Howard S. Slobodin

Adjunct Professor

Howard S. Slobodin is General Counsel to the Trinity River Authority of Texas. Mr. Slobodin received a Bachelor of Arts (​cum ​laude, Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of Oregon and a Doctor of Jurisprudence (with honors) from the University of Texas School of Law. He joined the Trinity River Authority in April 2008.

Previously, Mr. Slobodin practiced environmental and water law in both the public and private sectors. His practice began as an Assistant Attorney General with the Texas Attorney General’s Office. In private practice, he represented public and private entities in disputes related to groundwater and surface water.

Mr. Slobodin has litigated matters with regard to surface water ratemaking and the compensability of regulatory takings of groundwater in Texas, and participated in contract negotiations for two of the largest surface water sales in recent Texas history. He is a fellow of the Texas Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution. 

Mr. Slobodin is actively engaged in policymaking related to water, and supports the legislative activities of both the Trinity River Authority and of the Texas Water Conservation Association as the Chairman of its Water Laws Committee, in which capacity he has served since 2017. In 2019, Mr. Slobodin received the President’s Award from the Association for his contributions. He also participates in the Texas regional water planning process. 

Mr. Slobodin has served as an Adjunct Professor at the Texas A&M School of Law since 2018. He has also frequently guest lectured at other law schools on topics related to Texas water law and policy. 

He has contributed to the last three editions of the State Bar of Texas Essentials of Texas Water Resources treatise, and co-authored “Old Water Becoming New Again: Reuse of Treated Wastewater Effluent in Texas,” 4 Tex. A&M J. Prop. L. 237, with then-Texas A&M Law student Hope Shelton.