Orange County Maritime Lawyers

Attorney Caj Boatright grew up in Sweetwater, a small town in west Texas. He attended Southwestern University of Georgetown, and graduated cum laude with Honors as a double major in Political Science and History. He earned his J.D. from the University of Texas Law School, where he also met and became friends with Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin. Following law school, Attorney Boatright worked for the largest firm in Fort Worth, where he handled cases related to all types of litigation and appellate matters. In 2006, he joined Kurt and Jason at their small firm, Arnold & Itkin...

A licensed attorney in Texas and Louisiana, Kyle Findley helps to lead clients of Arnold & Itkin LLP to obtaining exceptional results. Kyle attended the University of Texas in Austin as a sixth-generation Texan. He graduated with honors and received a Bachelor of Arts in government with business foundations. After graduation, he spent time working for a national real estate firm, specializing in investment sales and representing high-net-worth individuals and institutions. While his time in real estate allowed him to gain develop invaluable negotiation skills, which resulted in the closing of one of the largest transactions at his firm,...

In 2014, Attorney Kala Sellers joined Arnold & Itkin LLP, bringing a passion for justice, which she pursues with tireless dedication on behalf of each of her clients. As a natural performer who grew up on the stage, Kala applies her skill, composure, and ability to thrive under pressure to the courtroom. Kala majored in Political Science at Duke University, where she received a Certificate in Policy Journalism and Media Studies. While maintaining her studies, she also completed an internship at CNN during a semester in New York City. After graduation, she continued her education at Baylor Law School to...

Cory Itkin is one of the most aggressive and prepared trial lawyers in the country with experience ranging in maritime accidents, trucking accidents, plant explosions, and other high-stakes personal injury cases. Cory has won verdicts and settlements for his clients in more than two dozen states. He has also obtained favorable results in high profile litigation such as his clients who lost loved ones or were injured in the BP Deepwater Horizon explosion.

Some of Cory’s best work has been on the cases that presented the biggest challenges. Cory has won jury verdicts in excess of $1 million in at least...

Robert E. Brunkenhoefer has been a personal injury plaintiff’s attorney for more than 35 years. He handles all types of personal injury claims and has obtained significant verdicts in cases ranging from admiralty and maritime injuries to wrongful death cases. Robert has been a Board Certified Personal Injury Specialist since 1978 and was one of the first class of attorneys to be certified. He is nationally recognized as a leader in personal injury litigation and a seasoned veteran. Robert is fluent in Spanish and is the proud father of five children, three of whom practice law alongside him.

Attorney Phillip M. Davis has many years of experience prosecuting and defending claims made pursuant to the Defense Base Act (DBA), Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (LHWCA), and Nonappropriated Fund Instrumentalities Act (NAF or NAFI) before the United States Department of Labor (DOL), Benefits Review Board (BRB), and United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. In addition, Mr. Davis has extensive experience handling War Hazards Compensation Act (WHCA) claims.

Mr. Davis has represented injured workers, employers and insurance carriers in thousands of claims. Currently, Mr. Davis represents injured workers with DBA, LHWCA and NAF claims.

Mr. Davis earned his...

Brit N. Mitchell is a Texas trial lawyer practicing representing victims of catastrophic personal injuries caused by highway accidents, 18-wheeler accidents, auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, on-the-job accidents/explosions, boat and offshore accidents, defective consumer products, and prescription drugs. Ms. Mitchell has devoted his entire career to passionately assisting people in need and continues in her community outreach endeavors by devoting herself not only to the people of Houston but to those throughout the United States, with an additional focus in California. Ms. Brit Mitchell continues to show her colleagues and community that diligence, discipline, and perseverance are what drive success for...

Hank Stout co-founded Sutliff & Stout, Injury & Accident Law Firm because he wanted to help real people with real problems. Raised in a small West Texas town, Hank was taught the value of hard work, determination, fairness, and helping others. As a Board-Certified personal injury lawyer, Hank has spent the last decade helping others who were harmed by the carelessness of others. Hank has been selected by Thomson Reuters as a Super Lawyer since 2012. He has also been recognized as one of Houston’s top personal injury lawyers by H Magazine and Houstonia Magazine. While Hank appreciates of this recognition, he is most...

Nick Morrow is an aggressive and relentless trial lawyer, committed to getting his clients results as quickly as possible. From growing up in a small town to succeeding at the highest levels of corporate law, Nick has a unique life experience. This helps him understand his clients’ needs, solve complicated problems, negotiate settlements with large and powerful companies, and connect with judges and juries. Most importantly, he is fiercely loyal to his clients. Nick is a fourth-generation Texan. He grew up in a middle class family in Sealy. He was brought up in a home that valued hard work,...

Attorney Santana McMurrey joined the team at Arnold & Itkin LLP in 2014, focusing on pharmaceutical products liability to help families of children who were harmed by dangerous effects of prescription drugs. Raised in Freeport, Texas, Santana attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she received her bachelor’s degree. After graduating from college, Santana worked for a law firm in Houston where she discovered her calling and resolved to go to law school. She went on to attend South Texas College of Law, receiving a Dean’s Merit Scholarship and repeatedly making the Dean’s list. During law school, she...

Attorney Tara Arnold grew up in a small town in Louisiana and worked at a local personal injury firm. This experience, along with her mother’s advocacy work on behalf of crime victims, fostered a passion for the law at a young age. Dedicated to success, Tara graduated as valedictorian of her high school class as well as summa cum laude and number one in her college class. She then went on to attend Tulane Law School, where she graduated magna cum laude and a member of the Order of the Coif (top 10% of her class). During her...

Eric Allen is a trial lawyer who focuses on representing clients who were injured in car, truck and bus accidents, offshore accidents, and by dangerous prescription drugs. He brings a unique background to his practice which includes military service and more than a decade of award winning television news reporting in such places as Washington, D.C., Misawa, Japan, and Austin, Texas. Mr. Allen spent his youth in Indiana and Arizona before traveling extensively as a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz, CVN 68, and later, as a journalist. He received his...

Justin is a trial lawyer who understands how to maximize recoveries for clients who were seriously injured in maritime and offshore accidents, oilfield accidents, trucking accidents, and catastrophic workplace accidents and explosions. Prior to joining Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers, Justin spent six years working as an attorney in the maritime group at one of Louisiana's oldest and most prominent defense firms, where he represented maritime employers, vessel owners, and insurers in complex maritime and personal injury cases under the Jones Act. Justin has significant experience handling limitation actions, platform fires/explosions, and vessel allisions/collisions. Justin is...

Mike Streich is a trial lawyer dedicated to helping people who have been seriously injured or killed due to the negligence of others. His primary focus is oilfield and plant accidents, catastrophic workplace explosions, offshore and maritime accidents, and 18-wheeler crashes. Mike is from Kingwood, Texas and received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin. While in Austin, he served as a member of the Silver Spurs—an honorary service organization responsible for the care and transportation of BEVO, the University of Texas longhorn steer. Immediately after college, Mike obtained his law degree from the University of Houston...

Robert Killeen was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1962. He attended Tulane University in New Orleans where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History in 1984, and a Juris Doctor in 1987. Mr. Killeen was admitted to the Louisiana Bar in 1987, and the Texas Bar in 1990. He is also admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, United States Court of Federal Claims, United States District Courts for the Southern, Eastern, Northern and Western Districts of Texas, and United States District Courts for the Western, Middle and Eastern Districts...

Annie McAdams exclusively represents plaintiffs who have been harmed by the wrongdoing of others. She attended the University of Texas at Austin for undergraduate studies and upon graduation she attended South Texas College of Law to become a trial lawyer. Ms. McAdams joined The Steelman Law Firm after graduating in 2005 and in 2006 was offered a partnership at the firm as a result of her exceptional case results.

Licenses: State Bar of Texas (#16069800) 1975 to present, State Bar of Tennessee (#25860); United States Supreme Court, United States Court of Claims, US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, US District Courts of Texas, (Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western) (Federal Bar #2842).
• State Bar of Texas (District 11-A Grievance Committee, 1989-1995, Chairman, 1991–1995); (Texas State Court Rules Committee, 1995-1999, Vice Chairman 1996–1997); (Texas Lawyers Assistance Program, 1984-2013);
• SBOT CLE Speaker Presenter on Ethics, Grievance Rules and Procedure and Professional Life Challenges;
• Texas Bar Foundation-Sustaining Life Fellow;
• Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas;
• American Board of Trial Advocates (Charter Member-Advocate, Corpus Christi...

More than 20 years as a trial lawyer and litigator in federal and state courts, both for the defense and as plaintiff, handling maritime and admiralty cases, oilfield cases, transportation cases, product liability cases, insurance cases, commercial disputes, suits against federal and state governmental entities and personal injury and wrongful death cases. Licensed to practice in all state and federal courts in Louisiana and Texas.

Leandro Luzone provides international advice for companies and individuals to help on the complex legal and tax regimes worlwide. He possesses a powerful combination of expert knowledge and innate leadership abilities. He is often recommended as a corporate lawyer with a diplomatic yet firm approach to handling conflicts. Luzone has a valuable expertise in civil & commercial law, business law, as well as private international law, being involved in major projects at domestic and international level. His connections worldwide help his clients' projects flourish. Besides that, he is a very dedicated professional, taking a result-oriented approach which all clients are looking...

Brian Beckom moved around a bit growing up due to his father being in the air force, but now he calls Houston, Texas home and is a proud sixth generation Texan. His father is his hero, raising him and his younger brother by himself after his moms death at 10 years old. Thanks to his dad's dedication he was able to attend Texas A & M for Computer Science and there walked onto the basketball team. While a student he also participated in the Corps of Cadets and a Ross Volunteer which is an student organization that serves as the...

Karen handles complex insurance coverage, defense and subrogation cases in state and federal trial and appeal courts. Her practice focuses on energy and marine claims, and includes professional liability, commercial property, builder's risk and general liability disputes.

After serving for one year as a law clerk for Judge Sam Johnson on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Richard Schechter began the private practice of law in 1980. Since 1986 he has headed his own firm, and has been responsible for developing and trying the full range of complex civil cases, including product liability and medical negligence cases, Deceptive Trade Practice-Consumer Protection Act causes of action, federal statutory claims, maritime litigation, all types of personal injury cases, and business tort and contract claims
Schechter has litigated cases from Florida to California and around the State...

Born in Mexico City, Attorney Cesar Tavares grew up in northern Utah and joined Arnold & Itkin LLP in 2014. Cesar served his church as a volunteer missionary for two years and then went on to earn degrees at Utah Valley State College, Brigham Young University, and Harvard Law School. He graduated from all three institutions with honors. Although he was offered several positions with some of the largest and most respected law firms in the nation, Attorney Tavares chose to practice law at a prominent firm in Tulsa, Oklahoma, near his wife’s family. Through his ability to absorb...

Cynthia Hardy Smith comes to Alford, Sinkule & Lazarz LLP from the Office of the Attorney General. As a Deputy Attorney General (D.A.G.), Cynthia spent ten years vigorously defending the interests of the people of the State of Texas in a variety of personal injury actions including automobile accidents, train accidents and slip and falls. She also defended railroad claims brought pursuant to the Federal Employers Liability Act.

Having been a litigator for the Office of the Attorney General, Cynthia joins the Alford, Sinkule & Lazarz L.L.P firm bringing with her insight into litigation from a defense perspective. While serving as...