LENA SILVA

Lena is a zealous trial lawyer whose practice is fulfilled by her daily interactions with people – clients, counsel, and the broader community – in matters of all sizes. From complex, high-stakes litigation to representing small businesses or individual disputes, she puts the same care, accessibility, and attention into each engagement. When not busy advocating for her clients, she takes great pride in serving the community including as a HYLA Director from 2023-24, a HisBA Board Member since 2021, as well as serving as a board member for the Houston Arts Alliance. She is thrilled at the opportunity to continue serving HYLA!

SECRETARY

EMILY ROHLES

Emily is a litigation associate at Baker Botts where she represents clients in a variety of complex civil litigation matters in state and federal court. Emily has served as a Director on the HYLA Board for two terms and served as co-chair for HYLA’s Pro Bono and LGBTQ+ committees. She also serves on the HYLF Board of Trustees and is an active member of the HBA’s Gender Fairness and LGBTQ+ committees. When not practicing law, Emily enjoys exploring all the new restaurants, theater, and live music that Houston has to offer.

TREASURER

BENJAMIN RITZ

Ben, a former government attorney and law clerk, practices complex commercial insurance litigation and appeals at Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons, LLP. Benjamin Ritz served as HYLA Secretary and co-chair of the HYLA CLE Committee and Leadership Academy before becoming an HYLF Trustee. He also serves as an editor of the ABA’s Insurance Coverage Journal. He enjoys board games, theater, Houston’s food scene, and volunteering with his son, Charlie, at the Food Bank.

DIRECTORS

ALLY

ARIAS

Ally is a San Antonio native who now calls Houston home. While studying philosophy at Rice University, she fell in love with Houston’s food and arts scenes. During law school, Ally served on the board of First Generation Professionals as the Academic and Professional Development Chair. She focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation matters in state and federal courts. Ally is a member of the HYLA Leadership Academy Class of 2020-2021 and serves on the Hispanic Bar Association’s Mentorship Committee. She is also a member of the Houston Arboretum, Buffalo Bayou Partnership, and Museum of Fine Arts Houston.

TREVOR DEASON

Trevor is currently running for HYLA Director. He’s passionate about HYLA, its future, and Houston’s attorneys. He’s actively involved in HYLA’s Leadership Academy, enjoying good opportunities to meet folks and make friends. More importantly, he likes to have fun and brings a warm and energetic enthusiasm into every project he takes, which will serve HYLA well. During his downtime, Trevor enjoys Houston’s restaurants and good company. He’s currently an attorney at Jones Day and litigates complex commercial cases in federal and state courts.

SAMANTHA

DE HOYOS

Samantha is an employment attorney at Ogletree Deakins. She is a first-generation college graduate and a native Houstonian. Samantha has been active in HYLA since 2018, serving as Law Student Director from 2018-2020, co-chairing HYLA’s Women Lawyers Committee from 2021-2022 and serving as Board Director from 2023-2024. In her capacity as co-chair, Samantha helped organize “On Track for Success,” a speed mentoring program for high school girls who are interested in pursuing higher education and careers in law. Samantha is passionate about serving her community and looks forward to continuing to do so alongside her fellow young lawyers.

BARNEY DILL

Barney Dill is an associate attorney at Abraham, Watkins practicing personal injury law. Mr. Dill was raised in La Porte, Texas, the son of a union laborer. He is a first-generation lawyer. Currently, he serves as co-chair of the HBA Veterans Committee and is a former attack helicopter pilot with years of leadership experience within the military. He enjoys being a zealous advocate for the working class against corporations that ignore safety. Mr. Dill is also the father of two daughters. He looks forward to using his education and training to contribute to HYLA as a Director if elected.

SHERLES 

DURHAM

Sherles is a first-generation attorney and a Georgia native. She is Associate General Counsel at Stellar Bank and graduated from Cumberland School of Law. Sherles has completed the HYLA Leadership Academy and currently serves as a HYLA Director. Outside of HYLA she is a member of the Junior League of Houston and serves on the Camp for All Emerging Leaders Board. Outside of work she enjoys indoor cycling, spending time with her 7-month-old Shih-Tzu and eating her way through the city. She is eager to serve on the HYLA Board again and to continue HYLA’s mission.

Thomas is a trial lawyer at AZA where he has practiced since he was sworn-in at the HYLA ceremony in 2021. The first lawyer in his family, Thomas is grateful for the mentorship and friendships through HYLA and hopes to support and serve HYLA as a Director. Thomas currently serves as the Co-Chair of the HBA Lawyers for Literacy committee where he developed the first partnership with HISD’s Memorial Elementary during the HBA annual book drive and he formerly volunteered as a Civics and English Instructor at Manos de Cristo, where he helped permanent residents through the U.S. citizenship process.

JOSEPH

HOLLOWAY

Joe has been a dedicated member of HYLA since 2019 and would be honored to return to service as a member of the Board of Directors for the 2024-2025 bar year. Joe was an Ex Officio member of the Board for two years as the Student Director for the University of Houston Law Center. A 2022 UHLC grad, Joe now practices as a part of the Capital Finance and Real Estate group at Hunton Andrews Kurth. If elected, Joe would bring the benefit of his prior Board service and a focus on increasing HYLA membership among young transactional attorneys.

SHAHNOOR KHUWAJA

Shahnoor is a litigation associate at BakerHostetler. Currently, Shahnoor co-chairs the HYLA Leadership Academy, in which he participated last year. Shahnoor hopes to continue his involvement in HYLA and contribute to the growth and direction of the organization as a Director. Drawing on his extensive service experience, such as serving as a Director for an international Arts and Sports competition to be held in Dubai in 2025, Shahnoor will work hard to promote the personal and professional growth of Houston’s young lawyer population. In his personal time, Shahnoor likes to watch movies and spend time with family and friends.

NIKKI MORRIS

Nikki Morris is a ninth year commercial litigation associate at Baker Hostetler. A long-time member of HYLA, who has served on various committees and previously co-chaired HYLA’s Leadership Academy, and a HYLF Fellow, Nikki looks forward to getting more involved in HYLA to help grow the organization and meet the needs of its members by putting on fun, useful, and engaging programming. When she is not buried in research or drafting motions, she enjoys listening to audiobooks, distance running, and spending time with her non-lawyer husband, Sam, her daughters, Maggie and Nora, and the family dogs, George and Belle.

AMBER MORRISON

Amber, a first-generation attorney, returned to Houston after receiving her J.D. from Baylor University School of Law in 2017. She spent the first five years of practice focused on O&G transactions and land management. Now, she focuses her practice on labor and employment litigation at Mize PC. Amber joined HYLA in 2018 and has served on the Marketing Committee, as a co-chair for the Energy Counsel Committee, and was a member of the 2019-2020 Leadership Academy. In her (rare) free time Amber likes to snuggle up with her dogs (Prentiss and Ahsoka), a cup of coffee, and a good book.

JOHN NGUNJIRI

John is an attorney at Norton Rose Fulbright and a current HYLA Director. Prior to joining NRF, he worked for a global energy company as the Capital Projects Contracting Intelligence Lead. John is a natural leader who brings energy, creativity, determination and resilience to the Board. He graduated from the 2022/23 HYLA Leadership Academy, and elected to the HYLA Board soon after. John’s community service goes back to his days with the Big Brother-Big Sister Organization, Eagle Scout, and currently on the UHLC Young Alumni Committee, HBA Golf Committee, Garland Walker Inn of Court member, and as NRF’s HYLA representative.

JANET OYETEJU

Janet, a Houston native, is in her seventh year working as in-house counsel where she supports both commercial and corporate functions. Janet attended The University of Texas at San Antonio double majoring in Human Resources Management and Business Management, then received her J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law. Janet returned to Houston in 2019 after living in San Antonio for ten years. Since then, Janet has been an active member, a Committee Chair, Leadership Academy participant, and advocate for HYLA. She has a longstanding history of leadership and seeks to further the mission of HYLA as a Director.

CHARLES SHAW

Charles Shaw is an Assistant County Attorney at the Harris County Attorney’s Office. Charles was appointed to the HYLA Board of Directors for the 2023–24 bar year and is currently serving on the Board’s Finance Committee and as co-chair of the Government and Non-Profit Committee. Charles is also active in the Houston legal community outside of HYLA: learning as a member of the Texas Bar College, leading as Co-Chair of multiple Houston Bar Association committees, networking through fellowship in the Texas Bar Foundation and Houston Young Lawyers Foundation, and serving through bar initiatives to give back to our community.