Ivan A. De Leon

Allen H. Rustay is a partner at Hicks Thomas LLP and has over 20 years of experience in litigation in Texas State and Federal courts. He has extensive experience in commercial litigation including matters involving commercial disputes, energy, oil and gas, and maritime disputes on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants. He has also litigated theft of trade secrets, breaches of fiduciary duty, and business torts. Formerly affiliated with a large international law firm, Mr. Rustay has been with Hi...

I am a native Texan, born and raised in Dallas, Texas. I grew up in North Dallas and attended schools in Plano, Texas. After a brief stint at UT Austin, I transferred to Purdue University, where I received my B.S. in economics. I attended law school at Baylor Law School in Waco, Texas and graduated in February 2014. I passed the bar in May 2014. I started my law career in Houston, Texas at a boutique litigation defense firm. I was fortunate to first-chair a jury trial, take and defend deposit...

Mindy McGehee Riseden is a Houston-based commercial litigation attorney and shareholder at Crain Caton & James . Mindy focuses on commercial litigation, dedicating a multi-decade practice to representing clients at trial. Mindy counsels local businesses, national corporations, multinational organizations, and individuals across diverse commercial conflicts. Mindy routinely resolves legal disputes involving breach of contract, partnership disputes, insurance brokerage liabilities, real est...

Board Certified in Construction Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Ben Westcott, the firm’s Co-Managing Shareholder, has a practice that focuses on both transactional and dispute resolution aspects of construction law. He represents general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and owners on substantial construction projects, including schools, public infrastructure, sports facilities, airports, petrochemical and industrial plants, highway projects, wastewater treatment fa...

Joe Roden grew up in Liberty, Texas and attended the University of Texas as an undergraduate, where he graduated in 1988. He then went into the U.S. Marine Corps. Joe attained the rank of 1st Lieutenant and was a decorated officer in the Marine Corps during Desert Storm, the first Gulf War. After leaving the Marine Corps, he graduated from the University of Houston Law Center with honors and then clerked for Justice Murry Cohen on the First Court of Appeals. After clerking for the Court of Ap...

Owen J. McGovern is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Owen, 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 Owen is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. Owen is board-certified appellate specialist who understands that exceptional advocacy requires both a superior understanding of the...

Dwayne L. Mason serves as the head of the Texas Intellectual Property Litigation Practice. Dwayne’s practice focuses on patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, and technology-based commercial litigation. Dwayne also manages patent and trademark portfolios and assists companies in protecting and commercializing their intellectual property, including many transactional matters in the technology, media, life sciences, energy, and natural resources industries. Dwayne has litigated numer...

Tod is a trial lawyer. He has extensive trial experience in contract, insurance, and personal injury cases involving products liability, construction, transportation, and the railroad industry. He has represented the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company, BNSF Railway Company, Union Pacific Railroad Company, and the National Passenger Corporation d/b/a Amtrak, with diverse experience including crossing accident litigation, FELA, contract disputes, and environmental claims. Tod is als...

Denis Braham is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Real Estate Law and Sports Law. Denis practices law in Houston, Texas Best Lawyers has recognized Denis Braham since 2003. 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 Denis Braham is held by other lawyers.

Sammy Ford IV has tried over 20 cases before judges, juries, and arbitrators in his career. He represents companies and individuals around the country in all manner of civil matters, including complex commercial litigation, business torts, securities class actions, and catastrophic personal injury cases. He is board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Sammy’s favorite place is in the courtroom trying cases. In 2022, he successfully tried a ...