Kelly Sandill Named One of Houston's 50 Most Influential Women of 2017

(Houston, Texas)—Andrews Kurth Kenyon LLP is pleased to announce that Partner Kelly Sandill has been named one of “Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women of 2017” by Houston Woman Magazine.

Each of the honorees was nominated for inclusion on the “50 Women” list by a subscriber of Houston Woman Magazine and, later, selected by the staff of the publication.

According to Beverly Denver, publisher of Houston Woman Magazine, “Those selected as Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women of 2017 are individuals with vast networks of social and professional connections. They have earned an enviable reputation for their expertise in a particular field or arena. They are knowledgeable, credible and worthy of trust and admiration. The thoughts and actions of these women influence the thoughts and actions of others. It is our distinct pleasure to introduce these remarkable women to our readers and to others in our community.”

With more than 16 years of trial practice, Kelly has dedicated her professional life to seeking—and finding—justice for her clients. She has extensive experience representing governmental entities and private sector businesses in federal and state court. Her cases often involve high-stakes claims for emergency relief that attract media attention. Through the years, Kelly has successfully handled merger challenges, fiduciary duty cases, complex contract disputes, public ordinance and election challenges, Voting Rights Act cases, and constitutional and civil rights litigation. She also has significant experience handling internal investigations relating to major accidents, ethics, and regulatory compliance.

Kelly is a frequent writer and speaker on developments in the law and has been recognized by Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers as a Texas Rising Star or Texas Super Lawyer each year since 2012. She is a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, the Houston Bar Foundation, and the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, as well as a 2015 graduate of the Center for Houston’s Future Business/Civic Leadership Forum. Kelly began practicing law after graduating cum laude from the University of Houston Law Center in 2001, where she was administrative editor and a published author in the Houston Law Review. She works hard to support the advancement of other women attorneys, through individual mentoring and service on Andrews Kurth Kenyon’s Women Initiative Team and Associates Committee.

Kelly's humble roots as the daughter of an enlisted U.S. Navy serviceman and an elementary school teacher have inspired a commitment to the Houston community and to helping others, particularly those at the margins of society. She is a long-time member of the United Way’s Alexis de Tocqueville Society and proudly serves on the Legal Advisory Board for ESCAPE Family Resource Center, a non-profit charity dedicated to preventing child abuse.

Kelly is also a strong ally of the LGBTQ community, with membership in the Houston LGBT Political Caucus and the Human Rights Campaign’s Federal Club. In 2017, she accepted an award for outstanding advocacy from the LGBT Law Section of the State Bar of Texas for her authorship of an amicus brief to the Texas Supreme Court supporting the rights of married LGBT government employees to receive employment benefits equal to those of same-sex married couples.

An afternoon tea honoring this year’s 50 Women of Influence was co-hosted by Houston Woman Magazine and Chevron on Sunday, February 11 in the ballroom of the Junior League of Houston.

As released by the former Andrews Kurth Kenyon LLP