Meet Abby

I’m Modinat “Abby” Kotun.
You can call me Abby.
I solve problems.

I am an associate in the Labor and Employment Practice Group of the Houston office of Reed Smith LLP, a global law firm. I am board certified in labor and employment law and represents clients in a wide variety of labor and employment matters, including general employment counseling; defense of discrimination charges and lawsuits; and trade secret, unfair competition, and wage and hour litigation. I have experience representing employers before the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC).

Before starting my legal career, I formerly worked for a major energy company as a process engineer, pipeline project manager, and business analyst. I graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston Law Center, and while in law school, interned for a federal bankruptcy judge, served as the Internet Publishing Editor of the Houston Law Review, and volunteered as a student attorney in the civil and immigration clinics. I love giving back through pro bono work and have represented individuals referred through Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) and the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program (HVLP).

I’ve also tried my hand at entrepreneurship, co-owning the Afro-centric bar and lounge, Zanzibar Houston, for several years.

Outside of work, I am active in Houston’s Nigerian, engineering, and legal communities. I am currently a Vice President for the Nigerian-American Multicultural Council (NAMC) and Immediate Past Chair of the African-American Lawyers Section of the State Bar of Texas (AALS). I serve on the board of directors of Aneden Gives, a non-profit with a mission to create positive outcomes for families in their fertility journeys. I am also a Past President of the Houston Lawyers Association and African Professionals Network - Houston (AfriPRO Houston).