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Mr. Barkhurst has extensive litigation experience in business and real estate disputes. He has developed a special concentration in the area of eminent domain, representing governmental entities as well as landowners in numerous lawsuits. Mr. Barkhurst has successfully represented numerous owners in ranch power line takings. He also represents governmental entities in construction disputes, and he has represented contractors and subcontractors in private disputes. He also has extensive experience handling complex business dissolution and injunction cases. Mr. Barkhurst has a B.A. degree, with honors, from Southwest Texas State University and a J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Texas Tech University, and he is a former USAF Captain and F-111 Aviator. 

Attorney at Braun & Gresham
Ms. Barton takes her compassion and skill to guide land and business owners through many different legal proceedings. Lawsuits can be complicated, but her wide range of experiences allows her to handle disputes at all levels of litigation – from the Justice of the Peace to Federal Court. As a litigator, Ms. Barton balances her clients’ needs and legal realities, while fighting for the best result possible. As a counselor, she analyzes her clients’ situation to craft creative solutions to their troubles. Communication with her clients remains a first-and-foremost priority, addressing their needs and concerns and keeping them up-to-date with the status of their matter.

Mr. Brandys has exclusively represented landowners in eminent domain, inverse condemnation, and related land use matters for over 16 years. He has represented landowners in negotiating settlements, in special commissioners’ hearings, and in jury trials on hundreds of road and highway takings, power line takings, pipeline takings, takings of billboard easements, and other similar takings. Mr. Brandys is a graduate of Knox College and received his J.D. degree from Wake Forest University where he was a member of the Law Review.

Partner at McGinnis Lochridge
Mr. Johnson has a multifaceted water law practice, with an emphasis on matters involving land use, water rights and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). His clients are generally landowners, industries, mineral owners and developers seeking to acquire, safeguard, develop or convey water resources. Formerly, he represented a large municipal water system in a variety of matters, including legislative efforts to create the Edwards Aquifer Authority and to modernize Texas water law. He is a board member of the Center for Water Law and Policy at Texas Tech University School of Law, as well as an adjunct professor at Texas State University teaching water policy.

Attorney & Partner at Dawson & Sodd
Ms. McSpadden has represented landowners in various kinds of condemnation proceedings, including inverse condemnations, takings for Dallas Cowboys football stadium, water rights takings, pipelines, powerlines, highway takings, and takings of convenience stores, restaurants and gas compressor sites. She has been integral to the eminent domain fight against the Texas Rail Project and will continue to help protect landowners from unjust condemnation. Ms. McSpadden received her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University, earning a B.S. degree in Agriculture Development in 1998. She graduated from Baylor Law School in 2002.

Attorney at Braun & Gresham
Mr. Reznik’s clients are land and business owners who need to resolve a lawsuit or reduce the likelihood of litigation.  His Texas farm and ranch background, agricultural engineering education, and hardworking lifestyle bring a skilled, creative, understanding and compassionate approach to protecting clients’ rights and resolving conflicts.  Mr. Reznik has handled a variety of disputes, including those involving rural land uses, urban land uses, condemnation, transmission line routing, leases, contracts, estates, contested wills and probate, shareholder’s rights, and deed restrictions, he has represented developers, builders and homeowners.  He received his B.S., M.S. and J.D. degrees from Texas Tech University.

Founder at Wilhelm Law Firm
Mr. Wilhelm focuses his practice on oil and gas law and state taxation issues before the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. His oil and gas clients include Fortune 500 oil and gas companies, privately owned oil and gas independents, and sophisticated landowners. Most of the oil and gas practice focuses on real estate (title examination, due diligence, and negotiations) and assisting clients with matters before the General Land Office. In addition to his J.D. degree, Mr. Wilhelm holds a masters degree in Energy and Environmental Law from The Tulane University. He is licensed to practice in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Illinois, and by numerous federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court.

Attorney with The Chapman FirmMs. Negrete is an associate attorney at The Chapman Firm, PLLC. Her practice focuses on construction litigation, contract drafting and negotiation, and other general transactional aspects of construction law. Jerry spent the past few years of her practice litigating construction disputes and has extensive ties to and experience in the construction industry. She enjoys problem solving, backwards planning, and helping clients achieve their goals.

Attorney at Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr in Austin
Mr. Richie is an attorney in the construction and construction litigation sections of Munsch Hardt. Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Richie worked as a mechanical engineer and project manager at a prominent consulting engineering firm in Houston, Texas, and then after obtaining his law degree, as general counsel. He is also one of a handful of attorneys in Texas credentialed as a licensed professional engineer and a LEED-accredited professional (AP). He has experience in drafting and negotiating complex design and construction contracts for all types of commercial projects. Mr. Richie has also successfully represented owners (public and private), general contractors, subcontractors, and design professionals in numerous lawsuits and disputes.

Attorney with Conley Rose, P.C.Mr. Scott is shareholder of Conley Rose, P.C., and is the managing shareholder of the firm’s Austin office. He counsels clients in all aspects of intellectual property law, with particular emphasis on domestic and foreign patent acquisition, and patent licensing. With broad technical knowledge based in an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering, Mr. Scott has extensive patenting experience in microprocessor design, microprocessor operation, computer software, computer hardware, switching power supplies, communication systems, fault tolerant computing systems, down hole logging tools (including nuclear, electromagnetic and acoustic), ultrasonic flow measurement, oxygen delivery systems, and respiration support devices

Attorney with GardereMike Seely is a trial lawyer in the Houston office of Gardere who represents clients, both plaintiffs and defendants, in a wide variety of matters including general commercial litigation, oil and gas litigation, professional malpractice, real estate disputes, collection of unpaid invoices and promissory notes, and other business torts. Mr. Seely’s work has included the defense of a registered land surveyor in a lawsuit where the plaintiff alleged that surveyor’s faulty survey cost developer in excess of $1 million in damages. He obtained summary judgment absolving surveyor of all liability. Mr. Seely has been recognized in Texas Rising Stars, a Thomson Reuters business, as published in Texas Monthly (2013). He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Houston Young Lawyers Association.

DuBois Bryant & Campbell, Austin
Mr. Stacy is a partner at DuBois Bryant & Campbell and has over 15 year of experience, and he brings an extensive construction background to his practice as an attorney. Before entering law school, he obtained a degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Texas and spent several years working in the construction industry on interstate highway, oilfield, water, wastewater and corrections projects in Texas, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico. Mr. Stacy’s practice is divided between drafting and negotiating complex design and construction contracts and litigating disputes that arise in the construction industry.

Attorney with DuBois, Bryant & Campbell, L.L.P.Mr. Sullivan is a partner with DuBois, Bryant & Campbell, LLP, in Austin. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law where he teaches courses on construction law and construction litigation. Prior to entering law school, he was employed as a project manager for Fluor Daniel, Inc., one of the world’s largest engineering/construction corporations. He has worked on various types of construction projects, including high-rise office buildings, high-tech facilities, warehouses, and manufacturing plants located in Texas, Maryland, and Virginia. He graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University with a degree in Building Construction. He received his law degree fromSt. Mary’s University School of Law and was the editor-in-chief of the St. Mary’s Law Journal. Each year since 2003, Mr. Sullivan has been included in Woodward & White’s list of The Best Lawyers in America (commercial litigation) and Texas Monthly’s List of Super Lawyers (construction litigation).

Associate Attorney with The Rainwater Firm in Houston
Mr. Cohen has been practicing family law in Texas since graduating from South Texas College of Law in 2011. He joined the Law Office of Robert S. Hoffman, P.L.L.C., in September of 2013 as an associate and spent over four years working on cases with complex property issues and highly contentious child custody matters. During his time with Mr. Hoffman, he sat second chair in jury trials and binding arbitrations. He attended, defended and took numerous depositions, and he represented clients at mediations and ancillary hearings. In February of 2018, Mr. Cohen joined the newly created Rainwater Firm. His strengths include advocating the best interests of children and working on cases with complex property issues and highly contentious child custody matters. Mr. Cohen is a native Houstonian, a seventh-generation Texan, and a second-generation Harris County family law attorney.

Founding Attorney at Ramos Law Group, P.L.L.C.Ms. Ramos is board-certified in family law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She is recognized and respected throughout the Houston legal community for dedication in effectively representing clients’ rights and interests. She understands the emotional side of divorce and brings a special compassion to each and every case. Ms. Ramos also offers clients knowledgeable and competent legal advice. Her practice is exclusively family law, and she has attended many certification and training courses. She received her Bachelors of Science degree from Park University in 1999, and her JD degree from Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshal School of Law, in Houston, in 2002. She has been named to both “Houston’s Top Family Lawyers”, H Texas magazine and “Best Divorce Lawyers in Houston”, Expertise LLC in 2017.

Attorney at LawMs.Tanner has practiced law in the State of Texas for over a decade. She handles all aspects of family law matters including divorce, child custody, child support, post-divorce modifications and enforcement, family law-related appeals, mediations, arbitrations and collaborative law. She is a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas and the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. Ms. Tanner earned her J.D. degree from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law.

Ms. Wise completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin with honors, majoring in Psychology, and she earned her J.D. degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston. She was admitted to practice in Texas on February 8, 2001, and has been Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2011. Ms. Wise is a member of the State Bar of Texas, its Family Law Section, its Texas Technology Section, and then the College of the State Bar of Texas, the Houston Bar Association and its Family Law Section, the Fort Bend County Bar Association, and Gulf Coast Family Law Specialists.

Stephanie Bandoske Partner at Bandoske & Butler in San Antonio. Ms. Bandoske is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She offers a wide range of legal services which include all family law matters including divorce, custody and child support.  She has been recognized since 2017 as a Texas Super Lawyer. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas and San Antonio Bar Association’s Family Law Section and the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists. Ms. Bandoske received her J.D. degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio.   

Partner at Bandoske Butler Reuter, PLLC in San AntonioMs. Butler practices in family law matters involving spousal and child support obligations and property division, including business interests, pension and profit-sharing entitlements, trusts and investments. She is an active member of the San Antonio Bar Association Family Law Section Executive Board and the Texas Family Law Foundation, and she is a San Antonio Bar Association fellow. Ms. Butler received her B.S. degree from the University of Texas in Austin and her J.D. degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio.

Law Office of Rebecca J. Carrillo in San AntonioMs. Carrillo is a Texas board certified attorney in family law. Board certification is a mark of excellence, one that roughly 10 percent of Texas attorneys can claim. Only board certified attorneys in Texas can publicly represent themselves as a specialist in their area of law. As a board certified attorney, Ms. Carrillo has set herself apart as being an attorney with the highest public commitment to the practice of family law in Texas. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Sociology and from St. Mary’s University School of Law. Ms. Carrillo has been practicing family law since November 2009.

Partner with Higdon, Hardy & Zuflacht L.L.P. in San AntonioMr. Emory is board certified in family law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His areas of concentration include family law, debt collection and probate. He is a member of the Texas State Bar Association, the State Bar College, and the San Antonio Bar Association’s Family Law Section. Mr. Emory received his undergraduate degrees in Sociology and Administration of Justice from The American University in Washington, D.C. and his J.D. degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio.

Owner/Attorney with The Law Office of Agatha L. Rode, PLLC, in San AntonioMs. Rode’s practice is dedicated exclusively to family law. Her representative areas of practice include divorce, child support, child custody, adoption, military divorce, high-asset complex division, property, parents and grandparent’s rights, uncontested divorces, same-sex divorces, collaborative law, protective orders and restraining orders, modifications of prior orders, and probate law. Mrs. Rode is a member of the Aggie Bar Association, the San Antonio Bar Association, and the San Antonio Bar Association Family Law Division. She earned her B.A. degree from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, her J.D. degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, and her MBA degree from St. Mary’s University.

KoonsFuller Family Law
Ms. Armstrong is a Dallas divorce attorney practicing primarily in Dallas and Collin counties. She routinely helps people find the best solutions for their divorces, child custody actions, modifications of prior custody orders, and collaborative law cases. She also specializes in courtroom advocacy, including hearings, jury and bench trials. Ms. Armstrong is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She has successfully argued and tried issues of custody and property division for her clients. Trial advocacy became a passion for Ms. Armstrong while obtaining her Bachelor of Communications degree at Texas A&M University, and continued through her graduation from Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law, where she was selected for the mock trial team. In addition, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Collin County Young Lawyers Association, and is president-elect (2014) for the organization. Ms. Armstrong is also a member of the Curt B. Henderson Inn of Court, along with members of the Collin County judiciary and prominent Collin County family law attorneys, and she is a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.

Ms. Melhart is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, a Council Member for the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section, serves on the board of directors of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, and is a faculty member with the American Bar Association’s Family Law Trial Advocacy Institute. Ms. Melhart has written articles for the State Bar of Texas, the American Bar Association, and the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers on a variety family law issues and presented to a number of family law related organizations throughout the country. She is also a part of the Texas Board of Legal Specialization’s Paralegal Commission for Family Law which is responsible for writing and grading the board certification exam for family law paralegals.

Ms. Pingenot Key exclusively practices family law. She has been selected for inclusion in Texas Monthly “Rising Stars” each year since 2006. Prior to practicing law, Ms. Pingenot Key was the program director of a supervised visitation facility for families in Austin as well as an elementary school teacher with the non-profit program, Teach for America. She received a B.A. degree in Psychology, with honors, an M.S. degree in Social Work, with honors, and a J.D. degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Ms. Pingenot Key is board certified in family law and speaks and writes frequently on issues in family law.

Attorney at Law
Ms. Purvis earned her bachelor of science degree in English from the University of Houston in 1995 and her J.D. degree from South Texas College of Law in 1998. She was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in May, 1999. Ms. Purvis practiced family law in Houston with a preeminent family law firm where she gained experience in complex and highly-contested family law cases. She has also authored and co-authored CLE articles, spoken at various CLE events, and served as a planning-committee member for a CLE seminar presented by South Texas College of Law. Ms. Purvis has also worked as a legal and business consultant and research coordinator for corporate entities and volunteered for political campaigns. Ms. Purvis is currently in private practice focusing on family law in Southlake, Texas, and represents clients throughout the greater Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex.

Orsinger, Nelson, Downing and Anderson, LLP
Ms. Baird’s practice is limited solely to family law. She graduated from Texas Tech University School of Law in 2006 and earned her undergraduate degree from Hardin-Simmons University in 2002, where she graduated with a double major in Finance and Economics. Ms. Baird’s background in finance laid the groundwork for her practice which is focused on cases involving complex property divisions. She also handles cases involving difficult child custody matters in divorces, modifications, paternity suits, and enforcements. Ms. Baird was licensed to practice law in Texas in November 2010, and she is board certified in family law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She was selected as a Rising Star by Thomas Reuters each year from 2014 to 2018, and she was named as one of the top 50 up-and-coming Women and top 100 up-and-coming Attorneys in Texas in 2017, as published in Texas Monthly magazine. She was also selected to D Magazine’s list of Best Lawyers Under 40 in 2018. Ms. Baird is a member of the Family Law Section of the Dallas Bar Association, the Texas Family Law Foundation, the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers and its foundation, and the Annette Stewart American Inn of Court.

Yusuf Ross Law, PLLC, San Antonio, TX
Ms. Ross is board certified in family law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has extensive litigation experience in both civil and family law. Her current practice covers all areas of family law litigation, including divorce, child custody, visitation and child support, modification and enforcement of court orders, and property division. Ms. Ross serves on the Board of Directors of the Texas Family Law Foundation and is a member of the Texas Family Law Foundation’s Bill Review Committee, reviewing and advising on legislation that impacts family lawyers and families throughout Texas. She has also been named by Super Lawyers as a Texas Rising Star. Ms. Ross earned her B.S. degree in Psychology and Criminology from Florida State University and her J.D. degree from Baylor University School of Law.

Associate attorney at Schlanger Silver LLP in Houston                                                                 
A native Houstonian, Ms. Canales earned her B.A. degree in Philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin in December 2012.  After graduating, she attended South Texas College of Law while also working for a small family law firm in Pearland, Texas.  During law school, Ms. Canales gained practice-ready skills in both the Family Law Advanced Clinic and Domestic Violence Clinic. She is a second-generation family law attorney and grew up wanting to help people navigate what is often the most difficult time of their lives. After being admitted to practice law in November 2016, Ms. Canales began her legal career at Burgower Law, LLP in January 2017 and remained there until joining Schlanger Silver LLP in January 2020. She handles a variety of family law matters including adoptions, divorces, child custody disputes, enforcements, marital agreements, and modification actions.

Associate Attorney with The Rainwater Firm in Houston
Mr. Cohen has been practicing family law in Texas since graduating from South Texas College of Law in 2011. He joined the Law Office of Robert S. Hoffman, P.L.L.C., in September of 2013 as an associate and spent over four years working on cases with complex property issues and highly contentious child custody matters. During his time with Mr. Hoffman, he sat second chair in jury trials and binding arbitrations. He attended, defended and took numerous depositions, and he represented clients at mediations and ancillary hearings. In February of 2018, Mr. Cohen joined the newly created Rainwater Firm. His strengths include advocating the best interests of children and working on cases with complex property issues and highly contentious child custody matters. Mr. Cohen is a native Houstonian, a seventh-generation Texan, and a second-generation Harris County family law attorney.

Attorney At Law in Houston
Ms. Kennedy was born and raised in Houston. She graduated from Rice University in 1997. She received her law degree from the University of Kentucky in 2002. She was licensed to practice law in Texas in 2002 and Louisiana in 2005. In 2006, Ms. Kennedy opened her own law office, providing legal advice to a variety of clients. The main areas of her legal practice are family law and immigration. Ms. Kennedy is a certified mediator in general civil and family law. She is a member of the Better Business Bureau and the American Immigration Lawyer’s Association.

Ms. Lowry represents clients in transition or planning for life changes. Many of these are family law matters, focusing on pre-nuptial agreements, post-nuptial agreements, divorce, adoptions, child custody and support, and modifications of custody and support orders. A portion of her practice is also devoted the preparation of wills, powers of attorney, and advance directives, as well as assisting clients in probate administration or obtaining guardianship of incapacitated relatives. Ms. Lowry completed her undergraduate education at the University of Texas at Austin, and she earned her law degree from the University of Houston Law Center. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas and is a 2020 director of the Family Law Section of the Houston Bar Association. Ms. Lowry also contributes her time and talent to the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program and Fort Bend Lawyers Care, which provide legal services to low-income citizens. Prior to becoming an attorney, Ms. Lowry was a classroom teacher for several years. Her experience and training working with children, as well as her ability to understand their needs, add depth and insight to her work with families going through difficult times.

Ms. Wise completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin with honors, majoring in Psychology, and she earned her J.D. degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston. She was admitted to practice in Texas on February 8, 2001, and has been Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2011. Ms. Wise is a member of the State Bar of Texas, its Family Law Section, its Texas Technology Section, and then the College of the State Bar of Texas, the Houston Bar Association and its Family Law Section, the Fort Bend County Bar Association, and Gulf Coast Family Law Specialists.

Condemnation Attorney
Mr. McFarland has extensive experience representing landowners whose private property is taken by the government for public use. His primary focus is highway and road widening projects impacting retail, commercial, industrial, and special-use properties. He is a frequent speaker, panelist, and author on topics relating to eminent domain and condemnation law and is the Texas member of Owners’ Counsel of America, an invitation-only national network of leading eminent domain and property rights attorneys.

Ms. Smith’s practice focuses on a wide variety of agricultural issues, especially those involving cattle. She additionally spends a significant portion of her time on oil and gas title examination, farm and ranch transactions, and real estate litigation. Ms. Smith also assists clients with estate planning, probates, and business planning needs. She is a graduate of El Campo High School. Ms. Smith received her bachelor of science degree in Agricultural Science from Texas A&M University in 2009, and received her doctor of jurisprudence degree from South Texas College of Law in 2014. She was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 2014 and is also admitted to the Southern District of Texas. Ms. Smith is a member of the Wharton County Bar Association, formerly serving as president, and she is a member of the Texas Bar College. 

Mr. Stuckey practices primarily in corporate, real estate, and environmental law, including transactional work and litigation. He has a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University and J.D. and L.L.M. degrees from the University of Houston Law Center. Mr. Stuckey is admitted to the practice of law in all Texas courts, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the U.S. Claims Court. He is also licensed in Texas as a professional engineer and a registered public land surveyor.

Attorney & Partner at Jackson Walker, Dallas, TX
Mr. Vinson focuses his practice on all areas of land use, including representation of a wide variety of developers, property owners, and corporate, non-profit and individual clients in zoning, planning, municipal law, and economic development incentives matters. His practice includes representation before city councils and planning and zoning commissions on zoning changes, special use permits, and planned development districts, including “form-based” zoning and mixed-use projects, and before boards of adjustment on variances and special exceptions. He also counsels clients with regard to land use entitlements and permitting issues, land use due diligence, and a very wide variety of other land use and municipal law issues. Mr. Vinson enjoys working on a wide variety of land use and municipal law issues. He especially enjoys the challenges and complexities of development and redevelopment projects in denser settings, especially mixed use and higher density multifamily projects.

Associate with Baker Moran.
Mr. Wilson represents electric utility companies, pipeline companies, cities, and landowners in all facets of the right of way acquisition, from the initial negotiations through litigation. Mr. Wilson also represents parties to real estate transactions and property disputes involving fraud, breach of warranty, property damage, negligence, nuisance, trespass, and other property-related matters.

Attorney at Fears Nachawati
Mr. Ayers is the managing attorney of the personal injury pre-litigation division at Fears Nachawati. He is a native of Athens, Texas and attended top ranked high school Bishop Thomas K. Gorman in Tyler, Texas. Upon graduation in 2007, Mr. Ayers went to Texas Tech University in Lubbock and graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and a minor in Legal Studies. He attended Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, Florida, graduating with a juris doctorate degree in 2015. Since law school, Mr. Ayers has focused exclusively on the field of personal injury by vigorously negotiating and settling motor vehicle accidents, dog bites, and premise liability cases. He manages cases not only in Texas, but in Florida, Idaho, and Colorado as well. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas as well as a member of the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers.

Mr. Burris is an attorney in the personal injury litigation department at Fears Nachawati. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University School of Law. He received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Texas A&M University and is a lifelong sports fan of the Aggies. Before law school, Mr. Burris worked for the Texas State Senate in Austin where he gained a greater appreciation of and interest in the law. He takes pride in representing victims of negligence and holding those individuals and companies accountable for their wrongful acts. Mr. Burris is a firm believer in an individual’s 7th Amendment right to a civil jury trial and advocates for safety being a top priority among corporations. Recently, He was part of a Fears Nachawati trial team that obtained the highest intentional tort jury verdict in Texas for 2018. Mr. Burris, along with the rest of the trial team, was recognized by the Texas Lawyer and inducted into the Verdicts Hall of Fame for their $166 million dollar verdict. This case involved multiple million-dollar life insurance policies and a family’s plot to murder a loved one.

Attorney at The Law Firm of Preston Dugas    
Ms. Evans has experience on both sides of the civil bar, including 3 years as In-House Counsel for Travelers Insurance. Since moving to North Texas in 2008 she has focused on personal injury law, estate planning, family law, and adoption law. Ms. Evans is fluent in Spanish and is a member of the Texas State Bar Pro Bono College. She enjoys gardening, running, and cooking. Ms. Evans is a Texas native. She graduated from Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 2001. Upon graduation she returned to Texas and began practicing in the Rio Grande Valley.
 

Mr. Ragsdale’s law practice provides legal representation for individuals and families in serious personal injury and wrongful death cases. In law school, he studied to become the kind of lawyer who made an important difference in the lives of clients. He aspired to stand up to large corporate interests and others that were unwilling to take responsibility for injuries and damages they caused. Mr. Ragsdale now has more than 28 years of experience fighting for individuals and families in state and federal courts in Texas. He has handled thousands of cases and obtained millions of dollars in damages for injured clients. He was recently recognized by the National Trial Lawyers as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer in North Texas. Mr. Ragsdale completed mediator’s training at the SMU Center for dispute resolution and conflict management, and he has have served as a mediator and successfully mediated the settlement of over 50 lawsuits.

Attorney at Rad Law Firm
Mr. Toofanian is a personal injury attorney at the Rad Law Firm in Dallas, Texas. He represents clients with personal injury issues and insurance coverage issues. Mr. Toofanian has won cases in seven different counties in Texas. He prides himself on having made six and seven digit recoveries for clients that had been dropped by other attorneys. Mr. Toofanian was selected to Rising Stars from 2012 – 2018. He is a board certified personal injury litigator. Mr. Toofanian attended Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and graduated in 2004. He was admitted to legal practice and received his J.D. degree in 2004.

Mr. Bowles began working in the field of land surveying in 1978 and is certified as a registered professional land surveyor in the State of Texas. He has given seminars to lawyers, real estate professionals and other land surveyors on land surveying principles, practice and codified standards. Mr. Bowles has been an expert witness in a number of legal actions centering around boundary disputes and land surveyor negligence claims. He has given expert testimony regarding boundary resolution, minimum standards and minimum content regarding land surveys. Mr. Bowles is a member of the Texas Society of Professional Surveyors and a former member of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping.

Mauricio Escobar is an attorney with Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, LLP. Mr. Escobar practices in the firm’s complex commercial litigation practice group as well as the construction and infrastructure projects practice group. His practice involves representing domestic and international companies. Mr. Escobar is a member of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Associated Builders and Contractors of Greater Houston. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Houston, where he teaches Construction Law and Ethics.

Principal Investigator/Project Manager at Moore Archeological Consulting, Inc.
Ashley E. Jones serves as a Principal Investigator and Project Manager for cultural resource projects. Her duties include preparing scopes of work and research designs, the execution of archeological permits, the management of field investigations, and reporting for Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and Antiquities Code of Texas permitted projects. Through her education and career, Ms. Jones has acquired extensive clearance experience on a wide-range of cultural resource projects, including artifact analyses, exploratory testing excavations, and large-scale data recovery excavations. She has completed Phase I, II and III field investigations in Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio, New Mexico and Arizona. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Virginia, Charlottesville and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Ms. Jones currently serves as a Board of Directors member for the Houston Archeological Society (HAS), which was founded in 1959 to understand the prehistory of the Upper Texas Gulf Coast. With HAS, she runs a public outreach and education program in northwest Harris County. She is the Diversity Chair for the Houston Chapter of WTS, an international organization that promotes the careers of women in the transportation industry.

Shareholder/Mediator at Crain, Caton & James in Houston
Mr. Morse has more than 40 years of experience in commercial litigation and environmental law. He started his environmental law practice in 1974, during the infancy of the major environmental regulatory programs. He assists clients on regulatory and transactional matters, representing them in the courtroom and in administrative proceedings, from inception through trial and appeal. He is a founding member of the Houston Bar Association’s Environmental Law Section. From Superfund and Brownfield property redevelopment to toxic tort cases, Mr. Morse deals with the full gamut of environmental law issues. He has successfully represented clients before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (and its predecessor agencies), the Texas Department of Health, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Texas Railroad Commission.

Caitlin Booker is an attorney with Roberts Markel Weinberg Butler Hailey. Ms. Booker practices in the firm’s litigation group. After completing her undergraduate studies in the Honors Program at Southern Methodist University, Ms. Booker attended the University of Houston Law Center where she received her Juris Doctor degree. During her tenure at UHLC, Ms. Booker worked for the Honorable Jennifer Walker Elrod at the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Honorable Caroline Baker at the 295th Civil District Court of Harris County, Texas. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Booker served as second chair attorney at trial, resulting in a substantial jury verdict for her client and a finding that her client was not liable for breach of a confidentiality agreement or theft of trade secrets.

Mr. Bowles began working in the field of land surveying in 1978 and is certified as a registered professional land surveyor in the State of Texas. He has given seminars to lawyers, real estate professionals and other land surveyors on land surveying principles, practice and codified standards. Mr. Bowles has been an expert witness in a number of legal actions centering around boundary disputes and land surveyor negligence claims. He has given expert testimony regarding boundary resolution, minimum standards and minimum content regarding land surveys. Mr. Bowles is a member of the Texas Society of Professional Surveyors and a former member of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping.

Mauricio Escobar is an attorney with Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, LLP. Mr. Escobar practices in the firm’s complex commercial litigation practice group as well as the construction and infrastructure projects practice group. His practice involves representing domestic and international companies. Mr. Escobar is a member of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Associated Builders and Contractors of Greater Houston. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Houston, where he teaches Construction Law and Ethics.

Principal Investigator/Project Manager at Moore Archeological Consulting, Inc.
Ashley E. Jones serves as a Principal Investigator and Project Manager for cultural resource projects. Her duties include preparing scopes of work and research designs, the execution of archeological permits, the management of field investigations, and reporting for Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and Antiquities Code of Texas permitted projects. Through her education and career, Ms. Jones has acquired extensive clearance experience on a wide-range of cultural resource projects, including artifact analyses, exploratory testing excavations, and large-scale data recovery excavations. She has completed Phase I, II and III field investigations in Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio, New Mexico and Arizona. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Virginia, Charlottesville and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Ms. Jones currently serves as a Board of Directors member for the Houston Archeological Society (HAS), which was founded in 1959 to understand the prehistory of the Upper Texas Gulf Coast. With HAS, she runs a public outreach and education program in northwest Harris County. She is the Diversity Chair for the Houston Chapter of WTS, an international organization that promotes the careers of women in the transportation industry.

Robert E. “Robin” Morse, III is a Shareholder and Mediator with Crain Caton & James. Mr. Morse has over forty years of experience in commercial litigation and environmental law. He assists clients on regulatory and transactional matters, representing them in the courtroom, and in administrative proceedings, from inception through trial and appeal. He is a founding member of the Houston Bar Association’s Environmental Law Section. Mr. Morse has successfully represented clients before the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (and its predecessor agencies), the Texas Department of Health, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Texas Railroad Commission. He has represented both private and governmental clients, handling State and Federal Superfund and RCRA hazardous waste matters, air quality permitting and compliance issues, wastewater permitting and enforcement, asbestos and radioactive materials cases and wetlands-related problems. Mr. Morse has defended corporate clients in enforcement actions brought by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Texas Attorney General’s Office, as well as, administrative penalty cases. Mr. Morse has served as a mediator and arbitrator in environmental disputes, applying his unique environmental and litigation experience.

Mr. Deatherage is a founding partner in the Dallas law firm of S. Deatherage Law, PLLC. For more than 30 years, he has focused on environmental issues, energy, and climate change. For most of his career, he worked with large law firms in Dallas, but four years ago he formed his own firm and also began pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities. He earned his B.A. in Letters from The University of Oklahoma in 1984 with highest honors, with minors in Botany and French, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1987 cum laude, where he served as the Articles Editor for the Harvard Environmental Law Review. Mr. Deatherage was one of the founders of the American Bar Association’s Environmental Disclosure Committee. He has published a book entitled Carbon Trading Law and Practice, originally published by Oxford University Press. He has taught Climate Change Law at the University of Texas Law School. He currently is general counsel of a company developing electric vehicle charging stations and planning to supply them with utility-scale solar plus storage facilities.

Partner, Wetsel, Carmichael, Allen, & Lederle, L.L.P.
Jacob R. “Jake” Lederle is a partner at the firm of Wetsel, Carmichael, Allen, & Lederle, LLP. He maintains a broad practice in the energy sector and specializes in renewable energy (wind and solar), eminent domain and condemnation, and oil and gas law. In addition to his energy-related practice, he also routinely advises clients in other areas of real estate and estate planning as well as in civil litigation. He is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law where he was a research assistant to preeminent oil and gas scholar Ernest E. Smith. He frequently writes and speaks on a variety of topics in the energy business, including the accommodation doctrine, executive rights, competing surface uses, severance of wind rights, environmental concerns in siting renewable energy, condemnation proceedings, and negotiating leases and easements. In fact, his paper “Everything Under the Sun: A Guide to Siting Solar in the Lone Star State” was one of the first published articles on solar energy in Texas.

Mr. Deatherage is a founding partner in the Dallas law firm of S. Deatherage Law, PLLC. For more than 30 years, he has focused on environmental issues, energy, and climate change. For most of his career, he worked with large law firms in Dallas, but four years ago he formed his own firm and also began pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities. He earned his B.A. in Letters from The University of Oklahoma in 1984 with highest honors, with minors in Botany and French, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1987 cum laude, where he served as the Articles Editor for the Harvard Environmental Law Review. Mr. Deatherage was one of the founders of the American Bar Association’s Environmental Disclosure Committee. He has published a book entitled Carbon Trading Law and Practice, originally published by Oxford University Press. He has taught Climate Change Law at the University of Texas Law School. He currently is general counsel of a company developing electric vehicle charging stations and planning to supply them with utility-scale solar plus storage facilities.

Partner, Wetsel, Carmichael, Allen, & Lederle, L.L.P.
Jacob R. “Jake” Lederle is a partner at the firm of Wetsel, Carmichael, Allen, & Lederle, LLP. He maintains a broad practice in the energy sector and specializes in renewable energy (wind and solar), eminent domain and condemnation, and oil and gas law. In addition to his energy-related practice, he also routinely advises clients in other areas of real estate and estate planning as well as in civil litigation. He is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law where he was a research assistant to preeminent oil and gas scholar Ernest E. Smith. He frequently writes and speaks on a variety of topics in the energy business, including the accommodation doctrine, executive rights, competing surface uses, severance of wind rights, environmental concerns in siting renewable energy, condemnation proceedings, and negotiating leases and easements. In fact, his paper “Everything Under the Sun: A Guide to Siting Solar in the Lone Star State” was one of the first published articles on solar energy in Texas.