McGinnis Lochridge is pleased to announce that Mary A. Hager has joined the firm as Of Counsel in Austin. Mary joins the firm’s Land and Water Practice Group and will focus her work on real estate matters, including acquisitions, development approvals and creative financing solutions. Most recently, Mary was Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel for the Waller Creek Conservancy. In that role, she managed operations of the 501c3 partner organization to the City of Austin, which oversees the creation and maintenance of a chain of parks along Waller Creek in downtown Austin.
“Mary brings an incredible mix of operational, strategic and legal experience to our firm that will benefit our clients in navigating the private and public aspects of complex real estate transactions,” said Phillip Schmandt, who chairs the Land and Water Practice Group. “Her knowledge garnered while working with the City of Austin will be an asset to our clients.”
“I’ve long admired the talent and accomplishments of the attorneys at McGinnis Lochridge,” said Hager. “I’m excited to join the dynamic Land and Water group and get to work developing strategies that will position our clients successfully in a wide range of real estate transactions.”
Prior to her work with Waller Creek Conservancy, Mary gained retail experience as the Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel with Calendar Holdings LLC in Austin, the parent company to a number of successful retail brands. She began her career at the company as the Director of Corporate Development. During her time there, she oversaw the human resources, accounting and finance, and facilities departments, and managed the company’s internal legal team.
Mary began her legal career at the Houston firm, Hughes, Watters & Askanase, first as a Law Clerk while attending law school, and then as an attorney following graduation. From there, she relocated to Austin, joining the firm Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody, PC, later moving to Drenner & Golden Stuart Wolff, LLP, where she was an associate from 2005 through 2011.
Mary earned her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center, and received a B.A. from the University of Texas.
McGinnis Lochridge has been enjoying a growth spurt of late. The firm has welcomed seven new attorneys this year on the heels of adding 28 new attorneys in the past 18 months, including opening new offices in Dallas last June and in Decatur, Texas last May.