Civil & Commercial
Business disputes, fiduciary litigation, and appeals
These are the cases where the money is already gone and somebody has to prove where it went — and the appeals that decide whether the judgment holds. Led by Shawn A. Johnson, a civil trial and appellate lawyer, licensed CPA, and former Supreme Court of Texas law clerk.
Fiduciary Duty & Shareholder Disputes
When a partnership fractures, the case is an accounting problem wearing a legal costume. We reconstruct distributions, transfers, and self-dealing from the underlying records — for the owner who was cut out, or for the manager accused of cutting.
Trade Secrets & Non-Competes
A departing employee took the customer list on a Friday. The response has to be filed, supported, and set for hearing before the following Friday. We prosecute and defend TROs, temporary injunctions, and expedited discovery.
Business & Commercial Litigation
Breach of contract, business torts, fraud, promissory notes, warranty and UCC disputes, and commercial arbitration — in Texas state and federal courts and before arbitral tribunals.
Appeals & Mandamus
Appeals in state and federal courts, petitions for review in the Supreme Court of Texas, certiorari practice, and original mandamus proceedings — including error preservation work during trial, before there is anything to appeal.
Injunctions & Expedited Proceedings
Temporary restraining orders, temporary and permanent injunctions, receiverships, turnover proceedings, and the emergency motions that decide a case in its first three weeks.
Fraud & Personal Jurisdiction
Common-law and statutory fraud, fraudulent transfer, and the jurisdictional fights that come with out-of-state and foreign defendants — special appearances, prosecuted and defended, through the courts of last resort.
Criminal Defense
Federal and state defense, investigations, and appeals
Four decades of first-chair defense work in the cases the government most wants to win, led by Kent A. Schaffer and James M. Kennedy. We represent clients in Houston, across Texas, and nationwide, and we take engagements before charges are ever filed.
Federal White-Collar Defense
Healthcare fraud, PPP fraud, RICO, FCPA, money laundering, bank and wire fraud, tax, and government-contract fraud — from target letter to sentencing.
Government & Internal Investigations
Grand jury subpoenas, regulatory inquiries, and internal investigations — the quiet work that often determines whether a case is ever filed.
Federal Drug & Conspiracy Defense
Trafficking, distribution, and conspiracy prosecutions, including multi-defendant and multi-district cases.
Serious State Felonies
Homicide, assault, and other first-degree exposure in Harris County and surrounding counties, and across Texas.
Criminal Appeals & Post-Conviction
Direct appeals, motions for new trial, habeas corpus, and post-conviction writs in state and federal court.
International Criminal Defense
Cross-border investigations, extradition, and prosecutions with a foreign element.