ROYSTON RAYZOR - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Houston
Ahmad Baeg Chughtai is an associate in the Houston office and concentrates his practice on all aspects of his personal injury defense docket, including construction defect cases.
Ahmad graduated from the University of Houston Law Center in 2014 and has worked as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas in its Child Support Division in East Texas, as well as a Managing Attorney at a Texas legal aid firm before moving into the personal injury defense field in 2020.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Houston
Mr. Pejerrey represents clients in personal injury, construction defect, and products liability cases, as well as general commercial and civil litigation. As an experienced litigator, Mr. Pejerrey provides thorough, well-reasoned counsel to his clients as he guides them through the difficult litigation process. Mr. Pejerrey is dedicated to providing excellent legal services to all clients by using his experience and skills to help them reach a successful outcome. Mr. Pejerrey lives in Houston with his wife and children, and represents clients throughout Texas.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Corpus Christi
Benjamin Buford was born and raised in and around Bozeman Montana. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Montana State University in 2017. He later earned his Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School in 2021. While at Brooklyn Law School, Benjamin was Co-President of the International Law Society and a member of the Moot Court Honor Society, Trial Division, where he competed in multiple local and national competitions. He also completed a year-long externship through New York City Law Department where he defended Civil Rights claims brought against New York City.
After graduation, Benjamin moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, where he started his career as a Prosecutor for Nueces County District Attorney's Office. As a prosecutor Benjamin gained significant Court Room experience trying 8 cases to verdict, including two murders, supervised less experienced attorneys at trial, and manage all aspects of County and District Court dockets.
Since joining Royston Rayzor, Benjamin has worked on a wide range of cases, including Maritime, Civil Rights, Employment, Construction Defect, and Personal Injury. He is committed to zealously and meticulously representing the clients he serves in order to secure the best possible result.
In his free time, Benjamin enjoys playing soccer, exploring Texas, and making Pottery. He was formerly the treasurer for the ceramic studio at local Art Center.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Houston
Blake E. Bachtel is an associate in the Galveston office and concentrates his practice on all aspects of maritime law, including civil disputes and criminal defense. Blake received a Bachelor of Science in Maritime Administration and a Masters Degree in Maritime Administration and Logistics, both from Texas A&M University at Galveston.
While in law school at the University of Houston, Blake was an editor on the Journal of Consumer and Commercial Law, and president and founder of the Admiralty Law Society. Blake competed in the John R. Brown Admiralty Moot Court Competition in both 2018 and 2019 and received the Gus A. Schill, Jr. Maritime Law and Professionalism Scholarship in 2019.
Blake's other interests include real estate and finance -becoming a licensed REALTOR at the age of 18 and an Investment Advisor Representative at the age of 20.
Prior to joining the firm, Blake practiced at an internationally recognized maritime firm.
Experience
News
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- of Counsel / Corpus Christi
Mr. Lowrance defends personal injury claims involving both maritime and land-based accidents in state and federal courts. He has also litigated and tried to verdict a number of cases involving business disputes, environmental and toxic torts, construction torts, trucking accidents, and oil field casualties on land and offshore. He has also handled claims under the Longshore and Harborworkers' Compensation Act. Furthermore, Mr. Lowrance has considerable experience with commercial arbitration, and has won arbitration awards for his clients in the millions of dollars.
Mr. Lowrance is a partner of the Corpus Christi office of Royston Rayzor. He has earned the utmost respect and admiration of his peers: He is AV-rated by Martindale Hubbell and has been named a Texas SuperLawyer since 2012. He has also been honored to be named a Proctor Member of the Maritime Law Association of the United States.
Mr. Lowrance has remained committed to client service. His longstanding philosophy has been to work closely with his clients, understand their concerns, and then rigorously and efficiently achieve their desire results. This philosophy, along with a dogged persistence, have helped Mr. Lowrance's practice become what it is today.
Christopher A. Lowrance was included in the 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America© for Admiralty & Maritime Law.
Experience
News
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Corpus Christi
Christopher was born and raised in New York, but quickly became a New York transplant who is now proud to call Texas his home. Christopher graduated from Fordham University and received his Bachelor's degree in History.
He then pursued a legal education and obtained a Juris Doctorate from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University New York. While receiving his education at Pace, Christopher participated in the Barbara C. Salken Criminal Justice Clinic where he represented numerous indigent clients in New York City Criminal Court.
After graduating law school, Christopher served as an Assistant District Attorney and worked on a variety of cases including Misdemeanors and Violent Felonies at the Bronx District Attorney's Office. Christopher was responsible for prosecuting Misdemeanor and Felony cases from intake to trial and gained a vast amount of courtroom experience. Christopher is currently admitted to practice law in Texas and New York and aggressively fights for his clients in court.
During his free time, Christopher enjoys the beach, cooking, and reading.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- of Counsel / Houston
Dimitri Georgantas' practice concentrates on litigation in the areas of insurance defense and admiralty law including:
Maritime personal injury
Collisions and allisions
Marine environmental pollution
Marine insurance and ship finance
Carriage of goods
Maritime liens
Georgantas has tried jury as well as numerous bench cases involving maritime personal injury, collision, cargo and commercial matters and has also represented clients in arbitration proceedings. Additionally, Georgantas has handled numerous transaction matters involving the sale and purchase of vessels and barges.
Georgantas is admitted to practice before the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and the Supreme Court of Texas. He is a member of the Maritime Law Association of the United States.
Born in New York in 1955, Georgantas received his Juris Doctor from California Western School of Law in 1981. Raised in Athens, Greece, Georgantas is fluent in Modern Greek.
Dimitri P. Georgantas was included in the 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America© for Admiralty & Maritime Law.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner / Galveston
Eugene W. Barr works out of our Galveston and Houston offices, concentrating his practice on litigation and transactional matters with a focus on maritime/transportation and construction law.
Mr. Barr's experience includes commercial disputes, personal injury/wrongful death, property damage and construction defect, maritime liens and vessel arrest/property attachment actions, cargo, shipboard investigations, vessel collisions/allisions, spills of oil/hazardous materials, and criminal defense of vessel owners, managers, and crewmembers.
In addition to handling matters in Texas state and federal courts, as well as arbitrations before the Society of Maritime Arbitrators (SMA), American Arbitration Association (AAA), and other domestic and international arbitral bodies, Mr. Barr assists clients with administrative proceedings before the United States Coast Guard, the National Transportation Safety Board, the National Pollution Fund Center, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Mr. Barr also regularly counsels clients regarding both first-party and third-party insurance coverage matters. On the transactional side, Mr. Barr assists clients with negotiation and drafting of various agreements, including construction, purchase and sale; time, voyage and bareboat charterparties; master services agreements; terms and conditions; and indemnity/risk-shifting and insurance contractual provisions.
Experience
Eugene W. Barr has successfully represented corporations and individuals in federal and state court litigation matters involving:
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / San Antonio
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- of Counsel / Corpus Christi
Mr. Partridge has an extensive trial background litigating in areas including construction defects, personal injury, maritime claims, and oilfield disputes. He is an AV rated attorney.*
Jim Hunter has a complex litigation practice representing a broad range of institutions, industries, and their insurers in South Texas. Jim's practice encompasses large multi-party and/or complex cases which require experience, skill, organization, and a focused approach to meet the objectives of the client. Representative clients include banks, contractors, insurers, product manufacturers, transportation companies, oilfield E&P and service companies, shipowners, and marine industries of every type and description.
James H. Hunter, Jr. was named The Best Lawyers© 2023 Admiralty & Maritime and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants, "Lawyer of the Year" in Corpus Christi.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Attorney
- Associate / Houston
John C. Lovell is an associate attorney in the Houston office and concentrates his practice on civil litigation matters, with an emphasis in maritime cases.
John received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in German from Baylor University. While in law school at the University of Houston Law Center, John was an associate editor for the Houston Journal of International Law. John was also a student attorney for the University of Houston's Immigration Law Clinic.
In his free time, John is an avid weightlifter and competes in strongman competitions multiple times a year.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Attorney
- Associate / Houston
Jordyn Rystrom Emmert is an associate attorney in the Houston office and concentrates on a variety of civil matters. Ms. Emmert received a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Eastern University, where she was a cohort member of the Templeton Honors College. Ms. Emmert received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from Texas Southern University's Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and her Master of Laws in International Law from the University of Houston.
While in law school Ms. Emmert interned with the Harris County District Attorney's office. She also interned with Judge Debra Ibarra Mayfield of the 165th Civil District Court, and with the Honorable Judge Jeff Bohm, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge in the Southern District of Texas.
After law school Ms. Emmert was the inaugural recipient of the AWAF Fellowship where she represented women and girls in immigration proceedings at Tahirih Justice Center. She then completed an Equal Justice Works Fellowship at the Equal Justice Center, representing immigrant workers in employment matters. Prior to joining Royston, Ms. Emmert worked at a plaintiff's firm in Houston where she represented workers in class and collective actions.
Ms. Emmert is admitted in all Texas state courts, as well as the Southern, Eastern, Western, and Northern Districts of Texas. She is also admitted in the Districts of Nebraska and Colorado.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / San Antonio
Joshua is an associate attorney in the San Antonio office who practices in the areas of business and commercial litigation, personal injury defense, construction law, insurance defense, products liability litigation, and medical malpractice defense.
Before joining the firm, Joshua received a Bachelor's of Science in Biology from the University of Texas at San Antonio and earned his J.D. from St. Mary's University School of Law and graduated cum laude. While at law school, he served on the Editorial Board of the St. Mary's Law Journal.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- of Counsel / Houston
Mr. Kuykendall has extensive experience in virtually every aspect of admiralty and maritime law. Mr. Kuykendall's trials and appeals have included significant and complex maritime litigation.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- of Counsel / Houston
Kevin Walters has been practicing transportation law, with an emphasis in admiralty and maritime law, since 1985. Mr. Walters has handled a wide variety of matters on behalf of vessel owners, charterers and their underwriters including cargo damage and contamination claims, charter party disputes, demurrage claims, collisions and allisions, dock damage, bill of lading disputes, pollution, and the defense of personal injury cases involving longshoremen and seamen. Additionally, Mr. Walters has significant experience in the exercise of provisional remedies such as arrest and attachment, in both state and federal court as well as in the collection of judgments and arbitral awards generally. Mr. Walters also advises clients on the drafting and interpretation of offshore and other contracts.
Liliana Elizondo was included in the inaugural edition of the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for her work in Commercial Litigation.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner / Houston
Mr. Shah is a litigator who has assisted clients throughout Texas and Arizona. He has handled cases in both state and federal court representing businesses and individuals involved in civil disputes. Before joining Royston Rayzor, he practiced law at litigation firms in Houston and Tucson, Arizona.
Maulik P. Shah received a 2023 Best Lawyers©: Ones to Watch recognition for Commercial Litigation.
Experience
News
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- of Counsel / Corpus Christi
Ms. Morris is of counsel with the firm and is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She represents businesses and city and state governments in all aspects of employment law and litigation. Ms. Morris is located in the Corpus Christi, Texas office, but her practice extends to Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley.
She has experience representing clients before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Texas Workforce Commission, United States Department of Labor, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Texas Medical Board and Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners.
Job Titles:
- Partner Re - Elected to TADC Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner / San Antonio
Scott's practice focuses primarily on commercial and real estate litigation, and defense of legal and medical professionals. Additionally, Scott has extensive experience representing a broad spectrum of industries, including service, medical, legal, and manufacturing, and has defended various types of litigation in state and federal courts, such as medical malpractice, legal malpractice, professional malpractice, tortious interference with business relations, defamation, business disparagement, breach of contract, intentional infliction of emotional distress, fraud, in addition to the practice of estate planning and estate administration and its related probate litigation.
Scott prides himself on finding efficient and effective solutions to meet his clients' needs. Over the years he has numerous successes, to include: being awarded death penalty sanctions in a defamation case; defending a medical practice from producing over 15,000 medical records; resolving a multi-year surety litigation in defense of indemnitors; settling a contentions probate matter; defending a medical professional from a Texas Medical Board complaint; achieving summary judgment in a premises liability case and professional malpractice case, among many more.
Shauna A. Lozano's area of practice is civil litigation, where she primarily defends clients in lawsuits involving personal injury, including transportation/trucking accidents, premises liability, and products liability. She further assists clients in government law and in other types of civil matters. A dedicated advocate, Mrs. Lozano secures favorable outcomes for the clients she serves.
Mrs. Lozano grew up in California and received her bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from the University of California, Berkeley. She received her doctor of jurisprudence degree from Santa Clara University School of Law, a Jesuit university in the heart of the Silicon Valley. While in law school, Mrs. Lozano was awarded the Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Fellowship and further earned the Social Justice Certificate. Her commitment to leadership, service, and excellence translates into her high-level defense of every client today, Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.
Shauna A. Lozano lives in Harlingen, Texas with her husband and son. She serves her community as a member of the Junior League of Harlingen. She is also a member of Texas Women Lawyers, the Texas Association of Defense Counsel, and the Cameron County Young Lawyers Association.
Experience
News
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate / Corpus Christi
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner / Corpus Christi
Since 1989, Mr. McMurtrie has defended cases throughout South Texas alleging toxic tort, premises liability, construction defect, products liability, personal injury, and breach of contract.
Experience
News
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner / San Antonio