ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
2017
SAN ANTONIO
IN THE NEWS page 5
LAWYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS page 7
Hohmann, Brophy & Shelton page 9
SAFEGUARDING THE COMMUNITY When companies put profits over safety, trial attorney Daniel J. T. Sciano steps in.
The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson page 16
page 11
A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS
PHOTO BY JILL HUNTER
LEFT TO RIGHT: AARON VALADEZ, GRANT MCFARLAND, LAWRENCE J. WEBB, DENNIS MOORE, DANIEL J.T. SCIANO, SHARON SAVAGE, STEPHEN F. LAZOR
T
insman & Sciano, Inc., has been representing clients in San Antonio and throughout the state of Texas for more than 45 years. Founded on the premise that each client’s case is of the utmost importance, our dedicated team of attorneys and support staff is committed to providing the firm’s clients with the best possible legal representation. Obtaining justice for individuals and family members who have experienced catastrophic injury or loss of life due to defective and unsafe products, negligently operated commercial vehicles, and industrial accidents can be very expensive due to the powerful corporations and business interests that oppose such claims. Tinsman & Sciano, Inc., has the financial resources and skilled personnel
that allow the firm’s attorneys to stand toe-to-toe with the most powerful of adversaries and obtain justice for the firm’s clients. I f yo u o r a f a m i l y m e m b e r n e e d s l e g a l representation because of harm caused by a defective and unsafe product, vehicular collision, medical negligence, or unsafe premises; or if you have been deprived of your rights under a will or trust; or if you have failed to receive oil and gas royalties that are owed to you—the attorneys and staff at Tinsman & Sciano will provide the legal representation that you need and deserve. Our unwavering goal is to see that our clients receive the full measure of justice they deserve for the harm or loss they have suffered.
10107 Mc Allister Freeway | San Antonio, T X 78216 toll free 80 0. 292.9999 | phone 21 0. 225. 3121 | fa x 21 0. 225.6235 w w w. t s s l a w y e r s . c o m
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2017
AUSTIN & SAN ANTONIO
PRESIDENT: PHILLIP GREER
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IN THE NEWS
A roundup of notable news of listed lawyers in your area.
BEST LAWYERS LISTED BY PRACTICE AREA AUSTIN & SAN ANTONIO’S 2017 LAWYER OF THE YEAR HONOREES
7 COVER STORY
9
COVER STORY
11 COVER STORY
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featuring Gina Shishima and Jane Snoddy Smith SPONSOR ED CON T EN T
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IN THIS ISSUE
SPONSOR ED CON T EN T
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THE BUSINESS OWNER’S GO-TO LAWYER Passionately representing owners to achieve the best possible results, Austin-based litigator Joseph Brophy is “all business.”
SAFEGUARDING THE COMMUNITY
When companies put profits over safety, trial attorney Daniel J. T. Sciano steps in.
MASTERS IN THE COURTROOM
The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson
SCAN TO ACCESS INTERACTIVE DIGITAL VERSION
B E S T L A W Y E R S ® . P U R E LY P E E R R E V I E W T M . Woodward/White Inc. has used its best efforts in assembling material for this list but does not warrant or represent that the information contained herein is complete or accurate. Woodward/White Inc. (and its affiliates, employees, officers, directors or agents) does not assume, and hereby expressly disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause. This magazine includes paid attorney advertising. Consumers should contact the state bar for verification and additional information prior to securing the legal services of any attorney, and nothing herein should be construed as the provision of legal advice. This publication is an excerpt of The Best Lawyers in America 2017® edition, which is available from the publisher, and does not constitute a complete list. For more information email info@bestlawyers.com or visit www.bestlawyers.com. “The Best Lawyers in America” and “Best Lawyers” are registered trademarks of Woodward/White, Inc.
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2017
AUSTIN & SAN ANTONIO
FEATURING 858 LAWYERS IN THE PRACTICE AREAS OF:
AUSTIN
AUSTIN DRIPPING SPRINGS FREDERICKSBURG GEORGETOWN LOCKHART TEMPLE WIMBERLEY
METRO MAP
SAN ANTONIO
BOERNE BULVERDE CRYSTAL CITY KERRVILLE LA VERNIA SAN ANTONIO
This map shows the Best Lawyersdesignated “metro areas” in this publication. In order to collect feedback on firm and attorney work within specific regions, Best Lawyers curates “metro areas.” For research purposes, smaller and more rural cities located within a reasonable distance to larger cities are combined into single geographical regions— metro areas—to help us collect as much feedback and data for specific individuals, firms, and practice areas, as possible. We also award “Lawyer of the Year” accolades through these metro area distinctions.
ABOUT BEST LAWYERS For more than three decades, Best Lawyers lists have been compiled by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which tens of thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. If the votes for an attorney are positive enough for inclusion in Best Lawyers, that attorney must maintain those votes in subsequent polls to remain on the list for each edition. Lawyers are not permitted to pay any fee to participate in or be included on our lists. Best Lawyers’ peer-reviewed listings are now published in almost 70 countries around the world, and our presence has grown substantially in the international legal community. In the U.S. alone, Best Lawyers lists reach more than 17 million readers through newspapers and regional magazines. The 23rd edition of The Best Lawyers in America (2017) includes 54,889 attorneys in 145 practice areas, covering all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and inclusion in this year’s publication is based on more than 7.3 million detailed evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers.
METHODOLOGY
1 NOMINATION Lawyers can be nominated by anyone but themselves.
2 PEER REVIEW Current listed lawyers provide feedback on the nominee’s work.
3 ANALYSIS OF FEEDBACK Results are calculated and feedback is reviewed.
4 ELIGIBILITY CHECK Nominees are confirmed to be in good standing with their local bar associations.
5 RESULTS RELEASED Firms are informed of results and the list is published.
Questions? Comments? For additional copies, more information on Best Lawyers or to subscribe to your regional edition of Best Lawyers magazine, please email To nominate an attorney for the next edition, please visit our info@bestlawyers.com website at BestLawyers.com. or call 718.509.6095. 4 |
AUSTIN & SAN ANTONIO
ADMINISTRATIVE / REGULATORY LAW ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION ANTITRUST LAW* APPELLATE PRACTICE AVIATION LAW BANKING AND FINANCE LAW BANKRUPTCY AND CREDITOR DEBTOR RIGHTS / INSOLVENCY AND REORGANIZATION LAW* BET-THE-COMPANY LITIGATION BIOTECHNOLOGY LAW BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS (INCLUDING LLCS AND PARTNERSHIPS) CLOSELY HELD COMPANIES AND FAMILY BUSINESSES LAW COLLABORATIVE LAW: FAMILY LAW COMMERCIAL LITIGATION COMMUNICATIONS LAW CONSTRUCTION LAW* CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND COMPLIANCE LAW CORPORATE LAW CRIMINAL DEFENSE: GENERAL PRACTICE CRIMINAL DEFENSE: WHITE-COLLAR DERIVATIVES AND FUTURES LAW DUI/DWI DEFENSE EDUCATION LAW ELDER LAW EMINENT DOMAIN AND CONDEMNATION LAW EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (ERISA) LAW* ENERGY LAW ENERGY REGULATORY LAW ENVIRONMENTAL LAW* EQUIPMENT FINANCE LAW FAMILY LAW FAMILY LAW MEDIATION FIRST AMENDMENT LAW* FRANCHISE LAW GOVERNMENT RELATIONS PRACTICE HEALTH CARE LAW* IMMIGRATION LAW INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW INSURANCE LAW INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW IT OUTSOURCING LAW LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW LAND USE & ZONING LAW LEGAL MALPRACTICE LAW LEVERAGED BUYOUTS AND PRIVATE EQUITY LAW LITIGATION - REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT (SEC, TELECOM, ENERGY) MASS TORT LITIGATION / CLASS ACTIONS MEDIA LAW MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LAW MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS LAW* MINING LAW MUNICIPAL LAW NATIVE AMERICAN LAW NATURAL RESOURCES LAW NON-PROFIT / CHARITIES LAW OIL AND GAS LAW PERSONAL INJURY LITIGATION PRODUCT LIABILITY LITIGATION PROFESSIONAL MALPRACTICE LAW PUBLIC FINANCE LAW RAILROAD LAW REAL ESTATE LAW* REINSURANCE LAW SECURITIES / CAPITAL MARKETS LAW SECURITIZATION AND STRUCTURED FINANCE LAW TAX LAW* TECHNOLOGY LAW TRADE SECRETS LAW TRUSTS AND ESTATES* UTILITIES LAW VENTURE CAPITAL LAW WATER LAW *An asterisk indicates a practice area includes litigation
THE NEWS
IN THE HEADLINES
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Bracewell: J. Tullos Wells (employment law – management; labor law – management, 2001), who is general counsel for the San Antonio Spurs, is representing Tim Duncan, the recently retired NBA player, against Duncan’s former financial adviser, Charles Augustus Banks IV. Banks was indicted on two counts (now four) of criminal wire fraud for allegedly defrauding Duncan of $75 million that Duncan invested in Gameday Entertainment, a sports merchandise company run by Banks. The four wire charges against Banks each carry a maximum 20-year sentence. Enoch Kever: Craig T. Enoch (appellate practice, 2008) is a former Supreme Court justice who went head-to-head with former Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson over a case CRAIG T. ENOCH brought to the Texas Supreme Court justices concerning an inheritance dispute. Enoch is representing a family who states that their stepgrandmother with dementia, Lesey Kinsel, was unduly influenced by her niece and nephew, who are blood relatives. Kinsel dropped Enoch’s clients from her will and sold her ownership in their grandfather’s ranch due to influence by her niece, nephew, and law firm Jackson Walker, which is also being sued by the Kinsels.
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Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani: Kenneth J. Ferguson (mass tort litigation / class actions – defendants; personal injury litigation – defendants; product liability litigation – defendants, 2005) is representing Uber in a lawsuit filed by Sarah Milburn, who became a quadriplegic paralyzed below the middle of her chest after her Uber driver ran a red light. Milburn is also suing Honda, the driver, and the owner of the van the Uber driver drove. Police charged the other driver for causing the accident, and no charges were filed against the Uber driver.
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Slack & Davis: Michael L. Slack (personal injury litigation – plaintiffs; product liability litigation – plaintiffs, 1995), John R. Davis, Paula Knippa; Joe K. Longley of the Law Offices of Joe K. Longley; and Roger N. Heller and Jonathan D. Selbin (product liability litigation – plaintiffs, 2013) of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein are representing policyholders in a class action lawsuit against Farmers Insurance. The lawsuit cites discrimination, alleging that Farmers intimidated its insurance agents into hiding lower rates offered to new customers from existing policyholders. This resulted in loyal, longtime policyholders paying higher premiums than new customers for virtually the same coverage. The plaintiffs are now seeking an injunction against Farmers to halt the unequal pricing and damages and/or restitution for attorney’s fees and costs.
AUSTIN & SA N A N TONIO ITN FEATURE
Sandra Bland’s Family Secures $1.9 Million Settlement in Civil Suit
T
o m R h o d e s L a w F i r m : To m While the medical examiner ruled Rhodes (bet-the-company litigation; Bland’s death as a suicide, Bland’s family commercial litigation; construction maintained that Bland would not have law; litigation – construction; litigation – taken her own life. At the time of her death, patent; medical malpractice law – plaintiffs; Bland had moved to Texas to start a new personal injury litigation – plaintiffs; product job at her alma mater Prairie View A&M liability litigation – plaintiffs; University. On social media, professional malpractice law – Bland was active, encouraging plaintiffs, 2001), Larry Powers, white and black people to Jr., and Cannon Lambert, Sr., befriend one another, posting represented the family of Sandra videos discussing her belief Bland, the 28-year-old Africanthat technology would play American woman who died in a key role in social justice jail after being arrested during a cases, and commenting on minor driving violation, against police shootings of unarmed Waller County and the Texas black men. Department of Public Safety. A grand jury determined SANDRA BLAND On July 10, 2015, Texas state that Encinia lied when he trooper Brian Encinia pulled Bland over for said he removed Bland from the car only failing to signal a lane change. Encinia’s dash to conduct a “safe traffic investigation.” cam footage and audio revealed that, after Following his perjury indictment, Encinia writing Bland a ticket, Encinia remarked that was fired by the Texas Department of Bland looked “irritated” and requested that Public Safety. she put out her cigarette. When Bland refused, In the civil suit filed by Bland’s family, Encinia ordered her out of the vehicle. After Larry J. Simmons, Jr., (personal injury attempting to forcibly remove Bland from her litigation – defendants, 2010) of Germer car, Encinia pulled out a stun gun and said, represented the Texas Department of Public “Get out of the car. I will light you up.” Safety. The settlement Rhodes and the rest of Encinia arrested Bland off-camera. Three the team helped secure for the Bland family days later, after being unable to afford the calls for Waller County to pay $1.8 million $500 bond, Bland was found hanging by a and the Texas Department of Public Safety trash bag in her cell. to pay an additional $100,000.
PHOTO: SANDRA BLAND / FACEBOOK
Compiled by Tess Congo NOTE Lawyers listed in Best Lawyers are indicated by their selected practice area(s) in parentheses along with the first year they were included in the Best Lawyers list. To be included in next year’s In the News feature, please email us your news at: news@bestlawyers.com.
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Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. Recognition in Best Lawyers is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor, conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers.
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COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD
83,543 2017 S U RV E Y R E S U LT S AUSTIN & SAN ANTONIO
12+ m 140
HART & HALLMAN ADMINISTRATIVE / APPELLATE PRACTICE KELLY David R. Keyes (B) REGULATORY LAW ALEXANDER DUBOSE JEFFERSON & KENNEDY SUTHERLAND TOWNSEND
BYRD DAVIS ALDEN & HENRICHSON Robert C. Alden CLEMENS & SPENCER George H. Spencer, Jr. Douglas W. Alexander, Marcy Hogan Greer, DAVIS, CEDILLO & MENDOZA Wallace B. Jefferson, Dana Livingston, LARRY E. TEMPLE Ricardo G. Cedillo Susan Vance, Amy Warr Larry E. Temple (B, R) DAVIS, GERALD & CREMER ANDREWS KURTH KENYON LOCKE LORD Shannon H. Ratliff Scott A. Brister Tai C. Tran (M) DINOVO PRICE ELLWANGER & HARDY BAKER BOTTS MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE William M. Parrish Thomas R. Phillips William H. Daniel (B, B*, R), Michael GEORGE BROTHERS KINCAID & HORTON BOTSFORD & ROARK A. Wren (B) D. Douglas Brothers, R. James George, Jr. David L. Botsford NORMAN & OLIVER GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY CROFTS & CALLAWAY James C. Norman (B) John B. McFarland, John J. McKetta III Sharon E. Callaway NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT GRAY & BECKER DUGGINS WREN MANN & ROMERO Dean V. Fleming (B*), Robert G. Richard Edwin Gray III David C. Duggins Newman (B*) HANCE SCARBOROUGH ENOCH KEVER STRASBURGER & PRICE Terry L. Scarborough Craig T. Enoch John A. Huddleston (B*), Andrew L. Kerr HOWRY, BREEN & HERMAN EWELL, BROWN, BLANKE & KNIGHT (B*), J. David Oppenheimer (B) Randy R. Howry Joseph R. Knight T. DREW CAUTHORN HUSCH BLACKWELL GOLDSTEIN, GOLDSTEIN & HILLEY T. Drew Cauthorn (B) Thomas H. Watkins Cynthia Eva Hujar Orr WALLER LANSDEN DORTCH & DAVIS JACKSON WALKER GORDON REES SCULLY MANSUKHANI Eric J. Taube (B*) Thomas T. Rogers Leslie A. Benitez WINSTEAD JEFFERSON CANO GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY Timothy H. Bannwolf (B), Joe T. Hyde (B) Stephen P. Allison, Lamont A. Jefferson William G. Christian III, P. M. Schenkkan, BANKRUPTCY AND CREDITOR LANGLEY & BANACK Ben F. Vaughan III DEBTOR RIGHTS / INSOLVENCY AND Emerson Banack, Jr. JACKSON, SJOBERG, MCCARTHY & REORGANIZATION LAW MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE TOWNSEND BAKER BOTTS Lloyd P. Lochridge Marc O. Knisely William F. Stutts MINTON, BURTON, BASSETT AND JEFFERSON CANO BARRETT DAFFIN FRAPPIER TURNER COLLINS Lamont A. Jefferson & ENGEL Roy Q. Minton KEITH S. HAMPTON, ATTORNEY AT LAW Brian S. Engel, Steve P. Turner MOSTY LAW FIRM Keith S. Hampton BARRON & NEWBURGER Richard C. Mosty LANGLEY & BANACK Stephen W. Sather** NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT Jo Chris Lopez, Robinson C. Ramsey BRANSCOMB Terry O. Tottenham, John W. Weber, Jr. LAW OFFICE OF SUSAN HAYS Patrick H. Autry* PLUNKETT, GRIESENBECK & MIMARI Susan L. Hays CLEMENS & SPENCER A. Lewin Plunkett LOCKE LORD James A. Hoffman** SCOTT DOUGLASS & MCCONNICO Mike Hatchell, Charles R. Watson, Jr. DYKEMA GOSSETT Casey L. Dobson, Stephen E. McConnico PAMELA STANTON BARON Deborah D. Williamson SOULES & WALLACE Pamela Stanton Baron ERIC TERRY LAW Luther H. Soules III SCOTT DOUGLASS & MCCONNICO Eric B. Terry** THE MACON LAW FIRM Jane M.N. Webre FRANK B. LYON R. Laurence Macon SOULES & WALLACE Frank B. Lyon RHODES LAW FIRM Luther H. Soules III GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY TOM Tom Rhodes STRASBURGER & PRICE James V. Hoeffner** WALLER LANSDEN DORTCH & DAVIS Andrew L. Kerr JACKSON WALKER Eric J. Taube TERRILL & WALDROP C. Wade Cooper**, J. Scott Rose** G. Alan Waldrop LANGLEY & BANACK BIOTECHNOLOGY LAW THE LAW OFFICE OF DAVID A. Roderick Glen Ayers*, David S. Gragg** BAKER BOTTS SCHULMAN LAW OFFICE OF MICHAEL BAUMER Margaret J. Sampson David A. Schulman Michael V. Baumer FARNEY DANIELS THE MACON LAW FIRM LAW OFFICES OF RAY BATTAGLIA W. Bryan Farney ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE R. Laurence Macon* Raymond W. Battaglia** RESOLUTION THOMPSON & KNIGHT NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT LOCKE LORD Gina N. Shishima BURNS ANDERSON JURY & BRENNER Debora B. Alsup Berry D. Spears PARKER HIGHLANDER Jeffrey R. Jury (A, M) TIMOTHY PATTON MARTINEC, WINN & VICKERS Steven L. Highlander, David L. Parker DONALD R. PHILBIN, JR. H Timothy Patton Joseph D. Martinec** Donald R. Philbin, Jr. (A, M) BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS AVIATION LAW NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT JOHNSON, CHRISTOPHER, JAVORE & (INCLUDING LLCS AND Michael M. Parker** COCHRAN SLACK & DAVIS PARTNERSHIPS) PLUNKETT, GRIESENBECK & MIMARI Gary W. Javore (A, M) Mike Davis Ronald Hornberger DWYER MURPHY CALVERT KARL BAYER BANKING AND FINANCE LAW REID COLLINS & TSAI Drew S. Calvert Karl Bayer (A, M) William T. Reid IV ELDER BRAY & BANKLER A. RICK HIGHTOWER, ATTORNEY AND KUSTOFF & PHIPPS STRASBURGER & PRICE Steven A. Elder COUNSELOR AT LAW Daniel O. Kustoff (A, M) Andrew L. Kerr*, Stephen A. Roberts**, A. Rick Hightower (B) GIORDANI, SWANGER, RIPP & JETEL LAW OFFICE OF THOMAS J. SMITH John H. Tate II** Cindy L. Grossman BAKER BOTTS Thomas Jay Smith (A, M) STREUSAND, LANDON & OZBURN William F. Stutts (B, R) JACKSON WALKER MICHAEL J. SCHLESS Sabrina L. Streusand Stephanie L. Chandler BRACEWELL Michael J. Schless (M) WALLER LANSDEN DORTCH & DAVIS W. Stephen Benesh (B*) TOM COLLINS CLOSELY HELD COMPANIES Eric J. Taube** BRANSCOMB Thomas A. Collins (A, M) AND FAMILY BUSINESSES LAW Rhonda G. Jolley (B) WINSTEAD BET-THE-COMPANY LITIGATION WINSTEAD DAVIS, GERALD & CREMER Peter A. Nolan (A) AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD Alexander R. Allemann Shannon H. Ratliff (B*) Barry A. Chasnoff ANTITRUST LAW DLA PIPER COLLABORATIVE ALEXANDER DUBOSE JEFFERSON & Royce J. Hailey, Jr. (B) DAVIS, CEDILLO & MENDOZA LAW: FAMILY LAW TOWNSEND Ricardo G. Cedillo* DYKEMA GOSSETT Marcy Hogan Greer AUSLEY, ALGERT, ROBERTSON & FLORES Kerry T. Benedict (B), David B. West (B*) DAVIS, GERALD & CREMER ALMANZA, BLACKBURN, DICKIE & Kristen A. Algert, Kelly Ausley-Flores Shannon H. Ratliff* EDWARD G. VAUGHAN MITCHELL FARRIS & GREEN Edward G. Vaughan (B) LANGLEY & BANACK Martha S. Dickie Janice L. Green Emerson Banack, Jr.* FENIMORE, KAY, HARRISON & FORD BAYNE, SNELL & KRAUSE LAW OFFICES OF JENNIFER TULL Joseph M. Ford (B, R) NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT Barry Snell Jennifer Tull Robert G. Newman* GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY BECK REDDEN NOELKE MAPLES ST. LEGER BRYANT Cliff Ernst (B), R. Clarke Heidrick, Jr. (B), STRASBURGER & PRICE Eric J.R. Nichols Keith D. Maples Roy C. Snodgrass III (B) Judith R. Blakeway**, Reese L. BRACEWELL Harrison, Jr.* JACKSON WALKER W. Stephen Benesh, Richard C. Danysh James L. Pledger (B, R) BAKER BOTTS Molly J. Cagle BRACEWELL Philip F. Ricketts CANTILO & BENNETT Mark F. Bennett DUGGINS WREN MANN & ROMERO Jay Breedveld, David C. Duggins, Kerry McGrath, Celina Romero, William C. Wren ENOCH KEVER Andrew Kever EVERSHEDS SUTHERLAND (US) Lino Mendiola III GARDERE Edward D. Burbach GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY Helen Currie Foster, Robert J. Hearon, Jr., Nancy Rice Hudson, Mary A. Keeney, P. M. Schenkkan GREENBERG TRAURIG Thomas J. Bond JACKSON WALKER Dudley D. McCalla KELLEY DRYE & WARREN John A. Riley KELLY HART & HALLMAN C. Andrew Weber KEMP SMITH Thomas A. Forbes, Deborah C. Trejo LARRY E. TEMPLE Larry E. Temple LLOYD GOSSELINK ROCHELLE & TOWNSEND Paul G. Gosselink MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE Lloyd P. Lochridge PARSLEY COFFIN RENNER Ann M. Coffin SMITH TROSTLE & HUERTA J. Kay Trostle STEVEN BARON Steven Baron THOMPSON & KNIGHT James E. Cousar, Phillip G. Oldham, Rex D. VanMiddlesworth THOMPSON, COE, COUSINS & IRONS Jay A. Thompson VINSON & ELKINS Michael J. Tomsu WINSTEAD Albert R. Axe, Jr., Ron H. Moss
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AUSTIN & SAN ANTONIO
Patrick J. Kennedy, Jr. (B), Karen M. Neeley (B, R)
COMMERCIAL LITIGATION
AKERMAN Laurence S. Kurth AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD Barry A. Chasnoff ALEXANDER DUBOSE JEFFERSON & TOWNSEND Marcy Hogan Greer ALMANZA, BLACKBURN, DICKIE & MITCHELL Martha S. Dickie ANDREWS KURTH KENYON David P. Whittlesey ARMBRUST & BROWN Mark L. Hawkins BAYNE, SNELL & KRAUSE Barry Snell BECK REDDEN Eric J.R. Nichols BOULETTE GOLDEN & MARIN Michael D. Marin BRACEWELL W. Stephen Benesh, Richard C. Danysh BROCK PERSON GUERRA REYNA Ricardo R. Reyna BUCHANAN DANCY GRABOUSKY Brittan L. Buchanan, C. Blair Dancy BYRD DAVIS ALDEN & HENRICHSON Robert C. Alden CLEMENS & SPENCER George H. Spencer, Jr. DAVIS, CEDILLO & MENDOZA Ricardo G. Cedillo DAVIS, GERALD & CREMER Shannon H. Ratliff DINOVO PRICE ELLWANGER & HARDY William M. Parrish DONNA BROWN Donna Brown DUBOIS BRYANT & CAMPBELL William S. Rhea, Matthew J. Sullivan DYKEMA GOSSETT C. David Kinder, Thomas E. Sanders, Brett W. Schouest, James M. Truss, David B. West EDWARDS LAW Jeffrey S. Edwards ENOCH KEVER Gary E. Zausmer EWELL, BROWN, BLANKE & KNIGHT David P. Blanke, Gary Ewell FRITZ, BYRNE, HEAD & GILSTRAP Daniel H. Byrne GEORGE BROTHERS KINCAID & HORTON D. Douglas Brothers, R. James George, Jr. GEORGE BUTTS LAW George B. Butts GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY John M. Harmon, Peter D. Kennedy, John B. McFarland, John J. McKetta III, Richard D. Yeomans GRAY & BECKER Douglas M. Becker, Richard Edwin Gray III HANCE SCARBOROUGH Terry L. Scarborough
HOHMANN, BROPHY & SHELTON Joseph F. Brophy page 9 HOWRY, BREEN & HERMAN Sean E. Breen, Timothy J. Herman, Randy R. Howry HUSCH BLACKWELL Thomas H. Watkins INNOCENTI JONES David A. Jones JACKSON WALKER J. Matthew Dow, Christopher R. Mugica, Robert B. Neblett III, Thomas T. Rogers JAMES J. SCHESKE James J. Scheske JEFFERSON CANO Stephen P. Allison, Lamont A. Jefferson KIDD LAW FIRM Scott R. Kidd LANGLEY & BANACK Emerson Banack, Jr., Peter Lee Kilpatrick, Roger D. Kirstein
LAWYERS EVALUATIONS OF LAWYERS BY THEIR PEERS PRACTICE AREAS
KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS ASTERISKS: *A single asterisk indicates lawyer is listed in litigation. **Two asterisks indicate a lawyer is listed in both litigation and nonlitigation categories. Alternative Dispute Resolution A Arbitration M Mediation Banking & Finance Law B Banking & Finance R Financial Service Regulation M Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law Corporate Governance & Compliance Law C Compliance G Governance Entertainment Law F Film/Movies M Music T Theater Intellectual Property T Trademark C Copyright P Patent IP* Litigation – Intellectual Property International Arbitration C Commercial G Government Labor & Employment EI Employment Law – Individuals EM Employment Law – Management LE Labor & Employment LM Labor Law – Management LU Labor Law – Union Legal Malpractice Law Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions Medical Malpractice Law Personal Injury Product Liability Litigation Professional Malpractice P Plaintiffs D Defendants Securities / Capital Markets Law S Securities / Capital Markets R Securities Regulation Workers’ Compensation Law C Claimants E Employers FIRMS IN SLATE BOXES INDICATE PROFILED FIRM/LAWYER WITH CORRESPONDING PAGE NUMBER
BEST LAWYERS HIGHLIGHTS ONE ATTORNEY IN A PARTICULAR LOCATION AND PRACTICE AREA WHO RECEIVED THE HIGHEST VOTES FROM HIS OR HER PEERS IN A GIVEN YEAR. WE BELIEVE THE BEST LAWYERS KNOW WHO THE BEST LAWYERS ARE. ADMINISTRATIVE / REGULATORY LAW
Van G. Hilley
Eric J.R. Nichols
AUSTIN
APPELLATE PRACTICE
Douglas W. Alexander
AUSTIN
CRIMINAL DEFENSE: WHITE-COLLAR
Ron H. Moss
SAN ANTONIO
AUSTIN
EDUCATION LAW
Timothy Patton
SAN ANTONIO
ARBITRATION
Jefferson K. Brim III
AUSTIN
ELDER LAW
Gary W. Javore
Peter A. Nolan EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (ERISA) LAW Ronald F. Bradshaw
SAN ANTONIO
Renée Colwill Lovelace
AUSTIN
AUSTIN
BANKING AND FINANCE LAW
AUSTIN
James L. Pledger
AUSTIN
BANKRUPTCY AND CREDITOR DEBTOR RIGHTS / INSOLVENCY AND REORGANIZATION LAW
James A. Hoffman
SAN ANTONIO
Joshua A. Sutin
SAN ANTONIO
EMPLOYMENT LAW - INDIVIDUALS
Arthur C. Nicholson III
Paul A. Schorn
SAN ANTONIO
AUSTIN
Eric J. Taube EMPLOYMENT LAW - MANAGEMENT Leslie Selig Byrd
AUSTIN
BET-THE-COMPANY LITIGATION
Martha S. Dickie
AUSTIN
BIOTECHNOLOGY LAW
SAN ANTONIO
A. Robert Fischer
AUSTIN
Barry Snell ENERGY LAW
SAN ANTONIO
Lino Mendiola III
AUSTIN
Steven L. Highlander ENERGY REGULATORY LAW AUSTIN William C. Wren COLLABORATIVE LAW: FAMILY LAW AUSTIN
Jennifer Tull ENVIRONMENTAL LAW Bryan J. Moore
AUSTIN
CONSTRUCTION LAW
AUSTIN
William W. Sommers FAMILY LAW SAN ANTONIO G. Stewart Whitehead
AUSTIN
COPYRIGHT LAW
AUSTIN
CORPORATE LAW
SAN ANTONIO
Thomas I. Queen, Jr.
AUSTIN
CRIMINAL DEFENSE: GENERAL PRACTICE
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS PRACTICE
Thomas A. Forbes Bruce M. Mitchell AUSTIN
FAMILY LAW MEDIATION
Joe D. Milner Jerry M. Keys AUSTIN
Kelly Ausley-Flores
AUSTIN
Michael C. Gross
SAN ANTONIO
HEALTH CARE LAW
Louise M. Joy
Edgar C. Morrison, Jr.
AUSTIN
IMMIGRATION LAW
Christopher M. Gunter
AUSTIN
SAN ANTONIO
F. Brian Graham
AUSTIN
GINA SHISHIM A PATENT LAW Austin, TX
A
fter earning a B.A. in biochemistry from Columbia, a PhD in molecular biology from Princeton, and a J.D. from UC Berkeley Law, Gina Shishima pursued patent law, where her depth and variety of knowledge proves valuable for her clients. Using her ability to translate legal and scientific information into comprehensible terms, Shishima clarifies the issues in her patent cases for all the parties that might be involved: other lawyers, judges, the patent office, scientists, and businesspeople at the life sciences companies and entities she works for. Her scholarly acumen works with her diligence, which she says is a quality patent lawyers are known for. “Patent attorneys can argue about what the word ‘A’ means,” Shishima says. A few years ago, Shishima worked on a patent litigation case with Mars, Inc., the company known for producing popular candies like Mars bars, Milky Ways, and M&M’s. Did the litigation case have to do with one of Mars’ popular candies? Actually, the case had to do with something most people would likely not associate with Mars: dog breeding and genetics. “Mars has a very large, innovative pet division,” explains Shishima. “They licensed a patent from scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and developed it commercially so that you can buy a test on Amazon that allows you to take a cheek swab from your dog, send it back in, and then find out what breed your dog is. It’s based on highly technical genetic analysis, and the case was fun because it depended on subtle scientific issues. I dealt with some smart scientists and experts who did statistical analyses on people’s genetic information. Much like Ancestry.com, but this test was for dogs.” Shishima and the litigation team worked with Mars’ chief scientist in the area on a tutorial for the judge, exhibiting how the technology works, and successfully helped Mars address infringing competitors. Recognizing the value of having patience while practicing patent law, Shishima states, “In the end, patent law is a unique combination of being people-oriented, but at the same time needing to delve into papers and details. So having patience to do both is useful.” When she’s not dissecting rhetoric or translating terms, Shishima likes to invest her time in the issues she advocates for, especially diversity and inclusion. In patent law, she knows just how few women are represented in the field, with 17 percent of registered patent attorneys being women. She was the chief diversity officer at Norton Rose Fulbright and has long been active in the Asian American bar associations, both locally and nationally, as well as an Asian American civil rights organization. Shishima is head of intellectual property at Norton Rose Fulbright and has been listed with Best Lawyers® since 2007.
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2017 SURVE Y RESULTS LOCKE LORD Jerry K. Clements, John K. Schwartz MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE Lloyd P. Lochridge MCKOOL SMITH Scott L. Cole MINTON, BURTON, BASSETT AND COLLINS Roy Q. Minton MOSTY LAW FIRM Richard C. Mosty MUNSCH HARDT KOPF & HARR D. Ronald Reneker NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT Charles A. Deacon, Dean V. Fleming, Brian S. Greig, M. Scott Incerto, Daniel McNeel Lane, Jr., Robert G. Newman, Saul Howard Perloff, Jane Snoddy Smith, Terry O. Tottenham, Paul D. Trahan, John W. Weber, Jr. PILLSBURY WINTHROP SHAW PITTMAN Conor M. Civins PIPERBURNETT Michael L.R. Burnett PIPKIN LAW Marvin G. Pipkin PLUNKETT, GRIESENBECK & MIMARI A. Lewin Plunkett PRICHARD HAWKINS YOUNG David M. Prichard RICHARDSON + BURGESS Karen C. Burgess, James M. Richardson SCHMOYER REINHARD Annalyn G. Smith SCOTT DOUGLASS & MCCONNICO Casey L. Dobson, Stephen E. McConnico SKELTON & WOODY J. Hampton Skelton SOULES & WALLACE Luther H. Soules III SPIVEY VALENCIANO James K. Spivey STRASBURGER & PRICE Judith R. Blakeway, Merritt M. Clements, Reese L. Harrison, Jr., John A. Huddleston, Andrew L. Kerr, Robert M. O’Boyle, John M. Pinckney III THE MACON LAW FIRM R. Laurence Macon THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SCHOOL OF LAW John B. Beckworth THOMPSON & KNIGHT Debora B. Alsup TOM RHODES LAW FIRM Tom Rhodes
VALDEZ & TREVIÑO ATTORNEYS AT LAW Robert E. Valdez page 12
PROFILED FIRM/LAWYER
SCHMOYER REINHARD Annalyn G. Smith* SHIDLOFSKY LAW FIRM Lee H. Shidlofsky* SOULES & WALLACE WALLER LANSDEN DORTCH & DAVIS Luther H. Soules III* Richard W. Harrison, Eric J. Taube STRASBURGER & PRICE WEISBART SPRINGER HAYES John A. Huddleston** Geoffrey D. Weisbart TOM RHODES LAW FIRM WINSTEAD Tom Rhodes** G. Stewart Whitehead WALLER LANSDEN DORTCH & DAVIS WRIGHT & GREENHILL Richard W. Harrison* Mahon B. Garry, Jr. WINSTEAD C. Bass, Jr.**, G. Stewart COMMUNICATIONS LAW Robert Whitehead** BRACEWELL CORPORATE GOVERNANCE Philip F. Ricketts AND COMPLIANCE LAW LOCKE LORD J. Alan Holman BAKER BOTTS Michael L. Bengtson (C) CONSTRUCTION LAW DLA PIPER ALLENSWORTH & PORTER Samer M. Zabaneh (C) William R. Allensworth, Joe R. Basham, Travis DWYER MURPHY CALVERT W. Brown, Matthew B. Cano, Matthew C. Ryan Kelly J. Dwyer (G) ANDREWS MYERS QUEEN SAENZ + SCHUTZ R. Carson Fisk Thomas I. Queen, Jr. (G) ARMBRUST & BROWN J. Bruce Scrafford* CORPORATE LAW BAYNE, SNELL & KRAUSE ARMBRUST & BROWN Barry Snell* Frank B. Brown BRACEWELL BAKER BOTTS W. Stephen Benesh* Michael L. Bengtson COATS ROSE BICKERSTAFF HEATH DELGADO ACOSTA Richard L. Reed John E. Gangstad DAVIS, GERALD & CREMER BRANSCOMB Shannon H. Ratliff* Jeffrey S. Dickerson HOWRY, BREEN & HERMAN COOK BROOKS JOHNSON Sean E. Breen, Randy R. Howry* Michael L. Cook JACKSON WALKER DICKINSON WRIGHT Robert B. Neblett III** Darrell R. Windham KASLING, HEMPHILL, DOLEZAL & ATWELL DLA PIPER R. Kemp Kasling* John J. Gilluly III, Samer M. Zabaneh LANGLEY & BANACK DUBOIS BRYANT & CAMPBELL Emerson Banack, Jr.*, Roger D. Kirstein*, J. Nixon Fox III William W. Sommers DUGGINS WREN MANN & ROMERO MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE C. Joseph Cain Kevin M. Beiter* DWYER MURPHY CALVERT NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT Drew S. Calvert John W. Weber, Jr.** DYKEMA GOSSETT PECKAR & ABRAMSON Wilhelm E. Liebmann, J. Patrick Ryan, George C. Baldwin Phillip M. Slinkard, James B. Smith, Jr., Dan G. Webster III PLUNKETT, GRIESENBECK & MIMARI A. Lewin Plunkett*
ELDER BRAY & BANKLER Scott B. Bankler, Steven A. Elder, John D. Fisch GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY Roderick Edens, Jr., Cliff Ernst, R. Clarke Heidrick, Jr., Edward S. McHorse HAJJAR/PETERS Diana K. Borden HORNBERGER FULLER & GARZA Drew R. Fuller, Jr. HUGHES VANDERBURG WILLIAMS & BARTOLETTI Karen J. Bartoletti JACKSON WALKER Steven R. Jacobs, Brandon C. Janes, David B. Parrish, Patrick B. Tobin KELLY HART & HALLMAN David R. Keyes KREAGERMITCHELL Bruce M. Mitchell LAW OFFICE OF KAREN HOLODY Karen J. Holody MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE Lloyd P. Lochridge MILLER, EGAN, MOLTER & NELSON Kyle K. Fox NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT Ann L. Benolken, Daryl L. Lansdale, Jr. PAUL MICHAEL HEBERT Paul Michael Hebert POLLARD + COLLIE William C. Pollard QUEEN SAENZ + SCHUTZ Thomas I. Queen, Jr. STRASBURGER & PRICE J. David Oppenheimer T. DREW CAUTHORN T. Drew Cauthorn VINSON & ELKINS Susan B. Snyder, Paul R. Tobias, William R. Volk W. AMON BURTON, JR. W. Amon Burton, Jr. WINSTEAD J. Rowland Cook
GOLDSTEIN, GOLDSTEIN & HILLEY Gerald Harris Goldstein, Van G. Hilley GROSS & ESPARZA Michael C. Gross GUNTER, BENNETT AND ANTHES Christopher M. Gunter HASDORFF & CONVERY John A. Convery JOHN F. CARROLL John F. Carroll JOHN M. ECONOMIDY John M. Economidy JOSEPH A. TURNER Joseph A. Turner KEVIN L. COLLINS Kevin L. Collins LAW OFFICE OF JORGE G. ARISTOTELIDIS Jorge G. Aristotelidis LAW OFFICES OF PATRICK L. HANCOCK Patrick L. Hancock MARK STEVENS Mark Stevens MINTON, BURTON, BASSETT AND COLLINS Samuel E. Bassett, Warren L. Collins, Jr., Roy Q. Minton NICHOLAS & BARRERA Roy R. Barrera, Sr. PAUL J. GOEKE, ATTORNEY AT LAW Paul J. Goeke STRASBURGER & PRICE John M. Pinckney III TERRENCE W. KIRK, ATTORNEY AT LAW Terrence W. Kirk THE LAW OFFICE OF E.G. MORRIS E. G. Morris
HASDORFF & CONVERY John A. Convery JOHN F. CARROLL John F. Carroll JOSEPH A. TURNER Joseph A. Turner MARK STEVENS Mark Stevens MINTON, BURTON, BASSETT AND COLLINS Samuel E. Bassett, Warren L. Collins, Jr., Roy Q. Minton NICHOLAS & BARRERA Roy R. Barrera, Sr., Roy R. Barrera, Jr. STRASBURGER & PRICE Reese L. Harrison, Jr., Farley P. Katz TERRENCE W. KIRK, ATTORNEY AT LAW Terrence W. Kirk THE LAW OFFICE OF E.G. MORRIS E. G. Morris
DERIVATIVES AND FUTURES LAW
BAKER BOTTS William F. Stutts
DUI/DWI DEFENSE
JOHN F. CARROLL John F. Carroll LAW OFFICES OF GEORGE A. SCHARMEN George A. Scharmen MARK STEVENS Mark Stevens
EDUCATION LAW
BRIM, ARNETT & ROBINETT Richard L. Arnett, Jefferson K. Brim III THE FOWLER LAW FIRM CRIMINAL DEFENSE: Laura Sanders Fowler WHITE-COLLAR TIGER HANNER K. Tiger Hanner ALMANZA, BLACKBURN, DICKIE & WALSH GALLEGOS TREVIÑO RUSSO MITCHELL & KYLE Martha S. Dickie James R. Walsh BECK REDDEN Eric J.R. Nichols ELDER LAW BOTSFORD & ROARK FARRELL & PAK David L. Botsford H. Clyde Farrell III DAVID A. SHEPPARD K.T. WHITEHEAD CRIMINAL DEFENSE: David A. Sheppard Kathleen T. Whitehead GENERAL PRACTICE FITZGERALD & MEISSNER KING & SPALDING BOTSFORD & ROARK Bill Fitzgerald, Wayne D. Meissner Kathy L. Poppitt David L. Botsford GOLDSTEIN, GOLDSTEIN & HILLEY MARILYN G. MILLER, ATTORNEY AT LAW DAVID A. SHEPPARD Gerald Harris Goldstein, Van G. Hilley, Marilyn G. Miller David A. Sheppard Cynthia Eva Hujar Orr PATRICIA FLORA SITCHLER FITZGERALD & MEISSNER GUNTER, BENNETT AND ANTHES Patricia F. Sitchler Bill Fitzgerald, Wayne D. Meissner Christopher M. Gunter
David E. Chamberlain PERSONAL INJURY – PLAINTIFFS AND DEFENDANTS
David E. Chamberlain has been named the Outstanding Defense Bar Leader in the nation by DRI, the largest association of defense trial lawyers in the country. He has served as the 2015 president of the Texas Chapters of the American Board of Trial Advocates, as 2016 chair of the Board of the State Bar of Texas, and past chair of the State Bar Insurance Trust. He has served as president of the Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Austin Bar Association, Austin Young Lawyers, and on the Board of DRI. He was named course director, 2014 State Bar Advanced Civil Trial Course; the 2007 Advanced Personal Injury Law Course; and the 2013 and 2014 Business Disputes Institutes. He received the 2014 State Bar of Texas Standing Ovation Award for his longstanding service in legal education to fellow lawyers and the 2014 State Bar Presidential Citation for creation of the Texas Bar Private Insurance Exchange. He has been listed in Texas Super Lawyers for the past 12 years and is a fellow of the International Society of Barristers. Mr. Chamberlain is the founding partner of Chamberlain ◆ McHaney, and is board certified in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Chamberlain ◆ McHaney is the premier civil litigation firm in Central Texas with offices in Austin and San Antonio, representing clients in all major areas of litigation throughout the state of Texas.
301 Congress Avenue | Suite 2100 | Austin, TX 78701 phone 512.474.9124 | fax 512.474.8582 email dchamberlain@chamberlainmchaney.com
www.chmc-law.com 8 |
AUSTIN & SAN ANTONIO
P L E A SE RE F E R TO T HE K E Y OF P R AC T IC E A RE A S ON PAG E 6 F OR A DE S C RIP T ION OF A S T E RISK S A ND SP ECI A LT Y A BBRE V I AT IONS .
COVER STORY
IN
PHOTO BY ANNIE RAY
the last nearly 25 years, Joseph F. Brophy has earned an outstanding reputation as a litigator, handling virtually all types of civil lawsuits before judges, juries, and arbitrators. Brophy’s business litigation success has resulted in a demand from some business clients for him to handle their business legal affairs, a demand that has increasingly grown and comprised more and more of his practice for the last 10-plus years. Brophy attributes his distinct edge—in and out of the courtroom—to his substantial experience and training as a litigator, first and foremost, and second, to his substantial transactional/business law experience over the last decade. Hence, as his mantra suggests, he provides the very best representation for his clients “from the proverbial boardroom to the courtroom.” Brophy’s clientele has included a wide range of By Justin business owners, investors and executives, commercial real estate development firms, financial investment and advisory firms, medical service companies, franchisees, law firms, lawyers, law professors, and doctors. Brophy leads a diverse practice that handles all facets of business law, which is best illustrated by the following noninclusive sample of legal matters for which he has served as lead counsel: • Business divorces, many of which were resolved via business transactions and/or litigation. • Business formations, from the structuring of same through fundraising and ongoing operation. • Nearly all aspects of real estate transactions and litigation. • Securities litigation. • Drafting contracts and litigating contractual disputes. • The development and implementation of a legal platform for clean energy financing. • Protecting and litigating trade secrets and proprietary and confidential information. • Drafting and litigating employment and professional services agreements. • The structuring and modification of various debt and
equity financing arrangements. • The purchase and sale of businesses and litigation arising therefrom. • The prosecution and defense of professional malpractice litigation. • The prosecution and defense of serious personal injury claims. As a former equity partner of two high-profile Austin law firms who has also served as general counsel to commercial real estate developers and investment and advisory companies, Brophy certainly knows the ins and outs of business law on both the litigation and transactional fronts. “I take a great deal of pride in the quality of my work and in the results I obtain for my clients,” he says, “and I fight to win. These are critical matters that can involve millions of dollars and peoples’ careers. That’s why my practice is largely a 24/7 pursuit.” Smulison A longtime Texan who was born in Queens, New York, Brophy is the grandson of four Irish immigrants who arrived in the United States with merely the clothes on their backs. That tendency toward making one’s own way in the world was passed on to Brophy; he graduated with his undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Texas and earned his J.D. at St. Mary’s School of Law, where he graduated magna cum laude, was a member of the John Harlan Academic Honor Society, and was an editor on the St. Mary’s Law Journal—all of which were primarily self-funded. And now, Brophy applies that steadfast determination to winning for his clients. Brophy has been selected for inclusion by The Best Lawyers in America© for commercial litigation since 2013, named a Texas Super Lawyers Top Rated Business & Securities Litigation Lawyers-Austin, and was twice recognized by Princeton Global’s “Top 100 Lawyers in America.” “My clients know—and my prospective clients can rest assured—that I always do everything I reasonably can to ensure they’ll get the most favorable results,” Brophy says. “I get a strong feeling of accomplishment from playing a central role in helping my clients achieve the best possible business deals or outcomes to a dispute, in or outside the courthouse.”
THE BUSINESS OWNER’S GO-TO LAWYER
Passionately representing owners to achieve the best possible results, Austin-based litigator Joseph Brophy is “all business.”
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2017 SURVE Y RESULTS THE LOVELACE LAW FIRM Renée Colwill Lovelace THOMPSON & TIEMANN G. Gaye Thompson
HERRERA & BOYLE James G. Boyle JACKSON WALKER Edward C. Small KELLY HART & HALLMAN Glenn E. Johnson, William M. Kerr, Jr. LAW OFFICES OF ROGER P. NEVOLA Roger P. Nevola LLOYD GOSSELINK ROCHELLE & TOWNSEND Georgia N. Crump, Geoffrey M. Gay, R. Lambeth Townsend LOCKE LORD H. Martin Gibson, J. Alan Holman MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE Tim George, Patton G. Lochridge, Campbell McGinnis PARSLEY COFFIN RENNER Ann M. Coffin SCOTT DOUGLASS & MCCONNICO Catherine J. Webking SMITH TROSTLE & HUERTA J. Kay Trostle THOMPSON & KNIGHT Phillip G. Oldham, Rex D. VanMiddlesworth, Arthur J. Wright WINSTEAD Ron H. Moss
PROFILED FIRM/LAWYER
BEVERIDGE & DIAMOND Madeleine Boyer Kadas, Bryan J. Moore BRACEWELL Sara M. Burgin**, Matthew G. Paulson, Whitney L. Swift, Timothy A. Wilkins EMINENT DOMAIN AND COBB & COUNSEL CONDEMNATION LAW Bill Cobb BARRON ADLER CLOUGH & ODDO DUBOIS BRYANT & CAMPBELL Michael M. Barron Peter T. Gregg** JACKSON WALKER DUGGINS WREN MANN & ROMERO Robert B. Neblett III Celina Romero DYKEMA GOSSETT EMPLOYEE BENEFITS Keith A. Shuley, James M. Truss* (ERISA) LAW ENOCH KEVER BARTON LAW OFFICE Rodman C. Johnson, John J. Vay Lydia Wommack Barton EWELL, BROWN, BLANKE & KNIGHT BRADSHAW & BICKERTON David P. Blanke Maria Elena Bickerton, Ronald F. Bradshaw FRITZ, BYRNE, HEAD & GILSTRAP CONNER & WINTERS John D. Head**, Robert O. Renbarger Terral J. Smith GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY DUGGINS WREN MANN & ROMERO Helen Currie Foster, John B. McFarland*, P. C. Joseph Cain M. Schenkkan*, Ben F. Vaughan III* DYKEMA GOSSETT GUIDA, SLAVICH & FLORES Thomas E. Sanders*, Joshua A. Sutin C. Carrick Brooke-Davidson**, Paul A. Seals JACKSON WALKER HAYNES AND BOONE Charles H. Campbell James D. Braddock**, Jeffrey Civins**, Mary KUPERMAN, ORR & ALBERS Simmons Mendoza** David I. Kuperman HUSCH BLACKWELL LANG LAW FIRM B. Battle**, R. Keith Hopson**, ENERGY REGULATORY LAW Jackson Sylvan S. Lang, Jr. Thomas H. Watkins* DUGGINS WREN MANN & ROMERO LANGLEY & BANACK JACKSON WALKER William O. Coe, David C. Duggins, Mark Robert B. Werner Leonard H. Dougal**, Michael J. Nasi, Held, James E. Mann, Kerry McGrath, John F. Edward C. Small* LAW OFFICE OF JEFFREY DAHL Williams, William C. Wren Jeffrey E. Dahl* K&L GATES EVERSHEDS SUTHERLAND (US) William J. Moltz**, R. Steven Morton STRASBURGER & PRICE James E. Guy R. Bradley Oxford KATTEN MUCHIN ROSENMAN HAYNES AND BOONE Danny G. Worrell WILKINS FINSTON FRIEDMAN LAW GROUP Diana M. Liebmann William M. Fisher, J.B. Friedman, Jr. KELLEY DRYE & WARREN KELLY HART & HALLMAN John A. Riley ENERGY LAW Glenn E. Johnson KELLY HART & HALLMAN LLOYD GOSSELINK ROCHELLE & BRACEWELL Robert T. Stewart TOWNSEND W. Glenn Opel, Philip F. Ricketts KEMP SMITH Thomas L. Brocato DUGGINS WREN MANN & ROMERO Deborah C. Trejo STRASBURGER & PRICE David C. Duggins, William C. Wren KG STRATEGIES Thomas K. Anson DYKEMA GOSSETT R. Kinnan Golemon THOMPSON & KNIGHT W. Roger Wilson LAW OF MARY REAGAN James C. Morriss III, Rex D. VanMiddlesworth MaryOFFICE EVERSHEDS SUTHERLAND (US) B. Reagan James M. Bushee, James E. Guy, Lino ENVIRONMENTAL LAW LAW OFFICES OF KEN RAMIREZ Mendiola III, Richard P. Noland Kenneth R. Ramirez BOTTS GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY BAKER Molly J. Cagle**, Pamela M. Giblin**, Aileen LAW OFFICES OF ROGER P. NEVOLA Robert J. Hearon, Jr., P. M. Schenkkan Roger P. Nevola** M. Hooks**, Jennifer Keane**, Derek R. HAYNES AND BOONE McDonald* Diana M. Liebmann
LLOYD GOSSELINK ROCHELLE & TOWNSEND Paul G. Gosselink MATHEWS & FREELAND Jim Mathews** MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE Kevin M. Beiter*, Philip S. Haag NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT Robert G. Newman* NOSSAMAN Alan M. Glen R. WALTON SHELTON, ATTORNEY AT LAW R. Walton Shelton SMILEY LAW FIRM Cynthia C. Smiley THE AL LAW GROUP Susan G. Zachos** THOMPSON & KNIGHT Becky L. Jolin, James C. Morriss III**, Christopher D. Smith VINSON & ELKINS Eric A. Groten* WEISBART SPRINGER HAYES P. Bane Phillippi WINSTEAD Albert R. Axe, Jr., Derek L. Seal EQUIPMENT FINANCE LAW BAKER BOTTS William F. Stutts
LAW OFFICES OF CHRISTINA MOLITOR Christina Molitor LAW OFFICES OF JENNIFER TULL Jennifer Tull LAW OFFICES OF ROBERT B. LUTHER Robert B. Luther MAUZY & TUCKER Catherine A. Mauzy MCCULLAR GILBREATH Janet McCullar MINTON, BURTON, BASSETT AND COLLINS David F. Minton NOELKE MAPLES ST. LEGER BRYANT Keith D. Maples, Lea C. Noelke, Andrea B. St. Leger PIPERBURNETT Michael L.R. Burnett, James W. Piper, Travis L. Turner RIVERS MCNAMARA Richel Rivers SHERIDAN BARRETT COBLE AND ANDRAE JoAl Cannon Sheridan VAUGHT LAW FIRM James A. Vaught WILSON, PENNYPACKER & THOMSON Cheryl L. Wilson
FRANCHISE LAW
HAYNES AND BOONE Robert A. Lauer STRASBURGER & PRICE Lloyd E. Ferguson
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS PRACTICE
BAKER BOTTS Pamela M. Giblin BORGELT LAW Roger B. Borgelt CLINT HACKNEY & COMPANY Clinton P. Hackney COATS ROSE John M. Joseph DEBORAH GOODELL POLAN Deborah Goodell Polan GARDERE Mark Vane GREENBERG TRAURIG Thomas J. Bond, Demetrius G. McDaniel JACK WALLACE GULLAHORN Jack W. Gullahorn JACKSON WALKER Edward C. Small FAMILY LAW MEDIATION JOHNSON AND JOHNSON Gordon R. Johnson AUSLEY, ALGERT, ROBERTSON & FLORES K&L GATES Kristen A. Algert John M. Erskine FAMILY LAW BRAY, CHAPPELL & PATTERSON KELLY HART & HALLMAN Benjamin R. Chappell AUSLEY, ALGERT, ROBERTSON & FLORES C. Andrew Weber Kristen A. Algert, Thomas L. Ausley, Kelly COLDWELL BOWES KEMP SMITH Ausley-Flores, Eric A. Robertson Charles F. Bowes Thomas A. Forbes BASHARA & SCHWARTZ FARRIS & GREEN KG STRATEGIES Sam C. Bashara Janice L. Green R. Kinnan Golemon FARRIS & GREEN FRIDAY MILNER LAMBERT TURNER LAW OFFICES OF ELLEN WILLIAMS Janice L. Green Joe D. Milner Ellen C. Williams FORD MURRAY FIRST AMENDMENT LAW LAW OFFICES OF KEN RAMIREZ William H. Ford Kenneth R. Ramirez CLEMENS & SPENCER FRIDAY MILNER LAMBERT TURNER Mark J. Cannan* LAW OFFICES OF LISA K. ANDERSON Joe D. Milner Lisa K. Anderson GEORGE BROTHERS KINCAID & HORTON GORANSON BAIN Julie A. Ford**, R. James George, Jr. RANDY C. CAIN ATTORNEY AT LAW P. Lindley Bain Randy C. Cain GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY GRAY & BECKER James A. Hemphill*, Peter D. Kennedy* THE GRAYDON GROUP Richard Edwin Gray III Machree G. Gibson, Galt Graydon JACKSON WALKER HIGDON, HARDY, & ZURFLACHT Amanda L. Bush* THE JONES FIRM Charles E. Hardy Bill Jones JOEL R. WHITE & ASSOCIATES LANGLEY & BANACK Joel R. White Jo Chris Lopez HEALTH CARE LAW THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SCHOOL LAW OFFICE OF JAMES E. MONNIG BRIN & BRIN OF LAW James E. Monnig David L. Butler John B. Beckworth*
Do WELL by doing GOOD
MUELLER LAW Mark Mueller
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AUSTIN & SAN ANTONIO
800-324-5879 | Austin, TX | muellerlaw.com
William Hurlock
P L E A SE RE F E R TO T HE K E Y OF P R AC T IC E A RE A S ON PAG E 6 F OR A DE S C RIP T ION OF A S T E RISK S A ND SP ECI A LT Y A BBRE V I AT IONS .
PHOTO BY JILL HUNTER
COVER STORY
Safeguarding the Community When companies put profits over safety, trial attorney Daniel J. T. Sciano steps in.
S
pearheading the law firm that bears his name, Daniel J. T. Sciano has spent more than 35 years providing legal representation to individuals who have suffered grievous injuries or lost loved ones due to the wrongful conduct of others. Regardless whether the injuries or loss of life result from defective and unsafe products, vehicular collisions, trucking accidents, dangerous and unsafe premises, or any of the myriad ways in which individuals suffer harm, Sciano and his team of lawyers fight to obtain justice for the firm’s clients. Sciano has run across too many companies that put profits over safety. This has led him to recently focus on injuries caused by commercial motor vehicle operators and oil-field-servicecompany neglect—a significant issue in
Tinsman & Sciano, Inc. 10107 McAllister Freeway San Antonio TX 78216
Texas given the size of the oil industry and its corresponding transportation needs. S c i a no wa s recog n i z ed i n The Best Lawyers in America ©, personal injury litigation category, 1995–2017, and selected as The Best Lawyers in America San Antonio “Lawyer of the Year” in personal injury litigation by Woodward/White, Inc., for both 2010 and 2012. Sciano, who is board certified in both civil trial law and persona l i nju r y t r ia l law by t he Texas Board of Legal Specialization, regularly speaks to safety groups as well as at continuing legal education seminars sponsored by loca l tria l lawyer associations and the State Bar of Texas on trucking-related topics such as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. “These regulations, which span more
By Sean Stonefield
than 700 pages, are an important part of making the highways safer, and teaching them ensures that I’m always up-to-date,” Sciano says. “I took a deposition the other day in San Antonio for a collision case where the company at fault, a gravel hauling motor carrier in the city, admitted it didn’t have a single driver in the fleet qualified to operate their trucks under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. That shows you the importance of enforcing these safety regulations.” Sciano believes his tireless efforts to hold trucking companies accountable for the serious injuries and loss of life that they cause on a daily basis are improving the safety of Texas highways. Sciano and his team of lawyers at Tinsman & Sciano, Inc., have a single-minded purpose for their professional lives—to obtain justice for those who have been harmed by the wrongful conduct of others. For Sciano, there is no greater calling.
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2017 SURVE Y RESULTS CARLS, MCDONALD & DALRYMPLE Nancy A. Shellhorse GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY Edward S. McHorse HUSCH BLACKWELL David W. Hilgers, Hal S. Katz, Ace Pickens, Julian L. Rivera JACKSON WALKER Edgar C. Morrison, Jr. JOY & YOUNG Louise M. Joy, Hilary H. Young KING & SPALDING Catherine M. Greaves, Kathy L. Poppitt KREAGERMITCHELL Michael L. Kreager, Bruce M. Mitchell LOCKE LORD Jennifer L. Rangel NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT Jerry A. Bell, Jr., Charles A. Deacon, Stacey A. Martinez*, Yvonne K. Puig, Terry O. Tottenham PETER H. WICKERSHAM Peter H. Wickersham REED, CLAYMON, MEEKER & HARGETT Jennifer B. Claymon, Kevin A. Reed SEDGWICK JoAnn Dalrymple* SHARP & COBOS Antonio A. Cobos, Michael Robert Sharp STRASBURGER & PRICE William D. Darling, Kathryn M. Darling, Cynthia Day Grimes, Kevin M. Wood SWANN & WADDILL Sharron L. Swann WALLER LANSDEN DORTCH & DAVIS Fletcher H. Brown
CEDILLO & MENDOZA INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW DAVIS, Ricardo G. Cedillo (IP*, P*) MATHESON KEYS DAFFER & KORDZIK Jerry M. Keys
PROFILED FIRM/LAWYER
DAVIS, GERALD & CREMER Shannon H. Ratliff (IP*, P*) INSURANCE LAW DECHERT Jeffrey B. Plies (IP*) CANTILO & BENNETT DICKINSON WRIGHT Patrick H. Cantilo Ross Spencer Garsson (P) DE LEON & WASHBURN DINOVO PRICE ELLWANGER & HARDY Hector De Leon, Benjamin S. De Leon Andrew G. DiNovo (IP*, P, P*), William M. GARDERE Parrish (IP*, P*) Kimberly A. Yelkin DLA PIPER GRAVELY & PEARSON Brian K. Erickson (IP*, P*) Marc E. Gravely DYKEMA GOSSETT GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY J. Daniel Harkins (C, IP*, P, P*, T) Susan G. Conway, P. M. Schenkkan FARNEY DANIELS GREENBERG TRAURIG Steven R. Daniels (IP*, P*), W. Bryan Thomas J. Bond, Barry R. Senterfitt Farney (IP*, P*) HOHMANN, BROPHY & SHELTON FLECKMAN & MCGLYNN Guy M. Hohmann William D. Raman (C, IP*, T) JACKSON WALKER GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY Dudley D. McCalla, Steven D. Moore, Peter D. Kennedy (IP*) Thomas T. Rogers GREENBERG TRAURIG LANG LAW FIRM Kevin S. Kudlac (C, IP*, P, P*, T) Sylvan S. Lang, Jr. HULSEY LANGLEY & BANACK William N. Hulsey III (P) Thomas H. Veitch HUSCH BLACKWELL LAW FIRM OF MICHAEL SEAN QUINN Thomas H. Watkins (P*) Michael S. Quinn WALKER MARTIN, DISIERE, JEFFERSON & WISDOM JACKSON Michael P. Adams (IP*, P, P*, T), Raman Jeffrey E. Farrell N. Dewan (P) MCGUIREWOODS KING & SPALDING J. Mark Lawless Richard John Groos (IP*, T) MITCHELL WILLIAMS LAW OFFICES OF GALE R. PETERSON Melvin L. Burner, Jr., Elisabeth S. DeLargy Gale R. Peterson (IP*, P*) SHIDLOFSKY LAW FIRM LEE & HAYES Lee H. Shidlofsky Peter J. Ayers (IP*, P*), John M. Shumaker IMMIGRATION LAW SKELTON & WOODY (P*) J. Hampton Skelton BUZGOVA, MENESES & WELLINGTON MATHESON KEYS DAFFER & KORDZIK THOMPSON, COE, COUSINS & IRONS SMITH Jerry M. Keys (C, P, T) David D. Knoll, Jay A. Thompson G. Wellington Smith MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE VAN OSSELAER DISPUTE RESOLUTION FOSTER Patton G. Lochridge (IP*) Paul J. Van Osselaer Robert F. Loughran MCKOOL SMITH WINSTEAD K&L GATES Kevin L. Burgess (IP*, P*), Pierre J. Hubert Linda J. Burgess, Alexander J. Gonzales F. Brian Graham (IP*), Steven J. Pollinger (IP*, P*) INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW MUROV & WARD MICHAEL BEST & FRIEDRICH Mark G. Murov Arthur Gollwitzer III (IP*) PAUL PARSONS BAKER BOTTS NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT Paul Parsons Darryl J. Adams (IP*, P, P*), Joseph D. Gray David D. Bahler (IP*, P, P*, T), Mark Thomas (P*), Kevin J. Meek (IP*, P*, T), Margaret SHIVERS & SHIVERS Garrett (C, IP*, P, P*, T), Gilbert A. Greene J. Sampson (IP*, P, P*), David B. Weaver Robert A. Shivers, Nancy T. Shivers (IP*), Alicia Morris Groos (T), Michael R. (IP*, P*) Krawzsenek (P), Michael S. Metteauer (T), SIMON AZAR-FARR & ASSOCIATES Gina N. Shishima (P, P*) BRACEWELL Simon M. Azar-Farr Alan D. Albright (IP*, P*)
PARKER HIGHLANDER Steven L. Highlander (P), David L. Parker (C, IP*, P, P*, T) PILLSBURY WINTHROP SHAW PITTMAN Michael Chibib (IP*), Conor M. Civins (IP*, P*, T) PIRKEY BARBER William G. Barber (IP*, T), Rodney K. Caldwell (IP*, T), Christopher L. Graff (T), Christopher M. Kindel (T), Wendy C. Larson (T), Jered E. Matthysse (T), Stephen P. Meleen (IP*, T), Louis T. Pirkey (IP*, T), Shannon T. Vale (C, T) SLAYDEN GRUBERT BEARD R. William Beard, Jr. (IP*) SOULES & WALLACE Luther H. Soules III (IP*) STRASBURGER & PRICE Judith R. Blakeway (IP*) THE LAW OFFICES OF CHAZ DE LA GARZA Charles H. De La Garza (IP*) THE MACON LAW FIRM R. Laurence Macon (IP*, P*) TOM RHODES LAW FIRM Tom Rhodes (P*) WALLER LANSDEN DORTCH & DAVIS Richard W. Harrison (IP*, P*)
DEATS DURST & OWEN B. Craig Deats (EI), Philip Durst (EI), Martha P. Owen (EI) DESHAZO & NESBITT Thomas A. Nesbitt (EI, EM, LE*, LM) DYKEMA GOSSETT Ramon D. Bissmeyer (EM, LE*, LM), Donna K. McElroy (EM, LM), Daniel R. Stern (EI, EM, LE*, LM, LU) FISHER PHILLIPS Robert D. Kilgore (LE*, LM) FORTE & PITTARD R. Chris Pittard (EI) GAUL AND DUMONT Kala S. Dumont (EI, LE*), Malinda A. Gaul (EI) GLENDA PITTMAN & ASSOCIATES Glenda L. Pittman (LU) GRAVELY & PEARSON Matthew R. Pearson (EI) HAYNES AND BOONE Laura E. O’Donnell (LE*) JACKSON LEWIS A. Robert Fischer (EM, LE*) JEFFREY & MITCHELL Ray B. Jeffrey (EM) A. GOLDBERG (THE LAW IT OUTSOURCING LAW JEFFREY OFFICE OF) WILLIAM A. BROUSSARD Jeffrey A. Goldberg (EI, LE*) William A. Broussard, Sr. K&L GATES LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW F. Brian Graham (EM) KATOR, PARKS, WEISER & HARRIS BARTON, EAST & CALDWELL David Weiser (EI) Dawn B. Finlayson (EM, LE*, LM) KATZMAN & KATZMAN BOULETTE GOLDEN & MARIN Jason S. Boulette (EM, LM), Tanya D. DeMent Alex L. Katzman (EI, LE*) KRONENBERGER LAW FIRM (LE*), Michael J. Golden (EM), Ann Abrams Gregg R. Kronenberger (EM, LM) Price (EM) LANG LAW FIRM BRACEWELL Sylvan S. Lang, Jr. (EI) Leslie Selig Byrd (EM, LM), James H. Kizziar, LAW OFFICE OF GLEN D. MANGUM Jr. (EM, LE*, LM), J. Tullos Wells (EM, LM) Glen D. Mangum (EI, LE*) BRANSCOMB LAW OFFICE OF MICHAEL R. LATIMER Sandra Ramos White (LE*) Michael R. Latimer (EI, EM, LE*, LM, LU) CONSTANGY, BROOKS, SMITH & LAW OFFICES OF ARTHUR NICHOLSON PROPHETE Arthur C. Nicholson III (EI, EM, LE*) Mark R. Flora (EM, LE*, LM) LITTLER MENDELSON CORNELL SMITH MIERL & BRUTOCAO Allan G. King (EM, LM), Steven R. McCown Scott A. Brutocao (EM, LE*), Connie Cornell (EM, LM) (EM, LM), Steven L. Mierl (EI, EM, LE*, LM), Edward M. Smith (EM, LM) MORELAND LAW FIRM Edmond S. Moreland Jr. (EI) DAVID M. EVANS, ATTORNEY & COUNSELOR AT LAW NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT David M. Evans (LE*) Mario A. Barrera (EM, LE*, LM), Brian S. Greig (EM, LE*, LM), Philip J. Pfeiffer DAVID VAN OS & ASSOCIATES (EM, LM) David Van Os (LU)
OGLETREE, DEAKINS, NASH, SMOAK & STEWART Robert E. Bettac (EM, LE*, LM), Michael W. Fox (EM, LE*), Shafeeqa W. Giarratani (EM, LE*), Bruce A. Griggs (EM, LM), Lawrence D. Smith (EM, LM) PAUL SCHORN Paul A. Schorn (EI) SCHMOYER REINHARD Justin J. Barbour (EM), John A. Ferguson, Jr. (EM, LE*, LM), Judy K. Jetelina (EM, LE*, LM), Christine E. Reinhard (EM, LE*, LM), Shannon B. Schmoyer (EM, LM) THE GALO LAW FIRM Michael V. Galo, Jr. (EM, LE*) THE LAW OFFICES OF KELL A. SIMON Kell A. Simon (EI) THE RAPP LAW FIRM Robert A. Rapp, Jr. (EM, LM) WEISBART SPRINGER HAYES Sherrard L. Hayes II (EM, LM), Geoffrey D. Weisbart (LE*)
LAND USE & ZONING LAW
ARMBRUST & BROWN David B. Armbrust, Richard T. Suttle, Jr. MCLEAN & HOWARD Jeffrey S. Howard
LEGAL MALPRACTICE LAW
BYRD DAVIS ALDEN & HENRICHSON Don L. Davis (P) CLEMENS & SPENCER George H. Spencer, Jr. (D) FISH & RICHARDSON W. Tommy Jacks (D, P) GEORGE BROTHERS KINCAID & HORTON D. Douglas Brothers (P) PLUNKETT, GRIESENBECK & MIMARI A. Lewin Plunkett (D) SCOTT DOUGLASS & MCCONNICO Stephen E. McConnico (D) SPIVEY & GRIGG Broadus A. Spivey (D, P) THORNTON, BIECHLIN, REYNOLDS & GUERRA Robert R. Biechlin, Jr. (D), Richard J. Reynolds III (D)
LEVERAGED BUYOUTS AND PRIVATE EQUITY LAW
WINSTEAD J. Rowland Cook
LAW AND THE BORDER
ROBERT E. VALDEZ AND J.J. TREVIÑO
PHOTO BY JILL HUNTER
Unique challenges require a unique law firm. According to Robert E. Valdez, a founding partner of Valdez & Treviño Attorneys at Law, South Texas, particularly those counties along the Texas–Mexico border, are “unlike the rest of the state.” “Most lawyers shy away from these venues,” he says. “But we thrive on the challenges they present.” Valdez, who proudly declares that he “learned how to practice law” on the border, is a board-certified personal injury trial lawyer in Texas and is licensed in New Mexico. J.J. Treviño, another founding partner, is a South Texas native who leads the development and defense of catastrophic property-loss cases assigned to individual courts and multi-district litigation (MDL) courts. Valdez & Treviño’s practice ranges from Brownsville, Texas, through counties along the Rio Grande River, up to Las Cruces, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. The firm focuses on personal injury, professional liability, and commercial cases. Plaza Las Campanas 1826 N. Loop 1604 West | Suite 275 San Antonio, TX 78248 phone 210.598.8686
www.valdeztrevino.com 12 |
AUSTIN & SAN ANTONIO
P L E A SE RE F E R TO T HE K E Y OF P R AC T IC E A RE A S ON PAG E 6 F OR A DE S C RIP T ION OF A S T E RISK S A ND SP ECI A LT Y A BBRE V I AT IONS .
COVER STORY
W
hen a distrac ted truck driver carrying hazardous chemicals caused a wreck that killed a n e l d e r l y N o r t h Te x a s m o t o r i s t , the transpor tation company of fered $500,000 to the man’s 83-year-old widow to make up for the company’s negligence. The trial team at The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson presented the case to a jury and won a $20 million verdict. Af te r a g ro u p of i nves to r s we re swindled out of their share of a lucrative Wes t Texas oil f ie l d miner al r igh t s par tnership, the opposing par t y in a lawsuit filed by The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson thought so little of the case that it did not even make a settlement of fer as the trial approached. Af ter weeks of testimony in 2016, the Branson team—Frank L. Branson, Debbie Dudley Branson, and Eric Stahl—walked out of the Fisher County cour thouse with a $43 million jury verdict. When a defec tively designed SUV caused a rollover accident that cut short a North Texas collegiate soccer player’s p r o m i s i n g c a r e e r, t h e a u t o m a ke r refused to acknowledge responsibility and made no settlement offer. Again, Dallas trial law yer Frank L. Branson presented the case to a jury in Federal Court in South Carolina, and secured a $7 million verdict. In a distinguished career spanning m o r e t h a n t h r e e d e c a d e s , M r. Branson has earned a reputation for taking cases all the way to trial when n e ce s s a r y. T h a t re p u t a t i o n l e a d s many corporate defendant s to the set tlement table early rather than face Mr. Branson in a courtroom. But when corporate defendants and their insurance companies attempt to avoid responsibility and present lowball offers to victims, Mr. Branson is more than ready to stand up in a courtroom and
MASTERS IN THE COURTROOM THE LAW OFFICES OF FRANK L. BRANSON
Thomas Farmer, and John Burkhead, earned a $10.9 million verdict. When the Choctaw Casino of fered only $50,000 to the family of an elderly woman who died after a charter bus crashed en route to the casino, the trial team of Mr. Branson, Chip Brooker, and Debbie Branson earned a $4.89 million verdict for the woman’s family. While Mr. Branson made a name for himself early in his career based on
“WE’VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES, AND WE’RE GOOD AT WHAT WE DO.” present his clients’ cases to a jury. In five recent trial verdicts handled by the Branson trial team, defendants have offered a total of $800,000 to settle the cases before trial. The result of these five trials has been combined jury verdicts of more than $80 million. That’s what happened in the 2012 case of a North Texas physician who was forced out of a medical imaging partnership. The trial team, which included Mr. Branson, Eric Stahl, Debbie Dudley Branson,
verdicts and settlements in personal injur y cases, his team has handled an increasing number of high-stakes business dispute lawsuits over the last decade. “ We’ve been doing this for more than three decades, and we’re good at what we do,” says Mr. Branson. “This experience is readily transferable to business trials.” Recognized among Texas Lawbook’s “Lions of the Bar” and among the Top
10 lawyers in Texas by Super Lawyers, Mr. Branson has won signif icant and frequently record-set ting verdic ts and set tlements for more than three decades. On multiple occasions, his firm’s verdicts have been recognized b y Ve r d i c t S e a r c h a m o n g t h e t o p verdicts in the United States. The Best Lawyers in America © has honored him ever y year since 1987; The National Law Journal named him one of t he n a t i o n’s 5 0 E l i t e Tr i a l L a w y e r s f o r P l a i n t i f f s i n 2 0 1 4 ; Ve r d i c t S e a r c h feature d him in i t s inau gur al Texas Verdicts Hall of Fame with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013; and the Dallas Bar Association named him Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2010. Whether handling bet-the- company business disputes or individuals seriously injured or killed as a result of accidents and reckless or negligent co r p o r a t io n s , B r a n so n a n d h i s f i r m a re p a s s i o n a te a b o u t re p re s e n t i n g their clients. Visit flbranson.com for more information on how Branson and his experienced team use their skills and dedication to protec t client s’ legal rights and help restore their lives. W W W.BESTL AW Y ERS.COM
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
INSURANCE LAW
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
J. Mark Lawless LAW - DEFENDANTS AUSTIN
Allan G. King
Shannon B. Schmoyer
AUSTIN
SAN ANTONIO
LEGAL MALPRACTICE LAW - DEFENDANTS
SAN ANTONIO
Robert G. Newman
SAN ANTONIO
LITIGATION - BANKING AND FINANCE
JANE SNODDY SMITH
A
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AUSTIN & SAN ANTONIO
David S. Gragg
SAN ANTONIO
LITIGATION - CONSTRUCTION
s the U.S. head of the real estate department at Norton Rose Fulbright, Jane Snoddy Smith works closely with litigators to successfully resolve real estate-related disputes. Luckily for clients, Smith, who has a psychology degree and is a keen people-reader, knows how to smooth disagreements between parties and help projects stay on track. “A lot of times I think people want to just have a big hammer and hit somebody on the head,” says Smith. “What I try to do is take the hammer off the table.” Smith is adept at removing the hammer. With her team at Norton Rose Fulbright, she has kept hospitals at risk of being shut down running, continued manufacturing during disputes about the legality of being in those facilities, and sold property with construction defects that were fixed. “We have been successful in every transaction we’ve had,” states Smith. “But success looks different in each field. It might be that you’re able to articulate the issues, so somebody who wants to sue you never sues you because they’re persuaded they don’t have a case. It could also be that you come to mediation, and you both would like one thing, but you’re able to settle on something else that works or gives you enough planning time to change course without damaging the business too much.” Recognizing the potential damage of a case that is not swiftly or peacefully resolved, Smith is especially concerned about the effects of unresolved fraud cases. “I’m always feeling like I’m fighting for somebody’s pension.” During her career, Smith has learned the importance of the role she plays in helping people achieve peaceful resolutions. “If I fuel the fire and stoke the anger, they won’t get where they need to go,” says Smith. “I have to be very neutral. I have to listen. I have to come back to the facts: what happened, what does this mean, what are our damages, how can we be whole or as near to being whole as possible.” When Smith isn’t rescuing projects and pensions, she enjoys contributing her time and negotiating prowess to pro bono work. One of her favorite cases was helping a devastated clown whose photo had been taken and used as a book cover without his permission. “Sometimes it’s just finding out what the person wants. What [the clown] really wanted was to be given credit in the book,” says Smith. “That’s all he wanted, and I was able to give that to him with a letter and a phone call.” With the education to match her tact, Smith earned a B.S. with major in biology and minors in English and psychology from the College of William and Mary, an M.S. in special education from Vanderbilt University, and a J.D. from Emory University School of Law. She has been recognized by Best Lawyers® since 2008 and was first designated a “Lawyer of the Year” in 2015 for her work in real estate litigation.
AUSTIN
John A. Huddleston
SAN ANTONIO
LITIGATION - ENVIRONMENTAL
LITIGATION - FIRST AMENDMENT
Peter D. Kennedy
AUSTIN
LITIGATION - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
NATURAL RESOURCES LAW
Tim George
Michael L. McReynolds
AUSTIN
Carroll G. Martin
PATENT LAW
Gina N. Shishima
AUSTIN
Sean E. Breen
Fred Riley Jones
AUSTIN
SAN ANTONIO
- PLAINTIFFS
Jay Harvey
Fidel Rodriguez, Jr.
AUSTIN
SAN ANTONIO
LITIGATION - DEFENDANTS
R. Laurence Macon SAN ANTONIO
LITIGATION - LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
Thomas A. Nesbitt
AUSTIN
LITIGATION - PATENT
John W. Weber, Jr.
Michael V. Galo, Jr.
SAN ANTONIO
Thomas M. Bullion III
AUSTIN
SAN ANTONIO
Mark Thomas Garrett PRODUCT LIABILITY
AUSTIN
Paul R. Tobias
AUSTIN
P. M. Schenkkan PERSONAL INJURY LITIGATION
AUSTIN
SAN ANTONIO
MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS LAW
INJURY LITIGATION Randy R. Howry -PERSONAL DEFENDANTS
Tom Rhodes
AUSTIN
LITIGATION - BANKRUPTCY
Austin, TX
Andrew L. Kerr OIL AND GAS LAW SAN ANTONIO
REAL ESTATE LAW
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LAW - PLAINTIFFS
Richard J. Reynolds III
LITIGATION - ANTITRUST
Mark T. Beaman
AUSTIN
LABOR LAW - MANAGEMENT
PUBLIC FINANCE LAW
SAN ANTONIO
Elizabeth Rippy Bowes
REAL ESTATE LAW
AUSTIN
Peter J. Ayers
Stephen L. Golden
Ricardo G. Cedillo
Ann E. Vanderburg
AUSTIN
LITIGATION - REAL ESTATE
SAN ANTONIO
Luther H. Soules III
Cliff Ernst
TAX LAW
B. Russell Horton
Elizabeth A. Copeland
AUSTIN
LITIGATION - TRUSTS AND ESTATES
SECURITIES / CAPITAL MARKETS LAW
AUSTIN
Frank B. Brown
SAN ANTONIO
AUSTIN
AUSTIN
LITIGATION - SECURITIES
SAN ANTONIO
Jane Snoddy Smith
AUSTIN
TRADEMARK LAW
Lamont A. Jefferson SAN ANTONIO
SAN ANTONIO
William G. Barber
AUSTIN
Jerry Frank Jones TRUSTS AND ESTATES AUSTIN Patricia F. Sitchler
LITIGATION AND CONTROVERSY - TAX
SAN ANTONIO
Christina A. Mondrik
Steven J. Tackett
AUSTIN
MEDIATION
AUSTIN
WATER LAW
Karl Bayer
AUSTIN
Robin A. Melvin
AUSTIN
P L E A SE RE F E R TO T HE K E Y OF P R AC T IC E A RE A S ON PAG E 6 F OR A DE S C RIP T ION OF A S T E RISK S A ND SP ECI A LT Y A BBRE V I AT IONS .
2017 SURVE Y RESULTS LITIGATION - REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT WINSTEAD (SEC, TELECOM, ENERGY) Jon R. Ray GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY NON-PROFIT / CHARITIES LAW Robert J. Hearon, Jr. BRORBY, CROZIER & DOBIE HOWRY, BREEN & HERMAN Thomas J. Brorby, Brian W. Crozier Randy R. Howry JACKSON WALKER OIL AND GAS LAW Thomas T. Rogers DAVIS, GERALD & CREMER MASS TORT LITIGATION Shannon H. Ratliff / CLASS ACTIONS DUGGINS WREN MANN & ROMERO James E. Mann CROSLEY LAW FIRM ELDER BRAY & BANKLER Thomas A. Crosley (P) David H.O. Roth GORDON REES SCULLY MANSUKHANI GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY Kenneth J. Ferguson (D) John B. McFarland NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT J. RANDALL PATTERSON Robert G. Newman (D) J. Randall Patterson MEDIA LAW KATTEN MUCHIN ROSENMAN Danny G. Worrell GEORGE BROTHERS KINCAID & HORTON R. James George, Jr. KELLY HART & HALLMAN Brenda L. Clayton, Glenn E. Johnson MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LAW MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE FISH & RICHARDSON Kevin M. Beiter, Patton G. Lochridge W. Tommy Jacks (P) SCOTT DOUGLASS & MCCONNICO GERMER James N. Cowden, Douglas J. Dashiell, Missy K. Atwood (D), Mark T. Beaman (D) Carroll G. Martin, Elizabeth N. Miller, John G. Soule, H. Philip Whitworth, Jr. LAW OFFICE OF CLEM LYONS Clarence V. Lyons (P) THOMPSON & KNIGHT Arthur J. Wright NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT Charles A. Deacon (D), Yvonne K. Puig (D), WINSTEAD Terry O. Tottenham (D) Jon R. Ray PLUNKETT, GRIESENBECK & MIMARI PERSONAL INJURY LITIGATION Tim T. Griesenbeck, Jr. (D) BALLARD & SIMMONS REY PEREZ & ASSOCIATES Lisa M. Panique (D) Rey Perez (D, P) BRANTON HALL RODRIGUEZ CRUZ STRASBURGER & PRICE James L. Branton (P) Cynthia Day Grimes (D) BRIN & BRIN TINSMAN & SCIANO George G. Brin (D) Stephen F. Lazor (P) BROCK PERSON GUERRA REYNA page 2 John A. Guerra (D), Ricardo R. Reyna (D) TOM RHODES LAW FIRM BYRD DAVIS ALDEN & HENRICHSON Tom Rhodes (P) Robert C. Alden (P), Don L. Davis (P) WHITEHURST, HARKNESS, BREES, CHAMBERLAIN MCHANEY CHENG, ALSAFFAR & HIGGINBOTHAM David E. Chamberlain (D, P) William O. Whitehurst, Jr. (P)
page 8 MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS LAW CHRISTENSEN LAW FIRM
BAKER BOTTS Michael L. Bengtson DICKINSON WRIGHT Darrell R. Windham DLA PIPER Paul E. Hurdlow DWYER MURPHY CALVERT Kelly J. Dwyer GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY Cliff Ernst, R. Clarke Heidrick, Jr. LAW OFFICE OF KAREN HOLODY Karen J. Holody MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE Kevin M. Beiter* MILLER, EGAN, MOLTER & NELSON Kyle K. Fox PAUL MICHAEL HEBERT Paul Michael Hebert QUEEN SAENZ + SCHUTZ Thomas I. Queen, Jr. T. DREW CAUTHORN T. Drew Cauthorn VINSON & ELKINS Paul R. Tobias, William R. Volk WINSTEAD J. Rowland Cook MINING LAW LAW OFFICES OF ROGER P. NEVOLA Roger P. Nevola
Daniel J. Christensen (P) CRAIG D. BALL Craig D. Ball (P) CROSLEY LAW FIRM Thomas A. Crosley (P) DAVIS, CEDILLO & MENDOZA Ronald E. Mendoza (D) DIES & HILE Richard C. Hile (P) EVANS, ROWE & HOLBROOK Brett B. Rowe (D) FURMAN LAW GROUP James H. Furman (P) GALOW & STUDDARD Jerry Galow (P) GEORGE BUTTS LAW George B. Butts (D) GERMER Mark T. Beaman (D), Thomas M. Bullion III (D), Richard H. Grafton (D) GOODE CASSEB JONES RIKLIN CHOATE & WATSON Fred Riley Jones (D), Kyle C. Watson (D) GORDON REES SCULLY MANSUKHANI Kenneth J. Ferguson (D) HOWRY, BREEN & HERMAN Sean E. Breen (D, P), Randy R. Howry (D, P) HULL HENRICKS Michael S. Hull (D) JANICEK LAW FIRM MUNICIPAL LAW Elizabeth S. Janicek (P) DENTON NAVARRO ROCHA BERNAL KELLY O’CONNOR HYDE & ZECH Kellogg L. O’Connor (D) Lowell F. Denton KETTERMAN ROWLAND & WESTLUND MCKAMIE KRUEGER Phillip G. Bernal (P), Douglas D. William M. McKamie** Ketterman (P) LAW FIRM NATIVE AMERICAN LAW LANG Sylvan S. Lang, Jr. (P) TEXAS STAR ALLIANCE LANGLEY & BANACK John R. Pitts Sr. Steven D. Browne (D) OFFICE OF CLEM LYONS NATURAL RESOURCES LAW LAW Clarence V. Lyons (P) DAVIS, GERALD & CREMER LAW OFFICE OF JEFFREY C. ANDERSON Shannon H. Ratliff Jeffrey C. Anderson (P) ELDER BRAY & BANKLER LAW OFFICES OF FIDEL RODRIGUEZ, JR. David H.O. Roth Fidel Rodriguez, Jr. (P) GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE John B. McFarland, P. M. Schenkkan Ray Chester (P) J. RANDALL PATTERSON MUELLER LAW J. Randall Patterson Mark R. Mueller (P) KELLY HART & HALLMAN Glenn E. Johnson page 10 LAURA H. BURNEY NAMAN, HOWELL, SMITH & LEE Laura H. Burney J. Michael Myers (D) LAW OFFICES OF ROGER P. NEVOLA NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT Roger P. Nevola Charles A. Deacon (D), Yvonne K. Puig (D), MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE Terry O. Tottenham (D), John W. Weber, Jr. (D) Kevin M. Beiter, Tim George, Patton G. PLUNKETT, GRIESENBECK & MIMARI Lochridge A. Lewin Plunkett (D) MCREYNOLDS & TYE PRICHARD HAWKINS YOUNG Michael L. McReynolds David M. Prichard (D) SCOTT DOUGLASS & MCCONNICO RICK FREEMAN Elizabeth N. Miller, H. Philip Whitworth, Jr. Rick Freeman (P) THE AL LAW GROUP ROYSTON RAYZOR Susan G. Zachos William W. Pierson (D) THOMPSON & KNIGHT RUSH & GRANSEE Arthur J. Wright Robert L. Rush (P)
PROFILED FIRM/LAWYER
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ANDREWS KURTH KENYON Jerry E. Turner BRACEWELL Elizabeth Rippy Bowes, W. Glenn Opel MCCALL, PARKHURST & HORTON Carol C. Polumbo NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT Clayton Scott Binford, W. Jeffrey Kuhn WINSTEAD M. Paul Martin
RAILROAD LAW
BURNS ANDERSON JURY & BRENNER Robert B. Burns, Jr.
REAL ESTATE LAW
ARMBRUST & BROWN David B. Armbrust, Kimberly S. Beckham, Frank B. Brown, Samuel D. Byars, Mark L. Hawkins, Wayne S. Hollingsworth, Kenneth N. Jones, Gregg C. Krumme, Sue Brooks Littlefield BARTON, EAST & CALDWELL J. Cary Barton BAYNE, SNELL & KRAUSE Barry Snell* BRANSCOMB Rhonda G. Jolley, Grady B. Jolley CASSIE B. STINSON Cassie B. Stinson COOK BROOKS JOHNSON Michael L. Cook DANIEL W. NELSON LAW OFFICE Daniel W. Nelson DAVIS, CEDILLO & MENDOZA J. Russell Davis DAVIS, GERALD & CREMER Shannon H. Ratliff* DLA PIPER Royce J. Hailey, Jr.
DRENNER GROUP Greta E. Goldsby DUBOIS BRYANT & CAMPBELL William C. Bryant, Robert F. Dubois III**, Richard C. Reed III DYKEMA GOSSETT Kerry T. Benedict, Peter R. Broderick, James M. McDonough, John B. Stewart, James M. Truss* ELDER BRAY & BANKLER Michael A. Morell FARRIMOND CASTILLO & BRESNAHAN Scott A. Farrimond GOLDEN STEVES COHEN & GORDON Andrew S. Cohen, Stephen L. Golden GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY Wm. Terry Bray, Stephen W. Butler, R. Alan Haywood, H. David Herndon, William H. Locke, Jr., Rick Triplett GRAY & BECKER Richard Edwin Gray III* HAWKEYE PARTNERS James A. Taylor HAYNES AND BOONE Frank Z. Ruttenberg HOWRY, BREEN & HERMAN Randy R. Howry* HURST SAVAGE & VANDERBURG Susan J. Savage, Ann E. Vanderburg HUSCH BLACKWELL Robert L. Davis, Robert J. Werner JACKSON WALKER James M. Alsup, Steven R. Martens, Timothy C. Taylor, Gerald S. Webberman JOSEPH W. TAYLOR Joseph W. Taylor KERR & JAECKLE Richard L. Kerr KUPERMAN, ORR & ALBERS Rick M. Albers LANGLEY & BANACK Michael C. Boyle*, Steven R. Brook, August Linnartz, Jr.*, Marc J. Schnall LAW OFFICE OF THOMAS J. SMITH Thomas Jay Smith LAW OFFICES OF JAMES H. BARROW James H. Barrow** LAW OFFICES OF SCOTT MOORE Scott Moore* LOCKE LORD Brad B. Hawley, L. Jeffery Hubenak, Tai C. Tran MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE Kevin M. Beiter* MCLEAN & HOWARD William P. McLean METCALFE WOLFF STUART & WILLIAMS David A. Wolff NORMAN & OLIVER James C. Norman NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT Robert G. Converse, John P. Jennings, Amy M. Mitchell, Jane Snoddy Smith**, James M. Summers RICHARD F. HALTER Richard F. Halter SARA E. DYSART Sara E. Dysart SCHOENBAUM, CURPHY & SCANLAN Banks M. Smith SNEED, VINE & PERRY William D. Brown SOULES & WALLACE Luther H. Soules III* STAHL, BERNAL, DAVIES, SEWELL, & CHAVARRIA Thomas I. Davies, Brent G. Stahl STRASBURGER & PRICE James T. Cameron, Andrew L. Kerr* WALLER LANSDEN DORTCH & DAVIS Eric J. Taube* WEISBART SPRINGER HAYES Geoffrey D. Weisbart* WILSON & WILSON LAW Jamie M. Wilson WINSTEAD Robert D. Burton
NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT Daniel McNeel Lane, Jr. (S*) T. DREW CAUTHORN T. Drew Cauthorn (S) THE MACON LAW FIRM R. Laurence Macon (S*) VINSON & ELKINS Paul R. Tobias (R, S), William R. Volk (S) WALLER LANSDEN DORTCH & DAVIS Eric J. Taube (S*) WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI Brian K. Beard (S) WINSTEAD J. Rowland Cook (R, S)
GIORDANI, SWANGER, RIPP & JETEL Leslie C. Giordani, Amy P. Jetel, Michael H. Ripp, Jr., Derry W. Swanger GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY Patricia A. Campbell, Kevin Holcomb, E. Clark Lutz HILL, DUCLOUX, CARNES & DE LA GARZA Donald F. Carnes HOPPER MIKESKA J. Craig Hopper, D’Ana H. Mikeska HORNBERGER FULLER & GARZA Rudy A. Garza*, Charles M. Hornberger** HOWRY, BREEN & HERMAN Randy R. Howry* HUGHES VANDERBURG WILLIAMS & SECURITIZATION AND BARTOLETTI STRUCTURED FINANCE LAW H. David Hughes, T. Lee Vanderburg, James A. Williams BAKER BOTTS IKARD GOLDEN JONES William F. Stutts Alvin J. Golden, Frank N. Ikard, Jr.**, Jerry TAX LAW Frank Jones** JACKSON WALKER ALMANZA, BLACKBURN, DICKIE & Samuel K. Hildebrand** MITCHELL Martha S. Dickie* JEFFERSON CANO Lamont A. Jefferson* ARMBRUST & BROWN Frank B. Brown KEVIN PHILIP KENNEDY Kevin Philip Kennedy BECKETT TACKETT & BAGWELL Carolyn M. Beckett KUPERMAN, ORR & ALBERS David I. Kuperman BRACEWELL R. Joe Hull LANGLEY & BANACK James J. Aycock, Arthur H. Bayern**, William BRORBY, CROZIER & DOBIE T. Bayern, Joyce W. Moore* Thomas J. Brorby, Brian W. Crozier LIPPINCOTT PHELAN VEIDT CHAMBERLAIN, HRDLICKA, WHITE, Kathleen Ford Bay** WILLIAMS & AUGHTRY William H. Lester, Jr., Charles J. Muller MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE Thomas Orr Barton COOK BROOKS JOHNSON Michael L. Cook** NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT Nancy Nowlin Kerr, Robert G. Newman* DUBOIS BRYANT & CAMPBELL Bryan W. Lee, Ira A. Lipstet OSBORNE, HELMAN, KNEBEL & SCOTT Duncan E. Osborne** DUGGINS WREN MANN & ROMERO C. Joseph Cain PATRICIA FLORA SITCHLER Patricia F. Sitchler DYKEMA GOSSETT Robert W. Nelson SAUNDERS, NORVAL, PARGAMAN & ATKINS HORNBERGER FULLER & GARZA William D. Pargaman** Charles M. Hornberger** SCHOENBAUM, CURPHY & SCANLAN HUGHES VANDERBURG WILLIAMS & Darin N. Digby, William Scanlan, Jr., Banks BARTOLETTI M. Smith T. Lee Vanderburg SOULES & WALLACE KUPERMAN, ORR & ALBERS Luther H. Soules III* David I. Kuperman STRASBURGER & PRICE MARTENS, TODD, LEONARD, TAYLOR Taylor S. Boone, James M. McNeel**, David & AHLRICH P. Stanush James F. Martens THE KARISCH LAW FIRM MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE Glenn M. Karisch** Robert E. Reetz, Jr. THE LAW OFFICE OF DAVID H. GOODMAN MONDRIK & ASSOCIATES David H. Goodman Christina A. Mondrik* YALE LAW FIRM NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT Glen A. Yale** Patrick L. O’Daniel, George W. Scofield POLLARD + COLLIE UTILITIES LAW William C. Pollard HAYNES AND BOONE RYAN LAW Diana M. Liebmann Mark W. Eidman* SCHOENBAUM, CURPHY & SCANLAN VENTURE CAPITAL LAW R. James Curphy, Darin N. Digby DLA PIPER SELMAN MUNSON & LERNER Paul E. Hurdlow Kenneth D. Lerner VINSON & ELKINS STRASBURGER & PRICE Jones, Paul R. Tobias, William Stanley L. Blend**, Elizabeth A. Copeland**, J.R.Wesley Volk Farley P. Katz** VINSON & ELKINS WATER LAW Donald F. Wood BAKER BOTTS WILLIAM W. BELL Molly J. Cagle William W. Bell BICKERSTAFF HEATH DELGADO ACOSTA TECHNOLOGY LAW Douglas G. Caroom BRACEWELL PILLSBURY WINTHROP SHAW PITTMAN Sara M. Burgin Edward A. Cavazos DYKEMA GOSSETT WILLIAM A. BROUSSARD Keith A. Shuley William A. Broussard, Sr. EWELL, BROWN, BLANKE & KNIGHT TRADE SECRETS LAW David P. Blanke GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY DESHAZO & NESBITT Robin A. Melvin Thomas A. Nesbitt HAYNES AND BOONE NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT Jeffrey Civins Mark Thomas Garrett JACKSON WALKER TRUSTS AND ESTATES Leonard H. Dougal REINSURANCE LAW BAIRD, CREWS, SCHILLER & WHITAKER KEMP SMITH Darcy A. Frownfelter Thomas C. Baird GREENBERG TRAURIG KG STRATEGIES BARNES LIPSCOMB STEWART & OTT Barry R. Senterfitt R. Kinnan Golemon John R. Ott** WINSTEAD LAW OFFICES OF KEN RAMIREZ BECKETT TACKETT & BAGWELL Alexander J. Gonzales Kenneth R. Ramirez Steven J. Tackett SECURITIES / CAPITAL BLAZIER, CHRISTENSEN, BROWDER LAW OFFICES OF ROGER P. NEVOLA MARKETS LAW & VIRR Roger P. Nevola Thomas F. Virr LLOYD GOSSELINK ROCHELLE & ANDREWS KURTH KENYON TOWNSEND J. Matthew Lyons (S) BRANSCOMB Michael A. Gershon, Jason T. Hill Joseph McKnight Davis* BAKER BOTTS MARY K. SAHS Michael L. Bengtson (S) BRINK BENNETT FLAHERTY Mary K. Sahs Frances H. Bennett, Rhonda H. Brink DAVIS, GERALD & CREMER R. WALTON SHELTON, ATTORNEY AT LAW Shannon H. Ratliff (S*) DAVIDSON TROILO REAM & GARZA R. Walton Shelton James C. Woo DLA PIPER SMILEY LAW FIRM John J. Gilluly III (S), Paul E. Hurdlow (S) DAVIS, CEDILLO & MENDOZA Cynthia C. Smiley Ricardo G. Cedillo* DYKEMA GOSSETT WEISBART SPRINGER HAYES Wilhelm E. Liebmann (S), Phillip M. DUBOIS BRYANT & CAMPBELL P. Bane Phillippi Slinkard (S) Michele A. Mobley GEORGE BROTHERS KINCAID & HORTON DUNCAN, BRESSLER & LIU B. Russell Horton (S*) Edgar M. Duncan GRAVES DOUGHERTY HEARON & MOODY DYKEMA GOSSETT Cliff Ernst (S) David B. West*, Harry W. Wolff, Jr. KING & SPALDING ECCLES & MCINTOSH Paul R. Bessette (S*) Beth Ann Eccles** LAW OFFICES OF JAMES M. DOYLE, JR. ELIZABETH MORGAN & ASSOCIATES James M. Doyle, Jr. (S) Elizabeth L. Morgan
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Left to right: John Burkhead, Kern Lewis (seated), Tom Farmer, Eric Stahl, Frank Branson, Debbie Dudley Branson, Chip Brooker
Frank Branson has earned a nationwide reputation for excellence by securing significant and sometimes record-setting trial verdicts and settlements. He and his trial team have built a record of courtroom success in various fields including trucking accidents, bus crashes, airplane crashes, injury from gas or electric lines and harm caused by defective products, work site injuries, fraud and fiduciary breach cases.
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