Catherine Ayeni

About Catherine Ayeni

With more than sixteen years of legal experience, I serve as a Senior Assistant County Attorney for Harris County, focusing on civil litigation, negotiation, and contract matters.At the Harris County Attorney’s Office, I serve as Lead Attorney for the Toll Road Team, managing high-volume civil litigation cases under the Texas Transportation Code.

Experience

1. Senior Assistant County Attorney

   Harris County Attorney's Office

   Jul 2023 — Present · Houston, TX, US

   Negotiate settlements with individual and commercial violators, resolving disputes and securing favorable outcomes for Harris County.• Secure significant financial recovery for Harris County through strategic negotiations and enforcement actions.• Draft comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to streamline internal processes, ensuring consistency and efficiency across the toll road team.• Served as the Acting Lead for the Toll Road Team from November 2023 through January 2024 in the absence of the Deputy Director. • Research and draft motions, petitions, and legal memoranda from scratch for complex civil litigation matters, including pleadings under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA) and the Texas Transportation Code.• Researched and revised payment plan agreements for individual and commercial defendants• Research and analyze legal issues related to the Harris County Toll Road Authority (“HCTRA”) policies and procedures relevant to toll road violations and collections.• Perform multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining an effective balance of priorities and high productivity.• Maintain a 100-200+ caseload with multiple courts including County Civil, District Courts, and U.S. District Courts• Generate and file bankruptcy proof of claims in U.S. Bankruptcy Courts• Draft, prepare, review, and negotiate settlement agreements relevant to toll road violations.• Draft legal documents including answers, discovery questions, responses, motions, and briefs.• Monitors cases to ensure that all discovery requests including requests for interrogatories, admissions, disclosures, and production are timely responded to.• Prepare for administrative hearings, court hearings, mediations, and trials.

Education

• The University of Texas School of Law

  Juris Doctor, Law