LYNETTE K. FONS

I have had a long career representing businesses, non-profits, and governmental entities in commercial, regulatory, and litigation matters as well as personnel management. My practice includes negotiation, government procurement and contracting, policy analysis, risk assessment, ethics, training, investigations, compliance monitoring, and anti-corruption.

My experience includes representing clients in commercial disputes and defending claims involving general and/or professional negligence, intentional torts, premises liability, products liability, environmental accidents, chemical exposure, toxic torts, healthcare, and insurance practices. I am a client resource and frequent speaker on risk management, discovery and ethics.

As Chief Compliance Officer for the City of Houston, Texas, I designed and implemented the city’s first Office of Compliance and Ethics. The department identified, assessed, and monitored the city’s compliance obligations and facilitated and tracked remediation measures as required. Policy and training materials were developed and employee training and executive briefings delivered.

Prior to my role as Chief Compliance Officer, I served as First Assistant City Attorney for the City of Houston, overseeing all city litigation as well as sensitive investigations and strategic projects. In this role, I worked with city executives and elected officials, advocated the city’s position in court, and interacted with state and federal agencies. I conducted investigations, drafted contracts, ordinances, press releases, legislation, policies and procedures; negotiated settlements, contract terms, and participated in union bargaining. Throughout my tenure, I worked to reduce costs and improve efficiencies through strategic hiring, enhanced case management, in-house training and by encouraging cross-department communications, root-cause analyses, and proactive problem solving.

1. MWH Law Group LLP, Partner, 2022 — Present
2. Lynette Fons, JD CCEP, Attorney/Compliance Counsel, 2016 — 2022
3. City of Houston, Chief Compliance Officer, 2015 — 2016
4. City of Houston, First Assistant City Attorney, 2010 — 2016
5. Private Practice, Attorney, 1985 — 2010

1. State Bar of Wisconsin
2. State Bar of Texas
3. Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics
4. Houston Bar Association

1.  CLE Presenter, State Bar of Texas, Houston Bar Association, University of Houston Law Foundation, The University of Texas School of Law, Houston Intellectual Property Lawyers Association
2. United Way Nonprofit Executive Certification Program, University of Houston
3. American Humanics Program, University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work
4. Nonprofit Risk Management Center
5. Texas Women Lawyers
6. American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants
7. Texas Minority Counsel Program

1. Overture Center Foundation, Inc., Board Member and Chair of Governance Committee
2. Lone Star Legal Aid, Past Board Chair
3. Rotary Club of Madison
4. South Texas College of Law, Former Member Board of Directors
5. South Texas College of Law Alumni Association, Past President
6. Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program, Past President
7. Dispute Resolution Center of Harris County, Past President
8. State Bar of Texas, Past Chair of Advertising Review Committee
9. Association of Women Attorneys, Former Board Member
10. Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Past Vice President
11. Association of Attorney Mediators, Houston Chapter, Former Board Member
12. Texas Supreme Court Gender Bias Reform Implementation Committee
13. Veterans Legal Services Clinic, Co-Founding Attorney
14. Garland R. Walker American Inns of Court, Barrister