Chisara is dynamic and able to pivot quickly. This lends itself well to the fact that she considers herself not solely a litigator, but a trial lawyer by trade. She is not only confident in but is completely at ease in the courtroom. Frankly, it is where she prefers to be – assisting her clients throughout the life cycle of their case, including pre-trial matters, various hearings and trial.
She forms strong relationships with her clients, made up of a diverse list of corporations, corporate officers, and individuals involved in a variety of litigation matters, partially because she is quickly able to learn the nuances of their businesses. She represents clients who operate in wide ranging industries, applying the law to their unique business needs.
On a regular basis, Chisara conducts depositions, witness preparation, discovery, legal analysis, and negotiations, and drafts pleadings, briefs, demand letters, along with engaging in motion practice. She has also been involved with evidentiary hearings and multiple temporary restraining orders (TROs) and the like.
Chisara has first- and second-chaired evidentiary hearings and first-chaired an appellate oral argument. She has also successfully argued various motions before state court, cross-examined key witnesses in a federal trial and obtained a judgement as a matter of law. She also has experience in alternative dispute resolution and has favorably resolved matters, including multimillion dollar disputes.
Chisara’s calming presence and strong listening skills stand out to her clients, as they can see that she is easily able to break down complex legal issues and make them more digestible for them – and for a jury. She is able to prepare her clients for court by helping them understand what is at stake, how to approach those issues and how to seek out the best possible outcome.
Prior to joining the firm, Chisara practiced with prominent law firms in Dallas and New York in the areas of commercial litigation and intellectual property, in state and federal court.
Outside of her practice, Chisara is passionate about education. She is also deeply invested in corporate social responsibility, striving to make a difference in areas of social development such as financial hardship and job creation. She started her career working as a legal intern with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and as a legal fellow with The Sustainable Development Institute in Liberia. She also helped develop strategic recommendations for economic development initiatives in Ecuador and Ghana.
A former resident of Dallas, Chisara currently resides in South Bend, Indiana, with her husband, who is a professor at the University of Notre Dame.
Professional and Community Involvement
Southern regional chair, Cornell Black Lawyers Alumni Network
Graduate, Dallas Bar Associate We Lead Program
Member, Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network
Member, The New Roundtable
Member, American Bar Association
Member, Dallas Bar Association We Lead
Former associate, Higginbotham Inn of Court
Honors
The Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch, 2021-2025
Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2021-2024
National Black Lawyers, Top 40 Under 40 in Texas, 2020
National Diversity Council, Dallas Top Women in Legal, 2019