Travis County Joint Primary Election Candidates continued from cover in 1973. Her employment history includes: legal counsel to Texas House of Representative committees (1974, 1975); Travis County Juvenile Public Defender, appointed by the Commissioners Court in 1976; Travis County Assistant District Attorney (1977-1980); Travis County Attorney (1981-1984), and Assistant Attorney General, Civil Medicaid Fraud Division (2005-2014), where she was lead counsel in one of the top jury verdicts of 2011. In addition to prosecuting felony, misdemeanor, and civil fraud cases, Moore was Precinct 3 Travis County Commissioner twice, appointed by the County Judge to serve unexpired terms (1999-1998, 2001-2002). While County Attorney, she instituted the use of videos to enhance DWI evidence, the first deferred prosecution program in Travis County, and new programs for offenses like theft by check to increase collections and reduce recidivism. As a County Commissioner, she was instrumental in securing additional county funding for Emergency Services and expanding the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve. Moore also chaired the Travis County Child Welfare Board and served on the Emergency Services District #9 Board of Commissioners. Maura Phelan (Republican) has over 20 years of experience in trial and appellate litigation. Licensed in Texas since 1990, she was certified as a specialist in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization from 1996 to 2006. She handled trial and appellate matters in state courts as a prosecutor, and in state and federal court for individuals and businesses. Phelan began her legal career as an associate at the law firm of McDonough & Horne handling commercial litigation and white-collar criminal defense in Houston, Texas before becoming an Assistant County Attorney in Williamson County. She subsequently spent 12 years with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office where she tried more than fifty jury trials, represented the State in hundreds of hearings, and argued appellate issues before the Court of Appeals. Phelan has served as a lead prosecutor in misdemeanor and felony courts, head of the Lottery division, and in specialty divisions including: Child Abuse, 8
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Grand Jury, Public Integrity, Child Protection, Sex Offender Registration, Repeat Offender, Motor Fuels Tax Fraud, and Special Prosecution – Complex Litigation. Now in private practice, Phelan handles fiduciary litigation, construction disputes, probate, administration law, family law, and business litigation matters. Phelan has been a CASA Training Instructor, a DPS Training Instructor, and an advisor to the board of the People Against Violent Crime. Rick Reed (Democrat) At press time, no photo or bio was submitted.
Candidates Running for Travis County District Judge
345TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Melissa Mather (Democrat) graduated from the University of Virginia Law School in 1997. In the almost 19 years since, she has clerked for a federal appeals court judge, worked in firms on complex civil and criminal cases in Austin and New York, and also had her own practice focused on representing individuals and small businesses. Mather taught civil rights and appellate advocacy at the University of Chicago Law School from 20052007. She taught at the University of Texas Law School in 2011. Mather now works for the State of Texas handing complex financial litigation for state agencies. According to Mather, fairness and respect for everyone is a value she grew up with. Raised in a conservative family in South Carolina, her first debating partner was her father. While he never convinced her to side with his politics, he did teach her that you can have respect and compassion for another person’s point of view, even when you disagree. She and her husband, Erich, have three children, Miles, age 9; Reese, age 6; and Adele, age 2. Jan Soifer, (Democrat) a partner in O’Connell & Soifer, has handled virtually every type of case appearing in the 345th District Court, on both sides of the docket. Most recently focusing on fraud and commercial litigation, Soifer represents whistleblowers in False Claims Act cases, primarily alleging Medicare and Medicaid fraud, including a recent case with a $98 million settlement; recently successfully rep-
FROM TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT: Candidates for Travis County District Attorney: Gary Cobb; Margaret Moore; Maura Phelan; Candidates for Travis County District Judge 345th Judicial District: Melissa Mather; Jan Soifer; Candidates for Travis County District Judge 427th Judicial District: Judge Jim Coronado; Tamara Needles; Candidates for Travis County District Judge 450th Judicial District: Don Clemmer; Chantal Melissa Eldridge; and Brad Urrutia.
resented a same-gender couple suing the Hood County Clerk for refusing to issue a marriage license after the Obergefell decision; and represents Texas abortion providers in their lawsuit against the State challenging restrictive provisions of HB2 (currently in the U.S. Supreme Court). Soifer graduated from Yale University in 1979 and UT School of Law in 1982. She served three years as Deputy Chief of the A.G.’s Consumer Protection Division, and also has been a partner in large and mid-sized law firms. She was an adjunct faculty member at UT School of Law from 1992-2008, teaching trial advocacy while practicing law full-time. A former President of the Austin Bar Association and the Austin Young Lawyers Association, and a former Director of the State Bar of Texas, Soifer has received multiple professional honors, including being named Outstanding Young Lawyer in Texas by TYLA in 1991 and Outstanding AYLA Alumnus in 2012. For her work as the 1991-1993 President of Volunteer Legal
Services of Central Texas, Soifer received the 1995 J. Chrys Dougherty Award for exemplary dedication and commitment to the principle of access to justice for all.
427TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Judge Jim Coronado (Incumbent; Democrat) serves as the 427th District Court Judge. Prior to his election, he served as Travis County District Court Criminal Magistrate from 1991-2008. He served contemporaneously as Municipal Judge in the cities of Kyle and Austin from 1989-1991. He has served as a judge for over 27 years. Judge Coronado is past Director of the State Bar of Texas and served on the Executive Committee. He is past President of the Austin/Travis County Bar Association. He also served as a Trustee of the Texas Bar Foundation. Judge Coronado was a founding member of the Mexican-American Bar Association of Texas and its President in 1988-1989. In 1990 he was elected the National VicePresident of the Hispanic National