Bar Admissions
- State Bar of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
Memberships & Associations
- Texas General Counsel Forum
- Houston Bar Association
- Southwest Transit Association
- Harris County Mayors and Councilmembers Association
Career Highlights
Paula Alexander delivers a wealth of experience to Olson & Olson’s clients. Paula began her distinguished career in local government as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Houston. She later joined the Houston/Harris County Metropolitan Transit Authority, where she established herself as a leader, serving as its General Counsel for 12 years. She worked with the Authority’s administration as it transformed a broken bus fleet into a regional multimodal transportation system, engaging in federal regulations that involved operations and management of transit systems and grant programs. While at Metro, she was instrumental in the planning and execution of their corporate development plan and strategic initiatives.
Education
Doctor of Jurisprudence
University of Houston Law Center, 1977
Bachelor of Arts (Social Science)
University of Houston, Magna Cum Laude, 1974
Professional Legal Experience
Olson & Olson, LLP | Houston, Texas | 2011 – present | Of Counsel
Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO) | Houston, Texas | 1984 – 2010 | Associate Staff Counsel • General Counsel • Vice President and Director of Corporate Development
City of Houston | Houston, Texas | 1976 – 1984 | Senior Assistant City Attorney
Concentration
Paula serves as the designated City Attorney to several of our Houston area municipal clients. She handles special projects in the areas of labor and employment such as personnel investigations, client representation at Texas Workforce Commission hearings, and other legal tasks, as needed. Her extensive knowledge of local government law and diverse experience in public service are of great value as she provides legal guidance and analysis on challenging issues that impact municipalities, especially as population shifts occur. She is an expert at drafting and reviewing contracts, real estate acquisitions, administrative law, and ensuring compliance with the Texas Public Information Act and the Open Meetings Act. Additionally, Paula is fully versed in federal regulatory compliance issues and has worked in conjunction with the Federal Transit Administration throughout her career, focusing on initiatives and programs to support research, coordination, and development of public transportation.
