Benjamin "Ben" Hamel

Steve Fernelius successfully handles high-profile and complex litigation, especially matters that come under intense public scrutiny. He has a sophisticated understanding of how cases affect his clients’ business, and he does everything he can to resolve his clients’ problems. His work for clients includes representing an international oil and gas company in three separate trials from 2005 to 2009 involving a catastrophic explosion at one of its oil refineries, which ultimately 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 ...

Brad Gibbs is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Natural Resources Law. Brad practices law in Houston, Texas Best Lawyers has recognized Brad Gibbs since 2026. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Brad Gibbs is held by other lawyers.

Robert Vining is a partner in SBSB’s Houston office. A seasoned attorney with expertise spanning more than a dozen practice areas, he is a respected figure in his field who is admitted to the State Bar of Texas, the Louisiana State Bar Association, The Mississippi Bar and in nine U.S. District Courts across the Gulf Coast. Mr. Vining arrived to SBSB in February 2018 and has overseen a prolific law career of more than 28 years. He primarily splits his practice between litigation and tran...

Brittany Cooperrider’s practice focuses on construction law, litigation, alternative dispute resolution and labor and employment matters. She represents general contractors, subcontractors, and small and mid-sized companies in a variety of construction and employment related disputes and also provides guidance in their labor and employment needs. Prior to joining the firm, Brittany worked for a civil litigation boutique, the Attorney General of Texas, and The Office of the Attorney Gene...

David B. Jordan focuses his practice on employment counseling and litigation, including all aspects of labor relations and employment law. His areas of expertise include: Workplace safety Wage and hour collective actions Wage and hour compliance, including tip credit and tip sharing issues Discrimination Wrongful discharge Retaliation He also handles disputes involving employment contracts, covenants not to compete, trade secrets and confidentiality agreements. In addition to representing emp...

Russ has briefed and argued dozens of appeals, appearing before the Supreme Court of Texas, the Texas intermediate appellate courts, the Fifth and Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of the United States. He has assisted in or handled all phases of litigation in a wide variety of matters, including products liability, catastrophic personal injury, intellectual property, insurance coverage, employment discrimination, and commercial lawsuits. Before joining the firm, Russ s...

Bradley J. Benoit is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy) and Litigation - Securities. Bradley J. practices law in Houston, Texas Best Lawyers has recognized Bradley J. Benoit since 2021. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Bradley J. Benoit...

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...

Elizabeth M. Kroger is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Elizabeth M. practices law in Houston, Texas Best Lawyers has recognized Elizabeth M. Kroger since 2008. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Elizabeth M. Kroger is held by ...