Our Team

Battiste Clement PLLC

Precision. Experience. Knowledge.

Meet the Team

ALISON BATTISTE CLEMENT

Attorney Alison Battiste Clement stands in a power position wearing pink pants suit

Managing Attorney

Alison Battiste Clement concentrates her practice on business torts and contract litigation as a trial lawyer and legal adviser for both plaintiffs and defendants. Alison understands the stress and strain of litigation on a company. When a company entrusts Alison with their critical legal issues, she makes every effort to alleviate some of the stress and strain, with fair billing, clear communication, and solid legal work.

Alison has served as a Barrister in the Patrick H. Higginbotham American Inn of Court and was a member of Leadership Dallas Class of 2021, Dallas Regional Chamber’s flagship leadership program. She has been selected as a four-time “Texas Rising Star” from 2015-2019 and a “Texas Super Lawyer” every year since 2020. Alison also worked as an adjunct professor at the University of North Texas Law School in Dallas, where she taught a course on legal research and writing.

Alison received her J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center and participated in the International Law Study summer program at University College London in the United Kingdom. After law school, she worked at Merrill Lynch International in London, England. Prior to her legal career, Alison earned a B.S. in chemistry and an MBA from George Washington University in Washington, DC. While pursuing her graduate degree, Alison studied International Business at Fundação Getúlio Vargas in São Paulo, Brazil, which offers programs in economics, business administration, and international relations.

Alison chairs the Board of Directors for Viola’s House, which provides maternity housing and support services to mothers who are faced with an unplanned pregnancy. She also chairs the Dallas Bar Association's Summer Law Internship Program, where she helps the next generation of lawyers obtain and succeed in valuable internships while in high school. She previously served as a member of the Board of Family Gateway, which serves Dallas' housing insecure, and chaired its Governance Committee.

Alison was the recipient of the Dallas Bar Association's 2022 Karen D. McCloud Outstanding Minority Attorney Award. She is a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, Dallas Bar Foundation and Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Foundation and a member of the American Bar Association, National Bar Association, State Bar of Texas and the Dallas Bar Association.


MBA and International Studies

Alison earned a B.S. in chemistry and an MBA from George Washington University. While pursuing her graduate degree, Alison studied International Business at Fundação Getúlio Vargas in São Paulo, Brazil.

Community Leader

A graduate of the prestigious Leadership Dallas program, Alison also supports Family Gateway as a board member.

Summer Law Intern Program

Honored Annually

Alison has been honored annually, first as a Texas Rising Star and since 2020, as a Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters.

  • Georgetown University Law Center
    Washington, D.C., Juris Doctorate

    University College London
    United Kingdom, International Law Study

    George Washington University
    Washington, D.C., M.B.A.

    Fundação Getulio Vargas
    Brazil, International Business Study

    George Washington University
    Washington, D.C, B.S. Chemistry

  • Texas

    District of Columbia

    U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit

    U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas

    U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas

    U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas

    U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas

    U.S. District, Eastern District of Arkansas

    U.S. District, Western District of Arkansas

    U.S. Supreme Court

  • Viola’s House, Chair of the Board of Directors (2024-present)

    Chair, Summer Law Intern Program, Dallas Bar Association (2020 – present)

    Co-Chair for the Solo & Small Firms Committee of the ABA Litigation Section (2023–2024)

    NEW Roundtable (2019 – present)

    Family Gateway, Board Member (2020-2023)

    Chair, Governance Committee, Family Gateway (2023)

    Patrick H. Higginbotham American Inn of Court, Barrister

    CPR Panel of Distinguished Neutrals | Arbitrator

    FINRA Arbitrator

  • The Best Lawyers in America®, 2024

    Recipient of DBA's 2022 Karen D. McCloud Outstanding Minority Attorney Award

    Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters
    2020-present

    Texas Rising Stars, Thomson Reuters
    2015-2018

    Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow

    Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Foundation, Fellow

    Dallas Bar Association, Fellow

  • • Argued and won summary judgment, dismissing all claims against and awarding attorney fees to client in a commercial landlord/tenant dispute;

    • Argued and defeated summary judgment filed by opposing party in oil and gas case;

    • Protected client’s software source code from disclosure in a predatory copyright infringement case;

    • Lead associate on Motion to Dismiss that successfully dismissed Chinese client on personal jurisdiction grounds;

    • Successfully settled deceptive trade practices act claim with favorable terms to client against an aggressive consumer products company;

    • Successfully settled hotly contested case involving bill of review filed against our clients;

    • Successfully settled breach of contract case against national products manufacturing client;

    • Successfully settled construction client’s case with a large payoff to client; Successfully dismissed case filed by aggressive Dallas attorney for failure to state a claim;

    • Won a highly contested motion to compel appraisal and abatement after hearing;

    • Negotiated condemnation settlement, pre-trial, resulting in more than ten times the amount originally offered by the condemning authority;

    • Successfully argued to court that bad acts during a condemnation hearing by the condemning authority must be considered at a trial de novo;

    • Lead associate in multiple condemnation cases defending large landowners and businesses, working with experts and defending landowners’ positions at commissioners’ hearings and at trial;

    • Successfully argued highest and best use of condemned property in order to achieve the best results for clients in multiple eminent domain cases;

    • Successfully defended franchisee after alleged breach of contract and warded off threatened lawsuit by franchisor prior to any court filings;

    • Lead associate in suit representing manufacturing company against a provide equity firm over debt and equity issues and developed the successful theory of the case;

    • Primary editor and researcher on a brief submitted to the Tenth Circuit, in which the judges, including Judge Neil Gorsuch, sides for client in OSHA case;

    • Lead associate in premises liability case, defending a landlord after it entered into a buy and lease-back relationship with a fast-food lessee and catastrophic injuries occurred at one of the portfolio restaurants;

    • Assisted numerous clients in avoiding litigation against them through pre-trial negotiations;

    • Lead associate on team defending billions of trust assets from remote contingent beneficiaries and developed theory to protect confidential trust documents from disclosure;

    • Successfully settled numerous deceptive trade practices act suits, with favorable terms for clients;

    • Convinced plaintiff to nonsuit within three months after the filing of the original petition and after deposing plaintiff’s lead witness;

    • Drafted and reviewed numerous corporate documents, including investor agreements, licensing agreements and corporate operating agreements;

    • Drafted numerous employment agreements for clients wishing to protect themselves prior to hiring;

    • Drafted successful summary judgment that got hundreds of workers’ compensation claims against textile client dismissed;

    • Served on the trial team that successfully represented Halliburton in the BP Macondo oil spill case (Deepwater Horizon);

    • As lead associate, obtained summary judgment for Halliburton in admiralty law case against foreign plaintiffs and successfully defended the summary judgment on appeal;

    • Drafted a credit agreement on behalf of a large foreign lender who funded development projects in other countries; and

    • Advised a domestic manufacturer and a foreign distributor on issues of United States law.

    • Successfully defended employment matter during a trial before the National Labor Relations Board and won, again, on appeal.

Attorney

Attorney Melanie Bell stands with arms crossed in black suit

MELANIE BELL

As a dedicated attorney, Melanie Bell brings a wealth of expertise and determination to the table. Melanie has successfully represented a diverse clientele, focusing her practice on civil litigation.  She thrives on being in the courtroom and obtaining the best possible result for her clients. 

Melanie is a native of Dallas Fort Worth, Texas. She attended Texas A&M University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology, with minors in Psychology and Public Health, in 2017.

Melanie received her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in New York where she was an Equal Justice America Fellow, a Brooklyn Law Students for Public Interest Fellow. 

Melanie represented children in New York City who were victims of abuse and neglect through the Legal Aid Society of New York.  Melanie also earned a Brooklyn Law School Gold Pro Bono Award for providing more than a thousand hours of public service Law work. 

Melanie is a member of the American Bar Association, State Bar of Texas and the Dallas Bar Association, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Foundation and the Texas Aggie Bar Association. 

  • Texas A&M University
    College Station, Texas
    B.S. Sociology, Minors in Psychology and Public Health

    Brooklyn Law School
    Brooklyn, New York
    Juris Doctorate

Paralegal

Paralegal Karissa Huynh stands smiling green top

KARISSA HUYNH

Karissa Huynh brings over 14 years of experience as a seasoned paralegal in the legal industry. With a diverse background spanning various legal domains, she has garnered extensive expertise in handling complex litigation matters and providing comprehensive support to attorneys and clients alike.

Karissa commenced her illustrious legal career in Minnesota, where she gained invaluable experience in personal injury law at Krueger Law Firm LLC. She then transitioned into US and international patent litigation and prosecution law at Winthrop and Weinstine PA, broadening her skill set and understanding of intellectual property matters.

Driven by a passion for justice and advocacy, Karissa ventured into asbestos litigation across Minnesota, Michigan, North Dakota, and Wisconsin with Meagher & Geer, PLLP, where she demonstrated her proficiency in navigating intricate legal landscapes. Her commitment to excellence led her to Monroe Moxness Berg PA, where she delved into corporate business litigation, employment litigation, wealth management, and probate and estate litigation, further solidifying her reputation as a versatile and accomplished paralegal.

In June 2023, Karissa relocated to Texas, embarking on a new chapter in her career journey. Currently, she serves as a dedicated paralegal specializing in corporate business torts and contract litigation at Battiste Clement PLLC. Leveraging her wealth of experience and expertise, Karissa provides invaluable support to the legal team, ensuring seamless proceedings and favorable outcomes for clients.

Karissa holds a paralegal certificate from Hamline University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Minnesota, with an emphasis in Animal Science and pre-veterinary medicine. She is appointed as a notary public by both the Texas Secretary of State and the Minnesota Secretary of State, and she is an esteemed member of the American Association of Notaries. Additionally, Karissa is a proud member of the Phi Kapa Theta Honor Society, recognizing her dedication to academic excellence and professional integrity.

Fluent in English, French, and Hmong, with a burgeoning proficiency in Vietnamese, Karissa possesses exceptional communication skills, enabling her to effectively engage with diverse clientele and navigate multicultural contexts seamlessly. Committed to continuous growth and learning, she remains abreast of industry trends and legal developments, ensuring she delivers optimal solutions tailored to her clients' needs.

Throughout her career, Karissa has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to success and a genuine passion for assisting others in achieving their goals. With a proven track record of handling hundreds of matters from inception to resolution, she is adept in navigating both state and federal court systems, as well as regulatory bodies such as FINRA and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Driven by a relentless pursuit of excellence, Karissa Huynh stands as a trusted ally and invaluable asset in the legal arena, dedicated to delivering exceptional results and upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.