Practice
Using her background in science, Laura Pratt is an attorney with Sprouse Shrader Smith whose practice focuses on business and commercial litigation, specifically business disputes, oil and gas, eminent domain, public utility law, environmental law, and agricultural law.
Laura has experience in both federal and state court litigation and appellate courts. She has handled a diverse range of business disputes on both sides of actions for insurance, contract disputes, eminent domain, regulatory or code compliance, and land disputes.
Laura also handles a variety of administrative and regulatory law issues on all levels, including matters involving school boards, water districts, local governments, and state agencies. She has assisted clients in developing strong policies and procedures to ensure regulatory compliance in business operations. She has also represented clients in matters before the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
She began her very diverse legal career at the City of Lubbock Attorney’s Office, practicing municipal law and specializing in environmental compliance and natural resources law. She was also a municipal prosecutor. After two years overseas in the Middle East, Laura returned to Lubbock where she co-founded and served as Executive Director of OneVoiceHome, a local non-profit that supports survivors of sex trafficking.
Before practicing law, she earned her J.D., magna cum laude from Texas Tech University School of Law with a Law and Science Certificate, and she earned B.A. in Biochemistry, with a minor in Business Management from the University of Arkansas.
Laura is passionate and committed to public service in a variety of roles. She currently serves in an elected position on the Board of Directors for the State Bar of Texas. After six years of previous service, she is the 2023-2024 President of the Texas Young Lawyers Association. She also serves on the boards for her local bar associations, frequently volunteers for community organizations and local schools, is a member of the Texas Bar College, and a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Although born and raised in east Texas, Laura now lives in Lubbock with her husband, their three children, and their double-doodle, Shadow.
Practice Areas
- Civil Litigation
- Trial & Appellate
- Business Litigation
- Power Law & Utilities
- Water Law
- Administrative Law
- Environmental Law
Admissions
- Texas State Courts, 2010
- US Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 2019
- United States District Courts for the Northern District of Texas, 2011
- United States District Courts for the Western District of Texas, 2019
- United States District Courts of the Southern District of Texas, 2021
- United States District Courts of the Eastern District of Texas, 2021
- United States District Courts of New Mexico, 2021
Awards/Honors
- Texas Tech Alumni Association, Rising Star Award (2023)
- Lubbock Area Bar Association, Outstanding Young Lawyer Award (2022-2023)
- Texas Tech Alumni Association, Daniel H. Benson Public Service Award (2021)
- American Bar Association, On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyers Honoree (2020-2021)
- Texas Young Lawyers Association, Outstanding Director Award (2019-2020)
- Lubbock Area Bar Association, President’s Award of Merit (2014-2015)
- Texas Young Lawyers Association, Commitment to Service Award (2014-2015)
- Texas Tech Alumni Association, Herschell L. Barnes Ambassador Award (2014)
- Texas Young Lawyers Association, Outstanding First Year Director Award (2013-2014)
- Lubbock Area Bar Association, Outstanding Young Lawyer Award (2013-2014)
- Texas Tech Alumni Association, Bob Black Bar Leaders Award (2013)
- Texas Young Lawyers Association, President’s Award of Merit (2012-2013)
Publications
- Co-Author, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law Related to Pipelines, Texas Tech Law Review, Energy Law Symposium (November 2019).
- Co-Author, Eminent Domain in Texas: Landowner Issues in the Condemnation Case, State Bar of Texas, 20th Annual Texas Bar College Summer School, (July 2018).
- Co-Author, Regulating the Unregulated Business, State Bar of Texas, 27th Annual Advanced Government Law Seminar, (July 2015).
- Hidden in Plain Sight: A General Overview of the Human Trafficking Issue
75 Texas Bar Journal 762 (November 2012) - Decreasing Dirty Dumping? A Reevaluation of Toxic Waste Colonialism and the Global Management of Transboundary Hazardous Waste
35 William & Mary Environmental Law & Policy Review 581 (Winter 2011).
41 Texas Environmental Law Journal 147 (Winter 2011). - Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans – Seeking Accreditation
74 Texas Bar Journal 928 (November 2011) - Decreasing Dirty Dumping?, Waste and Resource Recovery Newsletter (Waste and Resource Recovery Committee, Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, American Bar Association), Vol. 11, No. 2 (July 2011)
- Lubbock Law Notes
Stars of Texas Bars Award 2014 – News Article, Series of Articles
(Substantive Law), and Series of Articles (General Interest)
Presentations
- How to Save a Life: Honest Perspectives for the Wellness Journey, Moderator, TYLA Wellness Summit (January 2023).
- Transitioning from Private Practice to Government (and Vice Versa), Panelist, American Bar Association, State Bar of Texas, and Texas Young Lawyers Association, Western States Regional Summit (May 2022).
- Engaging the Next Generation of Lawyers: Strategies for Successful Rollouts, State Bar of Texas, Bar Leaders Conference (July 2022).
- Day of Civility – Professional Panel, Panelist, Texas Tech University School of Law (September 2022).
- Practicing Law with Civility in Uncivil Times, Lubbock County Women Lawyers Association (October 2022).
- Creating Healthy Habits, Texas Bar CLE, Beyond Wellness: Finding and Maintaining Attorney Wellness (December 2021).
- Guides and Toolkits and Podcasts…Oh My! TYLA Resources for Starting your Practice, Lubbock County Young Lawyers Mentoring and Mentorship CLE (May 2021).
- Projects and Videos and Rollouts…Oh My! TYLA Projects in a Nutshell and Examples of Rollouts, Leadership State Bar of Texas (June 2021).
- 2020 Amendments to the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, West Texas Paralegal Association, Fall Seminar (August 2021).
- Healthy Habits for Lawyers, Moderator, Texas Bar CLE, Beyond Wellness: Finding and Maintaining Attorney Wellness (December 2020).
- 2020 Changes to the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, Co-Presenter, Texas Young Lawyers Association, TYLA Roadshow (December 2020).
- Ethics in Fundraising, Association of Fundraising Professionals, Lubbock Chapter (October 2020).
- Fighting for Rescue, Restoration, and Resiliency in West Texas, Lubbock Women’s Club (February 2020).
- Human Trafficking in Texas: Fighting for Rescue, Restoration, and Resiliency, Tom Green County Young Lawyers (October 2019).
- An Overview on Human Trafficking and Our Fight to End It, Southwestern Assemblies of God University, The College of Bible and Church Ministries, Social Work Program (November 2018).
- To Like or Not Like Is the Question: Social Media and the Practice of Law, Lubbock Legal Professionals Association, Fall Seminar (October 2014).
- Slavery Out of the Shadows: Spotlight on Human Trafficking, Texas Association of Legal Professional’s 59th Annual Education Conference (May 2014).
- Use of Civil Legal Remedies to Reduce Human Trafficking, Technology-Related Crimes Against Children Training (June 2013).
- Slavery Out of the Shadows: Spotlight on Human Trafficking, The University of Texas School of Law – 2013 County and District Clerks Conference (April 2013).
- Not Your Mother’s Potpourri or Bath Salts: Synthetic Drugs and the Law, Lubbock Legal Professionals Association (January 2013).
- Not Your Mother’s Potpourri or Bath Salts: Synthetic Drugs and the Law, City of Lubbock Board of Health (January 2013).
Education
- Texas Tech University School of Law
Doctorate of Jurisprudence, Magna Cum Laude, 2009
Law and Science Certificate
Certificate of Excellence in Legal Research
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
CALI Awards: Criminal Law, Accounting for Lawyers, Environmental Law,
& International Environmental Law
Jurisprudence Awards: Legal Practice I, Torts, Nanotechnology, Bioethics, & Immigration Law - University of Arkansas
Bachelor of Arts, Senior Scholar (Grade Point Average 3.975) May 2007
Major: Chemistry (Biochemistry Concentration), Minor: Business Management
Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
Memberships
- Texas Young Lawyers Association (President-Elect 2022-2023; Vice President 2021-2022)
- Lubbock County Women Lawyers’ Association (President 2012-2013)
- Lubbock Area Bar Association (Board of Directors 2018-present; Secretary 2012-2013)
- Texas Bar College (Member, 2010-present)
- Texas Bar Foundation (Member, 2014-present)
- OneVoiceHome (Founding Board Member & Past President)
- Voice of Hope, (Volunteer, 2012-present)
Noteworthy
- State of Texas, Trained Mediator
- 2023 Super Lawyer Rising Star
