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DART Executive Staff Biographies

Hyattye O. Simmons
General Counsel
Photo of Hyattye Simmons
DART attorney Hyattye O. Simmons was named General Counsel by the Board of Directors in March 2007. As General Counsel, Mr. Simmons duties include:
  • Legal advice and legal representation to the agency, the Board of Directors, the President/Executive Director of the agency, agency vice presidents, assistant vice presidents, and other agency representatives and direct reports on all areas of law;
  • Overseeing and managing the Legal Department;
  • Developing and implementing legal strategies that facilitate the accomplishment of agency goals and mission;
  • Serving as the agency's primary legal representative in all matters of litigation at all levels of federal, state, and administrative courts.
Experience
In his 22 years at DART, Simmons has been involved in a wide variety of legal matters, concentrating on local governmental litigation defense:

Prior DART Positions:
  • Interim General Counsel, January 2007 - March 2007
  • Senior Assistant General Counsel IV, August 1998 - December 2006
  • Chief Counsel, Tort Litigation Division (Assistant General Counsel III), January 1992 - August 1998
  • Assistant General Counsel II, February 1988 - January 1992
Before joining DART in 1988, Mr. Simmons had diverse legal experience at both the State and municipal levels of Texas government:

Prior Legal Experience:
  • Assistant City Attorney, City of Dallas, February 1987 - February 1988
  • General Counsel, Texas Secretary of State's Office, February 1986 - February 1987
  • Assistant General Counsel, Texas Secretary of State's Office, November 1984 - February 1986
  • Legal Assistant to the General Counsel, Texas Secretary of State's Office, February 1984 - November 1984

Professional Associations and Memberships
  • Texas Bar Association (licensed November 1984)
  • Federal District Court - Northern District of Texas
  • United States Supreme Court
  • Member of the Texas State Bar College
  • Member of the 2001 State of Texas Task Force on the Texas Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA)
  • Member of the North Texas Crime Commission
  • Member of the Texas General Counsel Forum
  • Member of the William "Mac" Taylor Inn of Court
  • Member of the American Bar Association
  • National Law Committee: Member (04/15/2010 - 04/14/2013), Committee on Contracts (AL030) of the Transportation Research Board (TRB). TRB is a division of the National Research Council (NRC), a private, nonprofit institution that provides expertise in science and technology to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The NRC is jointly administered by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine.

Education
Mr. Simmons is a graduate of the University of Texas and Lamar University:
  • Legal: University of Texas School of Law, Austin, Texas - J.D., May 1984
  • Pre-Legal: Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas - B.S., December 1979*
    Major: Government, Minor: Criminal Justice
*Completed 4-year program in 2 1/2 years with High Honors.

Mr. Simmons has been a licensed attorney in the State of Texas since 1984, has numerous published appellate decisions, and was the 2009 recipient of the Magna Stella Award for excellence in leadership and management for a non-profit or government agency from the Texas General Counsel Forum (TGCF). TGCF is a legal association of over 400 Texas general counsels and senior managing counsel, representing more than 325 companies, governmental entities, or non-profit organizations across the State of Texas.

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