Commercial Litigation
John Zavitsanos
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2006 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
John Zavitsanos is a highly regarded trial lawyer who loves trying cases and loves winning. He has achieved success for a multitude of clients – both defendants and plaintiffs, from big energy companies to lone whistleblowers battling the odds.
He has tried almost 100 cases to verdict in litigation that runs the gamut: financial services, oil and gas, construction, complex commercial disputes, director and officer liability, non-compete and trade-secret disputes, real estate development, and defamation/business disparagement. He is the primary author of O’Connor’s Texas Rules * Civil Trials 2018-2024, the premiere civil trial rules guide for Texas lawyers and judges.
He has learned from every jury trial by surveying the jurors after the case and learning what conventional wisdom has outlived its usefulness. That’s a lot of input, since he has tried more than a dozen cases in just the last few years
And his willingness – delight, actually – at trying a case with confidence has impressed numerous heavyweight clients. As one happy customer put it, “I find that many large law firms are willing to capitulate too quickly and pressure me to settle too soon.” He said he knows that Mr. Zavitsanos is “serious about going to trial.”
When interviewed by Chambers USA, clients have said Mr. Zavitsanos is “a master of cross-examination.” Another client said, “I like his trial instincts and confidence. Not a lot of lawyers out there try cases as frequently as he does, and it shows. John loves being in the courtroom.”
Mr. Zavitsanos’ considerable talents have been recognized by every possible legal rating service. For 19 consecutive years, he’s been listed by Best Lawyers in America. He’s recognized for his General Commercial Litigation work in Texas by the highly respected Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, published by London-based Chambers and Partners. He was also named a Benchmark Litigation Star in 2016-2024. And he is a Litigation Counsel of America Senior Fellow. And he was named on Lawdragon 500 leading lawyers in America lists for 2021- 2024 with a focus on commercial litigation, intellectual property, and securities.
He has achieved the highest possible peer rating, AV Preeminent, by Martindale-Hubbell, the premier legal directory, for his Business Litigation practice. He’s been named by his peers as one of the top 100 Texas Lawyers on the annual Texas Super Lawyers list for more than a decade. He was recently featured on the cover of Texas Super Lawyer magazine as one of only a handful of lawyers in Texas to be named a Super Lawyer every year for the past 20 years. He is board certified in civil trial law by both the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and the National Board of Trial Advocacy, an accomplishment held by less than 2 percent of all practicing lawyers in the state of Texas.
Overview
- Greek
- The University of Michigan Law School, J.D., with honors, graduated 1987
- Loyola University Chicago, B.S., magna cum laude, graduated 1984
- Texas, State Bar of Texas
- American Board of Trial Advocates - Advocate
- American Inns of Court - Member
- Houston Bar Association - Member
- Houston Bar Foundation - Fellow
- Houston Trial Lawyers Association - Member
- State Bar of Texas (Sections in Litigation; Labor) - Member
- Texas Bar Foundation - Fellow
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association - Member
- Texas Minority Counsel Program - Board Member
- United States Supreme Court
- United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- General and Trial Bar of the Northern District of Illinois
- United States District Court for the District of Colorado
- United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- Greek
- Texas, State Bar of Texas
- American Board of Trial Advocates - Advocate
- American Inns of Court - Member
- Houston Bar Association - Member
- Houston Bar Foundation - Fellow
- Houston Trial Lawyers Association - Member
- State Bar of Texas (Sections in Litigation; Labor) - Member
- Texas Bar Foundation - Fellow
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association - Member
- Texas Minority Counsel Program - Board Member
- The University of Michigan Law School, J.D., with honors, graduated 1987
- Loyola University Chicago, B.S., magna cum laude, graduated 1984
- United States Supreme Court
- United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- General and Trial Bar of the Northern District of Illinois
- United States District Court for the District of Colorado
- United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Commercial Litigation
Special Focus:
- Employees
- Employment
- Labor
- Management
Awards:
Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America, 2023-2026
- The Best Lawyers in America, 2006-2026
- Recognized as a leader in Texas General Commercial Litigation in the 2014-2024 editions of Chambers USA
Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, 2024-2025
Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers, 2021-2025
Lawdragon 100 Managing Partners You Need to Know, 2025
- Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2003-2025
- Top 100 Texas Super Lawyers, 2011-2025
- Top 100: Houston Super Lawyers: 2007-2025
- Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation, 2016-2025
- Top Rated Lawyers, AV Preeminent Rated in Intellectual Property Law, 2012-2017
- Who's Who in Energy, 2012-2013
- Top 100 Regional Business Litigators, 2007-2012
- College of the State Bar of Texas, 2005
- Outstanding Lawyers of America, 2003 to present
- Who's Who in American Law
News & Media
Additional Information
Case History
Cases
- Reported Cases
- In re M-I L.L.C., 59 Tex. Sup. J. 888 (Tex. 2016)
- Gessner Eng’g, LLC v. St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Monastery, Inc., 2016 Tex. App. LEXIS 12473 (Tex. App. Houston [1st Dist] 2016)
- Finserv Cas. Corp. v. Transamerica Life Ins. Co., 2016 Tex. App. LEXIS 11416 (Tex. App. – Houston [14th Dist.] 2016)
- In re Crestline Direct Fin., L.P., 2016 Tex. App. LEXIS 10712 (Tex. App. Houston [14th Dist.] 2016)
- ConocoPhillips Co. v. Noble Energy, Inc., 462 S.W.3d 255 (Tex. App. Houston [14th Dist.] 2016)
- BP Oil Pipeline Co. v. Plains Pipeline, L.P., 472 S.W.3d 296 (Tex. App. Houston [1st Dist.] 2015)
- Gudger v. CITGO Petroleum Corp., 574 Fed. Appx. 493 (5th Cir 2014)
- Klentzman v. Brady, 456 S.W.3d 239 (Tex. App. Houston [1st Dist.] 2014)
- In re M-I L.L.C., 2014 Tex. App. LEXIS 12024 (Tex. App. Houston [14th Dist.] 2014)
- Rapid Settlements, Ltd. v. Settlement Funding, LLC, 2014 Tex. App. LEXIS 9320 (Tex. App. Houston [14th Dist.] 2014)
- In re Sugarland Anesthesia PLLC, 2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 14968 (Tex. App. Houston [14th Dist.] 2013)
- Sentinel Integrity Solutions, Inc. v. Mistras Group, Inc., 414 S.W.3d 911 (Tex. App. Houston [1st Dist.] 2013)
- Best Auto v. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, 2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 4844 (Tex. App. Dallas [5th Dist.] 2013)
- In re Citgo Petro. Corp., 2013 Tex. App. LEXIS 1899 (Tex. App. Waco [10th Dist.] 2013)
- Opuiyo v. Houston Auto M. Imps., Ltd., 2011 Tex. App. LEXIS 58 (Tex. App. Houston [14th Dist.] 2011)
- 1993 GF P’ship v. Simmons & Co. Int’l, 2010 Tex. App. LEXIS 8903 (Tex. App. Houston [14th Dist.] 2010)
- Macy v. Waste Mgmt., 294 S.W.3d 638 (Tex. App. Houston [1st Dist.] 2009)
- Klentzman v. Brady, 2009 WL 5174369 (Tex. App. Houston [1st Dist.], December 31, 2009).
- Amschwand v. Spherion Corp 505 F.3d 342 (5th Cir 2008) cert. denied, 128 S. Ct. 1493 (2008)
- Hollenbeck v. Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, 2008 Tex. App. LEXIS 2806 (Tex. App. Austin [3rd Dist.] 2008)
- Devally v. Powell Watson Motors, 2007 Tex. App. LEXIS 9633 (Tex. App. San Antonio [4thDist.] 2007)
- Innovative Truck Storage, Inc. v. Airshield Corp., 2007 Tex. App. LEXIS 4883 (Tex. App. Corpus Christi [13thsDist.] 2007)
- Nat’l Oilwell, L.P. v. Sladic, 2006 Tex. App. LEXIS 4583 (Tex. App. Houston [14th Dist.] 2006)
- In re Bill Heard Chevrolet, Ltd., 2005 Tex. App. LEXIS 8838 (Tex. App. Houston [14th Dist.] 2005)
- Recognition Communication, Inc. v. American Automobile Ass’n., 154 S.W.3d 878 (Tex. App. – Dallas 2005)
- In re: KPMG, 2005 WL 66475 (Tex. App. Houston [14th Dist.] 2005)
- Comsys Information Technology Svc. Inc. v. Twin City Fire Ins. Co., 130 S.W.3d 181 (Tex. App. Houston [14th Dist.] 2003)
- Livesay v. Wellogix, Inc., 2003 WL 139730 (Tex. App. Houston [1st Dist.] 2003)
- Nat’l Union Fire Ins. Co. v. Willis, 296 F.3d 336 (5th Cir 2002)
- In re: Wheat, 2002 WL 31320095 (Tex. App. Houston [1st Dist.] 2002)
- Mota v. Univ. of Tex. Houston Health Sci. Ctr., 261 F.3d 512 (5th Cir 2001)
- Pratt v. City of Houston, F.3d 601(5th Cir 2001)
- Jones v. Star Motor Cars, 45 S.W.3d 350 (Tex. App. Houston [1st Dist.] 2001, no pet.)
- Texas Dept. of Public Safety v. Randle, 31 S.W.3d 786 (Tex. App. Houston [1st Dist.] 2001, no pet.)
- Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. v. Haney, 987 S.W.2d 236 (Tex. App. Houston [14th Dist] 1999, pet. denied)
- Brady v. Fort Bend County, 145 F.3d 691 (5th Cir. 1998)
- LaBella v. Mercedes-Benz of North America, 942 S.W.2d 127 (Tex. App. Amarillo, 1997, writ denied)
- Thompson v. City of Galveston, 979 F.Supp. 504 (S.D. Tex. 1997)
- Redwine v. AAA Life Ins. Co., 852 S.W.2d 10 (Tex. App. Dallas 1993, no writ)
- Evans v. United Air Lines, 986 F.2d 942 (5th Cir. 1993)
- Gulf Coast Inv. Corp. v. NASA 1 Business Center, 754 S.W.2d 152 (Tex. 1988)
- In re Seiscom Delta, Inc., 857 F.2d 279 (5th Cir. 1988)
- Defense Win
In 2012, Mr. Zavitsanos with partner Todd Mensing and firm attorneys Elizabeth Pannill Fletcher and Jane Robinson, garnered a defense win for Mistras Group Inc. in federal court by not only beating a competing company that sought $8 million in damages and was awarded nothing, but by also getting the trademark at issue dissolved. AZA lawyers won over both the judge and jury. It was the judge who granted Mistras the win on the $8 million trademark claim and the jury that found the mark was generic or descriptive.
- Defense Win
In 2011, Mr. Zavitsanos and Elizabeth Pannill Fletcher secured a defense verdict for Mistras Group Inc. following a trade secret case that included an award of $750,000 in attorneys’ fees. Mistras, a New Jersey-based company that assesses the safety of large corporate and infrastructure components such as refineries and bridges, was wrongly accused by Texas-based Sentinel Integrity Solutions of interfering with an employment agreement and obtaining confidential information when it hired a former Sentinel employee. According to Texas Lawyer’s verdict list, this was the fourth largest defense win in Texas in 2011.
- Jury Verdict
In 2011, Mr. Zavitsanos, along with Todd Mensing of the Firm, represented a man defamed by The Fort Bend Star and a reporter at the paper and won both in an interlocutory appeal and a jury verdict. In this case the Houston Court of Appeals unanimously affirmed the trial court’s denial of the Fort Bend Star’s Motion for Summary Judgment and rejected the Star’s argument that Texas should expand the “limited purpose public figure” doctrine. The jury later returned a remarkable $1.1 million verdict for the client over an article that made false allegations about his behavior and falsely claimed his father, a law enforcement officer, covered for him.
- Bet-The-Company Verdict
In 2008, Mr. Zavitsanos was retained in a $40 million “bet the company” case involving claims brought against A&B Valve and Supply, an oilfield supply company by National Oil Well Varco. He was hired three months prior to the scheduled trial date. Shortly before Zavitsanos was hired, the trial court had entered a temporary injunction prohibiting A&B from doing business with a substantial number of its customers. This resulted in millions of dollars of losses. Within thirty days of being hired, Zavitsanos successfully obtained a writ of mandamus against the trial court and reversed the temporary injunction. They then proceeded to trial in March 2008. After five weeks of evidence, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Zavitsanos’ client on all claims. This case received national and international attention and was featured in the National Law Journal, the Texas Lawyer, and over 25 newspapers around the world.
- Settlement
In 2007, Mr. Zavitsanos was the lead trial counsel in a three-week trial involving a $150 million contractual dispute about a jointly owed offshore gas pipeline. Following a successful decision in favor of the Firm’s client, the plaintiff immediately launched settlement discussion and resolved the dispute by paying a substantial amount to Zavitsanos’ client in exchange for the acquisition of certain assets.
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