PARTNERS
Mike Davis (Partner) born Orange, California, November 26, 1952; admitted to bar, 1979, Texas; 1980, U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas; 1981, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits; 1982, U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit; 1984, U.S. Supreme Court; 1999, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas; 2003, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas; 2007, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas. Education: University of Texas (B.A., 1976); St. Mary's University (J.D., with distinction, 1978). Member, John M. Harlan Society. Articles Editor, St. Mary's Law Journal, 1978-1979. Legal Research and Writing Instructor, St. Mary's School of Law, 1979. Briefing Attorney, Supreme Court of Texas, 1979-1980. Best Lawyers in America (2004). Member: Travis County and American Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas (Member, Administration of Justice Committee, 1990-1992; Pattern Jury Charges Vol. III, Committee, 1994-1996); The Association of Trial Lawyers of America (State Delegate, 1991-1994); Texas Trial Lawyers Association (Editor-in-Chief, Trial Lawyers Forum, 1984-1985; Associate Director, 1985-1986; Director, 1986); Capital Area Trial Lawyers Association (President, 1996-1997). (Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Aviation Law(20%); Products Liability Law(40%); Personal Injury Law(25%); Drug and Medical Device Litigation(15%).Email: Mike Davis
Ladd Sanger (Partner) (Resident, Dallas Office).
Michael L. Slack (Managing Partner) born Refugio, Texas, June 17, 1951; admitted to bar, 1983, Texas; 1984, U.S. District Court, Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas and U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Ninth Circuits. Education: Texas A & M University (B.S., Aerospace Engineering, with honors, 1973; M.S., Aerospace Engineering, 1974); University of Texas (J.D., 1983). Phi Kappa Phi; Tau Beta Pi; Sigma Gamma Tau. Recipient, Bendix National Design Team Award, 1973. Associate Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics. Registered Professional Engineer, Texas, 1979. Listed in, Best Lawyers in America. Member, Advisory Board, Department of Aerospace Engineering, Texas A & M University. Papers and Publications: "Scientific Evidence Since Daubert: A Plaintiff's Perspective," Civil Trial Practice: Winning Techniques of Successful Trial Attorneys, Lawyers and Judges Publishing Co., 2000; "Air Ambulance Operations: Enhancing Public Safety or Causing Unnecessary Tragedy?"; SMU Air Law Symposium, 2001; "Air Ambulance Operations: Too Little, Too Late, Association of Trial Lawyers of America," Aviation Section Newsletter, October 2005; Best Lawyers in America (1995); Co-Author: "Don't Let Preemption Ground Your Aviation Case," Trial - Journal of the American Association for Justice. Associate Fellow: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; American Astronautical Society; International Society of Air Safety Investigators. Member: State Bar of Texas; American Bar Association; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Chair, Aviation Law Section, 1991-1992); Texas Trial Lawyers Association (Director, 1990; Executive Committee, 1992-1993; 1995; President, 1997; Faculty, Trial Advocacy College of Texas); Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association. Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation. (Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization) (Board Certified Specialist, Civil Trial Advocacy, National Board of Trial Advocacy). Practice Areas: Airplane Crash Litigation; Aviation Accidents; Helicopter Crash Litigation; Aviation Litigation; Personal Injury Law; Drug and Medical Device Litigation; Aviation Law; Products Liability; Negligence Law; Aircraft Sales; Aviation Products Liability.Email: Michael L. Slack
ASSOCIATES
Paula K. Knippa (Associate) born Austin, Texas; admitted to bar, 2006, Texas. Education: University of Texas (B.A., Plan II Honors, 1992); University of Texas School of Law (J.D., 2006). Texas Law Review, 2005-2006. Member: Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA); State Bar of Texas; Texas Trial Lawyers Association; Austin Bar Association; Austin Young Lawyers Association. Languages: Spanish. Practice Areas: Business Litigation(40%); Products Liability(20%); Personal Injury(20%); Civil Appeals(20%).Email: Paula K. Knippa
Justin Townsend (Associate) born December 7, 1973; admitted to bar, 2002, Texas; 2004, U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.A., 1997; J.D., 2001). Listed, Texas Rising Star Super Lawyers, 2006-2008. Member: Austin Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; Texas Trial Lawyers Association; Capital Area Trial Lawyers Association; Austin Young Lawyers Association; Texas Young Lawyers Association; American Association for Justice. Practice Areas: Motor Vehicle Accidents and Injuries; Automobile Accidents and Injuries; Personal Injury; Aviation Law; Airplane Crash Litigation; Aviation and Aerospace; Aviation Accidents; Aviation Litigation; Aviation Products Liability; Helicopter Crash Litigation.Email: Justin Townsend
ATTORNEY
Mark D. Pierce (Attorney) born Wichita Falls, Texas, September 19, 1954; admitted to bar, 1980, Texas; U.S. District Court, Western and Northern Districts of Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.J., with high honors, 1976; J.D., with honors, 1979). Former Special Prosecutor, 34th Judicial District of Texas. FAA-Certified Commercial Pilot, Single and Multi Engine. FAA-Certified Flight Instructor (CFI-I). BBB Certified Arbitrator. Chair, Board of Directors, Consumers Group of El Paso, Inc., 1997-1999. Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1997-2001 (Attorney Member, Legal Assistant Personal Injury Trial Law Exam Commission). Board Certified - Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Author: "The Seven Communication Secrets of Trial Lawyers," The Toastmaster Magazine, September, 2003. Life Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation. Member: State Bar of Texas (Member, Committee on Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, 2002-2004); American Association for Justice (Aviation Law Section); Texas Trial Lawyers Association (Member, Board of Directors, 1995-1999); El Paso Trial Lawyers Association (President, 1994-1996); El Paso Bar Association (Chair, Consumer Law Committee 2005-2006); Capital Area Trial Lawyers Association; National Association of Flight Instructors; Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association. (Board Certified, Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Languages: Spanish. Practice Areas: Aviation Law(40%); Personal Injury Law(20%); Commercial Litigation(20%); Products Liability(20%).Email: Mark D. Pierce
OF COUNSEL
Donna J. Bowen (Of Counsel) born San Angelo, Texas, May 17, 1947; admitted to bar, 1994, Texas; U.S. District Court, Northern, Western, Eastern and Southern Districts of Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.S., 1969; J.D. with honors, 1994). Practice Areas: Aviation Law(30%); Products Liability(40%); Personal Injury Law(30%).Email: Donna J. Bowen