Kempner Lawyers

We specialize in working with community banks, assisting them in navigating the ever-shifting legal and regulatory environment while recommending strategic business options leading to new and unrealized growth opportunities. We work with small business owners to identify legal strategies that can help strengthen and grow their businesses and protect their personal assets by building more sure legal foundations, protecting branding and business offerings, identifying incentives, protecting revenue, recovering money, preparing to sell, and much more. We also have expertise providing legal services in tax incentives and non-profit organizations, navigating complicated application and regulatory guidelines and identifying legal strategies and solutions that can...

Adam Ward graduated from Texas A&M University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. While at A&M, Adam seriously considered a military career, and joined the United States Navy Reserve to test the waters. Adam eventually received an Honorable Discharge from the United States Navy Reserve after six years of being a weekend warrior (and two weeks a year) plus two years on Individual Ready Reserve. After college, including law school scholarship offers, Adam decided to attend The University of Houston Law Center. A successful first year, included...

After starting as a solo practitioner, Donna Peery developed her career in litigation with a federal judicial clerkship with former Chief Judge Jorge A. Solis of the Northern District of Texas. Her work representing clients in commercial litigation matters has taken her through federal and state courts in Texas and the D.C. area, in subject matters of business litigation, ERISA, and white collar criminal defense. Donna predominantly focuses on commercial and insurance coverage litigation, collaborating with clients to help them achieve their greater business goals. Donna also works with individual clients in the Federal Labor and Employment...

Rain Minns' litigation experience ranges from international arbitration in Hong Kong to Native American courts to jury trials in the United States. After law school, Rain clerked for Chief Judge George P. Kazen in the Southern District of Texas. She then became an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas, where she was recognized for her outstanding work. Rain first-chaired and obtained favorable trial and appellate verdicts in all of her cases, including the highest arbitration award in the history of her division. Rain then spent a few years at a large law firm working on bet-the-company litigation, where...

Fatima Naeem is an attorney practicing Cyber Law, Data Privacy, Arbitrations, Mediations, Regulatory Healthcare, and Guardianship matters. She holds a Master of Laws in Cyber Law and Data Privacy from Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law and earned her Juris Doctor from Texas Tech University School of Law. She also holds a Master of Arts in Humanities - Studies in Literature from University of Texas at Dallas and has a Bachelor of Arts in English with a Minor in History from Texas A&M University School of law. She is also Certified in Healthcare Compliance (CHC) by the Health Care...

Mr. Moster heads the Firm’s Oil & Gas Law Practice at our office in Midland – Odessa at the Claydesta Center (pictured below) in addition to its Intellectual Property practice with an emphasis on Artificial Intelligence. He has represented top computer scientists in the field. Mr. Moster’s experience over 33 years as an AV-rated lawyer is multifaceted. He commenced his practice as a business and litigation attorney for the U.S. Department of Commerce during the Reagan and Bush administrations focusing on industrial projects in excess of $1 Billion. He has represented Oil & Gas companies in diversified areas from production to...

Carlos Salinas graduated from Georgetown University in 1998 and the University of Texas School of Law in 2003. He began his legal practice in California, developing a broad range of skills in family law matters while nurturing his particular interest in representing survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. His work has included marital dissolutions, pre- and post-marital agreements, child custody, child support, minors’ counsel, complex property distribution, and cases involving domestic violence. He returned to Texas in 2008, where he expanded his broad family law practice to include applications under the Hague Convention for the return of children...

DiafiLaw is a full service family law office owned and operated by attorney Sarah Diafi. Sarah has committed nearly three decades of her career to the practice of family law in Austin. Sarah Diafi is a fully licensed attorney in the State of Texas, and has practiced law in Texas since 1989. Sarah has lived in Austin since 1976. Sarah graduated from the University of Texas in 1985 with a bachelor of arts in English Literature. She then attended St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas, receiving her law degree in 1988. She lives in Austin with...

Jason Anderson is an attorney and owner of Anderson Law PLLC, a remote-first business law firm based in Austin, TX. Anderson Law acts as more than a legal advisor. Over fifteen years of experience in management consulting, law and tech supports a multi-perspective advising approach focused on identifying your goals and assisting you in making sound decisions that help you achieve them.

David is a personal injury attorney who handles cases throughout Texas and New Mexico. With a particular focus on truck wrecks, car wrecks, oilfield accidents, and work injuries, David’s extensive experience and compassionate approach make him a trusted advocate. He approaches each case with empathy and determination, recognizing the physical, emotional, and financial toll that serious and catastrophic injuries cause to clients and their families. By forging strong attorney-client relationships built on trust and open communication, David ensures that his clients feel supported throughout the legal process. David was born and raised in Lubbock, Texas, and graduated from Lubbock High School....

Collin White is a licensed Texas attorney who earned a B.S. in Psychology from Texas A&M University and later graduated from Texas A&M University School of Law. While in law school, he attended night classes while also working full-time which afforded him the opportunity to gain practical experience working as a legal assistant in Fort Worth and Irving, Texas. After becoming licensed to practice law, he spent time in firms in Dallas, Williamson County, and Travis handling family law, probate, estate planning, and real estate matters. In his free time, he enjoys spending time at his home in Hutto with his wonderful...

Mr. Oswald has handled numerous contested divorce cases, probate cases and civil lawsuits for Texas families and their loved ones. He is a native Texan and and a graduate of South Texas College of Law Houston. Mr. Oswald enjoys reading, art museums, music, film and getting outdoors for recreation and exercise. He is an avid NFL football and NHL hockey fan. He loves spending his spare time with his family and their pet dog, Geo.

Ms. Seager began her law practice in 1997 servicing underserved and vulnerable populations, and grew her practice to include representing small towns, handling real estate and any and all family law matters, as well as guardianship and estate planning. In 2014 she ventured into a second career as a top-rate Special Education Teacher, with the distinction as being designated as a Model Classroom. She handled all of the necessary legalities involved in ensuring students who qualify for services are set-up to succeed not just academically, but socially as well. Today, she looks forward to helping you with your estate planning journey, guardianship...

Alfonso Kennard, Jr., is a nationally recognized attorney and trial lawyer. He is also the founding Shareholder of Kennard Law P.C. Alfonso is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Prior to establishing Kennard Law P.C, Alfonso spent nearly a decade in large national law firms representing employers. He started Kennard Law P.C to help employees take on their employers for various types of wrongdoing. Mr. Kennard earned his Business Degree in Marketing from the University of Notre Dame. While at Notre Dame, Alfonso served as the President of the Class of 1999....

Noe Valles is the firm’s pre-litigation managing partner and has extensive experience handling serious injury cases such as car, motorcycle and truck wrecks, on-the-job injuries and oilfield cases. Noe understands the emotional distress and hardship that a debilitating injury causes a person. He has handled cases throughout Texas and New Mexico and is experienced in handling cases involving all types of injuries, from soft tissue injuries to catastrophic injuries. As a catastrophic injury attorney, Noe takes the necessary measures to ensure his clients’ needs are met, beyond mere legal representation. Noe was born in a small town outside Juarez, Mexico, and...

I spent most of my legal career as an Assistant Attorney General and became Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law, and became an appellate expert. Most of my time there was spent in Tort Litigation, where I defended doctors, nurses, PA's, and Medical Schools. I also tried premises and general negligence cases. Now I teach at ACC’s paralegal program and practice criminal defense, and personal injury.

Josh is the Managing Partner and CEO of Phillips Golden LLP and head of its Real Estate Section. Josh’s practice centers on advising and counseling real estate entrepreneurs, investors and businesses through all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions & dispositions, development, leasing (retail, office, industrial, and ground leases, build to suit and telecommunications), purchase and sale agreements, private development agreements, construction contracts, management agreements, and related due diligence matters. A significant portion of his time is devoted to representation of developer equity investors in the formation of pass-through entities (e.g., LLCs, limited partnerships and joint...

Nick has focused his career on representing people, and their families, who have suffered catastrophic injuries or death. No matter the size of the case, Nick is responsive and aggressive with every case he handles. As a Spanish speaking attorney, Nick helps break the language barrier and aggressively fights for his clients. His personal injury experience includes representing clients seriously injured in automobile and truck wrecks, slip-and-fall incidents, and on-the-job injuries. A native of Lubbock, Texas, Nick received his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Texas A&M University in 2001. Following graduation, Nick attended the George Bush School of Government...

Roger B. Borgelt is a highly regarded Austin lawyer with 24 years' experience in the practice of environmental, energy, administrative, utility and professional licensure law. He represents individuals, landowners, suburban areas, businesses, political subdivisions and institutions before state and federal regulatory agencies, the courts, local governments and the Texas Legislature with consistently favorable results. Mr. Borgelt is listed in Best Lawyers in America 2013 and 2014 and Texas' Best Lawyers. His firm, Borgelt Law, is ranked by U.S. News -- Best Lawyers as a Tier 2 Best Law Firm in the Government Relations Practice Area for its work...

I have been practicing as a personal injury attorney for nearly a decade. After graduating from The University of Texas at Austin, I got married, started a family, and then pursued my law degree at South Texas College of Law. My wife, Christie, and I are proud parents to four children, and we reside in Austin, Texas.

Matt originally started his career as a paramedic and then a firefighter. He then joined the Ft. Worth Police Department where he was an Officer and a Detective for over a decade. During that time, Matt realized how much of a passion he had for law, and attended Texas A&M Law School, where he graduated with a JD. He was admitted to the Texas State Bar in 2006 and began working as a prosecuting attorney. After obtaining significant experience as a prosecutor, Matt realized the flaws in the criminal justice system and wanted to seek justice for those accused of crimes....

Tyler Talbert focuses his practice on providing high-quality appellate advocacy to clients and support to trial attorneys. He has handled appeals throughout various Texas courts of appeal, the Supreme Court of Texas, and the Fifth Circuit. His experience includes sovereign immunity and pleas to the jurisdiction, derivative litigation, personal injury, contracts, employment, and injunctive relief. Tyler assists trial attorneys in all aspects, from writing and arguing summary judgment and post-judgment motions, providing guidance on error preservation, and drafting jury charges.

Before joining Scanes & Routh, Tyler garnered experience working at the trial and appellate levels, and eventually the Supreme Court of...

Yurbin E. Velasquez is a practicing attorney with more than twenty five years of experience. Yurbin is a licensed attorney in two countries: the United States and Venezuela. He also holds a Master of Laws (LLM) from Tulane University. He specializes in the area of Personal Injury law, working to bring his clients in Texas and Louisiana the compensation they deserve for physical or emotional trauma associated with Personal Injuries caused by the negligence of another. Yurbin also works to advocate for the families of someone killed as the result of another's negligence or dangerous actions (wrongful death). One hundred percent...

Kimberly G. Kleinhans was born in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, graduated cum laude from Penn State University and graduated with distinction from the Thomas Cooley Law School in 2008. Kimberly's achievements include representation of a client on the Dr. Phil show, representing Willie Nelson's co-defendant, and representing clients on countless leading numerous settlements and jury trials as represented on the verdicts/results page. Recently Kimberly completed all of the necessary educational requirements to become a member of the State College Bar of Texas. In her free time, Kimberly enjoys spending her time with her husband, 6-year-old daughter, 4-year-old son, attending Austin Ridge, running,...

John Jose has focused his entire career on helping clients who were seriously injured and those who lost loved ones in tragic accidents. He has deep experience handling cases arising from oilfield accidents, electrocution accidents, gas explosions, construction accidents, and heavy truck collisions, and accidents involving traumatic brain injuries. Clients want John on their side during these tough times because of his compassionate nature and his exceptional trial and negotiation skills.

My name is Brett A. Burlison - and I am a Trial Lawyer with offices in San Francisco, San Jose and Austin, Texas. In the beginning of my career, I was put in a posistion where I was able to hone my skills on difficult cases. I was an integral part of a large defense firm's trial team where I regularly represented corporations and insurance carriers in brain injury, product liability, and catastrophic injury trials. I have represented my clients in numerous jury trials and handled plaintiffs' cases in both California and Texas - at the state and Federal level. That experience led me...

Doyle Young is board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He handles personal injury cases (e.g. car wrecks, work injuries) and criminal defense cases.

LaJuana Acklin is a 2009 graduate of Texas Southern Thurgood Marshall School of Law and she obtained her undergraduate degree from Howard University in 2005. LaJuana possesses over thirteen years of state and federal administrative law experience. LaJuana began her career in private practice representing clients in various civil litigation matters, including color of title and premises liability disputes. Prior to joining Bertolino LLP, LaJuana adjudicated unemployment claims as a hearing officer for the Texas Workforce Commission. She also practiced administrative law at the federal level before the Social Security Administration where she successfully obtained benefits for...

Audrey joined the firm, Noelke English Maples St. Leger in 2009 as an Associate, and quickly became a Partner in January, 2010. With her background in divorce, family law and family law litigation, Audrey brings broad family issues resolution knowledge and particular knowledge in family violence to her clients. After graduating from College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts with a double major in Spanish and History, Audrey came to Texas for law school at Baylor. Having established many relationships in Texas convinced her to practice law in Austin. Following a very rewarding time with...