CANTEY HANGER - Key Persons
Al Kroemer's practice is concentrated in complex business litigation. He joined Cantey Hanger in 2004.
Mrs. Williams graduated from Baylor Law School with a J.D. in April 2019 where she served two terms as Executive President of the Student Bar Association and graduated with distinction as a Leadership Development Fellow. Before attending law school, she spent a year working as the Special Assistant to Baylor's 14th President and Chancellor, Judge Ken Starr. She graduated from Baylor University in 2015 with a B.B.A. in Business Fellows, Marketing, and Business Spanish. Prior to joining Cantey Hanger, Mrs. Williams handled litigation matters for Texas public schools. She joined Cantey Hanger's litigation section in 2022.
April Robbins has practiced in the area of insurance defense litigation for over 30 years. She represents clients in personal injury, premises liability, products liability, subrogation, general tort liability, employment, construction defects and commercial litigation. She has successfully handled numerous lawsuits representing individuals, product manufacturers, pilots, aircraft leasing companies, aviation instructors and commercial businesses. She has significant trial experience in federal and state district courts throughout Texas.
Ms. Robbins has represented domestic and international insurers, including Underwriters participating in the Lloyd's of London insurance market. She handles both first-party and third-party insurance claims as well as coverage issues.
Ms. Robbins is a frequent speaker on the topic of insurance litigation and multi-district litigation for state and national insurance organizations.
Bradley C. Poulos has represented clients in complex personal injury cases involving motor vehicle accidents and premises accidents since joining Cantey Hanger in 1985. He is licensed to practice law in Texas and Arkansas.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Managing Partner, Austin / Fort Worth
- New Managing Partner, Is Featured in a Fort Worth Star - Telegram Article
Brian Newby has extensive experience representing Fortune 500 companies, national insurance carriers, retail distributors, small businesses and political subdivisions, including school districts, water and transportation authorities in commercial litigation, administrative law and governmental affairs. In addition, he has served in numerous local, state and national leadership positions, including elected office, active duty and the Air Reserve Components of the United States Air Force. He currently holds the rank of Major General.
Managing Partner Brian Newby is Named New Chairman of Visit Fort Worth Board of Directors December 8, 2022
Job Titles:
- Partner, Dallas, Fort Worth
Cassandra M. Payton has more than five years of experience successfully guiding clients through a variety of estate-related legal processes and court proceedings, ranging from simple estate plans to complex real estate and trust litigation. Her practice focuses primarily in the areas of probate, guardianship, estate planning, trust litigation, fiduciary litigation, property disputes, real estate transactions, and real estate litigation. Cassandra obtained her Juris Doctorate from Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where she served on the University's Moot Court board and served the Law School as student chaplain. Cassandra is a member of the national Christian Legal Society and attends Oaks Church in Red Oak, Texas with her family.
Chad Robbins received his law degree from Texas A&M University in Fort Worth, Texas. While there he interned with the Honorable Reed O'Connor of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. While at Texas A&M he worked in the Entrepreneurship Law Clinic assisting his clients in starting their businesses and in the Tax Dispute Resolution Clinic advocating for his clients with the IRS. He joined the Cantey Hanger Litigation section in 2022.
Mr. Smith's area of Litigation practice encompasses all areas of insurance defense including aviation, products liability, professional malpractice, general liability and casualty. He has a widely diversified experience in air carrier litigation, aviation product manufacturer litigation, aerial applicator/toxic tort litigation, and fixed base operator and aircraft owner/operator litigation.
Cooper graduated from Texas Christian University in 2017 with a B.A. before obtaining her J.D. from Texas Tech University School of Law in 2020. At Texas Tech, she received awards for her performance in Texas family law courses, competed in Board of Barrister Negotiation competitions, and attended mediation training in Austin, Texas to better serve her clients.
Prior to working at Cantey Hanger, Cooper interned with various judges in the Tarrant County area and worked as an associate attorney for a family law firm in Fort Worth, Texas. She joined Cantey Hanger's litigation section in 2022.
Daeja Pemberton received her law degree from Texas A&M University, where she served as the associate managing editor for the Texas A&M Law Review and the secretary for the Black Law Student Association. Daeja also previously worked as an extern for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and a law clerk for the Council on Environmental Quality under the Executive Office of the President of the United States. Upon graduating, Daeja was inducted into the National Order of Scribes. She joined Cantey Hanger's litigation section in 2022.
David Speed represents clients in numerous industries in complex commercial litigation. His primary focus is assisting clients through difficult business divorces. With his roots in the healthcare industry, David has assisted numerous physician groups and hospitals with their litigation needs.
Job Titles:
- Partner in Charge, Dallas Office, Dallas, Fort Worth
Job Titles:
- Newest Partner at Cantey Hanger Law Firm
- Partner, Dallas / Fort Worth
Derek represents clients in a wide range of civil lawsuits and helps his clients solve problems.
A particular area of focus for Derek is federal-court litigation. Prior to joining Cantey Hanger, Derek served for three years as law clerk to the Honorable Terry R. Means, U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division. Derek currently serves on the Court Advisory Committee for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
Derek is also an appellate practitioner, having argued numerous cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Other areas of emphasis within Derek's practice include qui tam litigation under the False Claims Act, insurance-coverage litigation, contract disputes, construction-related litigation, and serving as de facto general counsel for small businesses and organizations.
The July/August, 2018 Edition of the Tarrant County Bar Bulletin has Published John Polzer and Derek Carson
Derek Carson has been accepted into Leadership Fort Worth's Leading Edge Class of 2017
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Chairman
- Partner
- Partner, Fort Worth
Douglas Clayton is Chairman of the firm's Business Transactions Practice Group. His practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, securities offerings, SEC compliance, and other business transactions.
Job Titles:
- Texas Lawyer Exclusive in Lawyer Liner Notes November 7, 2022
Job Titles:
- Partner in Charge, Midlothian Office, Midlothian
- President of the Ellis County Bar Association
- Search Archives
Greg Wilhelm, former Ellis County Treasurer and highly respected former Texas Trial Court Judge, is the Partner-in-Charge of Cantey Hanger's three-attorney firm serving Ellis County, from Midlothian offices.
"We want to listen to and understand your needs," Wilhelm said. "We work to provide stability during life's ups and downs and provide our clients with strategic legal representation".
Greg Wilhelm, President of the Ellis County Bar Association, serves as Chairman of the Regent Law Alumni Board, Member of the Regent Law Board of Visitors, and is a former advisor to the Center for Global Justice, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law.
Greg has a long history of community involvement. He helped launch Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Ellis County, of which he served as its Founding President. He was appointed by then-Governor Rick Perry as a Member of the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board and Chair of the Parental Rights Advisory Panel, and also had a nine-year term of service on the Statewide Board of Texas CASA, later serving as its Board President. Additionally, he served as a Vice-President of the Dallas Chapter of the Christian Legal Society.
Job Titles:
- Partner, Dallas, Fort Worth
Mr. Bartel's practice includes federal and state taxation, estate planning, employee benefit and executive compensation planning, (including ERISA and Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation matters) for businesses, non-profits and governmental entities, business planning for professionals, charitable organization formation and tax exempt status issues, business entity formation, organization and reorganization.
Job Titles:
- Law and Public Policy ( Senior Editor
David Tracy represents high net worth individuals, as well as family owned entities, in the planning, structure, and implementation, of various strategies involving tax, asset, and succession planning. David also serves as a consultant to a client's other professionals on complex federal tax matters.
J. Frank Kinsel, Jr. came to Cantey Hanger from a large law firm in Waco, in 1990. He practiced in Dallas for a period before that. As the son of an attorney for Texaco, Inc., Jeff lived in New York, South America and Belgium as a child. When younger, Mr. Kinsel's first legal experience was as an oil and gas contract attorney for a Texas oil drilling company. In that capacity he lived, worked and traveled extensively in the Middle East negotiating contracts. He later evolved into an insurance litigation lawyer with clients such as medical care providers, bus companies, ambulance companies and manufacturers. Mr. Kinsel handles cases involving first party insurance coverage, employment litigation, medical malpractice, product liability, bad faith and legal malpractice. He has expertise in personal injury litigation including product liability, premises liability, toxic torts and environmental matters.
Mr. Colpoys has over thirty-eight (38) years experience as a civil trial lawyer with a primary emphasis in professional, transportation, aviation and general liability defense.
Job Titles:
- Partner, Dallas / Fort Worth
Mr. Watson's practice focuses primarily on chapter 11 business bankruptcy reorganizations, chapter 7 business bankruptcy proceedings, creditors' rights, and commercial litigation.
Mr. Watson has participated in chapter 11 and chapter 7 proceedings in bankruptcy courts throughout Texas, and also in the Northern District of Ohio, Western District of Arkansas, District of Delaware and the Southern District of New York. Mr. Watson has assisted chapter 7 and chapter 11 business debtor clients and creditors in the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas. He has confirmed chapter 11 plans for e-commerce, healthcare, energy, and construction companies in chapter 11 bankruptcy cases in the Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas. He has also handled distressed transactions for debtor entities outside of bankruptcy.
He has also successfully assisted entrepreneurs and companies with filing business chapter 7 cases in bankruptcy courts in the Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas. Mr. Watson has also represented trustees and liquidating trustees in bankruptcy proceedings. Aside from representing distressed companies and trustees, Mr. Watson has represented lending institutions, a regulator, trade creditors, a creditors' committee, and ad hoc committees in chapter 11 bankruptcy cases. Most recently, Mr. Watson served as counsel for the creditors' committee in the Fore Machine, LLC, et. al chapter 11 bankruptcy case. He has also handled adversary proceedings in bankruptcy cases as well as commercial litigation in state and federal courts.
Mr. Watson began his legal career as a law clerk to Chief Bankruptcy Judge, Kathy A. Surratt-States of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri in St. Louis, Missouri. After completing his four-year clerkship, Mr. Watson joined the Dallas office of a large law firm for nearly five years where he concentrated his practice on restructuring troubled companies, creditors' rights and bankruptcy related litigation. Mr. Watson later became the founding shareholder of his own law firm where he continued to focus his practice primarily on restructuring troubled businesses and creditors' rights. Prior to joining Cantey Hanger LLP, Mr. Watson was a partner at another law firm in Fort Worth.
Mr. Watson served as a council member of the State Bar of Texas, Bankruptcy Section for eight years prior to stepping down in 2021. Mr. Watson is also a member of the Dallas Bar Association, J. L. Turner Legal Association, Tarrant County Bar Association, American Bankruptcy Institute and the Dallas Business Club. Besides his professional affiliations, Mr. Watson serves as a board member of the Metropolitan YMCA of Fort Worth. He is also an active member of Scouts B.S.A. (formerly Boy Scouts of America) where he serves as an adult leader. Mr. Watson is a member of the Arlington/Grand Prairie Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and the Arlington Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
S.G. Johndroe III concentrates his practice in litigation affecting real estate interests, including condemnation, real property valuations, transactional conflicts, and boundary disputes. He has tried many cases involving real estate issues and has been called upon to provide expert testimony with regard to land titles as well as to act as a mediator in the resolution of real property disputes. In addition to his trial work, Mr. Johndroe has handled many cases at the appellate level, presenting oral arguments to appellate courts in over thirty cases. In addition to appearing before Texas Courts of Appeals, he has argued before the Supreme Court of Texas, the Fifth Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals, and is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States.
Mr. Kash received his law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law in 2017. After law school, Mr. Kash practiced law in Midland, Texas, where he primarily litigated cases involving debt collections, contract disputes, and oil and gas disputes. Mr. Kash joined Cantey Hanger's litigation section in 2021.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner, Fort Worth
Jordan M. Parker is a partner in the firm's Litigation Section. He defends physicians, hospitals, nurses, nursing homes, and other health care providers in medical negligence claims and lawsuits. Mr. Parker represents health care providers and institutions in federal qui tam lawsuits filed under the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729-3733. Mr. Parker also handles mass tort, drug liability, medical device liability, and catastrophic injury cases for a variety of defendants in civil litigation. Mr. Parker represents physicians in contested proceedings and license revocation hearings before the Texas Medical Board, as well as nurses in adverse proceedings before the Texas Board of Nursing and other providers before their respective boards in Austin. For complaints against health care providers that are not resolved at the agency level, Mr. Parker litigates at the State Office of Administrative Hearings ("SOAH") in Austin. In addition, Mr. Parker advises hospitals and other health care entities regarding credentialing matters.
Mr. Ross is an experienced litigator representing clients in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in both federal and state jurisdictions, with a general focus in defense of health care providers and in environmental regulation and enforcement. With over 70 trials to jury verdict, and prior service as a State Attorney with experience in white collar and organized crime investigation and litigation, Mr. Ross represents clients in malpractice and licensure matters, fraud and abuse investigations and litigation, and other civil and criminal disputes.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Counsel
- Vice - Chairman
- Partner, Fort Worth
Julie C. Bergkamp is the Vice-Chairman of the firm's Business and Tax Section. Ms. Bergkamp's practice focuses on business and tax planning for clients in various industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, and energy sectors. Clients have included everything from Fortune 100 companies to closely held family organizations. Ms. Bergkamp also represents a variety of health care organizations, with contractual and state and federal regulatory issues. She advises physicians and health care service providers on issues involving M&A, business structuring, and Fraud & Abuse rules. She also advises her clients on various aspects of intellectual property laws, including trademark, copyright, and licensing matters. She previously practiced law in New York and Chicago, where she primarily focused on international tax law, and on mergers and acquisitions before returning to her hometown of Fort Worth and joining Cantey Hanger LLP.
Job Titles:
- Associate, Fort Worth
- Member of the Firm
Kate is a member of the firm's litigation section where she focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation. Her broad experience covers litigation and appeals involving general business disputes, contract disputes, fiduciary litigation, covenants not to compete, fraud, and construction disputes in federal and states courts. Prior to joining Cantey Hanger, Kate was a law clerk to the Honorable John H. McBryde of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, rated "AV Preeminent" by Martindale-Hubbell, and Chair of the Firm's Labor and Employment Practice, Ms. Hallmon is a 1996 graduate of Baylor University and received her Juris Doctor degree from Baylor University School of Law in 1999.
A career-long employment law litigator, Ms. Hallmon strives to offer her clients practical solutions to the variety of challenges that arise in the modern workplace, specifically focusing her practice on the prosecution and defense of a variety of state and federal employment law matters, including harassment and discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour disputes and restrictive covenants prohibiting competition. In addition to providing representation in litigation and a wide range of administrative proceedings and investigations, Ms. Hallmon also counsels clients on litigation avoidance through effective employment practices and compliance. Ms. Hallmon was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in May of 1999 and is also admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and each of the U.S. District Courts for the four Districts of Texas. Ms. Hallmon is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and a Fellow of the Tarrant County Bar Foundation.
Ms. Hallmon began her practice with the Law Offices of David Fielding in March 1999, becoming a partner in January 2005. In September 2015, after nearly 11 years of serving clients together as Fielding, Parker & Hallmon, Ms. Hallmon, Mr. Fielding and Mr. Parker brought their labor and employment law practice to Cantey Hanger.
Ms. Hallmon currently serves on the Boards of Directors of both the Firm, and of Meritas Law Firms Worldwide.
Ms. Newell has experience working day in and day out helping people deal with all areas of family law matters. Her practice includes areas such as divorce, paternity cases, etc.
Mary Colchin Johndroe vigorously represents clients in civil litigation, including construction, contract, eminent domain, inverse condemnation, property rights, and government law cases. She has handled cases at all levels of the legal system; before commissions and administrative agencies, in trials and appeals within Texas state and federal courts, including the Texas and U.S. Supreme Courts. Ms. Johndroe joined Cantey Hanger in 1986 and was elected partner in 1992.
Michael Ackerman graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law, where he served on the Law Review editorial board and worked with the Federal Appellate Litigation Clinic, for which he drafted briefs for submission to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the United States Board of Immigration Appeals. Before joining the firm, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable John H. McBryde of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. He joined Cantey Hanger's litigation section in 2020.
Whether it is business transactions or personal estate plans, Patrick Thorman's calm demeanor helps clients feel safe. His practice focus is primarily in the areas of probate, guardianship, estate planning (Wills and Trusts), business transactions, business disputes and real estate transactions.
He received his law degree from the Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, Va. While at Regent, Patrick received the Counselor at Law Award for his work with clients in the Civil Litigation Clinic. Additionally, he served as Executive Editor and was published by the Regent Journal of International Law.
Patrick is on the board of JLYASDI's Journey, an East Texas non-profit that provides support and services to families with premature babies in the NICU.
Philip advises and represents clients in all forms of commercial and business disputes and litigation. Philip's experience includes contract disputes, business torts, fiduciary litigation, oil and gas disputes, insurance coverage, trade secrets, trademark prosecution and infringement, copyright infringement, environmental litigation, construction and design defects, real estate disputes, and civil rights and First Amendment litigation. Philip actively promotes pro bono programs both within the firm and in the Fort Worth legal community. Before joining Cantey Hanger, Philip served as law clerk to the Honorable Michael H. Schneider, U.S. District Judge (retired) for the Eastern District of Texas.
Preston Polk joined Cantey Hanger's Business Transactions practice group in 2021. Polk's practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, banking, real estate and other business transactions.
Randy Price was one of the original four attorneys who formed the Dallas Office of Cantey Hanger in 1990. He continues an established practice in real estate litigation and commercial litigation.
Mr. Looney comes to Cantey Hanger with experience in various practice areas including commercial litigation and business transactions. He has significant experience guiding business clients through a variety of legal issues.
Stephanie L. Millett is a litigation attorney who has practiced in courts across the United States. Her practice includes representation of both defendants and plaintiffs in product liability, aviation and general negligence cases.
Job Titles:
- Partner and Former Managing Partner, Fort Worth
Mr. Madsen is a litigator, primarily a defense litigator, although he has extensive experience in many areas of civil litigation. He is a career Cantey Hanger litigator, having come to the Fort Worth firm in 1976 shortly after his graduation from Baylor University School of Law and a stint as a briefing attorney for Court of Appeals of the Twelfth Supreme Judicial District of Texas.
Susan obtained her J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from The University of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Letters, with highest honors. Since being licensed in Texas in 1986, her practice has focused exclusively on Immigration and Nationality law including employment-based immigration, family-based immigration, and naturalization. Susan has a wealth of experience representing a wide range of client employers, large and small, including high tech companies, universities, manufacturers, banks, and churches in complex employment based immigration matters. Cases include labor certifications, outstanding professor and researcher petitions, multinational executive and manager petitions, relative visa petitions, and fiancé petitions. Nonimmigrant matters include H-1B, L-1, TN, E-3, R-1, and B-1/B-2.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Litigation Section
Tim Davis is a member of the Litigation Section. He represents a diverse group of clients in healthcare, employment, and commercial cases. As well, Mr. Davis devotes a significant portion of his practice to the representation of government and political entities, and churches and religious non-profits.
Tyler graduated with a degree in Music Education from Baylor University in 2013, and later received his J.D. from Texas A&M University School of Law in 2017. While in law school, he received a specialized certificate in estate planning and clerked for the Honorable Judge Ingrid Warren in Dallas County Probate Court No. 2. After graduating from law school, his practice focused on contested and uncontested probate, estate planning, and fiduciary litigation. He joined Cantey Hanger's business section in 2022. When he's not working, Tyler enjoys spending time with his wife, Alexis, and their two corgis, Willow and Granger.
Job Titles:
- Partner, Dallas, Fort Worth
Job Titles:
- Partner, Dallas, Fort Worth
Job Titles:
- Partner in Charge, Midlothian Office, Midlothian
Will Gober is a member of Cantey Hanger's litigation section. He joined Cantey Hanger in 2021 after graduating from Baylor Law School. At Baylor, Will developed his litigation and advocacy skills in the third-year Practice Court program while simultaneously serving as student body president for the 2020-2021 school year.