Adam Pena

A sixth-generation Texan and the first lawyer in his family, James Amaro founded Amaro Law Firm in 2005 with a clear purpose: to stand up for those who've been wronged when it matters most. Shortly after founding the firm, James was called to represent individuals and families devastated by the BP refinery explosion in Texas City, Texas. It was a defining moment—one that reinforced his belief that justice isn't about easy wins. Since then, James has successfully represented thousands of...

Ms. Schovajsa joined the Eastham firm in 1998 and became a partner in 2003. Her practice focuses on the firm’s major casualty, personal injury and appellate dockets. Ms. Schovajsa is an experienced advocate with substantial experience in both Texas state court and federal court. She guides her clients through every stage of the legal process, from pre-litigation incident investigation, risk analysis and case evaluation to motion practice, discovery, mediation and, if necessary, trial. T...

Heather Peterson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: General Practice and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Heather, who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Heather is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Alden Harris’ litigation experience spans a variety of technical fields. These include electrical and computer engineering, telecommunications, and biochemistry, and he’s put this knowledge to use litigating patent infringement cases in courts across the United States. Mr. Harris previously served as a law clerk to the Honorable Roy Payne of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in Marshall, Texas, and served as an acting law clerk to District Judge Ro...

Some cases are complex because of the mountains of ​evidence at issue; others because of the technical complexity of the industry involved. Either way, John Deis has a knack for distilling his cases down to the core issues and clearly presenting his client’s side to judges and juries. Mr. Deis once spent four days living aboard an oilrig offshore of Libya in order to understand how various equipment worked and the crew's performance. This was key to disproving his opponent’s conte...

Jared Caplan has spent nearly two decades representing clients in the construction and oilfield industries. His multi-faceted experience ranges from trusted advisor on business operations to his successful prosecution and defense of multimillion-dollar litigation matters. Jared’s experience includes dispute resolution, contract disputes, toxic tort exposures, insurance coverage matters, personal injury, wrongful death, property damage and premises liability. He has successfully handled ...

Darrell W. Taylor is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law and Real Estate Law. Darrell W., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2008. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Darrell W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Laura Manion is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law. Laura, who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Laura is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Russell W. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law. Russell W., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Russell W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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. ...