Renn G. Neilson

Russell W. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law. Russell W., 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 Russell W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Billy Coe Dyer is a board-certified civil trial attorney with more than 30 years of experience representing landowner clients against condemning authorities at the local, county, state, and national levels. Widely recognized as an authority in the condemnation and eminent domain arenas, Billy’s lengthy list of notable victories includes the largest jury verdict for a property owner in a condemnation case in Texas and representation of the landowner in Interstate Northborough, the Texas ...

Jim Hart is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Jim, 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 Jim is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Tom has extensive trial and appellate experience in business cases, including oil and gas, breach of contract, and fiduciary litigation for plaintiffs and defendants. He has significant involvement in probate litigation, representing executors, beneficiaries of estates, and guardians in cases that also involve complex business transactions. Mr. Wright has argued cases in the Texas Supreme Court, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and Ninth Circuits, and most of the fourteen int...

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 ...

Pete T. Patterson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Banking and Finance. Pete T., 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 Pete T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Daniel Erwin is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Daniel, 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 Daniel is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Rick earned a BBA and a MBA from the University of Texas at Austin in accounting and finance. His JD is from the University of Houston. Rick is a recognized leader in real estate law in the State of Texas, and is board certified in Commercial and Residential Real Estate Law. He has a depth and breadth of experience in a variety of complex real estate matters. Rick has represented a wide range of businesses and individuals in purchases and sales, contracts, business conflicts, commercial trans...

David E. Warden is an internationally recognized expert in business litigation and arbitration, including patents and other intellectual property. He is a lawyer, arbitrator, engineer, adjunct professor, published author, and businessman. Mr. Warden has tried many healthcare, energy, securities, and intellectual property business lawsuits for individual clients and entities, as well as mass actions and class actions, and is licensed as a patent attorney before the U.S. Patent & Trademark ...

Kelly D. Brown has practiced environmental, health, and safety (EHS) law since 1991, and is a shareholder in the firm’s EHS Section. Kelly’s legal practice is a broad-based one as he handles EHS-related litigation, transactional matters, remediation projects, and compliance counseling. Kelly defends corporate clients in various personal injury and toxic tort lawsuits and administrative proceedings brought by governmental agencies including the Texas Commission on Environmental Qua...