DAVID HOUSTON’S BIO
David Houston joined the firm in 2013. For the previous 30 years, he served as the United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Mississippi. In addition, he presided over cases in the Southern District of Mississippi, the Middle District of Louisiana, as well as, the Northern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas. He conducted trials in numerous consumer and complex business cases, authoring hundreds of published opinions. Prior to assuming the bench, he was a partner for 11 years in the Aberdeen, Mississippi, law firm of Houston, Chamberlain and Houston. He served as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, D.C., Tampa, Florida, and New York City. His practice is focused on commercial transactions, commercial litigation, bankruptcy, and creditors’ rights. Due to his experience in the area of alternative dispute resolution, he is available to conduct mediation and arbitration proceedings.
Education
- University of Mississippi, B.B.A., (accountancy), 1966; Juris Doctor, 1969 Phi Kappa Phi, Omicron Delta Kappa, Beta Gamma Sigma, Beta Alpha Psi, Associated Student Body Judicial Council Chairman, and Sigma Chi
Memberships
- National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges: Board of Governors (1985-88; 89-91), President (1993-1994); Chair, Legislative Committee (1995-98; 2003-13)
- American Bankruptcy Institute: Board of Directors (1996-2006); Co-Chair Legislative Committee (1999-2010); Judicial Chair ABI Southeast Bankruptcy Workshop (1995-2003)
- Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Bankruptcy Judge Representative to Circuit Judicial Counsel (2005-08)
- Judicial Conference of the United States: Committee on the Budget (1997-2013), Chair, Congressional Outreach Subcommittee (2010-13); Committee on the Administrative Office of United States Courts (1987-96)
- Mississippi Bankruptcy Conference: Board of Directors (1983-2013)
- The Lamar Order
Professional Acknowledgments
- Mississippi State Bar Association Judicial Excellence Award (2011)
- Mississippi State Bar Association: Board of Bar Commissioners (1982-85)
- Mississippi First Judicial District Bar Association: President (1979-80)
- Mississippi Bar Foundation, Fellow
- American College of Bankruptcy, Fellow
- National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges: Bierce Distinguished Service Award (2003); President’s Awards (2008) and (2012)
Publications
- National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges Conference News
- American Bankruptcy Institute Journal
- Faculty Member and Lecturer: Federal Judicial Center; American Bankruptcy Institute; Memphis Bar Association; Tennessee Bar Association; West Texas Bankruptcy Conference; Bankruptcy Bar Association of South Florida; Alabama Bar Association; Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute; and Mississippi Bankruptcy Conference
Court Admissions
- All state and federal courts, Mississippi
- United States Courts of Appeal, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits
- United States Supreme Court
Civic
- St. John’s Episcopal Church, Aberdeen, Mississippi (Senior Warden – 3 terms; Licensed Lay Reader)
- Aberdeen Rotary Club (past President, former member)
- Monroe County Chamber of Commerce (past President)
Bar Admissions
- Mississippi
Admitted
- 1969