DeMonica D. Gladney, Esq., is a native of Houston, Texas.  She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice, cum laude, from Lamar University and her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree, cum laude, from the University of Houston Law Center.  She began her legal career as a Briefing Attorney for the Texas 14th Court of Appeals in Houston, Texas.  She is now Counsel for Exxon Mobil Corporation, where she has practiced for 17 years.

In addition to a successful legal career, Ms. Gladney is an accomplished writer, poet and inspirational speaker.  She is the bestselling author of Identity Theft: Discovering the Real You, Willing to Wait: From Revelation to Manifestation, and Reflections from God.  Her book, Identity Theft, was ranked #2 in February 2011 shortly after its release, and Willing to Wait, was previously ranked #7 on the BCNN1/BCBC National Independent Publishers’ Top 50 Bestseller’s List. 

Ms. Gladney has been featured on the Daystar Television Network and various television and radio talk shows around the country, and in print media, such as The Pearland Reporter News, the Houston Forward Times Magazine, Ladies First Magazine, the P Magazine and the Black Christian News Network.  She was also selected for the 2010 editions of Who’s Who Among Executives & Professionals and Who’s Who in Black Houston.

Ms. Gladney is the personification of commitment and excellence and received the National Bar Association’s (NBA) Presidential Award and the NAACP Award for Legal Excellence.  Her professional and community involvements have been many and varied.  She currently serves as Chair of the Women Lawyers Division and Corporate Liaison for the Commercial Law Section of the NBA and as Liaison for the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession.  She is a past President of the Houston Lawyers Association and Chair of the African-American Lawyers Section of the State Bar of Texas.  She is also a member of the Houston Bar Association, the Corporate Counsel Women of Color and the Downtown Group. 

Ms. Gladney previously served as the Pro Bono Coordinator for ExxonMobil and on the Executive Board of the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program.  She is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and former Chair of the Board of the Houston Lawyers Foundation.  She is also a member of the Mu Kappa Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. 

• American Bar Association
  • Liaison, Commission on Women in the Profession
• National Bar Association
  • Chair, First Vice Chair, Board Member & Chaplain, Women Lawyers Division
  • Corporate Liaison & Secretary, Commercial Law Section
  • Chaplain
  • Co-Chair, NBA Convention - Houston Host Committee
• State Bar of Texas
  • Chair, African American Lawyers Section
  • Council of Chairs & Minority Representation Advisory Group
  • Texas Minority Counsel Program Host Committee
• Houston Lawyers Association
  • President, President-Elect, and Editor of Information Source Newsletter
  • Board of Directors, Houston Lawyers Foundation
• Houston Bar Association
  • Executive Board, Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program
  • Minority Opportunities in the Legal Profession Committee
• Corporate Counsel Women of Color, Member
• Downtown Group, Member
• Texas Bar Foundation, Life Fellow

All Community Affiliations

• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. – Mu Kappa Omega Chapter
• NAACP Legal Redress Clinic
• Respect Yourself Mentor Program
• ExxonMobil’s Leadership 2000 Mentor Program
• Lawyers in the Classroom Mentor Program
• Aspiring Youth TASTE Program
• Houston Trial Lawyers Communities in School Program

All Literary Affiliations

• Academy of American Poets
• Christian Small Publishers Association
• Independent Book Publishers Association
• Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network
• Small Publishers Association of North America