Mark D. Manela

Andrea “AJ” Johnson, a director at the Firm, has been practicing in employment law and employment/commercial litigation for more than 30 years. She represents clients all over the nation, provides day-to-day advice on critical, time-sensitive business and employment matters, has tried numerous cases to successful verdict and/or to dispositive adjudication, and has arbitrated and enforced mandatory arbitration programs in several states. AJ has a straight-forward approach. She seek...

Acclaimed Texas trial lawyer Rusty Hardin is the founder and name partner of Houston’s Rusty Hardin & Associates, LLP , accomplished in both complex civil matters and significant criminal cases. Mr. Hardin has more than 40 years of litigation experience, beginning his career as an assistant prosecutor in Houston’s Harris County in 1975. Since entering private practice in 1991, Mr. Hardin has tried over 70 jury trials, fairly evenly split between civil and criminal cases. His c...

Kenneth M. Krock concentrates his practice in advising and representing clients in business and commercial litigation involving real estate, construction, bankruptcy related disputes, financial institutions, and employment disputes. His experience includes: Advising and representing owners, developers, landlords, property management companies, sellers, buyers, general contractors, subcontractors, construction equipment lenders, real estate professionals, lenders, and others in the real estate...

John J. Kane is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation - Bankruptcy. John J., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Bradley W. Rapp is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships). Bradley W., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Bradley W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Steve D. Kesten is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Corporate Law. Steve 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 Steve D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Marc Matthews practices in the areas of admiralty and tort litigation with a special emphasis in defending vessel owners and operators from claims arising under the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, as well as from claims arising from vessel collisions and cargo damage. He has extensive experience in the arrest and seizure of vessels in the federal courts, both from the standpoint of arresting vessels and from the s...

Alton C. Todd has more than fifty years of experience fighting for the citizens of Galveston and Friendswood, Texas. He earned his bachelor’s degree from North Texas State University in 1968 before going on to get his juris doctor from Southern Methodist University School of Law in 1971. He spent the first part of his career working for an insurance defense firm, which gave him a unique insight into how these companies structure their arguments and strategies. This allows him to build a...

Mike Chernekoff is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group. He focuses on environmental law, related areas of environmental litigation and toxic tort defense, and commercial and energy litigation. Mike’s practice centers principally on matters and businesses located in Louisiana and Texas. As a litigator, he develops and pursues effective dispute-resolution strategies in the context of investigations, trials, and settlement negotiations; as a counselor, he regularly helps clients ide...

David J. Beck is consistently recognized as one of our country’s best trial lawyers. This recognition has grown from the consistent results he has achieved for his clients in his more than forty years of practice. From the smallest disputes to the billion dollar cases, David understands the importance of each case to his client, and he approaches each with the same intensity and integrity that has served him - and his clients - so well for so long. For David Beck, every case is a story ...