Experience

In my 20+ years as a trial attorney, I have handled a wide variety of civil cases all across the State of Texas. I have represented plaintiffs and defendants in hundreds of cases involving commercial and residential construction matters, personal injuries, maritime law, DTPA claims, insurance coverage, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, FLSA claims, discrimination based on race, age, disability and national origin, Fair Debt Collection Act violations, libel and slander, partnership dissolutions, breach of contract and family law.

I have tried or arbitrated more than 75 cases to a verdict in state and federal courts located in Harris, Dallas, Travis, Bexar, Tarrant, Nueces, Lubbock, Hidalgo, Cameron, Fort Bend, Jefferson, Montgomery, Matagorda, Brazos and Galveston Counties. I have also handled appeals in the First, Third, Fifth and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals for the State of Texas and the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

In conjunction with my trial practice, I was fortunate to represent a number of small businesses in the Houston area, including a significant number of contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, architects and engineers for commercial and residential construction projects. I helped these businesses form their corporate structures, negotiate leases, buy and sell property, review and purchase insurance coverage, draft employment manuals, draft contracts, file lien and bond claims and respond to claims from the Texas Workforce Commission, EEOC and Texas Residential Construction Commission.

I have written several papers regarding construction law issues, including a Practical Guide to the Texas Residential Construction Commission Act and the Residential Construction Liability Act, A Review of Texas Mechanic's Liens and Topic Regarding Insurance Coverage for Mold Claims. In 2007, H-Texas Magazine named me as one of Houston's Top Construction Attorneys.  Again, in 2010, H-Texas Magazine recognized me though this time as one of Houston's Top Mediators.

Since October 2007, I have been a full-time mediator and arbitrator. In that time, I have mediated over 1300 claims with amounts in controversy ranging from $18 to $3,000,000.00. The disputes in these mediations have been in a very wide range of legal topics, including claims and disputes regarding commercial and residential construction, insurance coverage and bad faith litigation, intellectual property, trademark infringement, misappropriate of trade secrets, collection matters, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act violations, lien and bond claims, sexual harassment, FSLA claims, age discrimination, wrongful termination, personal injury, property damage, maritime personal injury and property damage, breach of contract, fraud, libel and slander, DTPA, probate matters, child custody battles, divorces and CPS matters.

In January 2009, I received the Houston Bar Foundation's 2008 Outstanding Contribution to the Harris County Dispute Resolution Center for my volunteer work through the DRC. I was also featured in the June 2008 issue of the Houston Bar Journal as a “Local Hero” for my volunteer work with family law mediations. I have pledged to volunteer my skills as a mediator at least one day a week. As such, I am a frequent volunteer for the Harris County DRC, Fort Bend County DRC, Montgomery County DRC, Jefferson County DRC and the Houston Chapter of the Better Business Bureau.

I have also arbitrated over 50 claims and am currently on the arbitration panels for FINRA (NYSE and NASD claims) in Houston, Memphis, Nashville, Jackson MS, Little Rock and Atlanta, the Texas arbitration panel for Construction Arbitration Services (residential warranty, residential inspection) and the national arbitration panel for the National Center for Dispute Settlement (auto warranty, construction and consumer finance disputes). I am also an arbitrator for the Houston Chapter of the Better Business Bureau.

I have been fortunate to serve as a mediation trainer several times and enjoy teaching lawyers and non-lawyers how to be mediators. Since January 2009, I have been a Facilitator/Trainer for the A.A. White Dispute Resolution Institute's 40 Hour Basic Mediation Training at the University of Houston. I was part of the team teaching Harris County DRC's June 2008 40 Hour Basic Mediation Training and its October 2008 24 Hour Advanced Family Law Mediation Training.I have also assisted with the Advanced Family Law Mediation Training for the Montgomery County DRC. I have also been a lecturer at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law for its 40 Hour class.  As the opportunities arise, I plan on working with the Harris County DRC, A.A. White, the Montgomery County DRC and the Fort Bend County DRC to train new mediators.