Austin C. Carlson

David L. Barron focuses his litigation practice on labor and employment law. David assists his clients with all their labor and employment needs, including representing clients at trials involving wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, collective action overtime claims and whistle-blower suits before a variety of state and federal courts. He counsels clients on labor negotiations, elections, strikes, and corporate campaigns by unions; litigates disputes before the National Labor Re...

Billy Coe Dyer is a board-certified civil trial attorney with more than 30 years of experience representing landowner clients against condemning authorities at the local, county, state, and national levels. Widely recognized as an authority in the condemnation and eminent domain arenas, Billy’s lengthy list of notable victories includes the largest jury verdict for a property owner in a condemnation case in Texas and representation of the landowner in Interstate Northborough, the Texas ...

Adam Larson is a partner in the Houston and Austin offices of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Adam’s primary practice areas include mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and capital markets. He has counseled private equity investors, their portfolio companies, and other public and private companies in connection with mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and offerings of equity and debt securities. Adam also advises clients in connection with the negotiation of partnership a...

Nancy Hamren is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law. Nancy, 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 Nancy is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Melissa R. Lanier is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. Melissa R., who practices law in Humble, Texas, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Melissa R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

M. Michelle Carreras is a key member of the Issues and Appeals section of The Lanier Law Firm, handling complex appeals, briefings and research for trial. She has worked on a wide variety of cases, including mass tort, products liability, personal injury, business litigation and sports law litigation. She was a key member of the firm’s Pinnacle bellwether trial team that won a $1 billion combined jury verdict and a $502 million jury verdict in 2016. Those victories were recently ranked ...

Stephen B. Crain is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Securities. Stephen B., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stephen B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Christopher Pappas is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law, Insurance Law, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Insurance and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Christopher, who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Christopher is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

No stranger to a construction site, John Grayson worked his way through college as a laborer, equipment operator and pouring concrete in the Houston area. While a student, he pumped gas and fixed flats at a service station and worked in the History Dept at Texas A&M University. Grayson is a Principal in Cokinos | Young and represents major contractors, EPC contractors, subcontractors, pipeline contractors and owners, mechanical contractors and owners in complex construction matters across...

John D. Pitts is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law. John D., 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 John D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.