Rick A. Witte

Peter B. Wells IV is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Construction Law, Litigation - Construction and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Peter B., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Peter B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

David Ledyard joined Strong Pipkin in 1975. In 45 years of practice, he has handled a wide range of litigation across Texas and in states including Louisiana, Arkansas, California, Mississippi, Illinois and Maryland. He has tried as lead counsel business, commercial, construction, toxic tort, premises liability, products liability, maritime, Jones Act and property damage cases. He has defended companies in plant and pipeline explosions and fires, CERCLA actions, medical device cases, trucking...

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

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

Shawn Bates has more than 22 years of practice in commercial litigation in the energy industry and across numerous other industries. He is a seasoned first-chair trial lawyer, handling cases worth tens of millions. He has conducted hundreds of depositions and supervised trial teams on matters of varying size. He focuses his practice on litigation and arbitration of complex disputes for clients in the energy sector (oil and gas companies, oilfield supply and support companies, pipeline builder...

A commercial trial attorney with a focus on energy, corporate fiduciary and securities, and construction litigation, Jason Williams has significant first-chair trial and arbitration experience and has argued as lead counsel before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Working as a mechanical engineer prior to attending The University of Houston Law Center, he gained unique insights that have help to make him invaluable to his clients facing technology-related disputes. His construc...

Gregg Laswell has been a trial lawyer for nearly four decades. He began with a large national firm, where he practiced for 13 years, moved to a large international firm, where he practiced for 7 years, and then joined some of his former partners in 2004 at Hicks Thomas, where he has practiced for the last 18 years. His practice has focused almost exclusively on business and commercial litigation and while he has significant experience in various industries and practice areas, a primary emphas...

Lauren Black is a partner in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group with more than a decade of experience handling a diverse array of matters. While her practice is “industry agnostic,” she has represented clients in the energy, construction, manufacturing, healthcare, shipping, technology, and logistics industries. Lauren has achieved favorable results for clients facing all aspects of civil litigation, from a strategic approach to early dispute resolution to a favorable sett...

Juan F. Vasquez, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Litigation and Controversy - Tax and Tax Law. Juan F., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2010. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Juan F. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John Shely concentrates his practice on managed care trials, including litigation involving providers, ERISA benefits and fiduciary duties, and bad faith insurance practices. He also brings extensive experience in handling a wide range of commercial disputes, both for managed care organizations and for businesses across various other sectors. Mr. Shely is frequently retained to try cases that clients believe are likely to proceed to trial. In several matters, clients have engaged him late in ...