Cory Liu is a member of Butler Snow’s Commercial Litigation group and has litigated cases in state court, federal court, and arbitrations. He previously served as assistant general counsel to the Governor of Texas and clerked for two federal appellate judges. Cory’s passion for justice has led him to provide bono legal services in high-profile cases involving civil and constitutional rights.
Overview
Cory Liu is a member of Butler Snow’s Commercial Litigation group and has litigated cases in state court, federal court, and arbitrations. He previously served as assistant general counsel to the Governor of Texas and clerked for two federal appellate judges. Cory’s passion for justice has led him to provide bono legal services in high-profile cases involving civil and constitutional rights.
Practice Areas
About
Cory has a depth of experience in trials and appeals. He has represented individuals, businesses, and government entities in disputes that have been covered in the Washington Post, Houston Chronicle, and Austin American-Statesman. Cory is devoted to telling his clients’ stories and helping them navigate the complexities of the legal system.
Cory’s advocacy brings to bear his experience in government service. As assistant general counsel to Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Cory spearheaded the Governor’s regulatory reform initiative. He worked with lawmakers, heads of agencies, and stakeholders on matters affecting highly regulated industries and occupations. Cory has also served as outside counsel to the Texas Senate, Texas General Land Office, Texas Ethics Commission, and Harris County District Attorney in litigation involving civil rights and constitutional law.
Experience
Representative Matters
- Obtained a Rule 12(b)(6) dismissal with prejudice of a federal lawsuit alleging $3.85 million in damages and an affirmance in the Fifth Circuit
- Successfully argued in the Texas First Court of Appeals for affirmance of a dismissal for lack of personal jurisdiction
- Crafted an Administrative Procedure Act challenge to a rule issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives that succeeded in obtaining a preliminary injunction in the Northern District of Texas
- Obtained a preliminary injunction under the Administrative Procedure Act in the Western District of Texas that blocked the U.S. Department of Education from enforcing a rule that discriminated against native speakers of foreign languages applying for the Fulbright-Hays Fellowship
- Successfully defended the Texas Senate and Lt. Governor in challenges to the rules governing impeachment proceedings in the Southern District of Texas, Fifth Circuit, Travis County District Court, and Texas Supreme Court
- Represented the Harris County District Attorney in a two-month bench trial in the Western District of Texas involving claims under the Voting Rights Act and Americans with Disabilities Act
- Filed a U.S. Supreme Court amicus curiae brief in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard that was relied upon by the Court’s majority opinion and cited in a concurring opinion
- Filed a U.S. Supreme Court amicus curiae brief in Gordon College v. DeWeese-Boyd that was cited in a statement respecting the denial of certiorari
- Worked with Alice Johnson, Pastor Robert Jeffress, and Kelly Shackelford of First Liberty Institute to obtain a presidential commutation for a prisoner sentenced to 40 years in prison for a drug offense
- Served as court-appointed appellate counsel under the Criminal Justice Act for the Austin Division of the Western District of Texas
Government Experience
- Assistant General Counsel, Texas Governor Greg Abbott
- Law Clerk, Judge Andrew S. Oldham, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- Law Clerk, Judge Danny J. Boggs, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- Intern, Justice Don R. Willett, Supreme Court of Texas
- Law Clerk, U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Ted Cruz
- Law Clerk, Texas Solicitor General's Office
Distinctions
- Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers®
- Texas Rising Stars, 2023-2024
- James Wilson Institute Fellow, 2021
- Forbes 30 Under 30 for Law & Public Policy, 2019
- Claremont Institute John Marshall Fellow, 2016
Bar Admissions
- Texas, 2015
- U.S. District Courts
- Texas: Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western
- U.S. Court of Appeals
- 3rd Circuit
- 5th Circuit
- 6th Circuit
- 9th Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Education
- Harvard Law School, J.D., cum laude, 2015
- Editor-in-Chief, Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy
- University of Chicago, A.B., General Honors, 2012
- Mock Trial Team Captain
Associations
- State Bar of Texas
- Diversity in the Profession Committee, 2017-2020
- Federalist Society
- Austin Lawyers Chapter President, 2023–Present
- Civil Rights Practice Group Executive Committee, 2017–Present
- Member, 2012–Present
- Texas Review of Law & Politics
- Steering Committee, 2015–Present
Papers, Presentations & Publications
- Presenter on Students for Fair Admissions v. Presidents & Fellows of Harvard College at law schools across the country, including the University of Virginia, University of Texas at Austin, and Cornell University
- Author, Chevron’s Domain and the Rule of Law, 20 Tex. Rev. L. & Pol. 391 (2016)
- Author, Textualism and the Presumption of Reasonable Drafting, 38 Harv. J. L. & Pub. Pol’y 711 (2015)
- Co-Author, Regulatory and Quasi-Regulatory Activity without OMB and Cost-Benefit Review, 37 Harv. J. L. & Pub. Pol’y 425 (2014)
Civic Involvement
- Tyndall at Robertson Hill Residential Condominium Community
- Treasurer and Vice President, 2023–Present
- President, 2021–2023