Brian B. Kilpatrick

Sarah Morton concentrates her legal practice on the representation of employers in issues related to labor and employment law, and is the managing partner of FordHarrison's Houston office. Sarah Morton defends management clients in individual and multi-plaintiff actions alleging violations of federal, state, and local discrimination, harassment, and leave and accommodation laws, and in class and collective actions arising under the FLSA and related state wage and hour laws. Sarah is an accomp...

Philip Dunlap represents clients in mergers and acquisitions transactions across all industries. He counsels private companies, private equity funds and their portfolio companies in connection with strategic investments, joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, as well as on general corporate matters. Philip also serves as outside general counsel in matters including finance transactions, employee compensation, commercial contracts and employment agreements. He has represented ...

David Merkley is a board-certified trial lawyer and Co-Chair of the firm’s litigation group and trial team. He is frequently retained in high-profile catastrophic accident cases to assume the defense or to navigate through complicated discovery issues leading to trial. He has tried dozens of cases to verdict and has been involved in several record-setting settlements for companies seeking to avoid the publicity of a jury trial. David is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates ...

Jim Hart is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Jim, who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jim is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Ryan aggressively seeks justice and accountability for people and institutions that have been harmed. He has 20 years’ experience successfully litigating complex disputes from the East Coast to the Gulf Coast. Ryan represents both plaintiffs and defendants in matters including breach of contract, partnership disputes, breach of fiduciary duty, antitrust, RICO, civil theft, theft of trade secrets, fraud, fraudulent transfer claims and securities, and antitrust class actions. His clients ...

Demetrios Anaipakos is widely considered to be one of the country’s top civil trial lawyers, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in patent and complex commercial litigation for nearly three decades. Among his many high-profile victories, Mr. Anaipakos helped a client obtain, and collect, one of the largest patent judgments in the history of the United States; won jury trials against some of the largest technology companies in the world; and has architected dozens of successful i...

Kent has served as a justice on the Texas Court of Appeals, a judge for the 80th District Court in Harris County, Texas, and as First Assistant Attorney General, the second-highest-ranking official of the Texas Office of the Attorney General. In 2017, he was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to serve as the Texas Commissioner of Insurance, the state’s top insurance regulatory position, responsible for the policies, operations, and enforcement activities of the Texas Department of Insura...

Tamara D. Bruno is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law and Litigation - Insurance. Tamara D., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Tamara D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Forrest M. Smith III is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Forrest M., 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 Forrest M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John S. Moody, Jr., is Board Certified in Commercial Real Estate by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has extensive experience in real estate development, leasing, acquisitions, sales and financing. He represents developers, owners, families, financial institutions, investors, retailers and private equity funds in acquisitions, sales, development, leasing, financing and construction of all types of real estate.