concentration

Karen is assigned to the ad valorem tax litigation section, specializing in advising and defending governmental clients. She represents clients in lawsuits, arbitration, and mediation to resolve claims concerning real and personal property valuation.

Articles, Publications & Presentations

• Discrimination 2.0: Implicit Bias How Implicit Bias Affects Our Work and Work Environments, presented at Olson & Olson, LLP’s 15th Annual Local Government Seminar, January 2019, Stafford, Texas
• The Dark Store Theory in Practice, presented at Olson & Olson, LLP’s 14th Annual Local Government Seminar, January 2018, Stafford, Texas
• Legalization of Marijuana and the Workplace: Current Case Law, presented at Olson & Olson, LLP’s 11th Annual Local Government Seminar, January 2015, Stafford, Texas
• Public Sector Employee or Volunteer? The Fair Labor Standards Acts and Public Sector Employees Under the FLSA, presented at Olson & Olson, LLP’s 10th Annual Local Government Seminar, January 2014, Stafford, Texas

Cases

• Pleasant Hill Community Development Corp. v. Appraisal Review Board of Harris County, 2015 WL 2342588 (Tex.App. – Houston [14th Dist.] May 14, 2015.
• Swilley v. City of Houston, et al., 457 Fed.Appx. 400, 2012 WL 29079 (5th Cir. Jan. 6, 2012)
• Goss v. City of Houston, 391 S.W.3d 168 (Tex.App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 2012)
• Okpala v. City of Houston, 397 Fed.Appx. 50, 2010 WL 3937351 (5th Cir. Oct. 4, 2010)
• Stephens v. City of Houston, 260 S.W.3d 163 (Tex.App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 2008)
• Matter of Glenn v. Redford, 233 A.D.2d 248, 650 N.Y.S.2d 128 (1996)