Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced the promotions of Lesley French and Shawn Cowles within the Office of the Attorney General. Lesley was promoted to Chief of Staff and Shawn to Deputy Attorney General for Civil Litigation.
“I applaud Lesley and Shawn on their new roles in the Office of the Attorney General and thank them for their consistent dedication to our great state,” said Attorney General Paxton. “I am confident that they will continue serving Texas with integrity, honor, and unshakeable commitment to the rule of law.”
Lesley French, formerly General Counsel and Chief of the General Counsel Division, came to the OAG in 2019 after serving as Deputy Executive Commissioner at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission where she oversaw 40 health programs for the state. She also previously served as legislative director, committee director, and general counsel to several members and committees of the Texas House of Representatives. Lesly graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and earned her law degree from Regent University School of Law.
Shawn Cowles, formerly a member of the Special Litigation Unit where he worked on the Bastrop fire litigation, also joined the OAG in 2019. He previously worked for twenty-six years as a business litigation attorney and was named “Super Lawyer” in Southern California where he represented Fortune 500 companies with a proven track record of success in the courtroom. Shawn graduated from Pepperdine University and earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia.