Denise Davis is a law partner at Davis Kaufman, PLLC, a boutique law firm lobby practice in Austin, Texas which was founded in 2012 with her law partner, Lisa O. Kaufman. Denise has over 25 years of public service in and around the Texas Legislature, serving clients in both the public and private sectors. Denise has been consistently ranked as a top tier lobbyist by Capitol Inside since 2013 and Davis Kaufman PLLC has also been consistently ranked as a top lobby law firm by Capitol Inside since 2013. Additionally, Ms. Davis was named “Female Powerhouse of the Year” in 2025 by USLege.
Before founding Davis Kaufman PLLC, Ms. Davis served as Chief of Staff to Speaker Joe R. Straus, and for several sessions as House Parliamentarian and Special Counsel to the Texas House of Representatives. Her public service also included work as General Counsel to Lt. Governor William “Bill” Ratliff, Director and Counsel to the Texas Judicial Council under then-Chief Justice Thomas R. Phillips, General Counsel to the Senate Jurisprudence Committee under Senator Rodney Ellis, Legislative Counsel for the Texas Legislative Council, and Assistant Public Information/Press Officer for Lt. Governor William P. Hobby. She has also practiced in the private sector, serving as Special Counsel in the Corporate Section of Baker Botts, LLP.
In addition to her public service and private sector work, Denise has been active in numerous organizations over the years including The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce Board (2026 Chair-Elect), the local board of directors for the Ronald McDonald House (current Board member), the KLRU/PBS Board (2016-2022), Jack and Jill of America, Inc., The Links, Incorporated, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., The Texas Lyceum, The Bakari Foundation Board of Directors, Mission Capital (immediate past Board Chair), Social Venture Partners Board, Past Chair of the Texas Supreme Court’s Task Force on Emergency Preparedness and Past Co-Chair of the UT Austin Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life.
Ms. Davis is a native Texan, a wife, and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin (College of Liberal Arts) and of The University’s School of Law. She is the proud mom of a Texas Longhorn undergrad and recent Texas Longhorn Law School graduate.
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