It's often the moments that don't seem remarkable at the time that change everything. For Leigha Simonton, those moments included a move across state lines, a mock trial competition, and a mother who never stopped believing in her.

In this episode of Counsel Brew, Leigha reflects on the experiences that shaped her long before she stepped into leadership. She shares what it was like growing up in a rural Louisiana community, moving to Dallas as a teenager, discovering mock trial, and learning that success comes from adapting, asking questions, and putting in the work. Along the way, she talks about the influence of her mother, a former NASA mathematician, the mentors who helped shape her career, and the unexpected way a mock trial competition introduced her to her future husband.

The conversation also explores building high-performing teams, mentoring younger lawyers, and why she hopes to see the legal profession place an even greater emphasis on developing its next generation of leaders. Mixed in with stories about appellate arguments, Secret Service training, and a favorite morning coffee ritual, the episode offers a thoughtful look at a career built through curiosity and a commitment to continuous learning.

In This Episode

• Growing up in rural Louisiana and adapting to life in Dallas
• How mock trial shaped both a legal career and a lifelong partnership
• The influence of mentors, family, and the people who opened doors
• Lessons from a career in public service, including time as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas
• Building high-performing teams and investing in the next generation of lawyers
• Balancing a demanding legal career with family life
• Secret Service driving school, appellate advocacy, and a few memorable stories from the Department of Justice
• Why curiosity and lifelong learning continue to guide her career

About Leigha Simonton

Leigha Simonton is Co-Chair of Dykema's White Collar & Government Investigations Section. Before joining Dykema, she served as the Senate-confirmed U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas after an 18-year career as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. A graduate of Yale Law School, Leigha now represents clients in complex investigations, white collar matters, commercial litigation, and regulatory matters while leading one of the Southwest's premier teams of former Department of Justice attorneys.

Listen now:

Find Leigha at https://www.linkedin.com/in/leigha-simonton-506b3a6/

Message us at hello@counselbrew.com

Visit us at http://www.counselbrew.com

And Follow us

@counselbrew

https://www.linkedin.com/company/counsel-brew/

Send us Fan Mail

Explicit Rating is for the occasional use of colorful language.

His perfect morning is surprisingly simple: a couple cups of black coffee, one decaf to round out the trio, and then it's off to tackle whatever impossible challenge lands on his desk. Somewhere between leading a national tax practice, advocating for thousands of Texas tenants, and occasionally grabbing a karaoke microphone, he's also managed to build one of the largest eviction advocacy organizations in the country.

This week on Counsel Brew, Nicola and Shereen sit down with attorney and published author Mark Melton, co-chair of Holland & Knight's Tax and Executive Compensation & Benefits Practice Group and founder of the Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center.

What starts as a conversation about coffee, karaoke, and whether fantasy novels belong on a lawyer's bookshelf quickly turns into one of the most powerful stories we've shared on the podcast.

Before becoming a nationally recognized attorney and housing advocate, Mark was a young husband and father who lost everything after his employer collapsed. He experienced eviction firsthand, packed his family into a car, and drove to Dallas with little more than hope for a fresh start. Years later, one Facebook post during the uncertainty of COVID-19 unexpectedly launched what has become one of the country's largest tenant advocacy organizations, helping thousands of families navigate one of the hardest moments of their lives.

Along the way, Mark shares why access to justice is about far more than knowing the law, how one mentor changed the trajectory of his life, and why he believes a single conversation—or a single Facebook post—can change everything.

Of course, because this is Counsel Brew, there are plenty of laughs mixed in with the deeper moments. From meeting his wife at karaoke and building his own office during the pandemic to debating bookshelf etiquette and admitting that work-life balance isn't exactly his strong suit, Mark proves that even people doing extraordinary work still appreciate a good cup of coffee and a great story.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Growing up in Tulsa and rebuilding life after losing everything.
• The mentor who changed the course of his future.
• Why he accidentally became both a CPA and tax attorney.
• Founding the Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center during the pandemic.
• The hidden ripple effects of housing instability on families and children.
• Expanding tenant advocacy efforts beyond Dallas into Houston.
• Writing his newly released book, Injustice of the Peace.

Whether you're a lawyer, law student, policymaker, or simply someone who believes in using your skills to help others, this episode is a powerful reminder that some of the biggest changes begin with a single push of a button.

Grab your favorite brew and join us for one of our most inspiring conversations yet.

Find Mark at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-melton-144b225/

Message us at hello@counselbrew.com

Visit us at http://www.counselbrew.com

And Follow us @counselbrew & https://www.linkedin.com/company/counsel-brew/

Send us Fan Mail

Explicit Rating is for the occasional use of colorful language.

This week on Counsel Brew, we sit down with Noelle LeVeaux — strategic marketer, civic brand-builder, cancer survivor, TEDxSMU speaker, children’s author, entrepreneur, and currently the Chief Marketing Officer helping lead North Texas’ FIFA World Cup 26™ moment onto the global stage.

If you’ve lived in Dallas long enough, chances are you’ve already experienced Noelle’s work without even realizing it. From launching the award-winning BIG campaign that helped reshape Dallas’ identity to leading marketing efforts for organizations like Visit Dallas, Children’s Medical Center, Communities Foundation of Texas, and D Magazine Partners, Noelle has spent decades helping organizations — and entire cities — tell their stories better.

Now, with the World Cup officially underway and Dallas hosting more matches than any other U.S. city, Noelle joins us in the middle of one of the most exciting moments North Texas has ever seen.

Over Community Beer’s Citrus Slice IPA (and more than a little coffee), we talk about what it actually takes to prepare a region for a global event, why sports create connections in ways few things can, and why Noelle believes Dallas has an opportunity to become the capital of women’s sports.

We also get into the parts of the story that don’t fit neatly into a résumé: surviving breast cancer, raising two daughters as a single parent while building a career at the highest levels, writing a children’s book, delivering her TEDxSMU talk Asleep at the Wheel, and learning to stay open to opportunities that were never on the original bingo card.

As always, the conversation is equal parts insightful, funny, and honest. Exactly how we like it.

Cheers. GOAL!!

Listen now:

Find Noelle at https://www.linkedin.com/in/noelleleveaux/

Learn more about the FIFA game at https://www.dallasfwc26.com/our-venues/match-schedule/

Message us at hello@counselbrew.com

Visit us at http://www.counselbrew.com

And Follow us

@counselbrew

https://www.linkedin.com/company/counsel-brew/

Send us Fan Mail

Explicit Rating is for the occasional use of colorful language.