Marla Thompson Poirot

Thomas J. Smith represents clients in complex civil litigation with a focus on insurance defense, personal injury, and construction matters. He brings strategic insight to each case, guiding clients through litigation with precision and responsiveness from pre-suit through appeal. See how Tommy protects client interests in high-stakes matters: gallowaylawfirm.com

David Merkley is a board-certified trial lawyer and Co-Chair of the firm’s litigation group and trial team. He is frequently retained in high-profile catastrophic accident cases to assume the defense or to navigate through complicated discovery issues leading to trial. He has tried dozens of cases to verdict and has been involved in several record-setting settlements for companies seeking to avoid the publicity of a jury trial. David is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates ...

Logan R. Burke is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Logan R., 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 Logan R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Kelly M. Haas is a partner in the Houston office. Her practice is focused on the areas of admiralty and maritime law and energy-related litigation matters in both state and federal courts. Her practice consists of defending vessel owners and operators, as well as offshore companies, from claims arising from collisions, property damage, personal injury, maritime pollution, environmental issues, cargo matters and contract disputes, and it regularly includes matters involving the Jones Act, the ...

Robert Vining is a partner in SBSB Eastham’s Houston office. A seasoned attorney with expertise spanning more than a dozen practice areas, he is a respected figure in his field who is admitted to the State Bar of Texas, the Louisiana State Bar Association, The Mississippi Bar and in nine U.S. District Courts across the Gulf Coast. Mr. Vining arrived to SBSB Eastham in February 2018 and has overseen a prolific law career of more than 28 years. He primarily splits his practice between lit...

Michael Marek P.C. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law. Michael, 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 Michael is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Andrew Gould leads the appellate practice at Hicks Johnson PLLC, a litigation boutique with offices in Houston and Chicago. An award-winning former federal appellate prosecutor, Andrew regularly advocates in state and federal appellate courts nationwide. He has served as lead counsel in some 270 appeals and has conducted over 40 oral arguments, including over 25 before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He also often appears at the trial-court level to assist with complex motion...

Stephen Pate focuses his litigation practice on property insurance matters, Directors and Officers insurance matters, business interruption issues, CGL insurance matters, builders risk matters, commercial general liability insurance disputes, fraud, and various other extracontractual litigation matters. Over a 30 year career in coverage work, he has tried more than 45 first-party extracontractual cases to verdict. Prior to joining the firm, Stephen had been partner in the Houston office of an...

Kenneth Held is an experienced trial attorney who focuses his practice on business litigation in state and federal courts, arbitration and regulatory enforcement matters, with a particular emphasis on securities litigation, energy litigation and class action defense. His clients range from individuals to publicly traded and privately held companies, as well as private equity firms and hedge funds. Mr. Held has significant experience in securities litigation and defending corporate and individ...

Randall Wilhite has represented clients in a full range of family law matters for over 34 years, specializing in complex property disputes, stock option and restricted stock issues, retirement assets, employee benefits, taxation issues, characterization of assets as separate or community property, business valuation and division, and other valuation issues. He is experienced in the litigation, arbitration and mediation of all family law issues. Randy is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at the...