Sales’s father, James B. Sales, served as president of the Houston Bar Association in 1980-81. He is the third HBA president whose father previously held that leadership role.

Sales earned his B.B.A. degree in accounting with highest honors in 1984 from the University of Texas, where he was a member of Beta Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi. He earned his law degree with high honors in 1987 from the University of Texas, where he was a member of Order of the Coif, Chancellors, Phi Delta Phi and the Texas Law Review.

Sales is a litigation partner at Baker Botts L.L.P., where he concentrates on products liability, pharmaceutical defense, commercial law and insurance litigation. Sales and his wife, Sandy, have three children, Katie, 17; Emily, 14; and James, 11.