Mary-Olga "Mo" Lovett

Mary-Olga "Mo" Lovett

Houston, TX recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2012
Mo Lovett Law

1 Best Lawyers award

Awarded Practice Areas

Commercial Litigation

Biography

Mary-Olga “Mo” Lovett has been a trial lawyer for more than 30 years. In that time, she has taken dozens of cases to trial, involving a wide variety of complex legal issues, over 50 with more than $100 billion at stake.

And she’s just getting started.

A proven first-chair trial lawyer, Mo has been a fierce advocate for a wide range of national and global clients in bet-the-company litigation. When reputations are on the line or billions of dollars are at stake, clients have turned to Mo to spearhead the litigation, knowing that she has the experience and tenacity to take even the most complex cases to verdict. Mo is a strategic thinker who is often called in to lead other litigation teams in complex cases across a variety of industries. Her recent representations include leading legal teams defending a global energy giant regarding allegations of billions of dollars of environmental damage, defending a global tech firm in a multibillion-dollar Lanham Act case, prosecuting trademark claims for Grammy-winning performers and acting as lead trial counsel for the target defendant in a 2,000-plaintiff Texas state court case arising from an explosion in Houston.

A tech-industry general counsel offers this: “As unstoppable and ferocious as Mary-Olga Lovett is in a courtroom, what truly separates her above the rest is the love, loyalty, empathy, and attention to detail she showers on her clients at every stage of a complex dispute.

Before opening Mo Lovett Law, Mo was a partner at global law firm King & Spalding. She moved to King & Spalding after 18 years at Greenberg Traurig, where she was the senior vice president and ranking woman in a firm of 2,650 lawyers with 5,000 employees in 47 offices around the world. The American Lawyer described her move to King & Spalding as “one of the top 25 lateral moves of the year.” She is excited to bring her big-firm knowledge into her own firm for an unsurpassed level of personalized client service.

Mo is licensed in Texas and New York, and her cases involve a wide variety of complex legal issues, including patent infringement, trademark infringement, theft of trade secrets, commercial disputes, class actions, employment litigation and product liability matters all over the country, in both state and federal courts. She has:

  • Represented the music group Lady A (formerly known as “Lady Antebellum”) in the fight for its name.
  • Represented a major bank accused of discriminating against Black customers nationwide.
  • Successfully defended a Fortune 10 software company in a $43 billion trademark infringement matter.
  • Successfully defended a $454 million hedge fund in New York State Court.
  • Served as lead trial counsel for a major oil company in a case with tens of billions in exposure in which the client was being sued by the state of Louisiana and 42 of its parishes for “shrinking the state.”
  • Successfully represented R.J. Reynolds against the state of Texas in a 2019-2021 case in the Eastern District of Texas that was a blatant attempt by the state to “retrade” the landmark 1998 Texas Tobacco Settlement Agreement.
  • Served as lead counsel in more than 70 patent cases in the Eastern District of Texas and has successfully tried many patent cases there on both sides of the docket, beginning in 2010.
  • From 2019 to 2023, represented Mattel, Inc. and Fisher-Price, Inc. as co-lead counsel in cases involving infant deaths allegedly related to the Rock ‘n’ Play Sleeper.

In addition to her trial work, Mo is also passionate about helping individuals. She has spent much of her career working to place women and diverse lawyers in first-chair roles, particularly in high-profile cases, and building diverse teams to litigate cases she handled. In 2020, Mo was named a “Top Mentor” by Texas Lawyer, and that same year, the Houston Chronicle called her “the Houston attorney pushing to put more women in the courtroom.”

One mentee shared these words: “Mo is one of the greatest attorneys I’ve ever known, but more importantly, she’s one of the greatest people I’ve ever known. She is a fiercely dedicated advocate whose clients are in the absolute best of hands. Mo has shaped so many legal careers, but also lives, including mine. I will be forever grateful for her role in making me a better lawyer and a better judge.”

Mo is honored to be ranked by the Chambers USA Guide as a Band 1 trial lawyer. She received 2025 Lifetime Achievement honors by Texas Lawyer’s Texas Legal Awards and ALM | Law.com’s Women, Influence & Power in Law. She has been listed for multiple years as one of the Top 100 Attorneys in Houston and one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Texas by Super Lawyers/Texas Monthly. Mo has also been recognized as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Texas, and she received the “Best in Patent” award from Euromoney’s Women in Business Law Expert Guide in 2017. She is a 17-year member and Senior Life Fellow of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the qualifications for which include a minimum of 20 first-chair jury trials to verdict and peer election. Mo has also been listed in The Legal 500 for multiple years and was recognized in the 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America guide for four separate categories: IP (Patent and Trademark), Commercial Litigation, Product Liability and Class Actions.

A first-generation American on her mother’s side and a sixth-generation Texan on her father’s, Mo is proud to be the first lawyer in her family. She received her B.A. from Stephen F. Austin State University (’90, political science) and her J.D. from South Texas College of Law (now South Texas College of Law Houston).

While at South Texas College of Law, Mo became the first person ever to hold the title of Champion at both the National Moot Court Competition (New York City Bar Association) (’93-’94) and the ABA’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition (’93).

As the 2021 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award, Mo recognizes her alma mater as the place where her dreams as a young law student were nurtured and developed, and she credits the skills she developed there with making her the trial lawyer she is today.

Mo Lovett Law

1 Best Lawyers award

Overview

  • South Texas College of Law Houston, J.D., graduated 1993
  • Stephen F. Austin State University, B.A., graduated 1990

  • New York, New York State Bar Association
  • Texas, State Bar of Texas

  • Texas Bar Foundation - Senior Life Fellow
  • Litigation Counsel of America - Fellow
  • State Bar of Texas - Member
  • New York City Bar Association Ethics Committee - Member
  • Houston Bar Association - Member
  • Greater Houston Partnership Homeland Security Committee - Member
  • Greater Houston Partnership Executive Women’s Partnership Committee - Member
  • College of the State Bar of Texas - Member
  • South Texas College of Law - Member, Board of Directors
  • Bar Association of the Federal Fifth Circuit - Member
  • Association of Women Attorneys - Member
  • American Bar Association - Member
  • University of Houston Continuing Legal Education Foundation - Lecturer, 1995-2001, 2008
  • State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program - Lecturer, 2000, 2008
  • South Texas College of Law Continuing Legal Education - Lecturer
  • American Board of Trial Advocates - Senior Life Fellow
  • Women’s Association of the Eastern District of Texas Bar Association - Charter Member
  • South Texas College of Law - Adjunct Professor, 1997-2002

  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • United States District Court for the Central District of California
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
  • New York, New York State Bar Association
  • Texas, State Bar of Texas
  • Texas Bar Foundation - Senior Life Fellow
  • Litigation Counsel of America - Fellow
  • State Bar of Texas - Member
  • New York City Bar Association Ethics Committee - Member
  • Houston Bar Association - Member
  • Greater Houston Partnership Homeland Security Committee - Member
  • Greater Houston Partnership Executive Women’s Partnership Committee - Member
  • College of the State Bar of Texas - Member
  • South Texas College of Law - Member, Board of Directors
  • Bar Association of the Federal Fifth Circuit - Member
  • Association of Women Attorneys - Member
  • American Bar Association - Member
  • University of Houston Continuing Legal Education Foundation - Lecturer, 1995-2001, 2008
  • State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program - Lecturer, 2000, 2008
  • South Texas College of Law Continuing Legal Education - Lecturer
  • American Board of Trial Advocates - Senior Life Fellow
  • Women’s Association of the Eastern District of Texas Bar Association - Charter Member
  • South Texas College of Law - Adjunct Professor, 1997-2002
  • South Texas College of Law Houston, J.D., graduated 1993
  • Stephen F. Austin State University, B.A., graduated 1990
  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • United States District Court for the Central District of California
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Commercial Litigation
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Health Care Law
  • Litigation - Intellectual Property
  • Litigation - Patent
  • Patent Law
Awards:
  • The Best Lawyers in America (2012-2026)

  • Best Law Firms (2026)

    • Tier 1: Commercial Litigation, Houston
  • Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America (2022, 2024-2026)

  • Chambers USA Guide (2022-2025)

    • Band 1 – Litigation: Trial Lawyers
    • Band 3 – Litigation: General Commercial
  • Texas Lawyer, Lifetime Achievement Award (2025)

  • ALM | Law.com Women, Influence & Power in Law – Lifetime Achievement Award (2025)

  • A.A. White Center for Dispute Resolution at the University of Houston, Certification in International and Domestic Commercial Arbitration (2025)

  • Texas Super Lawyers, including “Top 100 Lawyers in Houston” and “Top 50 Women Lawyers in Texas” (2005-2025)

  • Lawdragon 500 Leading Global IP Lawyers (2025)

  • The Legal 500 US Elite (2025)

    • Tier 1: Commercial Disputes, Houston
  • The Legal 500 United States (2018, 2020, 2022-2024)
    • Dispute Resolution – General Commercial Disputes
  • The Legal 500 United States, “Other Key Lawyer” (2022-2024)

  • Recognized in World IP Review (WIPR) Insights’ USA Trademarks Rankings (2024)

  • Guide to the World’s Leading Women in Business Law – Euromoney’s Expert Guides: Women in Business Law (2014-2022)

  • “IP Stars” – Managing IP Magazine’s World IP Handbook and Survey, “IP Stars” (2014-2015, 2017-2022)

  • Patents – Euromoney’s Expert Guides (2017-2022)

  • South Texas College of Law Houston Distinguished Alumni of the Year (2021)

  • Euromoney Legal Media Group Women in Business Law Americas Award, “Best in Patent” (2017)

  • Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell

Additional Information

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Case History

Cases
  • Other Court Admissions
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
  • Supreme Court of the United States
  • Areas of Concentration
  • Trial and appellate law
  • Commercial and complex litigation
  • Patent litigation
  • Health law
  • Trade secret litigation
  • Product liability litigation
  • Significant Representations
  • Obtained a complete defense verdict on behalf of Fortune 500 medical device company and one of its sales representatives, following a four-week trial.
  • Represented software, electronics, biomedical, industrial and cosmetics companies in patent litigation.
  • Represented Italian company in litigation involving trademark infringement, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and civil theft.
  • Represented energy hedge fund against claims of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and civil conspiracy in New York state court.
  • Represented national hospital services company in injunctive proceedings regarding governmental immunity.
  • Represented Hong Kong-based electronics manufacturer in warranty litigation.
  • Represented national hospital services company in injunctive proceedings regarding suspension of physician privileges.
  • Represented online newsletter in defense of defamation claims from blog entries and First Amendment issues.
  • Represented Kansas City Southern Railroad in appellate matters involving sovereign immunity.
  • Part 2
  • Represented national health care provider in federal court litigation challenging constitutionality of Texas tort reform.
  • Represented educational software company in trade secret litigation.
  • Represented foreign electronics manufacturer in warranty litigation in state and federal court.
  • Represented the WNBA in contract dispute.
  • National trial counsel for world’s largest provider of dialysis services.
  • National trial counsel for cardiac perfusion company.
  • Represented foreign pipeline company in contract and fraud dispute.
  • Represented national health services provider in case involving allegations of unauthorized sale of insurance and fraud.
  • Advised multiple clients on structure of transactions to ensure compliance with state and federal health regulations and the corporate practice of medicine doctrine.
  • Represented major steel company in mandamus proceeding before the Supreme Court of Texas.
  • Represented national emergency physician management services group in case alleging violations of the corporate practice of medicine.
  • Represented national health services company as national trial counsel in federal court commercial litigation nationwide, including Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Nevada and Mississippi.
  • Part 3
  • Represented national dialysis provider in commercial litigation involving non-compete, breach, business disparagement, predatory hiring and tortious interference.
  • Statewide counsel for national health care provider in all litigation matters.
  • Represented major pharmaceutical company in products liability litigation.
  • Statewide counsel for national insurance company on drug related claims and physician indemnity program.
  • Represented foreign oncology group in Texas courts in litigation concerning fraud, defamation and breach of contract.
  • Obtained Texas Supreme Court decision abolishing damages for filial consortium.
  • Represented clients from pretrial to post-trial including interlocutory appeals, jury-charge development and argument, mandamus proceedings in all courts of appeal, bill of review proceedings, and traditional appeals in Texas intermediate courts of appeal, the Supreme Court of Texas, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Fifth Circuit.
  • APPELLATE OPINIONS
  • In re Gawlikowski, 2010 WL 11175, Tex.App.-Hous. (14 Dist.), January 04, 2010.
  • Kansas City Southern v. Port of Corpus Christi Authority of Nueces County, --- S.W.3d ----, 2009 WL 4688884, (Tex.App.-Corpus Christi, December 10, 2009).
  • Packard v. Guerra, 252 S.W.3d 511, Tex.App.-Hous. (14 Dist.).
  • Kumar v. Hill and Info Systems Architects, Inc., 2007 WL 495512 (Tex. App. - Hous. [1 Dist.], February 15, 2007).
  • Sinha v. Lopez, 2006 WL 2559355 (Tex. App. - Houston [14th Dist.], 2006).
  • Daniels v. Yancey, 175 S.W. 3d 889 (Tex. App. - Texarkana, 2005).
  • Taylor v. Good Shepherd, 2005 Tex. App. LEXIS 6890 (Tex. App. - Tyler, 2005).
  • Mokkala v. Mead, 2005 Tex. App. LEXIS 4224 (Tex. App. - Houston [14th Dist.], June 3, 2005).
  • Roberts v. Williamson, 111 S.W.3d 113, 46 Tex. Sup.Ct. J. 944 (Tex. Jul 3, 2003).
  • Todd v. Pin Oak Green, 2002 WL 731070 (Tex. App. - Texarkana, 2002).
  • Roberts v. Williamson II, 52 S.W.3d 343 (Tex. App.- Texarkana, 2001 pet granted, argued April 17, 2002).
  • Williamson v. Roberts, 52 S.W.3d 354 (Tex. App.- Texarkana, 2001 pet granted, argued April 17, 2002).
  • Glover ex rel Estate of Glover v. Fairchok, 2001 WL 710407 (Tex. App. - Dallas, 2001, no writ).
  • Holtschult v. Savin II, 1999 Westlaw 301632 (Tex. App. - Dallas, 1999, no writ).
  • Rosa H. v. San Elizario I.S.D, 106 F. 3d 648 (5th Cir. 1997).
  • Holtschult v. Savin, 1996 Westlaw 459762 (Tex. App. - Dallas, 1996, no writ.).

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