Robin Cross

Municipal Law

Robin Cross has over twenty years’ experience advising and representing local governments and was recognized as an International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) Fellow in 2013. She has worked as in-house counsel for a statewide police labor union and as a trial attorney for the EEOC. She is licensed to practice in Texas and is admitted to all of its federal courts, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. She is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She has served as President of IMLA’s Personnel Section since 2018, which led to her being awarded the William I. Thornton, Jr. IMLA Faculty Award in 2021.

• Messer Fort PLLC – Senior Attorney
• The Woodlands Township, TX – Township Attorney
• City of College Station, TX
• City of Galveston, TX – Senior Assistant City Attorney.
• City of El Paso, TX – Assistant City Attorney, Associate Municipal Judge, Hearing Officer
• Authority of the City of El Paso, Texas – Director of Contract Compliance/Legal Services
• Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas (“C.L.E.A.T.”) – Assistant General Counsel:Senior Staff Attorney

• University of Alabama School of Law, Post-Graduate Work, Tax Law Creighton University School of Law, Senior Editor, Law Review.
• University of Nebraska at Lincoln, B.A., Interdisciplinary Studies, Dean’s List Graduate

• U.S. District Court, Texas (Western, Eastern, Southern and Northern Districts)
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Military Review
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces

• Board Certified, Texas (TBLS) Labor & Employment Law, 1992 -Texas City Attorneys’ Assn. Certification in Municipal Law 2012, 2018
• International Municipal Lawyers’ Assn. Local Government Fellow, 2013- present

• Recipient of William I. Thornton, Jr. IMLA Faculty Award, 2021
• Best Lawyers in America, Municipal Law, 2007-2018
• Served as director and on the faculty of the State Bar’s Suing and Defending Governmental Entities conference
• Served on the faculty of the University of Texas Land Use Law conference
• Recipient of award from CLEAT for service to police affairs

• Judge Advocate, Department of the Army, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, Ft. McClellan, Alabama. 1981 – 1985
• Managed labor and claims branches of a general practice law office.
• Twenty-two years of combined active, Reserve and Guard service. Last assignment as Legal Advisor to combat arms unit (Field Artillery), 1997 – 2002. Honorably discharged upon leaving active duty. (DD 214 reflecting dates of service and honorable discharge available upon request).

• Webster University, Ft. Bliss campus, Spring, 2002 semester
• International Business College, El Paso, Texas, 2001-2002
• (Part-time) Taught all Legal Office and Office Administration classes
• West Point, Department of Law, United States Military Academy (Major, USAR) 1989 – 1992