Rachel Palmer Hooper

Experience

• Rachel is a member of the BakerHostetler legal team serving as court-appointed counsel to Irving H. Picard, Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA) Trustee for the liquidation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (BLMIS).
• Represented an operator and working interest owner of an East Texas oil field in an arbitration proceeding against another working interest owner in a dispute concerning joint operations of the field. The case settled on favorable terms during the arbitration proceeding.
• Recently represented parents seeking special education services for their child. She advocated for the child through the admission, review and dismissal process with the school district and the child obtained the desired accommodations. 

Criminal Jury Trials

• Prosecuted a woman who embezzled more than $100,000 from employers over a period of two years. She is now serving a 15-year sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division.
• Completed the investigation and prosecuted three individuals regarding the theft of more than $200,000 of construction materials from a Fortune 500 international manufacturer and marketer of petrochemical products.
• Prosecuted a security guard who fatally shot a newly hired guard, provoked by termination of his personal employment. He is presently serving a 55-year sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division.
• Prosecuted a man who stabbed his girlfriend more than 20 times and is now serving a 30-year sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division.
• Prosecuted a man for murder in which he and his girlfriend orchestrated a drug deal with the victim and ambushed him, shooting him five times. The incident occurred after the defendant was released from prison following a 15-year sentence for a previous murder in 1996. He is now serving a 50-year sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division.
• Prosecuted a defendant who shot a man multiple times and fled to New York. He is now serving an 80-year sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division.
• Prosecuted a cold case murder that went unsolved for more than 10 years. Defendant is now serving a 20-year sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division.
• Prosecuted a woman for failing to seek medical assistance after her 4-year-old daughter ingested her drugs, resulting in her daughter’s death. She is presently serving a life sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division. 

Juvenile Certification Hearings

• Prosecuted three juveniles for aggravated sexual assault and aggravated robbery after the three defendants approached the victim in his apartment complex and proceeded to assault and rob the complainant, then forced the complainant to take them back to his apartment where they raped the victim’s girlfriend. All three juveniles were to certified to be tried as adults.

Memberships

• Texas Supreme Court Historical Society
• Texas District and County Attorney's Association (2003 to 2014)
• • Faculty Advisor for trial skills course
• American Bar Association: Section of Litigation
• Houston Bar Association: Appellate Section
• The Sedona Conference
  • Sedona Case Law Summary Project
• Independent Petroleum Association of America
• Women's Energy Network (WEN)

Community

• Harris County Juvenile Probation Department, Juvenile Probation Mentors: Chairman (2015 to 2016)
• The Junior League of Houston, Inc.: (2006 to 2016)
  • Board of Directors (2011 to 2012)
• M.D. Anderson Cancer Center’s Health Adventures Program: Volunteer Mentor (2010 to 2015)
• Child Advocates: Volunteer
• South Texas College of Law Alumni Association: Board of Directors (2009 to 2012)