Kyle Hawkins is a partner in the Houston office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.  He practices in the firm’s Litigation Department and is a member of its Appellate and Constitutional Law Practice Group. Mr. Hawkins recently returned to the Firm after serving as the Solicitor General of Texas, where he represented the State of Texas in its most high-profile appellate matters in state and federal courts. During his tenure as Solicitor General, Mr. Hawkins argued four cases in the Supreme Court of the United States, including California v. Texas, described by legal commentators as the “blockbuster” case of the 2020-2021 term. Mr. Hawkins has also argued 17 times in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, including five en banc sittings. He is the only advocate currently practicing to argue so often before the en banc court, and he has appeared before every active Fifth Circuit judge. Mr. Hawkins also maintains a robust practice in Texas state courts. As Solicitor General, he argued six times in the Supreme Court of Texas, and authored briefs in dozens of additional cases. The Supreme Court frequently invited Mr. Hawkins to file briefs in high-profile matters to express the views of the State of Texas. Mr. Hawkins litigates regularly in intermediate state appellate courts, arguing cases in the Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth Courts of Appeals and briefing dozens of other matters across the state. As an appellate specialist, Mr. Hawkins works closely with trial teams to shape legal strategy, handle critical motions and briefing, and preserve issues for appellate review. He frequently crafts motions to dismiss, motions for summary judgment, motions for directed verdict, post-trial motions, and other case-dispositive filings. Mr. Hawkins also maintains an active class actions practice, where he defends clients against class certifications in district court and handles interlocutory appeals under Rule 23(f). Before serving as Solicitor General, Mr. Hawkins practiced in Gibson Dunn’s Washington, D.C. and Dallas offices. He served as a law clerk to the Honorable Samuel A. Alito, Jr., of the Supreme Court of the United States, and to the Honorable Edith H. Jones, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.  He also served as a 2014 Temple Bar Scholar at the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in London. Mr. Hawkins graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Minnesota Law Review and was a member of Order of the Coif.  In law school, Mr. Hawkins received the Class of 2009 Outstanding Contribution Prize and the William B. Lockhart Award for Excellence in Scholarship, Leadership, and Service, traditionally awarded to the student with the highest GPA through five semesters.  Mr. Hawkins graduated magna cum laude in 2002 from Harvard College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Literature.  Before attending law school, Mr. Hawkins worked in strategy consulting in Chicago, IL, and as an English teacher in Hiroshima, Japan. Mr. Hawkins lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife, son, and dog. His practice is centered in Houston, though he represents clients across the State of Texas and around the country.

Hiram Sasser is Executive General Counsel for First Liberty Institute, where he oversees First Liberty’s litigation and media efforts. Sasser’s practice focuses primarily on First Amendment and other constitutional and civil rights issues. His practice includes a substantial emphasis on seeking and defending against extraordinary remedies in federal court. Sasser successfully argued before federal and state appellate courts, federal and state district courts, and the Texas Supreme Court. His past and present clients include The American Legion, VFW, Association of Christian Schools International, Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Falun Gong, a Native American sweat lodge, Jewish Educational Center, Southern Baptist Convention, National Association of Evangelicals, synagogues, and various state and local government entities and officials. In addition to his legal duties, he develops, coordinates, and implements successful media strategies on behalf of his clients. This includes numerous appearances on ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, CNN, and the BBC as well as being heard on various radio stations throughout the United States, Asia, Africa, and Europe. Prior to joining First Liberty, Sasser graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma City University School of Law, where he received recognition as the “Outstanding Graduate.” He earned his bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University. His military service includes serving as Headquarters Commander, a Company Executive Officer, and Training Officer in the United States Army Reserve. In 2016, Sasser took a leave of absence to serve a temporary assignment as the Chief of Staff for the Attorney General of Texas.

Zoom Link