Partner Edra Bush joined Linebarger in 2016 and shares her expertise and litigation skills from our San Antonio office.

Prior to joining Linebarger, Edra’s practice focused primarily on real estate law, working for the Texas Association and San Antonio Board of REALTORS®, where she served as Vice President of Risk Management and General Counsel. She is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and Texas and is a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas.

A native Texan, Ms. Bush has always been dedicated to her community, mentoring students, volunteering with the American Red Cross, fundraising for numerous scholarships, and as an active participant in various civic organizations. She is currently a board member of the Judson Education Foundation in support of Judson ISD.

Ms. Bush received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Xavier University in Louisiana. She earned her Juris Doctor at the University of Texas – Austin.

Emily Watkins currently handles the delinquent tax docket for Linebarger’s Galveston County clients. Previously, until February of 2020, she handled post-judgment matters for Linebarger’s Houston office. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Communication Studies in December of 2002. She received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Houston Law Center in 2006 and has been licensed to practice law since November of that year.

Ms. Watkins is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Galveston County Bar Association. She is currently an active member of Communities in School – Bay Area, the League City Lions, and the Galveston County Meal on Wheels Advisory Board. She is also a past board member of the Center for the Missing, the Texas Creditor’s Bar Association, and Galveston County Mediation Services Board.

Spencer McCord assists with regulatory compliance and litigation management and provides general support for the clients served by our New York City law office.

Prior to joining Linebarger, Mr. McCord was an associate attorney with the law firm of Mel S. Harris & Associates in Manhattan. He served as Business Editor of the New York Law School Media Law & Policy Journal.

Mr. McCord served as a research assistant to Prof. David Schoenbrod, providing research and editing assistance on a published book that proposed changes to environmental regulation. Mr. McCord has lived in the New York metropolitan area for most of his life and is an active community member.

He was admitted to practice law in the State of New York in 2010 and the State of New Jersey in 2009. He also practices law before the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Mr. McCord received his Bachelor of Arts in History from Lehigh University in 2006 and his Juris Doctor from New York Law School in 2009.

James Guest shares his enthusiasm and professionalism with our clients from our Lufkin office. He strives daily to ensure every client receives prompt customer service, excellent legal representation, and a reliable stream of delinquent tax revenue.

A former U.S. Marine, Mr. Guest worked five years as a government contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan before joining Linebarger in December 2014.

Mr. Guest supports his community in a variety of ways including serving on several voluntary boards including the Lufkin Education Foundation, Silsbee Education Foundation, the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council of Deep East Texas, and the City of Zavalla Volunteer Fire Department. Mr. Guest is also a member of the Angelina County Bar Association. 

In 2006, he graduated from American Intercontinental University (B.S., Information Technology, magna cum laude), and then pursued a law degree from the University of Houston Law Center (J.D., 2014). James was admitted to the Texas Bar in 2014.  During law school, James was an Editor of the Houston Business and Tax Law Journal. He was also awarded a 2013 Blask Fellowship for his commitment to public service due to his involvement with Harris County Veterans Court and two federal internships that included working with the Honorable Judge Harold Demoss of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.  

Nancy Su oversees operations in our Los Angeles office and provides legal counsel and litigation services for clients in California.

Prior to Linebarger, Ms. Su was in private practice with the Moore Law Group, representing national banks in collection matters. She continued her career in private sector collections, moving to the Resurgence Legal Group, P.C. As the California Managing Attorney, she oversaw office operations for this creditor rights law firm, managing litigation and ensuring compliance with all applicable federal and state laws pertaining to private-sector debt collections. She has also worked in the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office as a Reserve Deputy City Attorney.

She is a member of the California Creditors Bar Association and Los Angeles County Bar. During law school, Ms. Su was the Women’s Law Journal Co-Editor-in-Chief. She is an active member of her community.

Ms. Su is admitted to practice in the courts of California. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2007. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law in 2011.

Staci Killingsworth serves as a primary liaison for our delinquent court fees and fines clients from our Longview office.

Ms. Killingsworth joined Linebarger in 2016 and was made partner in 2022. She was admitted to the bar in 2007. She is a member of the Gregg County Bar Association and the State Bar of Texas and is admitted to practice before the Eastern District of Texas.

Ms. Killingsworth is a fourth generation Gregg County resident and an active member and committee chair of the Parent Teacher Organization at Hudson Planned Enrichment Program (PEP) in Longview ISD. She is also a proud member of the Rotary Club of Longview, the Greggton Rotary Club, Legacy Longview, and the Junior League of Longview and the Longview Chamber of Commerce.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies from the University of Texas – Austin in 2004 and later received her Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law in 2007.

Jeannie Andresen, an attorney with the Bankruptcy group in Linebarger’s Houston office, contributes to cases on behalf of our clients across the nation.

Prior to joining Linebarger, Ms. Andresen clerked for Chief Judge David Jones in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of Texas where she drafted legal research memos, orders, and opinions. She has represented bankruptcy clients on both sides of the bankruptcy process, both consumers looking for debt modifications and commercial clients seeking litigation.

Ms. Andresen serves on committees for the Subchapter V and Small Business Case Committee (SDTX) as Chair of Forms Subcommittee and the Moller/Foltz Inns of Court as Secretary. She is a member of the Korean American Bar Association of Texas, the Houston Association of Young Bankruptcy Lawyers, and the Turnaround Management Association Houston Chapter.

Ms. Andresen received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. She was admitted to the Texas Bar in 2016 after receiving her Juris Doctorate from St. Mary’s School of Law. During her time at St. Mary’s, she served as a student attorney representing indigent clients and was named Defense Student Attorney of the year.

Kevin Underwood serves as Chief Compliance Officer for Linebarger and is an integral part of the firm’s statutory and regulatory compliance.

Prior to Linebarger, Mr. Underwood served as the Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs for AllianceOne. He is a former Judge pro tem and current member of the Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts, Pattern Forms ad hoc Subcommittee on Garnishment.

Mr. Underwood is a past president and the former long-serving Legislative Committee Chair for the Washington Collectors Association and has served on various committees for ACA International, including as chair of the Judiciary Committee (2023-2024). He has worked on virtually all legislation in Washington related to court and government collections, drafting numerous industry-related bills that became law. He has lectured on collection and compliance subjects at the state and national levels.

He is admitted to practice in the courts of Washington; Oregon; Minnesota; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington; U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington; and U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.

Mr. Underwood received a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of Washington, and his Juris Doctor from the University of Puget Sound (now Seattle University) School of Law with honors.

Margaret Alfred prepares cases for litigation, reviews all documents before filing suit, and attends court to obtain speedy judgments and protect our client’s interests. Before filing litigation, she makes every effort to work with delinquent taxpayers, allowing them every opportunity to work out payment arrangements acceptable to our clients. 

Ms. Alfred joined Linebarger in 2019 as a litigation attorney in our Houston office. She attended Lamar University, receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting with a minor in Spanish in 2013. She received her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree at Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston graduating cum laude in 2018. She attended the University of Florida Levin College of Law achieving a Masters of Law in Taxation in 2019 and was awarded the Dean’s Leadership Award.  

She currently serves as the historian for Women Professionals in Government. Ms. Alfred is a member of the Texas State Bar Association, and Houston Young Lawyer’s Association and is an avid volunteer for the Houston Food Bank, and many local community organizations. 

Derick Mendoza has extensive experience in managing property tax collection programs for our Houston-area clients.

From 2006 to 2015, Mr. Mendoza served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General Corps. In 2011, he was a national finalist for Most Outstanding Army Reserve Junior Officer. He also earned the Army Meritorious Service Medal and Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.

Mr. Mendoza is an active member of his community maintaining memberships in People Caring for the Community, Inc. and Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity. He is a founding member of the Filipino Young Professionals of Houston. Mr. Mendoza is a Texas Bar Foundation Fellow and the first Filipino American to serve as a Houston Bar Association Ambassador. He also serves as co-chair of the Houston Bar Association Special Olympics Committee.

After receiving a Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas A&M University-College Station in Business Administration in 1997, Mr. Mendoza earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence at South Texas College of Law-Houston in 2001. He also earned a Professional Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship in 2018 from Stanford University. He was admitted to the Texas Bar in 2002 and to the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas in 2011.