Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Kyle Hawkins as a justice on the Supreme Court of Texas for a term set to expire on December 31, 2026. He will replace Justice Jeff Boyd, who retired in September.
Hawkins, of Austin and a partner in Lehotsky Keller Cohn, has more than 16 years of experience in public and private practice. Previously, he served as counselor to the U.S. solicitor general, the Texas solicitor general, and as a commercial litigation partner in the Dallas and Houston offices of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher.
“Kyle Hawkins is a proven defender of both the U.S. and Texas Constitutions,” said Gov. Abbott in a press release. “Hawkins’ tremendous experience will be an asset to the highest court in Texas as he remains steadfast in his dedication to the rule of law and the preservation of the liberties granted by God and enshrined by our founders.”
Hawkins previously served as a law clerk to Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. of the U.S. Supreme Court and to Judge Edith H. Jones of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. Additionally, he was an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law, where he taught constitutional law and oral advocacy. Hawkins received a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Minnesota Law School.