TEXAS SUPREME COURT - Key Persons
Alyssa J. Castillon graduated from St. Mary's Law School and began her legal career as a Hidalgo County Assistant Criminal District Attorney where she prosecuted misdemeanor and felony crimes. Her family later relocated to her hometown of Laredo, Texas where she worked as an Associate Attorney for Kazen, Meurer, & Perez, LLC and practiced general civil litigation including insurance defense, government, and education law. Realizing she missed working for the public sector, she became an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Laredo and was later promoted to serve as Interim City Attorney until her family was officially relocated to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.
Alyssa enjoys fishing, watching reality TV shows, and loves to ride along with her husband and four-year-old son during their golf games.
Ashley Tello is a paralegal II at the Law of Ryan Henry, PLLC. She works with both general counsel and litigation clients and is a member of the State Bar paralegal division.
A native of Mission, Texas, Ashley earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from St. Mary's University in 2019. She was the first person in her family to attend and graduate from a university.
She joined the firm in 2019 as a legal secretary before being promoted to paralegal the following year. In 2023, Ashley advanced to a paralegal II position. She plans to continue her legal education by attending law school in the future.
Ashley enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.
Job Titles:
- Senior Paralegal
- Senior Paralegal, Litigation
Brenna Green is a senior paralegal at the Law of Ryan Henry, PLLC. She works with litigation clients and is a member of the State Bar paralegal division.
Job Titles:
- Chief of Technology and Media / Assistant Office Manager
Chandler Grace joined the Law Offices of Ryan Henry, PLLC as our Chief of Technology in 2019 and added the title of assistant office manager in 2022.
Originally from Lubbock, Texas, Chandler attended Trinity University, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Communication, Creative Writing, and Archaeology in 2016. Having spent years working in technology, Chandler opened her own web design company.
In her spare time, Chandler enjoys gardening, writing, camping, mentoring students, and travelling - so far having travelled to 32 different states and living in New Zealand and Boston - and is always looking for a chance to check off more places. She lives with her rambunctious shepherd, Mabel.
Charles Willette, Jr. was born in Conroe, Texas and graduated from Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M Kingsville) in 1970 with a degree in Government. He was a sixth-grade teacher at Valley Hi Elementary in San Antonio for one year before enrolling in St. Mary's University Law School, from which he graduated in May 1974.
While attending law school, Mr. Willette was a law clerk for the firm of Rice & Sealy and later became a part-time criminal investigator in the Bexar County District Attorney's Office. After receiving his license to practice, he was an Assistant District Attorney for Bexar County.
In 1975, he moved to the Rio Grande Valley and was an associate at the Law Firm of Abel Toscano, serving as a criminal defense attorney.
In 1976, Mr. Willette became the first full-time City Atorney of Brownsville and served in that capacity for three years, during which time he became well versed in representing and defending governmental entities. In 1979, he entered private practice as a civil litigator --representing numerous cities, counties, school districts, water districts and other forms of governmental entities. He was appointed Special Prosecutor by the District Judges of Cameron County in 1979 to investigate an allegation of perjury by a county employee.
Mr. Willette continued his practice in government law - working with both litigation and general counsel matters -- with offices in Brownsville and McAllen until his retirement in 2011. He was named a "Super Lawyer" by Texas Monthly In 2006, retaining that honor for several more years until his retirement.
Despite his retirement, Mr. Willette worked as a full-time mediator for several years and in 2015 became a Litigation Consultant to the City of McAllen.
He and his wife moved to New Braunfels in 2017. He joined the Law Offices of Ryan Henry as "of counsel" in 2019.
Elizabeth Parra-Cox joined the Law Offices of Ryan Henry, PLLC as a briefing clerk in 2015.
She has a Master of Jurisprudence from St. Mary's School of Law (2018), as well as her Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature (2013) and Master of Public Administration Degree (2014) from St. Mary's University.
A native of San Antonio, Elizabeth enjoys kickboxing, running and reading. She lives with her husband, two dogs (Bruiser and Rex), and two tanks of fish.
Jennifer Compean joined the Law Offices of Ryan Henry, PLLC as the receptionist in 2022 before moving up to finance administrator in 2023.
A native of San Antonio, Jennifer has many years of experience in the office and clerical field and is a welcome addition to the law firm, ensuring our office runs smoothly. In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, and meeting new people.
Job Titles:
- Senior Paralegal
- Senior Paralegal at the Law of Ryan Henry
Jessica Mabs Johnson is a senior paralegal at the Law of Ryan Henry, PLLC. She works with general counsel clients and is a member of the State Bar paralegal division.
Job Titles:
- Paralegal
- Paralegal at the Law Offices of Ryan Henry
Lexi Halfen is a paralegal at the Law Offices of Ryan Henry, PLLC where she works with general counsel clients.
She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona in 2023. During Lexi's senior year, she had the opportunity of interning at a Non-profit Organization called "Pima Council on Aging" where Lexi was able to demonstrate her compassion for others through the managing of the "Neighbors Care Alliance" program.
Lexi joined the law firm in 2023, with aspirations to further her education and legal career by attending law school in the future. Beyond Lexi's academic and professional pursuits, Lexi enjoyed an 11-year tenure of competitive hunter jumping in the states of Arizona and California, at the local and national level. While she does not competitively ride anymore, she enjoys spending time with horses, along with spending quality time with her fiancé, and her dog Remi.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Attorney
- Senior Attorney
Natalie graduated from St. Mary's University with a bachelor's degree in Political Science and a History minor. She then attended and graduated from St. Mary's University School of Law. During law school, Natalie worked extensively on various research projects and helped draft the curriculum for a new class. She also co-coordinated the Pro-Bono Expunction and Nondisclosure Clinic and helped expand the clinic's focus to take a more holistic approach to Re-Integration.
After beginning her legal career at a personal injury firm, Natalie joined the Law Offices of Ryan Henry in 2023.
Rene "Bo" Vela, Jr. was raised in Corpus Christi, Texas and graduated from King High School in 1996. He went on to graduate from St. Mary's University in 2000 with a Batchelor's Degree in International Relations followed by a J.D. degree from St. Mary's University School of Law in 2003.
Bo began his career back in his hometown defending those charged with crimes and made the transition into the prosecution of personal injury cases several years later focusing on vehicle and commercial accidents, dram shop liability, as well as premises liability injuries and commercial defect issues.
Bo lives in the Boerne area with his lovely wife, Angelica, and four beautiful children, Adelina, Alessandra, Ariana, and his baby boy, Rene "Tres" Vela.
Job Titles:
- Managing Attorney
- Owner, Supervising Attorney
Ryan Henry graduated with honors from New Mexico State University with dual bachelor's degrees in Criminal Justice and Psychology in 1995. He attended law school at Texas Tech School of Law and graduated in May 1998.
While attending law school, Ryan began clerking for the Lubbock City Attorney's Office. As a result, he began defending governmental entities even before passing the bar exam, and so began his career supporting local governments. Upon graduation, Ryan began working in Brownsville, Texas, with the same focus.
In June 2002, Ryan moved to San Antonio and joined a local law firm in a similar practice area. He launched the Law Offices of Ryan Henry, PLLC in 2012.
Ryan was named one of the best attorneys in municipal law by S.A. Scene Magazine in 2016 and 2017. He currently serves as chairman of the Government Law section of the State Bar of Texas.
Job Titles:
- Paralegal at the Law of Ryan Henry
Sharon Garces-Trejo is a paralegal at the Law of Ryan Henry, PLLC. She joined the firm in 2023 and works with both general counsel and litigation clients.
Born in California and raised in Texas, Sharon has always been interested in the law and the way it shapes society. She graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2020. During her time at UTSA, she interned with a district judge, gaining invaluable experience and insight into the workings of the legal system.
In June 2023, she received her paralegal certificate from the University of Texas. With a deep passion for the law and a desire to make a positive impact in her community, Sharon plans to attend law school in the future.
Sharon enjoys spending time with her family, including her daughter and their beloved shih tzu. She loves traveling and exploring new places, cultures, and cuisines. She is also an avid reader and loves hiking and baking.