Best Lawyers in Texas, United States for Appellate Practice
Shelby Raye Holt focuses her practice on insurance coverage litigation and appellate law. Shelby counsels primary, umbrella, and excess insurers in first and third-party coverage litigation and advises insurers on coverage issues under commercial liability, environmental liability, commercial property, professional liability, errors and omissions, and commercial auto policies. She has experience successfully defending carriers against extra-contractual and statutory bad faith claims involving...
Owen J. McGovern is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Owen, 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 Owen is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. Owen is board-certified appellate specialist who understands that exceptional advocacy requires both a superior understanding of the...
Joshua is a native Texan who grew up in the Austin hill country, and is an ardent fan of the Baylor Bears and Houston Rockets. He enjoys spending time in nature, traveling, and attempting to garden. He is also an amateur guitar player and art collector. Before joining the Lanier Law Firm, Joshua worked as an associate at a highly respected Houston firm where he specialized in construction law representing commercial contractors and homeowners. He also clerked at the Lanier Law Firm as a law s...
Eric focuses his practice on appeals and civil litigation. He has represented a wide variety of clients across varying industries and has experience in commercial disputes, securities litigation, and intellectual property litigation, among other areas. In 2021, Eric served as counsel of record for a group of former United States Attorneys filing an amicus brief in support of the United States in the United States Supreme Court case United States v. Cooley , a case concerning the scope of Nati...
Mr. Wilkinson represents companies and individuals in complex commercial litigation, class actions and multi-district litigation, corporate governance, shareholder litigation and appellate matters in state and federal courts. He has significant experience in a wide range of business litigation and arbitration involving diverse matters, including transactional fraud claims, mergers & acquisitions, breach of contract claims, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of non-compete agreements, theft ...
John J. Kappel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Family Law. John J., who practices law in Dallas, Texas, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Walter A. Simons is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Walter A., 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 Walter A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jacob deKeratry is an associate who practices in the firm’s Appellate and Litigation departments. He graduated magna cum laude from Baylor University School of Law, where he also served as the Articles Editor for the Baylor Law Review. He earned his B.A. in Government and Philosophy with cum laude distinction from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Before joining the firm, Mr. deKeratry was a law clerk for the Honorable Priscilla R. Owen at the United States Court of Appeals for t...
Dallas Flick is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property. Dallas, who practices law in Dallas, Texas, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Dallas is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Griffin S. Rubin is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. Griffin, who practices law in Dallas, Texas, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Griffin is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. In addition to his experience in private practice, Griffin served as a law clerk for the Honorable Irma...
Andrew Robertson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Banking and Finance. Andrew, who practices law in Dallas, Texas, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Andrew is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Parth S. Gejji is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice. Parth, 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 Parth is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. Parth is a board-certified appellate specialist. He focuses his practice on civil appeals and complex civil litigation, and has argu...
Isaac Budnik Villarreal is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation. Isaac Budnik, who practices law in Austin, Texas, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Isaac Budnik is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Matt P. Rigney is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Insurance Law. Matt P., who practices law in Dallas, Texas, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Matt P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Mike Duncan focuses his practice on civil appeals, appellate litigation support, and litigation of both complex commercial disputes and personal injury actions. He has handled cases in state and federal trial courts, multiple Texas courts of appeals, and the Texas Supreme Court. Prior to joining Naman Howell, Mike served as a clerk for Justice Phil Johnson of the Texas Supreme Court. He is admitted to practice in all Texas state courts, and in federal court in the Western and Southern Distric...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.