Houston Complex Commercial Litigation, Intellectual Property Firm AZA Adds Four From Top Global Firm

HOUSTON, April 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Houston-based complex commercial litigation and intellectual property boutique Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C., or AZA, is pleased to announce that the Houston business litigation team from the global firm of Dewey & LeBoeuf has joined AZA, underscoring AZA's rapidly growing high-stakes commercial trial practice. The team, led by accomplished trial lawyer Sean Gorman, is impressively credentialed and experienced.

In addition to Mr. Gorman, who was the managing partner of Dewey & LeBoeuf's Houston office, joining AZA are Jamie Alan Aycock, Chris Lacy and Lauren Reeder.

"We are excited to add four premier business trial lawyers to our growing arsenal at AZA," says John Zavitsanos, a founding partner at AZA. "Their expertise and experience is on par with the top attorneys in the country."

Commenting on his move, Mr. Gorman said, "AZA is an exceptional, exciting and entrepreneurial platform for the trial of business disputes.  It provides the type of environment in which trial lawyers thrive, and will be the leading business and intellectual property litigation boutique of this generation. I look forward to adding to its continued success and enhancing its already strong reputation as the trial boutique of choice for high-stakes business disputes."

Mr. Gorman handles significant, complicated and high-value U.S. and international business disputes.  He provides extensive experience in complex business litigation and arbitration matters, including contract, fraud, energy, real estate and intellectual property matters on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants. He has represented clients based in the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East in a variety of industries, including energy, chemical, petrochemical, steel, communications, oil field services, medical products, software, accounting, financial services, construction, real estate and manufacturing.

Mr. Aycock, a graduate of Harvard Law School, handles complex commercial litigation, including contract disputes, fraud and business torts. A former briefing attorney to Justice Nathan L. Hecht of the Supreme Court of Texas, he also has substantial experience in disputes involving federal preemption, administrative law and regulation of communications companies.

Mr. Lacy focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation and arbitration. He has successfully represented clients as lead counsel in trial and appellate courts and served on litigation teams in multibillion-dollar cases. A summa cum laude graduate of University of Houston Law Center, Mr. Lacy's clients have included companies in the energy, financial services, real estate, telecommunications, construction and healthcare industries.

Ms. Reeder, a graduate of Harvard Law School, handles complex commercial litigation and arbitration matters.  Her experience includes work in securing the combined dismissal of a patent infringement claim and a $9 million counterclaim victory, the representation of an energy company in arbitration involving state and federal environmental regulations, and the representation of patent holders in enforcement actions.

Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C., or AZA, is a Houston-based law firm that is home to true courtroom lawyers with a formidable track record in complex commercial litigation, including energy, intellectual property, securities fraud, construction and business dispute cases. AZA is one of only 32 firms in the U.S. to be recognized as "awesome opponents" in a nationwide poll of corporate general counsel who were asked to name the law firms they hope their companies never have to face in court.  For more information on the firm, visit http://www.azalaw.com.

For more information on Mr. Gorman and his team joining AZA please contact Alan Bentrup at [email protected] or 1-800-559-4534.

SOURCE Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C.