Best Lawyers in Texas, United States for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
James O. Darnell is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: General Practice and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. James O., who practices law in El Paso, Texas, has been recognized since 1993. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James O. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Eric Nichols practices both civil trial and criminal law, and joined the Austin office of Butler Snow in 2019. His background includes not only many years representing companies and individuals in private practice but also experience in both Texas state government and the federal government, having served as Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice for the Office of the Texas Attorney General, as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, and a law clerk to a ...
Jimmy Ardoin is an attorney with Jimmy Ardoin & Associates PLLC in Bellaire, Texas. His practice focuses on Criminal Defense: General Practice and Criminal Defense: White-Collar matters. He represents individuals and businesses facing a wide range of criminal allegations, providing careful legal analysis and strategic defense at every stage of the process. Jimmy has been recognized by Best Lawyers since 2018 for his work in Criminal Defense: General Practice and Criminal Defense: White-Co...
John is a lifetime member of the 82nd Airborne Association and the U.S. Army Ranger Association. He served his country as a Staff sergeant in the U.S. Army from 1990 to 1996 and was also an Airborne Ranger, a significant achievement that requires dedication, determination, exceptional mental toughness, and a commitment to excel. The selection process for becoming an Airborne Ranger is highly competitive and rigorous and includes physical fitness assessments, mental aptitude evaluations, speci...
Charley Davidson leads the firm’s criminal defense practice, where he offers passionate, responsive counsel to guide clients facing state and federal charges in the areas of white collar and blue collar crime. Prior to joining Hanszen Laporte, he was a partner at a large international firm specializing in white collar defense, as well as a partner at a Houston-based criminal defense law firm. Charley also spent three years as an assistant U.S. attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Offic...
Neal A. Davis is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: General Practice and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Neal A., who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2015. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Neal A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
The biggest victory is quietly stopping a case, and David has helped clients avoid charges in many DOJ,SEC, and other government investigations. But David is equally known for courtroom and appellate victories – including antitrust, environmental, health care, securities, immigration, commodities, banking, bribery, government contracts, and others. He also has been recruited to try civil cases, sometimes shortly before trial. Cases include: Acquittal of the Boeing pilot charged in the 7...
Mr. Freeman is the founding and managing member of Freeman Law, PLLC. He is a dual-credentialed attorney-CPA, author, law professor, and trial attorney. Mr. Freeman has been recognized multiple times by D Magazine as one of the Best Lawyers in Dallas, and by Super Lawyers and Texas Monthly magazine. He was recently honored by the American Bar Association, receiving it’s “On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyers” in America award, and recognized as a Top 100 Up-And-Coming Att...
Rachel M. Riley is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Rachel M., who practices law in Dallas, Texas, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Rachel M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Audrey Hatcher is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: General Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar and DUI / DWI Defense. Audrey, who practices law in Fort Worth, Texas, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Audrey is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. Audrey is an associate at Varghese Summersett , where she...
Emily Hoy is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Criminal Defense: White-Collar. Emily, 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 Emily is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Madeline Fogel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Litigation - Intellectual Property. Madeline, 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 Madeline is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Prerak Shah is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants. Prerak, 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 Prerak is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Julián Alejandro Ríos is a litigation associate who joined Ford O’Brien Landy LLP in 2022. Julián mainly focuses on complex commercial and securities litigation within the firm’s general white-collar defense practice. Julián has been recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America 2024 and 2025 for work in securities litigation and white-collar criminal defense. Julián has also been recognized in Super Lawyers® Rising Stars 2024 for...
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.