Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced new appointments to his senior leadership team. Austin Kinghorn will serve as Deputy Attorney General for Civil Litigation, Ryan Walters as Deputy Attorney General for Legal Strategy, and Billy Cole as Principal Deputy Solicitor General.
“Austin Kinghorn, Ryan Walters, and Billy Cole have been indispensable members of my team for years and have spearheaded many of our important litigation matters,” said Attorney General Paxton. “They have helped deliver victory after victory for Texas and I am confident they will continue serving the people of Texas with excellence in the new roles.”
Austin Kinghorn steps into his role with more than six years at the Office of the Attorney General. His past positions include Deputy Attorney General for Legal Strategy, Associate Deputy Attorney General for Legal Counsel, and Chair of the Opinion Committee. He also served as a litigator in the Healthcare Program Enforcement Division. Kinghorn's educational background includes a J.D. from Baylor Law School and an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
Ryan D. Walters takes on his new role following his tenure as Associate Deputy Attorney General for Civil Litigation. Over four years in the Special Litigation Division, he led significant cases against federal rules impacting immigration enforcement and gender-identity mandates in Texas institutions. Walters' previous experience includes work with the Texas Public Policy Foundation and roles within international law firms. He holds degrees from Ohio State University, University of Michigan Law School, and University of California, Berkeley.
Billy Cole joined the Office of the Attorney General in April 2021 as an Assistant Solicitor General before becoming Deputy Solicitor General in February 2024. His legal career features numerous appeals argued across several courts including soon at the U.S Supreme Court. Before joining OAG, Cole worked at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP and clerked for Judge Edith H. Jones at the U.S Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He graduated from University of Pennsylvania Law School and Pepperdine University.