Donna Kohlhausen

Dr. Donna Kohlhausen serves as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of General Business, Marketing and Supply Chain at the University of Houston-Downtown. A full-time faculty member since 2014 (after 18 years as an adjunct instructor), she brings 40+ years of legal practice experience to her teaching. A licensed Texas attorney since 1978, she integrates real-world legal expertise into business education while maintaining active roles as a City of Houston Hearing Examiner and family law mediator.

Her academic credentials include:

• MBA in Management from the University of Houston
• Juris Doctor from the University of Houston
• BS in Social Studies/Teaching Certificate from The University of Texas at Austin

Dr. Kohlhausen's research focuses on Business Law and Commercial Law, with significant expertise in Mediation and Legal Environment of Business. Her teaching consistently centers on BA 3301 (Legal Environment of Business) and BA 3302 (Commercial Law) courses, reflecting her dual mastery of legal practice and business education. She emphasizes practical courtroom-to-classroom knowledge transfer, particularly in contract law and regulatory frameworks.

Her scholarly output demonstrates interdisciplinary connections between finance and organizational research methodology. The 2016 Vietnamese equity market study explores statistical properties of emerging markets, while the 2010 Organizational Research Methods article advocates for research that balances academic rigor with business relevance. Both works reveal her commitment to bridging theoretical frameworks with practical business applications.

Dr. Kohlhausen maintains active professional service as a Board Member for Lamar High School PTA/PTO since 1994. While no graduate student advising or research grants are documented, her legal career includes partnership at Taylor and Kohlhausen (1986-2006) and current City of Houston Hearing Examiner duties. Her mediation certifications (2004-present) and Texas State Bar membership (1978-present) underscore her ongoing legal practice alongside academic work.