JOHNSON TRENT - Key Persons
Amy Nilsen joined Johnson, Trent & Taylor as a partner in October 2020. She is an experienced litigator, focusing on residential construction, personal injury litigation and general civil litigation. She represents clients in matters of the Residential Construction Act, construction defect, breach of warranty, mold and breach of contract. Nilsen also represents clients in business disputes and general civil litigation. Additionally, she has handled medical malpractice cases on behalf of doctors and hospitals.
Amy graduated from University of Colorado in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. She then graduated from University of Houston School of Law in 2000.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Appointed Chair of USLaw Practice Group
- Defense Research Institute in May
Brian's trial practice involves a mixture of product liability, mass tort, commercial, medical malpractice and personal injury litigation. He has served on the national trial team for a major pharmaceutical company in mass tort litigation and frequently serves as regional counsel. Brian has extensive trial experience throughout the state of Texas and has been involved in litigation for clients from New York to California, and numerous other states across the country. He has successfully defended product cases, wrongful death claims, brain-damaged baby cases, as well as challenging nursing home cases against some of the top trial lawyers in Texas.
Brian's impressive litigation skills, along with integrity and respect garnered by his colleagues in the legal community, are recognized year after year by his inclusion as a Texas Super Lawyer.
Below is a summary of some of the more challenging defense verdicts he has obtained over the years:
Brian Johnson named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers
Partner Brian Johnson is awarded Best Lawyer 2014
Cameron Wells joined Johnson, Trent & Taylor in September 2020. His practice focuses on civil trial litigation. Prior to joining Johnson, Trent & Taylor, Cameron practiced at a defense firm in Houston, Texas, where he primarily focused on defending physicians, hospitals and allied health professionals in healthcare liability claims. He also defended personal injury cases arising out of commercial transportation accidents and premises liability.
Cameron earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Mass Communications from Sam Houston State University in 2012. He then graduated from South Texas College of Law, magna cum laude, in 2015. While in law school, Cameron was an active member the Phi Delta Phi Honors Society and served as an officer in the South Texas College of Law Student Bar Association. Cameron was licensed to practice law in the State of Texas in 2015.
David Baluk represents clients in all areas of civil litigation, with a specific focus on personal injury, product liability, premises liability, construction defect and toxic tort matters. Prior to joining Johnson, Trent & Taylor, David worked for a prominent national plaintiff's firm as well as the oldest personal injury firm in Texas where he gained invaluable experience litigating complex cases in over twenty-three (23) states while obtaining several multi-million dollar verdicts and favorable settlements. He now uses the skills he developed to defend companies and individuals from frivolous, attorney-driven claims.
David attended Washington and Lee University where he graduated magna cum laude and was inducted into Omicron Delta Epsilon, an International Economics Honor Society. He later moved to Texas and attended the University of Houston Law Center, serving on the executive board of the Houston Journal of International Law where he was named "Editor of the Year" by his peers. When he is not in the office, David enjoys spending time with his wife and family while trying to perfect his grilling techniques along with his short game.
Jennifer N. Shew practices civil litigation with a focus on product liability, premises liability and medical malpractice matters. Prior to joining Johnson, Trent & Taylor, Jennifer represented individuals and businesses throughout Texas in various personal injury matters, including commercial trucking, premises liability, and healthcare liability disputes on both the defense and plaintiff sides of the bar.
Jennifer is the youngest of six, and the fifth of her siblings to graduate from the University of Texas (Hook ‘Em!). She is also the fifth sibling to become an attorney, following in the footsteps of her four older brothers.
In her free time, Jennifer enjoys reading, writing, traveling with her husband, and watching her children participate in musical theatre, football, and basketball.
Kealy Christian is an experienced litigator, focusing on personal injury litigation and general civil litigation. She represents clients in matters involving pharmaceuticals, medical devices, medical malpractice, nursing homes, wrongful death, and other personal injury claims. Kealy also represents clients in business disputes and general civil litigation.
Kealy grew up as the fourth of five sisters, and learned at a young age the importance of listening, communication, compromise, and negotiation. Kealy has a way of connecting with people and learning their stories. Her approach to litigation focuses on the people and building strong working relationships with attorneys and clients alike, which goes in hand with her strong interpersonal skills and calm demeanor.
During her legal education, Kealy was a member of Law Review and received academic awards for the highest grade in Constitutional Law, Legal Research and Writing, Intellectual Property Survey, and Copyright Law. Kealy also served as a judicial intern for the Fourteenth Court of Appeals and United States Magistrate Judge Nancy K. Johnson for the Southern District of Texas.
Leslee Haas represents corporations and individuals in a broad range of commercial and product liability matters. Her commercial litigation experience includes contractual disputes, financial institution litigation, and business torts such as breach of fiduciary duty, business disparagement, defamation, fraud, and tortious interference with a contract. She likewise represents manufacturers and component part manufacturers in product liability matters and other consumer litigation such as claims for breach of warranty and claims made pursuant to the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Leslee's litigation background includes representation of general contractors and subcontractors in both residential and commercial construction disputes, real estate and deed restriction matters, premises liability, general personal injury defense, and insurance coverage disputes.
Mr. Stallworth is a Senior Counsel who practices in the areas of civil litigation, commercial litigation, insurance litigation, insurance coverage, construction defect litigation, product liability, premises liability, personal injury, and real estate litigation. Prior to joining Johnson, Trent & Taylor, Mr. Stallworth developed extensive experience working in-house for a major insurance company and then for a prominent defense firm, defending clients and insureds in first party lawsuits and third-party personal injury claims. Mr. Stallworth is an experienced trial lawyer, having tried numerous cases to successful verdicts.
Nathan attended the University of Texas on a swimming scholarship. In his first year, he was one of only two freshman on the Longhorns team to qualify for the NCAA Championships where the team went on to win the NCAA Men's Swimming & Diving Championships (1996) held in Austin, Texas that year. Over the course of his collegiate swimming career he qualified for the Olympic Trials (50m Freestyle), was a two-time NCAA All-American, and retired holding two UT school records as a swimmer on the 200-yard Medley Relay & 200-yard Freestyle Relay.
Todd Marshall has been licensed to practice law in the State of Texas since 1992 and also became licensed to practice law in the State of Maryland in 2015. Todd has been with Johnson, Trent & Taylor since 1993. He primarily handles complex litigation cases with an emphasis on products liability, toxic tort, and premises liability cases for his clients. Todd has handled complex litigation matters in numerous federal and state courts throughout Texas, including both trial and appellate matters.
Rafe Taylor has served as the managing partner for Johnson Trent for more than eight years. He has acted as trial counsel in numerous complex civil litigation matters, involving all types of high exposure damages such as wrongful death, brain damage and quadriplegia. His experience includes product liability cases involving tires, automobile seat components, elevators/escalators, agricultural/heavy industrial equipment, and numerous medical devices - to name a few. His experience also includes defense of medical malpractice, premises liability, residential and commercial construction, theft of trade secrets, and commercial litigation cases.
Rafe has skillfully navigated clients through the discovery, mediation, arbitration and trial processes. In his capacity as a regional counsel for product manufacturers, he has litigated in many venues in the United States other than Texas, including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Kansas, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.
Rafe has repeatedly been name as a SuperLawyer in the State of Texas.
Chris has acted as national counsel, regional counsel, and local counsel in product liability matters, mass tort and various toxic tort matters spanning various industries, including tires/wheels, automotive components, off-road vehicles, agricultural vehicles and equipment, motorcycles, elevators, industrial gases, and automotive services. Chris has participated in pre trial matters and/or trials in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Puerto Rico.
Tamara Madden, RN, JD is a trial attorney and partner at the firm of Johnson, Trent & Taylor, LLP. She practices in the area of medical malpractice defense and represents healthcare providers in all aspects of litigation. She also serves as a health law and litigation management consultant to national assisted living, long-term care and physician practices.