HOUSTON – Benchmark Litigation, a legal rating service which has recognized AZA since 2016, once again has honored the firm and partners Joe AhmadJason McManis and John Zavitsanos

Messrs. Ahmad and Zavitsanos are listed as “Litigation Stars,” Mr. Ahmad for his work primarily representing executives in employment issues and Mr. Zavitsanos for his trial work. Mr. McManis was recognized as a notable up-and-coming lawyer in intellectual property litigation. All three have been honored by Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America and other rating groups.  

Benchmark Litigation says it is the only “B2B study on the market to focus exclusively on litigation and dispute resolution in the US.” Research is conducted through extensive interviews with litigators, dispute-resolution specialists and their clients to identify the leading litigators and firms.  

Mr. Ahmad, an AZA co-founder, is a lawyer for executives and has been repeatedly recognized nationally as one of the best in his field. He represents executives in a variety of matters, including breach of contract, trade secrets, covenants not to compete, breach of fiduciary duty and other matters. He writes a blog Legal Issues in the Executive Suite

Mr. Zavitsanos, also a firm co-founder, has tried almost 100 cases to verdict in litigation that runs the gamut: financial services, oil and gas, construction, complex commercial disputes, director and officer liability, non-compete and trade-secret disputes, real estate development and defamation/business disparagement. He is the primary author of O’Connor’s Texas Rules * Civil Trials 2018-2024, the premiere civil trial rules guide for Texas lawyers and judges. 

Mr. McManis, the head of AZA’s intellectual property group, represents both plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes patent infringement and trade secret disputes. His history of success includes cases involving all types of technologies, including wireless networking, financial services, digital media, data security, oilfield services, app development and medical devices.  

AZA, or Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing, is a Houston-based law firm that is home to true courtroom lawyers with a formidable track record in complex commercial litigation, including energy, healthcare, intellectual property and business dispute cases. AZA is recognized by Chambers USA 2024 as among the best in Texas in commercial law and intellectual property; has been listed by Best Lawyers’ Best Law Firms as one of the country’s best commercial litigation firms for 12 years; has been named Litigation Department of the Year by Texas Lawyer three times; and was previously dubbed a Texas Powerhouse law firm by Law360.