Overview
Allison Miller is a dynamic, people-oriented litigator focused on defending attorneys and respected law firms in legal malpractice claims and grievances. Her practice is centered on the attorneys and businesses she represents; understanding each client's need is her priority, and positioning their objectives at the forefront of any litigation strategy is her goal. She also consults with firms and individual attorneys, working to avoid litigation on pre-suit claims or to strengthen their practice by advising on minimizing risk. In addition to professional liability defense, Allison maintains a general commercial litigation practice, representing entities and individuals in a variety of civil litigation matters across numerous industries. She also remains active throughout the appellate process, drawing on her experience as a law clerk and appellate advocate.
After graduating from The University of Texas at Austin with honors and The University of Texas School of Law, Allison served as Briefing Attorney to Chief Justice Adele Hedges at the Fourteenth Court of Appeals.
A native Houstonian and true Astros fan, Allison is a member of the Association of Women Attorneys, where she serves on the Judicial Endorsement Committee; a Mentor in the HBA Mentor Program; and a Fellow of both the Texas Bar Foundation and the Houston Bar Foundation. Allison also serves on the Board of the Episcopal Foundation of Texas; on the Advisory Board of Breakthrough Houston; and as a member of the choir and the altar guild at St. Mark's Episcopal Church.
- Texas
- US District Court, Eastern District of Texas
- US District Court, Southern District of Texas
- US District Court, Western District of Texas
- Supreme Court of the United States
- US Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- Briefing Attorney, Hon. Chief Justice Adele Hedges, Fourteenth Court of Appeals, 2004-2005
- Intern, Hon. Chief Justice Scott Brister, Fourteenth Court of Appeals, 2003
- J.D., University of Texas School of Law, 2004
- B.A., University of Texas, Austin, 1998, with honors, Plan II Honors and English Honors
Representative Matters
*Includes matters handled before joining Steptoe.
- Member of a four-attorney trial team in an oil and gas royalty trust dispute in Harris County, Texas. Delivered the opening and crossed a key witness during the three-week jury trial; case settled prior to our client's rebuttal witnesses being called.*
- Lead counsel for the attorney respondent in a reciprocal discipline proceeding before the Texas Board of Disciplinary Appeals. Secured a rare complete dismissal/denial of discipline after a full-blown evidentiary hearing.*
- Represented a national company as the plaintiff in a trade secrets case. Assisted with securing a contempt order requiring the defendant to pay over half a million dollars in sanctions and attorneys' fees.*
Reported Cases
- Bailey Cowan Heckaman, PLLC v. Clark, Love & Hutson, GP, 11-23-00136-CV, - S.W.3d – (Tex. App. – Eastland Mar. 27, 2025, no pet.) *
- Gandy v. Williamson, 634 S.W.3d 217 (Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 2021, pet. denied)*
- Brumfield v. Williamson, 634 S.W.3d 170 (Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 2021, pet. denied)*
- In re Jackson, 574 Fed. Appx. 317 (5th Cir. 2014) (argued)*
- McPeters v. Edwards, 464 Fed. Appx. 351 (5th Cir. 2012), writ denied 184 L. Ed. 2d 151 (argued)*
- Gregory v. Porter & Hedges, LLP, 398 S.W.3d 881 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2013, pet. denied) (argued)*
- Taylor v. Cersonsky, 356 S.W.3d 92 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2012, no pet.) (argued)*
Speaking Engagements
- "Ethical Issues in Multi-Party Litigation," Houston Bar Association 2025 Civil and Appellate Bench Bar Conference, April 2025
- Tax Law in a Day CLE, State Bar of Texas Tax Section, February 2025
- "AI and Other Ethical Minefields," State Bar of Texas Tax Section International Tax Symposium, November 2024
- State Bar of Texas Tax Section Ethics CLE Program, September 2023
- "Not Just for Trial Lawyers: Lessons from the Courtroom You Can Use in the Conference Room," Association of Corporate Counsel Houston Chapter Half-Day Seminar, December 2022
- "TCPA Update," Annual Judicial Education Conference, Texas Center for the Judiciary, September 2022
- "The Ethics of Listening: How Becoming Better Listeners Makes Us Better Lawyers (and Clients)," Institute of Energy Law's Second Energy Transactions Conference, October 2020
- "TCPA and 91a," TexasBarCLE Advanced Civil Trial Course 2020
- "TCPA and 91a Update," TexasBarCLE Advanced Trial Strategies Conference, February 2020
- "The Amended TCPA: Ethical Considerations for the New Act," South Texas College of Law 2020 Ethics Symposium, February 2020
- "Avoiding Early Dismissal: Defending TCPA and 91a Motions to Dismiss," TexasBarCLE Damages in Civil Litigation Conference, February 2020
- "Attorneys' Fees and Sanctions," Texas Center for the Judiciary 2019 Civil Justice Conference, October 2019
- "Anti-SLAPP Overview," TexasBar CLE Advanced Civil Trial Course, July, August, and October 2019
- "Avoiding (or Using) Anti-SLAPP Motions to Dismiss," UT CLE Corporate Counsel Institute, May 2019
- "The Anti-SLAPP Statute: An Overview of Texas's Most Troublesome Law," Harris County New Civil Judges' Orientation, January 2019
- "The Anti-SLAPP Statute: Soup to Nuts to Ethics" with Judge Randy Wilson, TACTAS Monthly Meeting, October 2018
- "The Texas Citizens Protection Act: It's Big. It’s Broad. Where Does It End?" with April Farris and Raffi Melkonian, HBA Appellate Practice Section Meeting, October 2018
- "Bless This Mess: Recent Developments in Anti-SLAPP Law," Harris County Civil Judges’ CLE Meeting, August 2018
News & Publications
Press Releases
Allison Miller, Experienced Professional Liability Trial Lawyer, Joins Steptoe's Houston Office
April 14, 2025
Noteworthy
Noteworthy
- The Best Lawyers in America, "Lawyer of the Year," Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants, 2025
- The Best Lawyers in America, Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants and Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants, 2025
- Super Lawyers, Texas, 2016-2024
- Texas Monthly, “Rising Star,” 2009-2010, 2013-2015
News & Publications
- "Avoiding Early Dismissal: Defending TCPA and 91a Motions to Dismiss," TexasBarCLE Damages in Civil Litigation Conference, February 2020
- "Ten Things to Know About Avoiding and Mitigating Malpractice Claims and Grievances," 18th Annual IEL Energy Litigation Conference, November 2019
- "Anti-SLAPP Overview," TexasBar CLE Advanced Civil Trial Course, July, August, and October 2019
- "Assessing the Status of the Attorney-Client Privilege in the Age of Twitter," The Computer & Internet Lawyer, Vol. 35, No. 12 (December 2018)
- "Assessing the Status of the Attorney-Client Privilege in the Age of Twitter," Houston Lawyer Magazine, July/August 2018