Lynne Finley
Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.
- Maya Angelou, American poet and civil rights activist
Lynne Finley is a Principal at Passman & Jones in both the Dallas and Collin County offices. For more than 30 years, Ms. Finley has provided corporate clients guidance as General Counsel, Risk Manager, and Director of Human Resources on countless aspects of corporate issues. Ms. Finley has represented corporate clients in developing internal corporate structure and departments, handling merger and acquisitions, establishing worker's compensation programs, non-subscriber programs, captive liability insurance programs and departmental procedures. Ms. Finley has represented her clients in civil litigation, bankruptcy, contract disputes, administrative procedures in employment and regulatory matters both state and federal. Ms. Finley has analyzed contracts and pricing arrangements; investigated allegations related to violations of federal and state law including Employment Practices, Anti-Kickback, Antitrust Law, OSHA and EEOC matters.
From 2016-2022, Ms. Finley served as the elected Collin County District Clerk. During Ms. Finley’s tenure, she implemented eFiling for the Collin County District Courts felony cases, provided lawyers immediate access to clerks at the courthouse with upgraded technology at no cost to County; provided attorneys weekly reminders of court hearings to minimize lost time for the Courts at no cost to County; increased use of automated phone technology to improve contact with parties at no cost to County; implemented jury software to meet the growing needs of the county without infrastructure growth; and performed the duties assigned by the Texas Constitution as registrar, recorder, and custodian of all court pleadings, instruments, and papers that are part of any legal cause of action in the District Courts of Collin County. Ms. Finley also provided all jury services for the District, County, and Justice of the Peace courts in Collin County.
Ms. Finley has served on many of the following committees at the request of Associations, District Judges and Texas Supreme Court Justices:
Texas Judicial Council Civil Justice Committee’s Advisory Council;
Tyler Technologies Exclusive Steering Committee for eFiling solutions;
County and District Clerks’ Association of Texas - Procedural Manual Committee Chairman;
County and District Clerks’ Association of Texas - Legislative Committee Member;
County and District Clerks’ Association of Texas Technology Committee Member; and
Collin County Local Rules Committee.
Education
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 1996
Master of Arts in Mass Communication
South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas 1994
Juris Doctor
First Female Co-President of the Board of Advocates
Dean’s Student Advocacy Service Award
Outstanding Service, Dedication and Commitment Award to the Advocacy Program
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 1990
Bachelor of Arts, cum laude in Telecommunications
Professional Associations and Memberships:
State Bar of Texas
Washington State Bar Association
Collin County Women Lawyers Association
Collin County Bar Association
Curt B. Henderson American Inn of Court
Dallas County Bar Association
Dallas County Women Lawyers Association
Admitted to practice:
Washington State - Bar No. 50919, Admitted 07/12/2016
State of Texas - Bar No. 00791508, Admitted 11/04/1994
United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Admitted 08/23/1996
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Admitted 11/09/2000
United States District Court of the Western District of Texas, Admitted 4/4/2023
United States District Court of the Southern District of Texas, Admitted 3/15/2023
United States District Court of the Western District of Oklahoma, Admitted 10/01/2023
Published Works:
American City and County Magazine - “How counties can create more efficient courts and enhance the juror experience”, October 26, 2021 https://www.americancityandcounty.com/2021/10/26/how-counties-can-create-more-efficient-courts-and-enhance-the-juror-experience/
Representative Cases & Clients:
General counsel approved through client Chapter 11 reorganization to handle over 100 wrongful death and personal injury claims and successfully mediated millions of dollars in claims within the self-funded wasting liability policy allowing an approved reorganization for the client.
Co-Counsel representing multiple plaintiffs against a nonprofit corporation and its founder for multiple counts of Negligent Hiring, Negligent Supervision, Defamation and Defamation per se. Successfully finalized an agreed judgment for over $10 million.
Co-Counsel defending an owner of a large restaurant chain against the legal entities, co-owners and board members. Successfully negotiated an agreed separation of business interests with financial payment to the client.
Co-Counsel - negotiating with United Food & Commercial Workers Union regarding claims of informal agreements constituting a Collective Bargaining Agreement for a corporate client while working with ULP charges from the Union to NLRB.
Classes/Seminars Taught:
Rock Hill High School Law Enforcement Class - Discussion on Politics and County Government (2021)
County and District Clerks’ Association of Texas - Document, Document, Document! How to handle employee issues (2020)
SMU Dedman School of Law - County Government (A practical guide to the practice of law) (2019)
Collin College Sociology Department (Social Problems Class- Presentation on County Government and Discussion on Political and Justice Inequalities from a Female Elected Official’s Prospective (2019)
Anna High School Law Enforcement Practicum Class - County Government and the Relationship between County and City Law Enforcement (2019)
Conner Harrington Republican Women - Collin County as a Passport Acceptance Facility (2019)
Tyler Technologies Courts & Justice Executive Forum - Panel Participant for Access to Justice-Guide & File (2018)
County and District Clerks’ Association of Texas - re:SearchTX - Proving Clarity (2017)
County and District Clerks’ Association of Texas Region V - Jury Management System (2017)
IGNITE - Texas Young Women’s Political Leadership Conference - Open Discussion on Women in Politics with students at Texas Woman's University (2017)
Political Clubs and Rotary Clubs - Presentation on the District Clerk’s office and County Clerk or District Clerk…Which one do you need? Helping citizens understand the Constitutional Roles of the Office (2016-2019)
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