Craig Kyle Hemphill is the founder of Craig Kyle Hemphill Law Offices PLLC. Mr. Hemphill is a fifth generation Texan—born in Dallas on November 4, 1970. He has a decade-plus of academic and applied experience concerning the practice of law, as well as handling business related matters. Mr. Hemphill has served in governmental entities, international law firms, advised small to multinational corporations and represented individuals regarding general corporate matters, regulatory requirements and corporate ethics/compliance concerns within various industries (e.g., energy, construction, manufacturing, etc.)

Mr. Hemphill’s overall practice involves handling complex small to large complex corporate and business transactions concerning, but not limited to, negotiating and structuring large-dollar construction agreements, handling professional service agreements, licensing agreements, finance and purchase agreements, software agreements and securities filings. Specifically, he advises clients in private and public sectors concerning construction industry matters. Such clients include owners, construction industry professionals and construction companies. Mr. Hemphill’s expert transactional knowledge also includes structuring, negotiating, drafting and overseeing legal services regarding domestic and international projects involving general corporate matters, regulatory, and ethics compliance concerns.    

Mr. Hemphill has commercial litigation and general business litigation experience including defending and prosecuting construction disputes and tort related matters such as product liability claims.

Mr. Hemphill's public service record includes serving at local and federal levels in the capacity of Assistant City Attorney with the City of Houston Legal Department/Contracts Division and as a Federal Law Clerk to the Honorable Kenneth M. Hoyt, United States District Court (Southern District of Texas).  

Mr. Hemphill’s academic background includes earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics, 1995-College of Business Administration, University of Texas at Arlington and a Juris Doctor degree, 1999-Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University, Magna Cum Laude, finishing third in his graduating class and earning a Masters of Divinity in Theology, 2009-Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Cum Laude. He has many notable academic accomplishments, including serving as Editor-in-Chief on the Thurgood Marshall Law Review, 1997-1999 and receiving honor as a 2009 B'nai B'rith Award in Social Ethics recipient for scholarly competence in the field of social ethics and personal commitment to social causes.

Mr. Hemphill's research and writing interests involve ethics, theology and law concerning human rights, civil rights and racial equality concerning social justice matters such as poverty and cultural inclusiveness as observed under the lens of the human condition as noted in traditional Christian doctrine.  His research interests involve examining theories and practices regarding sin (original sin), as such notions affects and relates to cultural and religious constructs regarding the relationship between God and humanity, human existence and understandings of Christ’s redemption of humanity from sin-consequences.  Mr. Hemphill’s distinct legal scholarly interests involve examining intersections of the law, theology and politics concerning public policy matters related to constitutional law (e.g., equal protection, freedom of religion, human and civil rights) and corporate/international law topics (e.g., corporate governance, ethics and compliance).  

Mr. Hemphill’s teaching experiences to date include serving as an adjunct ethics and business law professor in the University of Houston System. He has also lectured in the areas of Tort and Constitutional Law as a Student Assistant during his legal studies at Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University. Mr. Hemphill has served as a guest lecturer in Christian History and Systematic Theology based courses at Houston Graduate School of Theology.   

Mr. Hemphill is a licensed and ordained minister in the Missionary Baptist tradition (Southern and National Baptist Conferences). Reverend Hemphill has served as an associate minister at numerous local church congregations in Dallas and Houston. His roles in the church include serving on boards (e.g., board of Christian education), charring various men’s ministries, serving as a Sunday school teacher and providing legal representation to church congregations as corporate counsel. Reverend is also the founder of several non-profit entities, Sober Cup Coffee Foundation© Project F.O.R.K. L.I.F.T. Foundation© and The Golden Rule Legal Foundation©, all of which serve as social justice ministries.

Mr. Hemphill has published. He enjoys the distinction of a cited scholarly authority in the area of Tort Reform. Mr. Hemphill has primarily presented lectures on construction law matters throughout the States of Texas and Minnesota. In line with his ecumenical and academic roles, he has presented papers and lectures within the U.S. and internationally on topics in ethics and social justice in forums such as Prague, Czech Republic.

Mr. Hemphill holds licenses to practice law and appear before federal and state courts. His law licenses include the privilege to appear before the United States Supreme Court, the District of Minnesota, the Northern and Southern Districts of Texas, the State Bar of Minnesota and the State Bar of Texas.

Representative Engagements
Transactional Matters

• Drafted, negotiated and managed projects totaling $605 million involving Master Service Agreements, Request For Service Agreements, Marine, Vessel Charter and Construction (EPC) agreements relating to the construction of deepwater pipeline networks and plant facilities supporting delivery of oil and gas products by producers within the energy and oil and gas industry, including but not limited to:
    
  • Negotiated and drafted multimillion Master Services Agreements concerning construction, engineering and repair firms for offshore services
  • Negotiated and drafted multimillion Master Services Agreement concerning offshore repair contractor
  • Negotiated and drafted multimillion Master Services Agreement concerning offshore dewatering oil and gas pipeline services contractor
  • Negotiated and drafted multi-million Master Dive Agreement for dive contractor
  • Developed Master Dive Services Agreement for Company
  • Negotiated and drafted multimillion EPC agreement concerning onshore processing facility
  • Negotiated and drafted Master Services Agreement regarding software testing contractor
• Drafted, negotiated and oversaw (legal aspect) the City of Houston’s construction, consulting and professional services agreement projects in amounts of thousands to multi-millions, including but not limited to:
     
  • Lump sum and Work Order Construction Management Agreements totaling $9,623,079 within ranges of $5,000-$556,925 Professional Program/Architect Agreements totaling $254,975 within ranges of $29,975-$125,000
  • Interlocal Capital Improvement Agreements totaling $1,542,224
  • Design/Build  Agreement concerning City of Houston’s building/facility projects totaling $1,691,000

• Developed and negotiated multi-billion dollar Interlocal Freight Rail District Agreement
• $318,000 Software Development Agreement
• Drafted Utility Relocation Agreement
• Drafted Heavy Construction Equipment Loan Agreement
• Drafted Management District Agreements
• Drafted Fiber Optic Agreements
• Drafted and Implemented Master Design/Build Agreement for City of Houston’s Request For Qualification Projects

• Drafted Supply Agreement Concerning City of Houston’s Animal Shelter Department
• Drafted TIRZ Economic Development Agreements
• Drafted Environmental Testing Lab Agreements
• Drafted Water-resale Supply Agreements
• $1.8 million Purchase Agreement for national construction firm
• $60 million joint venture & merger for Mexican manufacturing firm
• Underwriter representation in 11.5 million shares offering of common stock by energy company
• $1 million food services warehouse construction agreement for food manufacturer
• $1 billion project development involving an automobile manufacturing plant in Alabama
• Licensing Agreement for large ecclesiastic entity
• Underwriter representation in 2 million share offering of common stock by energy company
• Acted as general counsel for recording and entertainment company
• $637 thousand commercial real estate sale for ecclesiastic entity
• Represented waste and disposal company in secondary offering of $400 million of senior notes
• Acted as general counsel for a marina company
• Acted as corporate counsel for a national construction firm
• Acted as estate planning counsel for $800 thousand family concern

Litigation Matters

• Allstate v. Nissan (2001)
• American Accounts & Advisors, Inc. v. Hinderaker (1999)
• American Roofing, Inc. v. Kriske (2001)
• Barfield v. Mitsubishi (2001)
• Brooks v. Rheem Manufacturing (2001)
• Blankenship v. Bridgestone/Firestone North America Tire, LLC (2001)
• Collier v. Nissan (2001)
• Ford v. Saturn (2001)
• Garcia v. Toyota (2001)
• Gray v. Bridgestone/Firestone North America Tire, LLC (2001)
• Harvey v. American Home Products (2001)
• J.C. Penney v. Florida Wire & Cable Company (2001)
• Marin v. Nissan (2001)
• Ngoc Nguyen v. Twin Cities RISE! (1999)
• Olesen v. Thompson (1999)

• Paiz v. General Motors (2001)
• Portland Properties v. Philip Land (2001)
• Saucedo v. Bridgestone/Firestone North America Tire, LLC (2001)
• State Farm v. Rheem Manufacturing Company (2001)
• Trevino v. Temple-Inland, Inc. (2001)
• Tunnels, Inc. v. SJ Lewis, Inc. (1999)
• Van Leeuween Pipe & Tube Corp. (2001)
• Winslett v. General Motors (2001)
• Evans v. Bayer Corp. (2003)
• 3i Construction, LLC v. Smoothie Factory, Inc. (2003)
• Nautilus Insurance Company v. Lake Houston Marina (2005)
• Du Bois v. Bastine (2008)

Publications, Writings, Speeches and Presentations
Legal Publications, Speeches and Presentations

• “Am I my Brother’s Keeper?: Immigration Law Reform and the Liberty that is America (A Legal, Theological and Ethical Commentary on the Debate of Allowing Immigrant Amnesty" (Fall 2008), Presented at the 2008 Immigration Law & Public Policy Symposium, November 7, Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas

• “The Ethical and Legal Perspectives of A Moral Social System Regarding Civic Responsibility and Privilege: Punitive Aspects of the North American Criminal Justice System and Rationales Concerning Prohibition of Voting Rights Largely Affecting Afro-American Populations” (In Process-Spring 2009)
• “Additional Considerations Regarding an Analysis in Ethics Concerning Professor Ron Scalise’s Article, Why No ‘Efficient Breach’ in the Civil Law?: A Comparative Assessment of the Doctrine of Efficient Breach of Contract” (In Process-Fall 2009)
• “Alternatives, Ends and the Devil’s Due!: Why Alternative Fuel Sources Should Trump Carbon Based Fuel Sources (An Ethical Analysis of the Debate)” (In Process-Fall 2009)
• “Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School Dist. No. 1—Left with ‘. . . A Moral and Ethical Obligation to . . . [Create] an Integrated Society . . .’ from a Right (and Correct) Interpretation of What Constitutes Illegal/Legal Segregation/Desegregation (A Legal, Economic and Theological/Ethical Observation Regarding Race Segregation/Desegregation in North America)” (In Process-Fall 2009)
• “Voting Equality, Socio-Economic Status and the Disenfranchisement of Convicted Felons (A Legal, Economic and Ethical Analysis of the Effects on Impoverished Communities Regarding the Prohibition of Voting Rights Concerning Convicted Felons)” (In Process-Fall 2009)
• “Reforming Business and Legal Ethics Pedagogy Through Incorporating Socio-Economic Theories and Observations” (In Process-Fall 2009)
• “Corporate Misconduct: Examining Government Intervention,  Market Solutions and Alternative Deterrents through Ethics Pedagogy (A Legal and Economic Analysis of Corporate Scandals and the Effectiveness of Various Remedial Approaches)” (Summer 2007), Presented at the 2007 Inaugural Texas Junior Legal Scholars Conference, August 10-11th, 2007, Texas Wesleyan School of Law, Fort Worth, Texas

• “A Boutique Firm: It May Be Right For You,” The American Bar Association-Young Lawyers Division News Letter, Vol. 7, No. 6 (Spring 2003)
• “The True Gloom of Unethical Corporate Conduct: The Destruction of a Capitalist Market System from an Economic Perspective” (Fall 2003)
• Student Note: “Smoke Screens and Mirrors: Don't Be Fooled, Get the Economic Facts Behind Tort Reform and Punitive Damages Limitations,” 23 Thurgood Marshall Law Review 143 (Spring 1997) (Cited Nelson P. Miller, "No-Fault Tort Law as a ‘Strategic Assumption’: Throwing Out the Baby With the Bathwater," 82 U. Det. Mercy L. Rev. 47, 58 at n. 7 (2004); Nelson P. Miller, “Seven Conceptual and Historical Errors in Tort Law,” 40 Tort Trial & Ins. Prac. L. J. 59 at n. 4 (2004); Caleb E. Mason, “Doctrinal Considerations for Fast-Food Obesity Suits,”40 Tort Trial & Ins. Prac. L. J. 75 at n. 152 (2004))
• Featured Presenter and Panelist (Fall 2008) at the 2008 Fourth Annual National Black Pre-Law Admissions and Preparation Conference and Law Fair, October 10-11, the University of Houston, Houston, Texas
• “Contract Litigation Prevention,” Construction Law Litigation Series, City of Houston, Texas Bar CLE, (Spring 2006)
• Developed and Coordinated lecture “Ethical Decision Making and Corporate Governance and Culture,” Presented by the Honorable Bill White, Mayor of the City of Houston, University of Houston-Downtown, Houston, Texas (Fall 2005)
• Coordinated and Developed “Design-Build Contract Guide,” City of Houston Legal Department, Faegre & Benson LLP, Texas Bar CLE, Houston, Texas  (Fall 2005)
• “Construction Review,” Drafting Construction Contracts 101, City of Houston, Texas Bar CLE, Houston, Texas (Spring 2005)
• “A Foray into Removal,” Advanced Personal Injury Law Course Sponsored by the Texas Bar CLE, Houston, Texas (Spring 2001)
• “Construction Review,” Year in Construction Law Review, Faegre & Benson LLP, Minnesota CLE, Minneapolis, Minnesota (Spring 2000)

Religious Studies Writings, Lectures and Presentations

• “The Tension of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Prison Theology Regarding Social Reflections Concerning Race and Poverty: Provoking Action Toward Social Justice Beyond Secular and Religious Jargon” (Summer 2008), Presented at the 2008 X. International Bonhoeffer Congress, July 22-27, 2008, Czech Agricultural University, Prague, Czech Republic

• “Am I my Brother’s Keeper?: Immigration Law Reform and the Liberty that is America (A Legal, Theological and Ethical Commentary on the Debate of Allowing Immigrant Amnesty”  (Fall 2008), Presented at the 2008 Immigration Law & Public Policy Symposium, November 7, Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas

• “The Common Good: Observing Motivations, Rationales and Thoughts Concerning the Influence of Sin Behind Ethics Systems Formulations that Justify Im/Moral Medical Experimentation on Marginalized Populations in Relation to Achieving the Good Life”  (In Process-Spring 2009)
• “The Virus, Sickness and Holistic Determinations: ‘I Am Legend’ (A Literary and Film Deconstructive Analysis Regarding Religion, Sin, Racial Injustice and Projections of Cultural Consequences Toward Efforts to Find a Cure”) (In Process-Spring 2009)
• “Additional Considerations Regarding an Analysis in Ethics Concerning Professor Ron Scalise’s Article, Why No ‘Efficient Breach’ in the Civil Law?: A Comparative Assessment of the Doctrine of Efficient Breach of Contract” (In Process-Fall 2009)
• “Conscious Versus Reasoned Ethics: Future Ethical Considerations Regarding Relational Indifference Toward Humanity and Other Creatures: A Theological Consideration of the Decay of Moral Anthropological and Ecological Ethics” (In Process-Fall 2009)

• “Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School Dist. No. 1—Left with ‘. . . A Moral and Ethical Obligation to . . . [Create] an Integrated Society . . .’ from a Right (and Correct) Interpretation of What Constitutes Illegal/Legal Segregation/Desegregation (A Legal, Economic and Theological/Ethical Observation Regarding Race Segregation/Desegregation in North America)” (In Process-Fall 2009)
  

• “Voting Equality, Socio-Economic Status and the Disenfranchisement of Convicted Felons: A Legal, Economic and Ethical Analysis of the Effects on Impoverished Communities Regarding the Prohibition of Voting Rights Concerning Convicted Felons” (In Process-Fall 2009)

• “When in Egypt Do as the Masses Do: God-Talk, Popular Culture and Christian Evangelism (A Practical and Spiritual Examination of Christian Evangelism in Light of Exodus 4:1-13)” (In Process-Fall 2009)
• “Christocentric Meaning of Success: Restructuring the Prosperity Gospel” (In Process-Fall 2009)
   
• “The New Herodians! North American Political Right, Christian Right and God-Talk: Cultural Politics and Duping the Religious Faithful” (In Process-Fall 2009)

• “Death at the Gates-Moving Forward: A Literary, Spiritual and Praxis Analysis of 2 Kings 7.1-11 Toward Galvanizing Progressive Understandings and Practical Solutions Regarding Contemporary Afro-American Cultural Concerns in the Post-Martin L. King, Jr. Era.”  (In Process-Summer 2009)
• “Reforming Business and Legal Ethics Pedagogy Through Incorporating Socio-Economic Theories and Observations” (In Process-Summer 2009)

• “Shattering Dominance: Rethinking Concepts of Evangelism Concerning Sin, Relationship and Salvation” (Spring 2008) 
• “Pastoral Insights Regarding Psychiatric Illness and Substance Dependency: A Short Commentary on Faith and Spirit Responses to Situations Concerning Psychiatrically Challenged and Substance Dependent Individuals and their Families” (Spring 2008) 
• Lecture, “Afro-American Christology: Christocentrism? The Black Church (Thought) and Jesus,” (Summer 2007), June 18, 2007, Houston Graduate School of Theology, Houston, Texas
• “The Endemic Self-Ego Ethos and Middle-Road Ideologies:  The Pervasive Effects and Influences of Original Sin Toward Decaying Modern/Pop Cultures’ Collective Psyche” (Spring 2007), Presented at the 2007 American Academy of Religion, Southwest Commission on Religious Studies Regional Meeting-Ethics, Society and Cultural Analysis Section, March 3-4, 2007, The Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport Hotel, Irving, Texas
• “Christ As Whole: The Soteriological Essence of Jesus as Prophet and Divine (Fall 2006)
• “Black Churches and Culture: The Specific Racial and Sexist Complexities that Influence the Communal Interaction and Pedagogical System in a Traditional and Urban Afro-American Church Congregation” (Spring 2006)
• “Imitating Christ = Rhetoric: An Analysis of Colossians 3:12-4:1” (Spring   2006)
• “Invisibility, Feigned Ignorance, Unacceptable Ignorance and ‘Getting It!’: Race Relations—The Non-Problem Approach” (Spring 2006)
• “A Reflective Analysis of H. Richard Niebuhr’s Christ & Culture” (Spring 2006)
• “Sanctified: Conduct Honoring the Grace Given Gift (Christ) of God (An Analysis of I Corinthians 1:1-9” (Spring 2006)
• “Righteousness and Justice: Hebrew Scripture Motifs for the Matthean and Lukan Communities Concerning the Fulfilled Kingdom (An Exegesis of Matthew 22:1-24 and Luke-Acts 15:14-24)” (Fall 2005)
• “Now!  The Kingdom of God Amongst Us: An Exegesis of Mark 1:12-13 (Fall 2005)
• “Adolf Harnack: Definition of a Liberal Theologian” (Spring 2005)
• “The Atomic (Adamaic) Breakdown of Genetic (Genesis) Assertions Regarding Homosexuality: Debunking Predispositions that Homosexuality Originates from Genetic Influences” (Spring 2005)
• “Benedictine Order: Moral Decision Model” (Spring 2005)
• “The Development, Character and Influence of Sin on the Christian Faith” (Fall 2004)

• “Development of Christian Dogma” (Spring 2005)
• “Ethical Business in the 21st Century: A Christian Perspective” (Spring 2005)

Books

• “The Courage to Rise Above Culture: An Examination into the Myths, Truths and Dignity of Afro-American People and their Confidence to Exist” (In Progress)
• "Monday Morning Religion, Sunday Morning Salvation: An Afro-American‟s Perspective on Theological Education (and Other Matters) in the Metaphor of a Week (Five Years) at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University" © (In Progress)

Admissions and Affiliations

• United States Supreme Court
• District of Minnesota; Northern and Southern District of Texas
• Supreme Court of Minnesota and Texas
• American Academy of Religion
• American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, Business Law Committee, Vice Chair, 2000 to 2002
• Houston Bar Association
• Dallas Bar Association
• Houston Young Lawyers Association
• Dallas Association of Young Lawyers
• National Bar Association
• National Association for Business Economics
• DePelchin Children’s Center (Fund Development Committee Member, 2005-2006)
• Sober Cup Coffee Foundation©  (Founder and CEO, 2008-Present)
• Project F.O.R.K. L.I.F.T. Foundation©  (Founder and CEO, 2008-Present)
• The Golden Rule Legal Foundation©  (Founder and CEO, 2008-Present)

Awards and Honors

• B'nai B'rith Award in Social Ethics for scholarly competence in the field of social ethics and personal commitment to social causes (May 2009)

• Scholarship Recipient of the 2008 X. International Bonhoeffer Congress, Czech Agricultural University, Prague, Czech Republic (July 2008)

• American Jurisprudence Award

                        Federal Jurisdiction, 1999

                        Consumer Rights, 1998

                        Trial Simulation, 1998          

                        Constitutional Law, 1997

• Scholarly Recognition