Crain Caton & James is proud to announce that 21 attorneys, which is approximately 85% of our shareholders, were named to the 2025 edition of Best Lawyers List published by BL Rankings. The attorneys named are:
Kelly D. Brown – Environmental Law and Litigation – Environmental
Vance Christopher – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, and Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
Sherri A. Evans – Collaborative Law: Family Law, Family Law Arbitration, and Family Law
Larry D. George – Tax Law and Trusts and Estates
Jessica L.D. Guobadia – Elder Law, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, and Trusts and Estates
Jeffrey I. Horowitz – Real Estate Law
James E. Hudson III – Litigation – Patent
William P. (Pat) Huttenbach – Commercial Litigation
William P. Jensen – Litigation – Patent
Anna V. Kavanaugh – Trusts and Estates
Henry Kollenberg – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction, and Litigation – Real Estate
Charles D. Maynard, Jr. – Real Estate Law
Robert E. (Robin) Morse III – Environmental and Litigation – Environmental
Peter G. Nemeth – Corporate Law
David A. Polsinelli – Commercial Litigation
Mindy McGehee Riseden – Litigation -Construction
Darlene Payne Smith – Litigation – Trusts and Estates
James E. (Jim) Smith – Environmental Law
Kimberly R. Stuart – Litigation – Labor and Employment
Jennifer L. Varadi – Family Law
Robert R. Wisner – Banking and Finance Law
Kelly Brown was also named Lawyer of the Year – Litigation – Environmental for his achievements in representing clients in environmental matters in the Houston area. Kelly is a shareholder in Crain Caton & James’ Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Section, bringing over 30 years of experience in EHS law. His practice spans litigation, transactional matters, remediation projects, and compliance counseling. Kelly defends corporate clients in personal injury and toxic tort lawsuits, handles administrative proceedings with agencies like TCEQ, RRC, EPA, and OSHA, and engages in environmental cost recovery litigation. He collaborates with corporate and real estate attorneys on mergers, acquisitions, and real estate transactions, ensuring comprehensive EHS due diligence and risk allocation strategies. Kelly’s capabilities extend nationwide, encompassing air permitting, hazardous waste, wastewater issues, and regulatory compliance audits for corporate clients seeking proactive regulatory guidance.
Mindy McGehee Riseden, Chair and President of the Firm, said “We are incredibly proud to congratulate our colleagues who have been recognized on the 2025 Best Lawyers List and Kelly Brown for his acknowledgement as Lawyer of the Year. These achievements reflect their exceptional dedication to the highest standards of legal excellence and client service. At Crain Caton & James, we strive for excellence in every aspect of our practice, and these 21 attorneys exemplify our firm’s commitment to delivering outstanding legal service.”
Best Lawyers is one of the leading and oldest peer-review surveys for the legal profession.