Kristi Godden

Kristi Godden is an accomplished attorney whose career has focused on serving Texas educational institutions and public entities through counsel on complex legal, regulatory, and operational matters. Her practice within the Office of General Counsel at UT System focuses on employment law, litigation, student affairs, and compliance with federal and state laws and regulations.

Prior to joining OGC, Ms. Godden served as Senior Associate Counsel at The University of Texas at San Antonio. In that role, she advised university leadership on employment matters, litigation, student and faculty affairs, compliance issues, the Texas Public Information Act, records retention, FERPA, and privacy matters.

Before entering higher education, Ms. Godden was a partner at O'Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo, where she represented public school districts, universities, and municipalities across Texas. Ms. Godden served as a generalist, working on a wide variety of matters, including employment and civil rights litigation, employee relations issues, student affairs, public information, and regulatory compliance. Ms. Godden was a frequent speaker at state and local conferences and events for Texas educational leaders.

At the outset of her legal career, Ms. Godden worked as an Assistant Attorney General in the Open Records Division of the Office of the Attorney General of Texas, where she focused on the confidentiality of government records under the Texas Public Information Act and other federal and state laws governing public access to information and privacy protections.

Ms. Godden is a proud product of The University of Texas System, having received her Juris Doctor from The University of Texas at Austin in 2011 and having earned a Bachelor of Science in Advertising from UT Austin in 2002. Prior to attending law school, she taught seventh grade English Language Arts, an experience that helped shape her longstanding commitment to public education in Texas.