Texas'
Best Lawyers 2024
Featured in Best Lawyers
Dan Cogdell is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group and a member of the corporate compliance and white collar defense team. He defends corporations and individuals in high-profile white collar criminal defense jury trials and related disputes. Dan has nearly 40 years of experience representing individuals and corporations in a broad range of high-profile, bet-the-company white collar and criminal defense matters. Dan is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, an invitation-on...
Daniel J.T. Sciano is president and senior attorney at the Law Offices of Tinsman, & Sciano, Inc. With over 39 years of legal experience, Dan handles complex motor vehicle accident claims, truck/tractor motor vehicle wrecks involving serious injury or death, claims regarding unreasonably dangerous and defective products involving a vast array of commercial and industrial products, premises liability claims, including oil rig and construction site serious injury and death claims, complex m...
A fourth generation attorney, Debbie Dudley Branson is a key member of The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson, one of the most respected trial firms in the Southwest. Her work focuses on high-level litigation strategy in a broad array of cases, from catastrophic personal injury claims to complex commercial litigation. Holding an advanced degree in psychology, Ms. Branson also directs focus groups, attitudinal surveys, voir dire, witness preparation, argument, and jury debriefing. Additionally, B...
In law, as in life, success is rarely left to chance. Instead, it’s the product of focused dedication and personal commitment. It’s what Frank L. Branson and the attorneys at The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson have consistently demonstrated for more than three decades. Branson and the lawyers at the firm’s Dallas-based offices are frequently the first choice of individuals who have suffered injuries in truck crashes, transportation accidents and other acts of recklessness a...
Tim Newsom brings a broad range of trial experience to the Law Offices of Frank L. Branson. For nearly 30 years, he’s tried personal injury and business litigation cases and achieved a long track record of success. Mr. Newsom’s clients know that for him, their interests are the utmost priority. Mr. Newsom concentrates his practice in personal injury and commercial litigation, representing individuals, businesses, executives, and small children. He is Board Certified in Personal In...
As a founding partner of Lyons & Simmons, Christopher Simmons focuses his practice on representing clients in complex civil litigation involving wrongful death, catastrophic personal injuries, product liability, complex business disputes, construction defects, and professional liability. He has a well-earned reputation as a trial lawyer who combines a tireless work ethic with a creative, “outside the box” approach to achieve outstanding results for his clients. Simmons believe...
Over the past 20+ years of practice, Lyons has tried cases to juries, judges, and arbitrators throughout the state of Texas and all over the country. In the process, Lyons has obtained verdicts, awards, and settlements totaling over a billion dollars on behalf of his clients—many involving high profile, high exposure matters . Lyons has extensive trial experience in cases involving catastrophic personal injuries , wrongful death , product liability , business disputes , construction def...
Al Ellis, Of Counsel, is known in legal circles for his leadership and integrity in the practice of law, as well as his service to the community. At Sommerman, McCaffity, Quesada & Geisler, L.L.P., he focuses his practice on personal injury, products liability, dram shop, medical malpractice litigation and mediation/arbitration. Al vigorously advocates for his clients, having tried more than 175 jury trials. He is Board Certified in Personal Injury and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board o...
Andrew Sommerman represents clients in personal injury cases. A highly experienced trial lawyer, Andrew specializes in catastrophic injuries, wrongful death, and defective product cases. Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization , Andrew has tried numerous complex cases involving car accidents, truck wrecks, house and apartment fires, slip and falls, and workplace injuries. He is an advocate for victims of damaging pharmaceutical drugs such as Yaz...
George Tex Quesada represents personal injury clients throughout Texas and New Mexico. He has successfully handled cases involving traumatic brain injuries, explosions, oil field injuries, truck wrecks, medical negligence and products liability. He also frequently represents small businesses in complex commercial litigation cases. Tex has argued before the Supreme Court of Texas, the Courts of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and Eighth Circuit, and received a peer-review rating of AV® Preem...
Laura Benitez Geisler is a partner at Sommerman, McCaffity, Quesada & Geisler, L.L.P. For the past 23 years, her practice has focused on representing individuals and families in a wide variety of personal injury and wrongful death claims. She is driven by a passion to help others, and her empathy for her clients’ problems desire to seek justice on their behalf has resulted in multi-million dollar jury verdicts and settlements. Throughout her career, Ms. Geisler has served in several...
A seasoned trial attorney with big firm experience, Sean McCaffity primarily represents plaintiffs in complex commercial litigation as well as matters involving business fraud, audit malpractice, fiduciary litigation, director and officer liability, fraudulent transfer and whistleblower litigation. Mr. McCaffity has previously represented Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustees, liquidating trustees post-confirmation and receivers attempting to collect and liquidate assets for the benefit of creditors....
Scott C. Krist is a personal injury and maritime accident lawyer in Houston, TX. He is the owner and lead trial lawyer at The Krist Law Firm, P.C. With 32 years of experience, Scott Krist has handled an array of cases - from wrongful death to personal injury cases involving maritime, aviation, commercial trucking, products liability, car accidents, brain injuries, and other serious injuries. He uses his strong sense of hard work, dedication to his clients, and passion in each and every case. ...
Featured in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
John Burkhead has been part of trial teams that successfully secured jury verdicts representing individuals who have suffered injuries in truck crashes, transportation accidents, and other acts of recklessness and negligence. Also, he represents clients and prominent professionals in complex business disputes. He is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States and can fluently speak, read, and write in Spanish. Prior to joining the Law Offices of Frank L. Branson in 2010...
A zealous advocate for those involved in personal injury litigation and complex business disputes, Stephen Higdon is not afraid to stand up for clients. Anytime. Anywhere. That confidence is firmly rooted in his extensive courtroom experience where he has handled a wide range of civil litigation at both the trial and appellate levels. Stephen started his legal career clerking for the Honorable Michael H. Schneider in the Eastern District of Texas, where he was responsible for hundreds of comp...
Jody Rodenberg is a partner at Sommerman, McCaffity, Quesada & Geisler. She represents individuals in a wide variety of litigation, including commercial litigation, ERISA litigation, and various personal injury matters. She also represents liquidating trustees attempting to collect and liquidate assets for the benefit of creditors. Jody is a problem solver who is dedicated to giving her clients a voice in the courtroom. Jody has been recognized for work by being named a Texas Rising Star ...
Rebecca Neumann is a passionate advocate, driven by her empathy for her clients’ problems and her desire to seek justice on their behalf. She has represented clients in a wide variety of litigation matters, including catastrophic injury, products liability, medical malpractice, commercial litigation, defamation, sexual assault and civil rights. Rebecca has deposed fact and expert witnesses, drafted and argued motions at every stage of litigation, briefed multiple appeals, and presented ...
Charmaine Voorhees Becken focuses her practice on commercial and business litigation matters, representing plaintiffs and defendants in matters involving banking, employment, and other business litigation issues. Ms. Becken also has extensive experience in matters related to real estate, family law, and estate planning/probate in addition to having first and second chair trial experience representing individuals and businesses. Ms. Becken served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Judge Ma...
Featured "Lawyer of the Year" Honorees
Cynthia Eva Hujar Orr has attained national prominence defending citizens and entities in state and federal trial and appellate courts. She has earned the profound respect of her colleagues who elected her to Chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Criminal Justice Section in 2014.Cynthia served as President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers from 2009-2010, President of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association in 2003, and became the first President of the San ...
In Brief
IN PARTNERSHIP
Solving Texas Trucking and Transportation Troubles
by Justin Smulison
Tinsman & Sciano, Inc. Co-Founder and CEO Daniel J.T. Sciano is one of Texas’ top authorities on trucking safety and litigation, having secured countless verdicts and settlements for victims of company vehicle accidents in his 43-year career.
Texas’ New Immigration Enforcement Bill Hits Federal Appeals Court
by Gregory Sirico
Enacted in 2023, SB-4 is reshaping immigration in Texas, establishing new legal provisions that could only look to increase tension between the U.S. and Mexico
IN PARTNERSHIP
Battle-Tested Dedication for Truck Wreck Victims
by The Law Offices of Frank L. Branson
Courtroom legend Frank L. Branson and his team give a voice to the voiceless, representing victims of catastrophic trucking and motor vehicle accidents.
