Empowering Through Law

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Emily Howard, senior legal counsel for labor and employment at Repsol, a Spanish multinational energy and petrochemical company, recognized early on that a legal career was the perfect fit for her skill set and natural strengths in communication, problem-solving, and advocacy.

“My sophomore English teacher had us do a project where we put Macbeth and Lady Macbeth on trial for murder,” she recounts. “As one of the more outspoken people in the class, I got to be one of the prosecutors. I really enjoyed that project—not because I liked arguing, but because I loved the strategy. Sitting down and finding evidence to fit the various elements of the claim lit a fire for me. I realized being a lawyer could be a great path that fit my skills and what I enjoyed doing.”

Howard studied law at the University of Texas School of Law, and upon graduating in 2011 took a position at Baker Botts as a litigation associate with the intention of doing labor and employment work.

“But by the time I joined, that practice had been scaled back, so I joined the general Commercial Litigation Group and grabbed any employment matters I could,” she recalls. “I worked on misappropriation of trade secrets and non-compete agreements—both enforcing and defending them—and joined the asbestos defense docket. I really enjoyed that work because it was such an active docket. As a first- or second-year attorney, I was already going to court and taking depositions, rather than just doing document review like many new attorneys.”

Having that hands-on exposure so early in her career was a big catalyst for what came next.

“In 2014, I was approached to join Katten Muchin Rosenman, who had just opened a Houston office, and I liked the idea of working in a small satellite office,” Howard shares. “I worked closely with one partner, and we got along fantastically. It was a great opportunity to broaden my experience. Aside from the two of us doing commercial litigation, the rest of the office handled environmental workplace safety and incident response. I got to dip my toes into that area, including trying a six-week OSHA trial.”

That position gave her the freedom and flexibility to create her own journey, and she started collaborating with the labor and employment attorneys in other offices and eventually pitched the idea that she could be their go-to labor and employment attorney for Texas. By 2019, approximately 75 percent of Howard’s practice was labor and employment focused.

Fast-forward to 2019, and a recruiter contacted Howard about a position at Locke Lord (now Troutman Pepper Locke) to join its labor and employment group, and she jumped at the opportunity.

“I’d been operating somewhat independently, so joining a larger group with a deeper bench and more institutional knowledge was exciting,” she enthuses. “It gave me the chance to learn from incredibly smart and experienced attorneys.”

After almost five years there, Howard was ready to make the jump to in-house, and she joined Repsol as senior legal counsel for labor and employment in April 2024.

“The idea of working for a single client, getting to know what makes them tick and helping them meet their goals really appealed to me,” she explains. “I also had two kids during the pandemic—in 2020 and 2022—and wanted a position that allowed more balance and time at home.”

In-house, Howard has found her role much different than what she was doing in private practice. Because her internal client is primarily HR, she often fields questions about employee relations, disciplinary actions, terminations, and onboarding. She also advises on employee benefits, bonus plans, and 401(k) matters.

“It’s largely an advisory role, which I thoroughly enjoy,” Howard shares. “That was always my favorite part of private practice, and now I get to do it every day. When litigation arises, I manage it and occasionally conduct interviews or help with documentation searches.”

During her time with Repsol, she’s proud of the relationship she’s fostered between HR and legal, building a true partnership, and being a strong leader.

“Our legal team is fairly lean, and each attorney handles specific business units; I’m the only labor and employment attorney in North America,” she explains. “I work closely with our labor relations group in Spain, since Repsol is a Spanish-owned company. A lot of my work involves translating EU and Spanish employment directives into something workable for the US. It requires coordination, leadership, and communication, making sure expectations are clear and that global requirements are explained in ways that make sense under US law.”

With two small kids and a teenager, Howard maintains a good work/life balance by setting boundaries and finding a workplace culture that respects her family.

“In a post-pandemic world, where many of us work remotely, it’s easy to feel like you have to be ‘always on,’ so giving myself permission to disconnect has been key,” she explains. “I work a hybrid schedule—some days in the office, some at home—which is great for family time. But it also makes it easy to stay online too much, so being deliberate about boundaries has been crucial.”

A passion of Howard’s is to be engaged in the community and help others, which can be seen in her work with Houston non-profit The Parish School, which offers early intervention and personalized education for children with autism, ADHD, speech delays, and learning disabilities.  

“I first got involved with The Parish School through pro bono work while at Katten, and their mission is so admirable,” she says. “They provide an environment where children can thrive and learn to communicate. It’s such an amazing organization. I joined the board in 2022 and recently renewed my term for another three years.”

Howard also serves as vice chair of the Association of Women Attorneys Foundation, which raises funds to provide scholarships for Houston-area women law students and one-year fellowships for recent graduates to work with Houston-area non-profit organizations. Next year, she’ll serve as chair.

“Mentorship is incredibly important, especially for women in law,” she notes. “I’ve benefited from mentorship myself and try to pay that forward—offering guidance to younger attorneys. It’s valuable to see how others have navigated their careers.”

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