Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing

AZA Again Named to National List of the Most Feared Opponents for 2027 

AZA again was named among law firms that general counsel and top-level legal counsel consumers fear the most in BTI Consulting’s list “Clients Single Out the Most Feared Law Firms in Litigation.”  As BTI put it, a fearsome reputation “starts working before the lawyers do. … This is fear as an asset

AZA’s Patent Victory Over Samsung Named a National Top 100 Verdict  

HOUSTON – AZA’s more than $78 million jury win over Samsung Electronics Co. has made another national top verdict list for 2025.  TopVerdict.com found this victory, which grew to more than $92 million by the final judgment, was the 67th highest in the nation.

AZA Again Named a Texas Powerhouse Law Firm by Law360 

HOUSTON – National legal publication Law360 has again named AZA one of only five Texas powerhouse law firms which it says drive legal trends in Texas.  The firm is profiled by Law360 here: Texas Powerhouse: Ahmad Zavitsanos & Mensing (subscription required).

AZA Secures Early-Stage Dismissal of Case Against Brown & Root

HOUSTON – When a Houston-based industrial service provider came after an AZA client for the third time, AZA associate Brittainie Zinsmeyer led the summary judgment briefing that quickly convinced a business court judge to toss the case. 

AZA Named Top Business Litigation Firm by Texas Super Lawyers 

Texas Super Lawyers has named AZA a top business litigation firm, and with good reason: The firm is already 4-0 in the new Texas Business Courts. 

Seventeen AZA Lawyers Named 2027 Lawdragon Leading Litigators

HOUSTON – Seventeen of AZA’s experienced trial lawyers were honored on The 2027 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America list, which aspires to name “outstanding advocates who ...  made their mark representing clients in their most important courtroom, investigative and administrative battles.”

Jury Grants Client Every Cent Requested in Another AZA Business Court Victory 

HOUSTON - A jury granted SmartDisk, a Houston-based deposition and video production company, a breach of contract win over the private equity firm that purchased national court reporting service Lexitas.  

AZA Partner Warren McCarty Named to IAM IP International List of IP Strategists 

DALLAS – AZA’s Dallas office managing partner Warren McCarty was named to an international list of 300 professionals known for implementing strategies to maximize the value of intellectual property portfolios. This is his second year to be honored. 

AZA Partners Jason McManis and Warren McCarty Earn Benchmark Litigation’s 40 & Under Recognition 

AZA partners Warren McCarty and Jason McManis were selected to Benchmark Litigation’s 2026 40 & Under list, which honors the next generation of trial attorneys shaping the profession.  

22 AZA Lawyers Named 2027 Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch  

Twenty-two AZA lawyers were named to the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch lists. These awards honor the top 5% or less of attorneys in private practice in the U.S. 

Antonio Milton Named Top 40 under 40 by National Black Lawyers  

AZA lawyer Antonio Milton was selected by The National Black Lawyers as a Top 40 under 40 in Texas. The invitation-only organization choses rising stars by examining their achievements, reputations and recommendations from leading lawyers to determine the best in each state.  

Partners Cameron Byrd and Kelsi White Named to National Rising Stars List 

AZA partners Cameron Byrd and Kelsi Stayart White were included in Law360’s 2026 Top Attorneys Under 40. Each was named in the top five or six of their legal specialties – trial for Mr. Byrd and appellate for Ms. White.

AZA Named as Finalist for Two Texas Legal Awards 

AZA and partner Monica Uddin were named as finalists for the Texas Legal Awards 2026 sponsored by Texas Lawyer and Law.com.  AZA is a finalist in the Litigation Departments of the Year, General Litigation category. The firm has won this award three times.

Partners Cameron Byrd and Kelsi White Named to National Rising Stars List 

AZA partners Cameron Byrd and Kelsi Stayart White were included in Law360’s 2026 Top Attorneys Under 40. Each was named in the top five or six of their legal specialties – trial for Mr. Byrd and appellate for Ms. White. Law360 says it reviewed more than 1,100 submissions and that winners’ “legal acc

AZA Partner Kevin Leyendecker Elected to American Board of Trial Advocates

AZA partner Kevin Leyendecker has been elected to the prestigious American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), an elite invitation-only group of the country’s leading judges and civil trial lawyers.  Mr. Leyendecker is the fifth AZA lawyer to join this group.

Five AZA Lawyers Honored on Lawdragon 500 Energy Lawyers List

HOUSTON – Five of AZA’s trial lawyers were named to the Lawdragon 500 Global Leaders in Energy for 2026.  Those honored are John Zavitsanos, Todd Mensing, Tim Shelby, Cameron Byrd and Paul Turkevich.

AZA Gets Oilfield Services Client Dropped from Competitor’s Trade Secret Lawsuit in 13 Days 

Less than two weeks after being retained, AZA extricated its oilfield services client from a contentious lawsuit alleging conspiracy to steal trade secrets, equipment and work from a competitor. 

Five AZA Lawyers Named to Lawdragon 500 Leading Global IP Lawyers for 2026  

Five of AZA’s top patent litigators were named to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Global IP Lawyers 2026 list, which Lawdragon describes as “lawyers protecting innovation, defending brand integrity and leveraging the assets at the heart of their clients’ businesses.” 

John Zavitsanos Named to Inaugural Board of Center for the Advancement of Judicial Excellence  

Along with an esteemed group of lawyers, AZA managing partner John Zavitsanos has been named to the inaugural board for a bipartisan nonprofit group designed to add transparency and improve the quality of the Texas judiciary. 

Seven AZA Lawyers Named to Lawdragon 2026 500 X – The Next Generation of Leading Lawyers

Seven AZA lawyers were honored on the 2026 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation of leading lawyers, billed as “the future of the law. And, in many respects, the now.” Partners Weining Bai, Cameron Byrd, Warren McCarty, Jason McManis, Jordan Warshauer and Kelsi Stayart White were named.

Prestigious Chambers USA Ranks AZA for 13th Year and Honors Eight Firm Lawyers

Chambers USA, the gold standard of legal ratings, gave AZA top 2026 ratings in Texas for three practice areas and ranked eight firm lawyers; three of them in the top Band One level.  This is the 13th year AZA was rated by Chambers.

AZA Named the Fastest-Growing Middle-Market Law Firm by Houston Business Journal  

The Houston Business Journal’s rankings of the fastest-growing middle-market businesses in the Houston region named AZA as the fastest-growing law firm.   AZA ranked 14th among all area middle-market businesses based on percent of revenue growth for the last two years.

AZA Partner Monica Uddin Honored by Houston Bar Association  

HOUSTON – AZA partner Monica Uddin won the Houston Bar Association’s President’s Award for her committee leadership.

AZA Named the Fastest-Growing Middle-Market Law Firm by Houston Business Journal  

HOUSTON – The Houston Business Journal’s rankings of the fastest-growing middle-market businesses in the Houston region named AZA as the fastest-growing law firm.  

AZA Lawyer Thomas Frashier Named Outstanding Young Lawyer 

HOUSTON – The Houston Young Lawyers Association (HYLA) named AZA associate Thomas Frashier as the Outstanding Young Lawyer for 2026. The annual award recognizes a young lawyer in Houston who best demonstrates professional proficiency, service to the profession and service to the community.

Jury Bias Against Big Business is a Big Problem

Texas Lawbook published AZA founding partner Joe Ahmad's essay on jury bias against corporations and how to counter it.

AZA Appellate Win Negates $18.3 Million Decision in Penile Implant Trade Secret Case 

AZA’s appellate team reversed an $18.3 million judgment in a California case over trade secrets in a cosmetic penile implant case. 

AZA Makes BTI Super Listener A-Team 2026, Ranked by Clients for Best at Business Development

AZA was named to a national list of the most effective business developers in BTI Super Listener A-Team 2026: Clients Rank Law Firms Best at Business Development. The list compiled by BTI, which specializes in strategic legal market research, is largely populated by national Big Law firms.

AZA Beat Natural Gas Provider’s $200 Million Bid for Damages from Pipeline Co. in New Texas Business

After a full trial on the merits, a judge in the new Texas business court ruled that although Antero Resources Corp., one of the largest U.S. suppliers of natural gas and LPG, had won earlier rulings against a West Virginia pipeline owner, Stonewall Gas Gathering L.L.C., Antero would take only $1.

John Zavitsanos Named Again to Lawdragon 100 Managing Partners You Need to Know

ohn Zavitsanos, a co-founder of AZA, was named to the Lawdragon 100 Managing Partners You Need to Know 2026 honorees list. He also made this list in 2025.