Lawdragon has included seven Haynes Boone lawyers from four offices in the 2024 edition of the Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America guide: Kit Addleman, David Ammons, Ron Breaux, Nina Cortell, Ben Mesches, Laura O’Donnell, and Leslie Thorne.
The guide features “courtroom commandos” from 100 firms who excel in representing corporations and other organizations in litigating claims involving antitrust, securities, financial, M&A, intellectual property and patents, product liability, mass tort, white collar, government investigations and energy disputes.
Read more about Haynes Boone’s featured lawyers:
Kit Addleman – Complex Litigation, esp. SEC Enforcement, Investigations
Dallas Partner Kit Addleman has built her nationwide practice by advising public companies, officers and directors, investment advisors, private funds and broker-dealers concerning securities investigations. She has successfully defended clients in civil and criminal investigations and litigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission and Department of Justice, advised clients on compliance with securities regulations and conducted internal investigations of suspected securities violations. Kit serves as co-chair of the Litigation Practice Group and chair of the firm's SEC Enforcement Practice Group.
David Ammons – Complex Litigation, inc. Energy, Bankruptcy
Houston Partner David Ammons is a commercial trial lawyer with extensive experience handling high-stakes litigation in state, federal, and bankruptcy courts nationwide. Clients value David’s skill at efficiently and effectively resolving their litigation challenges in a manner that squares with their long-term strategic objectives. David was recognized in the 2023 Chambers USA (Chambers and Partners) directory for knowing “the [energy] industry and its issues and players incredibly well. He guides his clients through complex situations with creativity and practicality.”
Ronald Breaux – Complex Litigation, inc. Data Security
Ron Breaux, a partner in the Dallas office, has represented companies in mission-critical litigation and investigations for more than three decades. He chairs the firm's Privacy and Data Security Practice Group and serves on Haynes Boone’s board of directors. As one of the most experienced litigators in the Dallas market in a number of key practice areas, Ron is retained by clients because of his sound judgment and detailed knowledge of complex commercial litigation; products liability; internal and governmental investigations; securities, healthcare and environmental fraud; antitrust; and data security.
Nina Cortell – General & Commercial Litigation
For more than four decades, Nina Cortell has represented corporations, public entities and individuals that have put her at the forefront of Texas litigation practice. Chambers USA has noted her “superlative reputation” and ranked her as a top appellate lawyer in Texas, with a “star” rating (2016-2023). Best Lawyers recognized her as the 2020 “Lawyer of the Year” for bet-the-company litigation in Dallas/Fort Worth. Nina also works actively with the judiciary to improve the judicial process. Her work includes her service on the prestigious Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee, which advises the Court in connection with its rule-making authority.
Ben Mesches – Complex Litigation, inc. Constitutional, Energy, Appellate
Ben Mesches leads the firm’s Appellate Practice Group, serves on the firm’s board of directors, and he successfully guides appellate and litigation teams in high-stakes cases in state and federal courts nationwide. He is ranked as a leading Texas appellate lawyer by Chambers USA (2019- 2023). The prestigious directory praised Ben as “an intellectual force” and commended him as “a tremendous brief writer and terrific oral advocate.”
Laura O’Donnell – Complex Litigation, inc. Employment
Laura is co-chair of the firm's Litigation Practice Group and heads the firm’s Wage and Hour Litigation Group. Her litigation work focuses on the defense of FLSA collective actions as well as defending employers against a multitude of employment-related claims, including claims involving theft of trade secrets, restrictive covenants, whistleblower retaliation, discrimination, harassment, failure to accommodate and wrongful denial of leave. Laura has also handled several appeals of employment decisions to Texas Courts of Appeal, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.
Leslie C. Thorne – Complex Litigation, inc. Insurance Recovery, Energy
Leslie Thorne, chair of the firm’s Litigation Department has successfully represented the nation’s largest and most prominent corporations in jurisdictions throughout the United States and Canada. She is widely recognized as a leader in her field and is currently ranked in Benchmark Litigation, Best Lawyers, and Chambers USA, where clients described her as "exceptionally talented" and said "she has the ability to cut through a problem to the very core of it." Leslie co-founded and leads the firm’s Electric Power Litigation practice group, recognized as one of the nation’s 15 best by Legal 500.
Haynes Boone’s Litigation Practice takes a client-centered, creative, flexible and practical approach to commercial litigation. The firm’s skilled and experienced trial teams have won numerous successful jury and bench verdicts for their clients. Additionally, the group's nationally recognized appellate team works closely with trial lawyers to ensure a complete and proper record is preserved at trial in case an appeal is filed. They represent a range of clients, in terms of both size and industry.
