Practice areas: Civil Litigation, Employment Litigation, Business & Corporate; view more
Licensed in Texas since: 2007
Education: Texas Tech University School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2017 - 2025 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2014 - 2017 Call today:
512-961-4389
Wright & Greenhill, PC
4700 Mueller BlvdSuite 200
Austin, TX 78723 Visit website
Heidi Coughlin is the managing attorney and shareholder at the Austin, Texas, law firm Wright & Greenhill PC. She has a successful history of defending individuals, small businesses, educational institutions and corporations in civil and commercial litigation matters involving Cannabis law, contract disputes, defamation, construction litigation, premises liability, Qui Tam and whistleblower actions, insurance disputes, personal injury, defective products and more.
Ms. Coughlin is one of the first attorneys in Texas to practice cannabis law. She has been serving as regulatory counsel for the sole Texas-based business that is legally able to sell low-THC cannabis in the state ever since the Compassionate Use Act was first enacted. When it comes to advising firms that are involved in hemp or CBD production as they traverse this complicated legal landscape, she is well qualified to do so because she has a profound understanding of these laws and regulations.
Majoring in communications, Ms. Coughlin graduated cum laude with her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2004. She received her Juris Doctor from Texas Tech University School of Law in Lubbock, Texas, in 2007 and was admitted to practice in the state courts of Texas the same year. She was later licensed to appear before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
Ms. Coughlin was accepted into the American Board of Trial Advocates in 2020, an exclusive group of judges and trial attorneys who possess a great deal of trial experience in addition to the qualities of professionalism, civility and integrity. In 2024 she will serve as Treasurer for ABOTA. Formerly she served as vice president of the Texas Association of Defense Counsel and the Bench Bar Fundraising Chair of the Austin Bar Association.
Practice areas
Civil Litigation: Defense, Civil Litigation: Plaintiff, Employment Litigation: Plaintiff, Business/Corporate, Cannabis Law, Construction Litigation: BusinessFocus areas
Contracts
- 30% Civil Litigation: Defense
- 20% Civil Litigation: Plaintiff
- 20% Employment Litigation: Plaintiff
- 10% Business/Corporate
- 10% Cannabis Law
- 10% Construction Litigation: Business
First Admitted: 2007, Texas
Professional Webpage: https://www.wrightgreenhill.com/attorney/heidi-a-coughlin/
Bar / Professional Activity
- She currently serves as the Secretary of the Austin chapter of American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and was recently elected to serve as President-Elect beginning 2026.
- Texas Association of Defense Counsel - Member, Present; Vice President, Chair, 2015 to 2016; Director at Large, Chair, 2012 to 2014; Trial Academy Faculty, Chair, 2014; Executive Board
- Travis County Women Lawyers' Association (TCWLA) - Member
- U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
- Texas Bar Association, 2007
Pro bono / Community Service
- Austin Bar Association, Bench Bar Fundraising Chair, 2009 to 2013
- Texas Association of Defense Counsel, ("TADC") Trial Academy, Faculty Member
Educational Background
- University of Texas at San Antonio, B.A., cum laude, Communications, 2004
- University of Cape Town Faculty of Law, Cape Town, Human Rights Law, 2016
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Advanced Evidence and Discovery, Impeachment through Social Media, State Bar of Texas, 2016
- Ethical Internet Behavior in Litigation and Review of Proposed Amendments to the Texas Disciplinary Rule, Wright & Greenhilll, P.C., 2009
- Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and Other Social Networking Media as Tools for Litigation, TADC Summer Meeting, 2010
- Social Media and the Chaos Created by Mark Zuckerburg, Travis County Bench Bar, 2011
- LinkedIn for Lawyers: Be Not Afraid, TADC Winter Seminar, 2012
- Horrors of Social Media: Tales from the Dark-Side, Travis County Bench Bar, 2012
- Social Media's Smoking Gun, Austin Lawyer, Vol. 21 Num. 8, October, 2012
- Social Media & Litigation, McGinnis Lockridge Litigation Department, 2012
- Taming The Social Media Beast, TADC Magazine, Summer, 2012
- Social Media as an Investigative Tool: You Won't Believe What's Out There, TADC Winter Seminar, 2013
- Evidence & Expert Testimony: The Art of Persuading A Jury, The Ultimate Trial Notebook, 2013
- Social Media and The Practice of Law, TADC Spring Seminar, 2014
- Cannabis Regulation
- Civil Litigation
- Personal Injury
These comments were made by fellow attorneys during the annual nomination process.
“Heidi is an exceptional lawyer. She is always courteous, professional, prepared, and persuasive!”
“Outstanding attorney and pathbreaking female managing partner of a top notch firm”
“Heidi is an excellent lawyer, is involved in many legal organizations and is president of her lawfirm.”
“Heidi is a fantastic trial attorney and person.”
“Great attorney, person and manager of a very successful firm.”
“Ms. Coughlin exemplifies what it means to be an advocate.”
“Heidi is a fierce advocate for her clients, and an intelligent, hard-working attorney. Highly recommended!”
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2017 - 2025
- Rising Stars: 2014 - 2017
