James E. "Jim" Smith

Emily Miller has experience handling a wide variety of commercial litigation matters, involving securities, financial institutions, energy, real estate, intellectual property, antitrust, insurance, product liability, and general commercial litigation. Emily represents clients in complex business disputes, including contracts, fraud, negligence, trade secret protection, fiduciary duty, and corporate governance in state and federal court and in arbitration proceedings. Her clients span numerous...

Laura Rahman is a litigation attorney in Kean Miller 's Casualty and Mass Tort Litigation group, based in Houston, Texas. Her practice focuses on the defense of complex Mass Tort Litigation and Class Actions, where she supports key client teams handling toxic tort, product liability, and premises liability matters with substantial claimed damages. Laura is known for her ability to develop, evaluate, organize, and manage the extensive factual records and procedural demands that accompany large...

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...

Eric Rhine is a Houston, Texas attorney with Spagnoletti Law Firm . A native of Beaumont, Texas, he joined the firm in 2016. Mr. Rhine attended The University of Texas at Austin, where he graduated with high honors in two years. He double-majored in Government and History and was admitted to Phi Beta Kappa. Mr. Rhine attended Baylor University School of Law, where he received the Dean’s Academic Excellence Scholarship. Since graduating from law school, he has represented clients in a wi...

Cory Itkin has established a reputation as one of the most aggressive and prepared trial lawyers in the country. His experience includes maritime accidents, trucking accidents, plant explosions, and other high-stakes personal injury cases. Mr. Itkin has won verdicts and settlements for clients in more than two dozen states. He also obtained favorable results in the high-profile litigation involving families who lost loved ones or workers who were injured in the BP Deepwater Horizon explosion ...

Tamara L. McKinzie is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Real Estate Law. Tamara L. practices law in Houston, Texas Best Lawyers has recognized Tamara L. McKinzie 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 Tamara L. McKinzie is held by other lawyers.

Roger Aksamit serves as the Firm’s Houston Office Leader. In addition, he is a member of the Firm’s Strategic Lateral Hiring Committee and is involved with the Firm’s Diversity & Inclusion initiative. Roger specializes in energy and private equity taxation and counsels public, private equity, and closely held clients in mergers and acquisitions, financing, and joint venture transactions, as well as all other aspects of transactional tax matters and planning. He is Board ...

Michael Cancienne is a name partner at Jordan, Lynch & Cancienne in Houston. He is a highly-skilled and experienced litigator who focuses his practice on representing companies as plaintiffs and defendants in a wide range of contractual disputes and in disputes involving business torts. He has prevailed in commercial matters across multiple jurisdictions, including state and federal courts. Mr. Cancienne’s courtroom success is the result of listening and preparation. Clients find th...

Carolyn Roch is a trial lawyer at Kean Miller based in Houston, Texas, with a practice focused on complex commercial litigation and employment law matters for management. She began her legal career as a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office after graduating from The University of Texas School of Law. While serving as a prosecutor, Carolyn first-chaired more than 50 jury trials and argued multiple appellate matters, building a strong foundation in courtroom advocac...

Joe Gagnon is a partner in the Houston office. He is an experienced trial attorney who represents employers in litigation and arbitration filed in every region of Texas. Joe's broad experience includes the defense of a wide variety of discrimination and discharge claims brought under Title VII, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and whistleblower statutes. He routinely defends state law claims including workers' comp retaliation, breach of contract, fr...