The Austin Bar’s Nominating Committee has released its slate of nominees for the 2025-26 board of directors.
Voting begins April 11 and concludes on May 1 at 4 p.m.
Per the bylaws, any qualified member not receiving the nomination of the committee may be included on the ballot by submitting a written petition signed by 75 members by Thursday, April 10. Electronic ballots will be sent to members on Friday, April 11 and will close on Thursday, May 1 at 4:00 p.m.
The following candidates are running uncontested for officer positions:
President-Elect: Judge Maya Guerra Gamble
Judge Guerra Gamble was elected to the 459th District Court bench in 2018. Her varied career prior to taking the bench included a solo practice representing children and parents in child protective services cases; representing whistleblowers at O’Connell & Soifer; prosecuting child pornography and child exploitation cases for the Texas Attorney General; suing companies committing fraud against the United States for the Department of Justice; and clerking for Judge Richard Cudahy on the 7th Circuit.
She currently serves as the Austin Bar secretary. A previous chair of the Equity (now DEI) Committee, Guerra Gamble oversaw the inaugural Equity Summit presented by the Austin Bar.
Guerra Gamble is a native Austinite, graduate of Austin High School, Yale College, and Yale Law School. She is married with two teen sons. She is a devoted Scouter and honored to have recently been named a Courageous Judge by the National Conference of Judges.
Secretary: Sarah Harp
Sarah is an appellate attorney and currently serves as a director of the Austin Bar and the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA).
She is the immediate past president of AYLA and is an active member of the Travis County Women Lawyers’ Association. She volunteers monthly with Volunteer Legal Services. She is a life-fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and a member of the District 9 nominating committee, as well as a Guardian Angel for the Center for Child Protection, and a supporter of the Austin Wildlife Rescue.
Additionally, this year she served as the beverage coordinator for the Austin Bar’s Pro Bono Fall Festival and was the silent auction lead for the Foundation Gala. She was a member of the Austin Bar/AYLA CASA 5k team and worked the craft table for the Evening with Santa event.
She was a project lead for the AYLA MLK Day of Service and was a book donor for Adoption Day. She also currently serves on the TYLA Communications and Projects committees and served as a judge for the final round of the Region 10 National Trial Competition.
Further, on May 9 she will be a panelist for the Texas Bar CLE Federal Court Practice program.
Treasurer: Ciara Parks
Ciara Parks currently works as general counsel for the Travis County Juvenile Probation Department and is an associate judge for the City of Manor. She previously as general counsel for the Texas Board of Law Examiners, an assistant district attorney with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, and the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office in Dayton, Ohio, prosecuting for more than 10 years.
She is a past president of the Austin Black Lawyers Association, secretary of the Austin Young Lawyers Association, and a board member of the Austin Bar. Ciara also serves as an assistant area coordinator for Texas Youth Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Ciara earned her J.D. from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, where she served as the managing editor for the Law Review, treasurer for Thurgood Marshall Law Society, and member of both the Moot Court and Mock Trial boards. Ciara also placed as a finalist for the Melissa Mitchell First Year Moot Court Competition.
Ciara received her B.S. from the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio, where she served as a resident assistant, an advisor for the Colors of Leadership Conference, president and secretary of Black Action Thru Unity, and secretary of the National Society of Black Engineers.
Ciara has been married to Cliffton Parks for 13 years, and they are the proud parents of Chaya, Ceana, and CJ.
Maitreya Tomlinson, the 2024-25 president-elect, will assume the office of president on July 1, 2025.
The following candidates are running for four available director positions, each with a two-year term:
Will Hailey
Will Hailey is TBLS-certified in Civil Appellate Law and a staff attorney at the Third Court of Appeals for Justice Chari Kelly. He’s in his sixth year there and worked for two years at the First Court and for six-and-a-half years at a global firm.
Will has served the AYLA Board for the past three bar years. This year, he’s executive committee parliamentarian and helps the Crawfish Boil and Freshquires committees. Will is one of the founders of Freshquires, which is a new AYLA initiative that holds networking and CLE events for first- through third-year attorneys, filling an apprenticeship gap.
The Crawfish Boil is a tentpole fundraiser for AYLA, entertaining hundreds and raising tens of thousands for AYLA’s foundation. The two prior years Will was a director-at-large and government attorney liaison for AYLA’s board.
Will served his court-attorney colleagues as treasurer for the Texas Association of Appellate Court Attorneys’ board for two terms, helping organize annual conferences for judges and attorneys.
Will is a Chorus Austin tenor and sang with the Houston Symphony Chorus for nine seasons. He coached the UT Law Thurgood Marshall Legal Society moot-court team to nationals. He is a 2021graduate of the AYLA Leadership Academy. His wife, Kelli, is the sunshine of his
life, and they’re kept busy by their 90-pound Lab, Chip.
Blair Leake
Blair Leake was the 2022-23 President of the Austin Young Lawyers Association. During his tenure as president, the American Bar Association awarded AYLA first place in its overall Comprehensive Award, its Service to the Bar Award, and its Service to the Public Award, and the Texas Young Lawyers Association awarded AYLA first place for both its Comprehensive Award and its Service to the Public Award. AYLA also finished the year in the black financially for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. During his six years as an AYLA officer, Blair was awarded the AYLA President’s Award of Merit and the Outstanding Committee Chair Award, and he chaired or co-chaired the AYLA Community Service Days Committee, Bench Bar Committee, and Trial Institute Committee.
Blair is also a shareholder at Wright & Greenhill, PC. with nearly 12 years of experience as a trial lawyer. He has handled numerous jury trials, bench trials, and other proceedings as lead counsel in fields that include civil rights, personal injury, and employment law. He has been named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers every year since 2021. He has also served as the Communications Chair for the Lloyd C. Lochridge Inn of Court since 2023.
Brian Levy
Brian Levy is a dedicated employment attorney committed to helping businesses navigate complex legal challenges while minimizing interruptions. Known for his practical, client-focused solutions, Brian results that keep companies moving forward. With a strategic approach, he ensures employers can focus on their day-to-day operations while he handles the legal challenges.
Brian’s commitment to the legal community shines through his active leadership roles. He serves on the Austin Bar Association/Austin Young Lawyers Association Leadership Academy Committee and holds the Treasurer role in both the Labor and Employment Section of the Austin Bar Association and Austin Guys for Good. His passion for fostering collaboration within the legal profession and the Central Texas community speaks to his dedication.
When he’s not deep in legal strategy, Brian is an avid explorer who loves spending time with his family and two French Bulldogs. His love for homegrown fruits and vegetables and outdoor adventures keeps him grounded, bringing a refreshing balance to his legal career.
As a candidate for Director of the Austin Bar Association, Brian is excited to bring his strategic vision, experience, and commitment to fostering a strong, connected legal community. He’s eager to contribute to the association’s continued success and future growth.
Kara O’Shaughnessy
Kara O’Shaughnessy is an associate with Duggins, Wren, Mann, and Romero. Her practice focuses on oil, gas, and mineral law; civil litigation; complex litigation; and civil appeals. Kara is a dedicated and compassionate advocate and trial attorney. She also serves as a pro bono attorney for Volunteer Legal Services (VLS), providing free legal advice and services to those who often need it most. Kara was instrumental in planning and executing the October 2024 Pro Bono Fall Festival co-hosted by the Austin Bar and Mother Attorney Mentors of Austin (MAMAs), the proceeds of which benefitted VLS’s efforts. Kara lives in Dripping Springs with her three children, dog, and bearded dragon. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and trying to convince her children that she sees and knows all.
Rachel Seshan
Rachel is a staff attorney with the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Immediately prior to joining the PUC, she was a regulatory prosecuting attorney with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, working on building and mechanical programs. In a past life, Rachel was in private practice with split focus on banking/financial and construction litigation.
When not arguing about energy efficiency issues, she travels and reads (often at the same time). Rachel and her family have traveled the world, from Bora Bora, South Africa, Japan, and even Antarctica, to name a few.