SHAREHOLDERS
Jay R. Downs (Shareholder) born Kilgore, Texas, July 28, 1954; admitted to bar, 1982, Texas; U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit; U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern, Western and Eastern Districts of Texas. Education: Kilgore College; Baylor University (B.A., 1976; J.D., 1982). Author "Finding the Hidden Party," Trial Lawyers Forum, Vol. 26, No. 2, 1992; "The Defense of Involuntary Inability to Pay," Trial Lawyers Forum, Vol. 26, No. 2, 1992; "Ten Ways A C.P.A. Can Be Sued," Today's C.P.A., 1992; "The Phenomenon of Zinc Whisker Growth and the Rotary Switch," Metal Finishing Magazine, Vol. 92, No. 6, Aug. 1994; "Declaratory Judgement Actions: Who Pays the Insured's Legal Fees?" For the Defense, Vol. 38, No. 2, Feb. 1996; "A Guide to the Statute of Limitations in Professional Liability Suits," Insurance Journal, Vol. 2, No. 7, July 1996. Legal Beat Columnist, Insurance Journal of Texas, 1997. Mediator. Member: Dallas Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; Texas Association of Defense Counsel. Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation. (Board Certified, Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization) (Board Certified Civil Trial Advocacy Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy). Reported Cases: Ray v. O'Neal, 922 S.W. 2d 314 (Tex. App.-Ft. Worth, 1996). Practice Areas: Civil Litigation.Email: Jay R. Downs
Timothy U. Stanford (Shareholder) born Iowa City, Iowa, July 16, 1964; admitted to bar, 1989, Texas; U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: Washington & Lee University (B.A., 1986); St. Mary's University of San Antonio (J.D., 1989). Pi Kappa Alpha. Senator, Student Bar Association. Inductee, Washington & Lee University, Athletic Hall of Fame. Member: Dallas Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas; Texas Association of Defense Counsel. Fellow: State Bar of Texas. (Board Certified, Workers' Compensation, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: General Insurance Defense; Workers Compensation; Torts; Personal Injury; Negligence Defense; Premises Liability Defense; Negligent Security.Email: Timothy U. Stanford
Frances A. Lout (Shareholder) born Dallas, Texas, April, 1949; admitted to bar, 1988, Texas; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas. Education: North Texas State University (B.S.Ed., 1975); Texas Woman's University (M.Ed., 1985); Southern Methodist University (J.D., 1988). Delta Theta Phi. Member: Dallas Bar Association; State Bar of Texas. (Board Certified, Workers' Compensation, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; Workers Compensation; Litigation.Email: Frances A. Lout
R. Christopher Esson (Shareholder) born Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, February 13, 1969; admitted to bar, 1994, Texas; 1996, U.S. District Court, Eastern, Western, Northern and Southern Districts of Texas. Education: Emory University (B.A., 1991); Southern Methodist University School of Law (J.D., 1994). Delta Theta Phi. Member: Dallas Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; Dallas Association of Young Lawyers; Texas Young Lawyers Association; American Bar Association. (Board Certified, Workers' Compensation, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; Workers' Compensation; Commercial Litigation; Personal Injury; Contracts.Email: R. Christopher Esson
John V. Fundis (Shareholder) born Lovelock, Nevada, December 19, 1962; admitted to bar, 1991, Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. District Court, Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas. Education: University of Oklahoma (B.A., 1985); Southern Methodist University (J.D., 1991). Member: Dallas Bar Association; State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Workers Compensation; Insurance Defense; Litigation.Email: John V. Fundis
Christine B. Karcher (Shareholder) born Little Rock, Arkansas, May 7, 1966; admitted to bar, 1991, Texas; 1992, U.S. District Court, Eastern, Western, Northern and Southern Districts of Texas. Education: Texas Christian University (B.S., 1988); Southern Methodist University (J.D., 1991). Phi Delta Phi. Member: Dallas Bar Association; State Bar of Texas. (Board Certified, Workers' Compensation, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; Personal Injury; Workers Compensation.Email: Christine B. Karcher
Tab H. Keener (Shareholder) born Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, July 16, 1960; admitted to bar, 1986, Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas. Education: Southern Methodist University (B.A., 1982); Mississippi College (J.D., 1986). Author, "Can the Submission of a Premises Liability Case Be Simplified?" 28 Tex. Tech. L. Rev. 1137, 1997. cited in Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Garza, 27 S.W. 3d 64 (Tex. App. - San Antonio 2000, no writ) and Texas Causes of Action, Premises Liability Chapter, pgs. 605, 619, 2009; "What is the Standard of Review and Who is an Agent of Representative?" 48 Baylor L. Rev. 669, 1994. Member: Dallas Bar Association; State Bar of Texas. Reported Cases: Durham, Glover, Stanley and Wilson v. Zarcades, individually, and as Trustee of the Peter A. Zarcades Trust 270 S.W. 3d 708 (Tex. App. - Ft. Worth 2009). Practice Areas: Transportation; Construction Law; Products Liability; Premises Liability; Personal Injury; Commercial Litigation; Litigation; Trial Practice; Family Law.Email: Tab H. Keener
Christopher M. Losey (Shareholder) born Dallas, Texas, May 14, 1960; admitted to bar, 1986, Texas; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.A., with honors, 1983); St. Mary's University (J.D., 1986). Phi Alpha Delta. Member: Dallas Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; College of the State Bar of Texas. (Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Litigation; Civil Litigation; Personal Injury; Subrogation; Workers Compensation.Email: Christopher M. Losey
T.B. "Nick" Nicholas, Jr. (Shareholder) born Odessa, Texas, September 16, 1955; admitted to bar, 1981, Texas; U.S. District Court, Northern, Eastern, Western and Southern Districts of Texas; U.S. District Court, Western District of Oklahoma; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Tenth Circuits. Education: Texas Tech University (B.A., 1978; J.D., 1981). Lecturer: Trial Advocacy, National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA); Continuing Insurance Education, Dallas County Community College District. Adjunct Professor of Law, Southern Methodist University School of Law. Member: Dallas Bar Association; American Bar Association (Member, Sections on: Tort and Insurance; Litigation); State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Litigation; Property Insurance; Casualty Insurance; First Party Insurance; Commercial Insurance; Products Liability; Toxic Torts; Mass Torts; Personal Injury; Professional Negligence.Email: T.B. "Nick" Nicholas, Jr.
Philip P. Romero (Shareholder) born Evergreen Park, Illinois, April 11, 1971; admitted to bar, 1996, Texas and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas. Education: University of Texas at Austin (B.A., 1993); Southern Methodist University (J.D., 1996). Author: "The Effect of Perry v. Sindermann on the Livelihood of Texas College Teachers," Texas Association of College Teachers Quarterly Newsletter, Vol. 52, No. 1, July/August/September, 1999. Member: Dallas Bar Association (Member, Employment Section); State Bar of Texas; Dallas Young Lawyers; North Texas Association of Insurance Counsel. Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Tort Defense; Electric Utilities; Employment Litigation.Email: Philip P. Romero
Laura D. Schmidt (Shareholder) born Texarkana, Texas, October 12, 1966; admitted to bar, 1991, Texas; U.S. District Court, Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas; 2008, Oklahoma; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Oklahoma; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. Education: Texas Tech University (B.S., Science, with honors, 1988; J.D., 1991). Phi Alpha Delta. Editor, Texas Bank Lawyer, 1990-1991. Speaker, CLE Seminar. Member: State Bar of Texas (Member, Sections on: Tort; Insurance Practice); Oklahoma Bar Association; Dallas Bar Association (Member, Sections on: Tort; Insurance Practice); National Association of Subrogation Professionals. (Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Products Liability; Insurance; Health Care Subrogation.Email: Laura D. Schmidt
Wendy D. Schrock (Shareholder) born Hutchinson, Kansas, November 6, 1965; admitted to bar, 1993, Texas and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas. Education: Washburn University of Topeka (B.B.A., 1988); South Texas College of Law (J.D., 1993). Instructor: Southeastern Paralegal Institute, 1998-1999; El Centro Community College, 1999. Member: State Bar of Texas. (Board Certified, Workers' Compensation, Texas Board of Legal Specialization). Practice Areas: Insurance Defense; Workers Compensation; Personal Injury.Email: Wendy D. Schrock
Melissa Sage (Shareholder) born Iowa City, Iowa; admitted to bar, 1999, Oklahoma; 2001, Texas. Education: Oklahoma State University (B.A., English, with honors, 1996); University of Tulsa (J.D., with honors, 1999). Vice Chair, ABA Commercial Transportation Litigation Committee, 2009. Member: Dallas Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; Oklahoma State Bar Association; Texas Association of Defense Counsel. Practice Areas: Transportation Litigation; Insurance Defense; Labor and Employment; Non-subscriber Claims; Subrogation.Email: Melissa Sage
OF COUNSEL
Janet Strong (Of Counsel) born Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; admitted to bar, 2006, Texas. Education: Baylor University (B.B.A., 1983); Texas Wesleyan School of Law (J.D., 2005). Member: Dallas Bar Association (Family Law Section, 2007, 2008 and 2009); State Bar of Texas. Practice Areas: Family Law; Civil Litigation.Email: Janet Strong
William J. Grove, Jr. (Of Counsel) born Pottstown, Pennsylvania, October 3, 1946; admitted to bar, 1973, District of Columbia; 1980, Texas; U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Ninth Circuits; U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit; U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia; U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas. Education: Ursinus College (B.A., 1968); American University College of Law (J.D., 1973). Member: State Bar of Texas.Email: William J. Grove, Jr.
M. Gaddy Wells (Of Counsel) born Oxford, Mississippi, October 14, 1947; admitted to bar, 1978, Texas; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas. Education: Texas A & M University (B.A., 1969; M.S., Economics, 1970); Baylor University (J.D., 1977). Member: Dallas and Tarrant County Bar Associations; State Bar of Texas (Real Estate Forms Committee). Practice Areas: Civil Practice; Litigation; Commercial; Real Estate.Email: M. Gaddy Wells