Mark Farley

Heather Peterson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: General Practice and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Heather, 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 Heather is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Carolyn Russell represents management in a variety of employment-related matters, including litigation involving age, disability, race and sex discrimination claims, covenants not to compete, trade secrets, wage and hour claims, ERISA claims, and other workplace torts. Her practice focuses on employment litigation and consultation and commercial litigation. She handles all varieties of employment disputes, including claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination and b...

Brad Porter is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Brad, 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 Brad is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

Travis Hopper is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Travis, who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Travis is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John M. Ransom II is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Collaborative Law: Family Law and Trusts and Estates. John M., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Teresa Valderrama is a partner in the firm's Houston office. She has more than 25 years of experience representing employers in all aspects of workplace law, including corporate investigations and compliance, wage & hour collective action defense, and defense of all manner of discrimination, workplace harassment and other work-related claims. This includes advice and counsel regarding trade secrets/business-asset protection, defense of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act (SOX) and other whistleb...

Michael Childs is a graduate of Texas A&M University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Journalism. He received his Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law, with a focus on civil litigation. Mr. Childs first came to the firm in 1996 as a law clerk and became an associate in November 1996. He has over fourteen years of extensive experience with complex family matters. As a litigator, his representation has included divorce, disputed property valuations and divisions of pro...

David Cole is a tax partner in the Houston office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. David focuses his practice on tax disputes with trial experience in both federal and state courts. The tax matters David has litigated include disputes with taxing authorities and between private parties. The clients David represents include large and small partnerships, public and private partnerships, corporations, and high net worth individuals. His clients operate across an array of industries, including privat...

Kent Newsome serves as Chair of the firm's Houston Real Estate Practice. He has more than 25 years of experience that includes commercial real estate, real estate development, health care acquisitions and development, financing transactions, and general business law. Kent regularly represents owners and developers of commercial, retail and industrial properties in the acquisition, financing, development, leasing, management and sale of income producing properties, including office buildings, ...