We are proud that WCB has earned recognition in the 2025 Best Law Firms rankings. The firm continued its national recognition for our appellate practice, and achieved top-tier regional rankings for commercial litigation, insurance litigation, and personal injury defense litigation.
WCB is very proud of our partner, Marie Jamison, who received the Lois Prestage Woods Legacy of Justice Award from Thurgood Marshall School of Law. This award, given in the name of the first Black female to graduate from the law school, honors a distinguished alumnus whose legal accomplishments have brought honor to the law school and who has demonstrated “an unwavering commitment to the law school and made significant contributions toward diversifying the legal profession.”
13 WCB partners have been named to the 2024 list of Texas Super Lawyers, a legal listing that recognizes the top 5% of attorneys in the state. This year’s honorees include Thomas Wright, Howard Close, Jessica Z. Barger, Kenneth Fair, Eva Guzman, Russ Hollenbeck, Marie Jamison, Andrew Love, Jim Marrow, Raffi Melkonian, Randall Owens, Bradley Snead, and Natasha Taylor. Congratulations to all!
21 WCB attorneys have been recognized in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, one of the oldest and most respected legal guides in the industry. To read more, click here.
WCB partners Tom Wright, Howard Close, Jessica Barger, Eva Guzman, Russ Hollenbeck, Marie Jamison, Natasha Taylor, Raffi Melkonian, Wanda McKee Fowler, and Rachel Stinson have been honored with inclusion in the 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America guide (published by Law Dragon, Inc.), a list of the “most elite courtroom advocates in the nation.”
WCB and firm partners Tom Wright, Jessica Barger, Wanda McKee Fowler, and Eva Guzman have earned recognition in the 2024 edition of Chambers USA for excellence in appellate law. The legal guide is regarded as one of the most prestigious and widely sought-after recognitions in the legal industry. To learn more, click here.
WCB partners Russ Hollenbeck, Brian Cathey, and Michael Adams-Hurta secured the reversal of a more than $250 million judgment against WCB client Team Industrial Services Inc. The First Court of Appeals vacated the multimillion-dollar judgment, agreeing with WCB’s argument that the wrongful death lawsuit should not have been heard in Texas but in Kansas, where the accident happened. To learn more, click here.
WCB partners Jessica Barger, Justice Eva Guzman, and Natasha Taylor participated in a panel discussion entitled “Breaking the Mold: Empowering Legal Talents Across Socioeconomic Lines” at the Driving Diversity in Law & Leadership summit.
Wright Close & Barger is pleased to share that 20 of its attorneys have been recognized in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. This is the largest group of WCB attorneys ever to be honored by Best Lawyers, one of the oldest and most widely respected legal listings in the country. To learn more, click here.
2023
Wright Close & Barger is pleased to announce that firm attorneys have earned recognition in two well respected legal listings – the 2023 list of Texas Super Lawyers and Lawdragon’s list of 500 Leading Litigators in America. Learn more, click here
Wright Close & Barger is pleased to welcome five new attorneys to the firm. Veteran appellate lawyers Heidi Gumienny and Kelley Clark Morris join us as partners in our Houston office, while Kevin Parish, Griffin Knight, and Johanna Trees join as associates. To learn more: click here.
WCB partner Hon. Eva Guzman was honored to address the 2023 graduating J.D. and L.L.M. classes of the University of Texas School of Law as their convocation speaker. Click here to see and read more.
In honor of Women’s History Month, Wright Close & Barger is pleased to recognize the outstanding and talented women who make up our firm and we proudly celebrate their strengths, leadership, and accomplishments 12 months of the year. Click here to see some of the highlights.
WCB enjoyed a remarkable 20th year. Click here to see some of the highlights.
Three firm partners at Wright Close & Barger, LLP have received statewide legal honors that place them among the top lawyers in Texas. Marie Jamison has been awarded the Texas Bar Foundation’s Lola Wright Foundation Award for 2023, which recognizes outstanding public service in advancing and enhancing legal ethics in Texas. Natasha Taylorand Brian Cathey have been named to the 2023 list of Texas Rising Stars, an exclusive legal listing that recognizes only 2.5 percent of attorneys in the state. Click here learn more.
2022
Wright Close & Barger is pleased to announce that several firm attorneys have earned recognition in two highly respected legal listings – the 2022 list of Texas Super Lawyers and the 2023 list of Best Lawyers in America. The firm marks these honors as we also welcome the addition of four new associate attorneys. Click here to learn more.
Texas Access to Justice Foundation awarded former Supreme Court Justice and TAJF liaison Eva Guzman the Kleinman Award for her leadership and contributions to public service in communities throughout Texas. Click here to learn more.
Wright Close & Barger is honored and excited to welcome Former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman to the firm. Click here to learn more.
WCB proudly congratulates founding partner Tom Wright on being awarded this year’s Attorney Professionalism Award by the Garland Walker Inn of Court at its May reception. This prestigious honor is given annually to an attorney whose professional and personal life achievements demonstrate integrity, civility, excellence and a commitment to the highest standards of the legal profession.
Three of WCB’s partners – Marie Jamison, Natasha Taylor, and Brian Cathey – passed the certification exam administered by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization to become board certified in the specialty area of Civil Appellate Law.
The firm is proud to celebrate its 20th Anniversary this year! We thank our past and current clients and colleagues for 20 years of success in trials and appeals.
There are many reasons why we celebrate Women’s History Month at WCB. Click here to learn what inspires some of our accomplished attorneys
2021
Click here to view a video celebrating our successes this past year.
WCB is again pleased to announce its recognition by Best Law Firms (published by U.S. News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America), as among the best in the nation in the areas of Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation (Defendants), and Trusts & Estates.
More than one dozen of our attorneys are named to the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®, one of the most respected peer-review attorney guides in the nation. The guide also recognized two Wright Close & Barger attorneys as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. In addition, nine of our firm’s attorneys are named to the 2021 list of Texas SuperLawyers®, including two named as among the Top 100 in Houston. Click hereto learn more.
WCB welcomes four new attorneys to our team: Eric Boettcher, Brad Williams, Jared Douthit, and Emily Freeman. Click hereto learn more.
Super Lawyers® (published by Thomson Reuters) names two of our outstanding young lawyers to its list of “Rising Stars”: Brian Cathey and Tasha Taylor.
WCB is again pleased to announce its recognition by Best Law Firms (published by U.S. News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America), as among the best in the nation in the areas of Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation (Defendants), and Trusts & Estates.
2020
Our firm finishes 2020 with five trial court victories for our clients and decisions in favor of our clients in more than fifteen appellate proceedings in state and federal courts. Click hereto learn more.
For the third straight year, WCB is pleased to announce it has been named to the list of Best Law Firms in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America. This respected annual listing is based on client reviews and evaluations by other attorneys. To learn more about the firm’s top-tier national ranking, click here.
WCB is extremely honored to be named to the 2020 National Law Journal “Hot List” of firms practicing appellate law. Chosen from among all law firms in the nation, these firms “tackled novel issues and undoubtedly overcame unprecedented challenges over the past year, boasting high-profile and high stakes wins in the nation’s highest appellate courts across a number of practice areas.” To read more, click here.
Seven firm attorneys are named to the 2020 list of Texas Super Lawyers. Among those honored, firm co-founder Thomas Wright, and partner Raffi Melkonian, who are both recognized as among the Top 100 Lawyers in Houston. No more than 5 percent of Texas attorneys are chosen for Super Lawyers each year. To learn more about the WCB attorneys selected to this list, click here.
WCB is named a Champion of Justice by the Texas Access to Justice Commission in the categories of “Highest Amount Raised” and “Highest Percentage of Attorney Participation.” The TAJC was created by the Texas Supreme Court in 2001 and works to develop and implement initiatives designed to expand access to, and enhance the quality of, justice in civil legal matters for low-income Texans.
Ten of WCB’s attorneys are featured in Best Lawyers® Spring 2020 edition of “Women in the Law.”
One of WCB’s former partners, Mike Choyke, joins the Texas Supreme Court as the clerk for Justice Rebecca A. Huddle. We wish Mike all the best in this new endeavor and thank him for his many years of outstanding service to the firm and dedication to our clients.
Jim Marrow is nominated and elected to serve as the Chair-Elect for 2020-21 for the Houston Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Section. Jim previously served as the Section’s Secretary and as its Treasurer.
WCB starts off the year with three appellate wins in January. Over the past five years, our firm has achieved at least 10 appellate wins per year for our clients.
WCB wins a unanimous decision from the U.S. Supreme Court in a significant employment discrimination case.
BTI Consulting names WCB to its 2019 list of “Client All Stars.” BTI compiles its list by interviewing in-house counsel for companies with revenues of at least $1B. This list traditionally includes the largest national law firms. WCB is honored to be included as one of only a very few smaller firms.
We become Wright Close & Barger, adding partner Jessica Barger’s name to our firm. Media outlets take note of this name change.
Our firm earns recognition by U.S. News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America® (published by BL Rankings, LLC) as one of the top appellate and civil litigation firms in the country. This marks the fifth time the firm is named to this annual list.
U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers in America® (published by BL Rankings, LLC) recognize us as among the best law firms in the country for our appellate work. Several of our lawyers are also recognized for their trial and appellate skills. Click here to learn more.
Texas Super Lawyers® annual guide (published by Thomson Reuters) recognizes our attorneys for litigation, appellate and estate & trust litigation. Two of our appellate lawyers also earn Texas Rising Starhonors.
Our team wins $17 million reversal of jury verdict for contractor in Baylor bridge case. Click here to learn more.
Brittany Greger and Jonathan Lehrmann join our team as associates.
For the fourth year in a row, our team secures wins for our clients in at least ten appellate decisions.
2017
The American Law Institute elects founding partner, Tom Wright, to its membership.
Texas Super Lawyers® (published by Thomson Reuters) names seven of our attorneys to the 2017 list. Click here to learn more.
Best Lawyers in America® (published by BL Rankings, LLC) names us a “Tier 1” law firm in the categories of Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation–Defense, and Appellate Practice.
Brian Cathey joins us as an associate, adding to our deep bench of talent.
Our lawyers secure take-nothing judgment for insurance company clients when the Texas Supreme Court refuses to rehear a case. Click here to learn more.
An appeals court win by our team remains intact and drastically reduces a jury award, saving our client about $2 million in a train derailment dispute. Click here to learn more.
The firm secures take-nothing judgments after the Texas Supreme Court denies review in two of our firm’s cases, including one involving $22 million in damages. Click hereto read more.
The firm kicks off 2017 with another win in the Texas Supreme Court – in UDR Texas Properties v. Petrie– affirming protections for property owners from claims involving criminal activity on their premises. See the Our Appeals page for details.
Our firm closes out 2016 with two favorable decisions from the Texas Supreme Court – Byrdson Services v. SETRPC and 4Front v. Rosales – issued on the same day. See the Our Appeals page for details.
Our firm starts off the summer with back-to-back wins in the Texas Supreme Court – Centerpoint Builders v. Trussway and In re J.B. Hunt – followed up with a win in the 4th Court of Appeals reversing a $9.5 million judgment against our client. Check out the Our Appeals page for details.
Firm partners Howard Close and Patrick McAndrew successfully represent a power company in a “baseball” arbitration concerning the sale of a $250 million power generation plant, in which our opponents sought damages of $125 million. Following the arbitration, the panel chooses our client’s proffered damages figure, and finds our opponents are entitled to recover only one percent of the damages claimed.
Firm partners Howard Close, Randy Owens, and Brad Snead successfully represent royalty interest owners in a large carbon dioxide fields in Colorado, in a lawsuit against ExxonMobil (the working interest owner). After a one-week trial, the jury finds ExxonMobil breached its duty of good faith and fair dealing by selling the CO2 at an artificially low price over several years.
H Texas magazine names Tom Wright, Howard Close, Jessica Barger, Randy Owens, and Marie Jamison as outstanding Houston attorneys.
Firm wins reversal of $22 million judgment and a take-nothing judgment for its client in an appeal of an oilfield accident case.
Martindale-Hubbell names Randall Owens a “Top Rated Lawyer” in the field of Labor & Employment Law.
Firm partner Raffi Melkonian is interviewed by Boston radio station WEEI (93.7FM) about the 2nd Circuit decision in the National Football League’s appeal from the reversal of Tom Brady’s suspension.
Justin Campbell and Suzanne Goss join the firm as Of Counsel. Ken Fair joins the firm as a Partner.
2015
For the third year in a row, Firm named a “Tier 1 Best Law Firm” in the categories of Personal Injury Defense and Appellate Practice by Best Law Firms® (published by BL Rankings, LLC).
Firm wins a dozen appeals in the first eight months of the year.
Tasha Taylor and Raffi Melkonian are recognized by Law & Politics on its annual list of Texas Rising Stars®.
Howard Close, Russ Hollenbeck, Randy Owens, and Tod Phillips are recognized as Texas Super Lawyers® – and Tom Wright is included as one of the Top 100 attorneys in Texas – on Law & Politics’ annual list, published by Thomson Reuters.
Lisa Wright joins the firm as an associate.
2014
Firm again named as a Tier 1 “Best Law Firm” in categories of Personal Injury Defense and Appellate Practice, by Best Lawyers in America® (published by BL Rankings, LLC).
Marie Jamison and Brad Snead are named partners in the firm.
Firm wins a dozen appeals, including three in the Texas Supreme Court.
Andrew Nelson coaches the South Texas School of Law moot court team to a national championship at the Burton Weschler First Amendment Moot Court Competition, in Washington, D.C.
2013
Firm is listed in Tier 1 of the 20th Edition of “The Best Lawyers in America” in the areas of Appellate Practice and Personal Injury Litigation—Defendants, by Best Lawyers in America® (published by BL Rankings, LLC).
Wright & Close is named a finalist in Texas Lawyer magazine’s “Litigation Departments of the Year” feature in the category of “General Litigation.”
Firm successfully persuades Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a $50M judgment in favor of our client in a trade secrets case.
Tom Wright, Howard Close, Russ Hollenbeck, Randy Owens, and Tod Phillips are recognized by Law & Politics on its annual List of Texas Super Lawyers®.
Tasha Taylor and Raffi Melkonian join the firm as associates.
Firm moves into new offices at One Riverway, Suite 2200.
2012
In defense of patent infringement claims, the firm obtains a decision from the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals invalidating our opponent’s patent.
Andrew Nelson and Andrea C. Geohegan join the firm as associates.
Patrick McAndrew and Jessica Barger are named partners in the firm.
2011
Firm’s lawyers win 6 appeals in first four months of the year.
Firm wins complete defense verdict in defense of $60M breach of trust case.
Portrait of former partner Harvey G. Brown, Jr. is hung in the 152nd Judicial District Court of Harris County, where he served as judge from 1995-2002.
In the term ending July 2009, the Texas Supreme Court rules in favor of the firm’s clients in four out of four cases pending in that Court.
Firm is named in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.
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