Justice Bland was appointed to the First Court of Appeals in 2003 and was elected in 2004, 2006, and 2012. Before becoming an appellate judge, she served for six years as a civil trial judge. Before serving on the bench, she practiced with Baker Botts L.L.P., focusing on civil trial and appellate work. Before that, she clerked for Judge Thomas Gibbs Gee on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Justice Bland serves on the Texas Supreme Court’s Rules Advisory Committee and is the chair of the State Bar of Texas’s Oversight Committee on the Texas Pattern Jury Charges, having previously served on the Business, Consumer and Employment Law volume. She is board certified in civil appellate law and civil trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Justice Bland is a member of the American Law Institute and serves on the boards of Houston Volunteer Lawyers, the UT Law School Foundation, and St. John’s School.