J. Russell "Russ" Emerson

Bart A. Rue has over 30 years of trial practice in oil and gas related matters as well a complementary commercial litigation background. Since 2010, Mr. Rue has served as lead counsel in over 200 oil and gas litigation and commercial litigation matters, including lease interpretation issues, royalty underpayment issues, surface use disputes, lease termination disputes, and other issues affecting land and mineral ownership. Mr. Rue currently represents exploration companies and landowners in s...

David Guedry is a partner in the Dallas office. He is nationally recognized for more than 25 years of leadership in advising global service providers and Fortune 1000 companies on complex outsourcing relationships, including assisting with developing legal, operational, and business strategies, and translating strategy into the practical negotiation and documentation of deals. David has significant experience managing the complexities of IT and telecommunication outsourcing agreements; busine...

Jennette (“Jenny”) E. DePonte is a true employment law litigator and counselor, eager to defend her client’s interests through trial and prepared to provide day-to-day advice at a moment’s notice. Board certified in both labor and employment and civil trial law, Ms. DePonte has successfully tried numerous cases in state and federal courts and arbitration, ranging from employment matters, contracts disputes, and torts to lawsuits involving catastrophic injury. She is al...

Joe Griffith is a trial lawyer who focuses his practice on products liability, financial services, and business litigation. His trial practice is national, extending to both federal and state courts across the country including multidistrict litigations (MDLs). A Past-President of the Dallas Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, Joe is a frequent speaker on issues relating to trial strategy and federal court practice. Joe is AV Peer Review Rated Preeminent (5.0/5.0) by the Martindale-Hubbel...

Kelly has worked with major pharmaceutical and medical device clients in in all phases of the litigation process, including discovery, motion practice, expert workup, and trial preparation. Her pharmaceutical and medical device experience is focused on the management of consolidated mass tort actions, particularly in the multidistrict litigation (MDL) context. Kelly has assisted in trying multiple MDL bellwether trials as a member of the trial team. Kelly also has prior experience defending r...

Olivia Adendorff is a litigation partner in the Dallas and Washington, D.C., offices of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. She has broad experience in consumer protection, false advertising and antitrust matters, with particular experience in FTC investigations, private antitrust litigation and class actions. She defends corporations in a wide variety of industries, including Fortune 500 pharmaceutical and technology companies. Olivia has acted as trial and appellate counsel in both individual and cla...

Michael Lang focuses on complex commercial, bankruptcy and probate disputes on behalf of trustees and the beneficiaries of wills and estates or trust representatives. Michael handles cases in a wide range of issues involving: · Breach of fiduciary duty · Breach of contract · Fraud · Fraudulent transfer and preferential transfer claims · Tortious interference · Partnership-Related Disputes · Derivative and shareholder disputes · Theft of ...

John Podvin Jr. is a partner in the firm with more than 25 years of regulatory agency, law firm, and corporate experience. He is based in Dallas, Texas, where he works nationally with the firm’s clients. His practice areas include banking and financial services, litigation, corporate governance, finance, financial crisis advisory and litigation, financial regulatory, government relations strategy, and mergers and acquisitions. As outside counsel, Mr. Podvin works closely with the firm&r...

Ladd Sanger has over 25 years of experience advising and representing clients in aviation legal matters, including crash litigation, aviation insurance coverage issues, airport use, international aviation conventions, and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigations. As a pilot with experience flying both fixed-wing planes and helicopters, Ladd understands the technical aspects of aviation crashes and applies that knowledge to all his clients’ matters. Ladd is an FAA-licen...

James W. McKellar is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Banking and Finance Law and Securitization and Structured Finance Law. James W., who practices law in Dallas, Texas, has been recognized since 1997. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.