Department profile
Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing

Litigation: General Commercial

USA Guide 2026 : Texas: Houston & Surrounds

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Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing

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About

Provided by Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing

AZA is first and foremost a trial firm. Our 54 lawyers are in a jury trial roughly once a month. Our courtroom experience, our knowledge of what will matter to a jury or judge, and our command of trial technology permit us to do this efficiently. Being trial-ready also strongly influences settlement. Opponents recognize that with more than 225 trials under our belts, we have confidence in our position and our ability to advocate that position. In fact, AZA is often hired on the eve of trial, once it has become clear that the case must be tried.

Although many of our cases involve high-stakes litigation for multinational companies, we also excel at representing individuals and mid-sized businesses with serious legal issues. We also understand that a superior result does not always involve a verdict or judgment, and are equally skilled at developing creative solutions to business problems.

AZA also manages company investigations. We help company boards, in-house counsel, and audit committees identify problems and ensure compliance before litigation ensues.

Clients (14)

  • Chevron
  • Apache
  • Weatherford
  • National Oilwell Varco
  • Versata
  • Air Liquide
  • Plains All American Pipeline
  • CITGO
  • LyondellBasell
  • Liberty Mutual
  • Enbridge Petroleum
  • PSC
  • Group 1 Automotive
  • Prime Natural Resources

Industries (5)

  • Energy - oil & gas
  • Technology
  • Construction
  • Telecom
  • Software

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Litigation: General Commercial - Texas: Houston & Surrounds

Band 2

What the Team is Known For
Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing houses robust litigation specialists with a reputation as feared opponents for established national firms. The firm has especially strong experience in representing clients in the technology and energy arenas. It has a trial-oriented group of attorneys who are unafraid to take on the full range of high-value commercial disputes for both plaintiffs and defendants. The team is particularly active in intellectual property, employment and breach of contract cases.
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Work Highlights

Provided by Chambers

  • Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing continued to represent CITGO Petroleum Corporation as lead lawyers defending against claims from three former executives, who were detained for five years in Venezuela, that the American company shares blame for the acts of the Maduro regime.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing is made up of particularly strong trial lawyers who vigorously defend their clients' interests. They leave no stone unturned in their approach, and no matter is too complex or sophisticated for them to handle.

    Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

  • Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing is a true trial litigation firm in Texas. It is full of lawyers who want to try cases and do this extremely well. The firm has strong depth from top to bottom with excellent attorneys. There are no weak links, it can all handle everything trial-related with its group of hard-working, elite courtroom lawyers.

    Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

  • Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing is exceptional. The firm is aggressive, strategic and practical. The team is easy to work with, passionate about what it does and really cares. Its attorneys are exemplary at what they do.

    Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

  • AZA combines masterful lawyering, exhaustive preparation, judge-savvy strategy and first-rate advocacy with exemplary client service.

    Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

  • The trial skills and oral advocacy of its lawyers are among the best I have ever seen. They are creative and always ahead of the opposition. From top to bottom, the team is exemplary. It is readily available, extremely responsive and always willing to discuss strategy.

    Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

Notable Practitioners

Provided by Chambers

  • John Zavitsanos
    John Zavitsanos

    John Zavitsanos

    John Zavitsanos wins particular praise for his trial capability. He handles high-stakes litigation on behalf of an enviable client base, which includes preeminent energy companies.

    • John is a fantastic trial attorney. He has really impressive strategic vision. His advocacy skills are the best I have seen.

      Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

    • John is a phenomenal trial lawyer. He has an unrelenting focus on winning and is an excellent strategic thinker. He is one of the best in the country.

      Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

    • John has years of experience in understanding the nuances of lawsuits. He has the ability to drill down into cases to find the things that are important, which makes him very effective at what he does.

      Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

    • John is experienced, super-smart and very creative in the courtroom.

      Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA
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  • Todd W Mensing
    Todd W Mensing

    Todd W Mensing

    Todd Mensing has vast experience assisting businesses with their most complex litigation needs, including intellectual property infringement and trade secret misappropriation cases.

    • Todd is a superior lawyer with great responsiveness and a commercial mind.

      Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

    • Todd is a top litigator in Texas for high-stakes commercial business litigation. He is client-focused, a strong communicator and smart about how he conveys information at the right depth I am looking for. Todd is a tenacious litigator, and I can put him on a case and largely forget about it and later he will update me as needed. He's great to work with.

      Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

    • Todd is a really strong lawyer. He has a soft-spoken style but is very effective and extremely hard-working.

      Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

    • Todd's judgment is consistently sound, which is key in litigation matters where emotions are high and you need a clear head. Even when I don't want to hear the answer, he still has a way of keeping me grounded. He operates from a logical standpoint and is unbeatable in my mind.

      Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

    • Todd is excellent. He has tremendous legal acumen and judgment. He is incredibly effective at getting things done and at making the right decisions at the correct time. Todd narrows down the right arguments to be most effective.

      Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA
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  • Tim Shelby
    Tim Shelby

    Tim Shelby

    Tim Shelby is highly regarded for his expertise in commercial litigation matters. He has noteworthy strength in energy-related disputes.

    • Tim is a very smart and passionate trial lawyer.

      Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

    • Tim is a fantastic lawyer. He is very sharp and no matter what case it is, he brings a lot of expertise and knowledge.

      Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

    • Tim is great on client service; he's a great partner. He understands what in-house lawyers need, anticipating what I want and giving it to me quickly. Everyone thinks super-highly of him. He is very strong on his feet and well liked by judges. He reads the room well and knows when to be calm and when to ramp it up.

      Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA
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  • Shahmeer Halepota
    Shahmeer Halepota

    Shahmeer Halepota

    Shahmeer Halepota enjoys a growing reputation for his expert handling of a wide array of complex commercial disputes. His experience spans energy, healthcare and telecoms-related litigation.

    • I believe Shahmeer Halepota to be one of the best litigators in the US. I can attest to the fact that his creativity, zeal and ability to turn chaos into clarity are rare and effective. Any client that has the opportunity to work with Shahmeer is lucky.

      Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

    • His lawyering is exemplary, the product of a relentless focus on tailoring strategy to the specific facts, forum and decision-maker at hand. His thoroughness and nuance of preparation are on another level, and he assembles his arguments with precision and judgment. His judgment on both substantive and procedural matters is also consistently sound, and his execution is disciplined, leading to excellent outcomes.

      Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

    • He has been truly outstanding. He has endless positive energy and the ability to bring aspirational goals to reality. He has both trial advocacy skills and the ability to manage a large team of attorneys. This is a rare combination that has been instrumental in the positive outcomes.

      Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA

    • Shahmeer is brilliant, committed, determined and fierce. His magnetic personal energy and his infectious spirit bring purpose and good humor to even the most daunting tasks. He handles every situation to protect his clients with immaculate grace.

      Litigation: General Commercial respondentUSA
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Ranked Individuals at Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing (5)

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Texas: Houston & Surrounds

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