Harriet Miers

Harriet Miers is a member of our Litigation and Public Policy sections and a former managing partner of Locke Lord. She returned to the Firm in May 2007 after serving in the administration of President George W. Bush from 2001-2007 as Staff Secretary, Deputy Chief of Staff For Policy, and Counsel to the President. Prior to joining the White House, Ms. Miers had a distinguished career in her commercial litigation practice, representing a broad range of clients in varied industries. She has offices in Dallas and Washington, D.C. 

In 1972, after clerking for U.S. District Court Judge Joe E. Estes, Ms. Miers was the first woman hired at the Dallas Firm of Locke Purnell Boren Laney & Neely. Ms. Miers became the first woman to lead the Firm, then known as Locke Purnell Rain Harrell, when she was elected Firm President in 1996. In 1999, when Locke Purnell merged with Houston-based Liddell, Sapp, Zivley, Hill & LaBoon, she became Co-Managing Partner, serving until she left to join the Bush Administration.

Throughout her career, Ms. Miers has been committed to public service. She has served in many professional and community volunteer positions, and is a strong advocate of pro bono work and the advancement of minorities in the profession. In 1985, Ms. Miers was selected as the first woman President of the Dallas Bar Association. In 1989, Ms. Miers was elected to a two-year term as an at-large member of the Dallas City Council. She then was invited to run for President of the State Bar of Texas, and was elected to serve in 1992 as the first woman President of the State Bar. From 1995 until 2000, appointed by Governor George W. Bush, Ms. Miers served as the Chairwoman of the Texas Lottery Commission.

Over the years, Ms. Miers also served in many leadership roles in the American Bar Association, including Chair of the Board of Editors of the American Bar Journal and the Texas State Delegate to the ABA House of Delegates. She currently serves as a member of the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Governmental Affairs.

Ms. Miers has been chosen for induction into the prestigious Texas Legal Legends, the highest award bestowed by the State Bar of Texas, recognizing lawyers for their lasting impact and extraordinary contributions to the legal profession.

She currently serves as a Chair of the Texas Access to Justice Commission and Chair of its Legislative Committee. She serves as Co-Chair of the Legal Services Corporation Leaders Council, a group of high-profile and influential leaders from various industries across the country formed to help raise public awareness of the need to increase resources to provide legal aid for the poor.

In 2005, Ms. Miers received the Sandra Day O'Connor award from the Texas Center for Legal Ethics and Professionalism. She received the Robert G. Storey Award for Distinguished Achievement from the SMU Dedman School of Law. She also has received Distinguished Alumni Awards from both SMU and the SMU Dedman School of Law. 

In 2005, President George W. Bush nominated Ms. Miers to serve as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States, which nomination was later withdrawn. For her work as Counsel to the President, Ms. Miers received the Department of Justice Edmund J. Randolph Award in January of 2007 for her "dedicated service to justice, the President, and the United States of America." She also received the Agency Seal Medal awarded by the Central Intelligence Agency, an award given by the CIA to people outside the Agency who have made significant contributions to the work of the Agency.