From Ben & Jerry’s to the Republic of South Sudan to UFC Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, high-profile clients trust Mr. Halepota with their most important complex commercial disputes. Mr. Halepota’s cases have been widely covered by the New York Times, the Financial Times, CNN, MSNBC, the BBC, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal, amongst others. His sole focus is achieving the most favorable outcome possible for his clients. Mr. Halepota’s representations include:

• multiple healthcare disputes, including employment litigation regarding noncompetes as well as claims regarding under reimbursement against insurers, such as UnitedHealthcare;
• successfully aiding the Republic of South Sudan in an ICSID arbitration against Sudapet Co. Ltd. concerning disputed oil interests valued at over $1 billion;
• helping secure a $700 million dollar award for a satellite and telecommunications company against the Indian space agency in a Delhi-seated ICC arbitration concerning the repudiation of a long-term lease agreement;
• serving as lead counsel for Ben & Jerry’s in its widely publicized corporate governance dispute against Unilever regarding the one-of-a-kind rights of Ben & Jerry’s Independent Board. As Harvard Law Professor Jesse Fried commented: “It’s not just that I haven’t seen it, it’s that I don’t think it exists anywhere in the world except Ben & Jerry’s.” The dispute resulted in a $25 million settlement, and following the case, Mr. Halepota was designated as outside counsel for Ben & Jerry’s Independent Board, a prestigious role he has held for the last three years.
• playing a pivotal role in a $150 million oil and gas arbitration, including a 45-minute oral argument on jurisdictional scope and conducting critical portions of the opening and closing statements. His contributions helped secure a unanimous, complete defense verdict.
• prevailing as lead counsel in a bet-the-company $80.2 million partnership dispute, securing a total defense victory for his client following a week-long arbitration.

Mr. Halepota’s other representations include:

• In September 2023, Mr. Halepota served as co-lead counsel in a six-week jury trial regarding a $100 million development project in Midtown Houston. The case, involving seven parties, 20 attorneys, and over a million pages of discovery, resulted in a unanimous verdict in favor of Mr. Halepota’s clients, who zeroed out the plaintiffs and were awarded $32.5 million in counterclaims, including $17.5 million in punitive damages. That same month, Mr. Halepota also served as lead counsel in a $20 million settlement regarding a breach of contract dispute, bringing his total victories for that month alone to over $50 million.
• In March 2024, Mr. Halepota served as lead counsel in a confidential arbitration between two billion-dollar multinational corporations. Mr. Halepota led both the opening and closing arguments, presented the main witness on behalf of the Claimant, and successfully cross-examined a critical witness. The arbitration resulted in a confidential award.
• In June 2025, Mr. Halepota obtained a total defense win in a precedential social media influencer copyright case called “the first of its kind.” The dispute received widespread media coverage, including the New York Times and was identified as one of Law360’s five “Copyright Cases to Watch in 2025.”
• In July 2025, Mr. Halepota served as lead counsel for undefeated UFC Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in a breach of contract dispute resulting in a favorable confidential settlement along with the following public apology from the defendant:
  • Legionfarm and Alexey Belyankin unequivocally apologize to Khabib Nurmagomedov for Legionfarm’s failure to fulfill its contractual obligations. Although Khabib could have continued litigation, at our request, Khabib has graciously allowed Legionfarm to tap out from the lawsuit and amicably resolve our dispute. We cannot thank Khabib and his team enough for their honesty, integrity, and kindness. Khabib was a model business partner and Legionfarm’s failure to fulfill its commitments was Legionfarm’s fault alone.
• Currently, Mr. Halepota is co-lead counsel for Transocean in a $100 million+ Jones Act multi-district litigation, against 25 plaintiffs. In this ongoing case, he has already argued over two dozen motions, including successfully defeating a summary judgment motion on unseaworthiness.

Mr. Halepota has also:

• successfully defeated a $17 million counterclaim on summary judgment. His strategic prowess not only led to a favorable settlement but also earned high praise from his client, who described him as having a “24-hour work ethic” and the ability to act as a “team’s talent multiplier.”
• secured a total defense victory for an estate following a multi-week, multi-million-dollar federal jury trial against a U.S. bank, including prevailing on fraud and civil RICO counterclaims against the bank;
• defeated a multi-million breach of contract claim through a motion to show authority;
• resolved a seven-figure partnership dispute regarding multiple real estate development projects in defendants’ favor for $0;
• obtained Special Immigration Juvenile Status for three children from El Salvador and asylum for a minor fleeing religious persecution.

Mr. Halepota’s clients not only commend his work, but they also enthusiastically refer him to others needing legal representation:

• “I’ve worked with 80+ law firms, and countless lawyers at those firms, over the last 16 years as a GC, and it’s become increasingly rare for me to find someone who impresses and inspires me. Shahmeer is the exception. We’ve been endlessly impressed with him – as a person and as an advocate. I’ll never forget the day we first saw Shahmeer in action, in court. It was amazing. Passionate. Powerful. Engaging. We were blown away. As soon as we could, we promoted him from a supporting role to the lead role in the case, and, from that point, our position in the case improved drastically, almost overnight. What he does is incredibly complicated, even by Transocean standards (having been through the Deepwater Horizon litigation—one of the most complicated litigation matters in the history of the US). And he does it with clarity and confidence. As we’ve gotten to know him, we’ve observed him as not only an advocate but as a leader – in his firm, the profession and the community at large. His charisma is authentic – he is a genuinely good man who will do anything honorable to make sure his clients come out ahead.”
• “Shahmeer’s commitment to his work truly stands out. He displayed an incredible understanding of the intricacies involved in the situation ensuring that I was equipped with the right information to make informed decisions. His hard work and willingness to be available at unconventional hours demonstrated his genuine concern for my well-being and the successful outcome of my situation.”
• “I often liken Shahmeer’s tenacity to that of a lion dealing with hyenas. His ability to stand his ground and advocate for his clients, even in the face of challenging circumstances, is truly remarkable. This analogy speaks volumes about his determination and commitment to achieving favorable outcomes.”
• “What sets Shahmeer apart is his ability to combine his legal prowess with genuine human empathy. He is not merely an attorney but also a compassionate individual who recognizes the emotional aspect of legal challenges. His respectful and approachable demeanor is a breath of fresh air.”
• “His exceptional skills, unwavering dedication, and compassionate approach make him an invaluable asset to anyone in need of legal guidance.”

AZA partner and co-founder John Zavitsanos told Texas Lawbook that Mr. Halepota has “developed quickly into a leader, he is always in the HOV lane, always full throttle and has an infectious sense of optimism. His remarkable salesmanship, almost that of a hostage negotiator, got opposing lawyers to drop several construction cases just by talking them out of it.  He led a team of four lawyers on a major construction case.  When Shahmeer first joined that case, the opposition had two lawyers. Today, they have over 20 lawyers and five law firms.  He also exudes the type of confidence that is the hallmark of our firm.”

Mr. Halepota was awarded Rising Star Awards by the South Asian Bar Association of North America (2025); the Texas Bar Association’s APIS Section (2025); and the Muslim Bar Association of Houston (2023). Mr. Halepota was also named to the 2022-2025 lists of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for commercial litigation and on the Texas Rising Stars lists for 2021-2024 for his excellence in civil litigation. In his free time, Mr. Halepota enjoys serving as a mentor for The Alphas.

EDUCATION

• University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, J.D.
  • Certificate of Specialization in International Law
  • Best Oral Argument Award
  • American Jurisprudence Award, Refugee Law
  • Prosser Prizes for Constitutional Law; International Law; and Mediation for Litigators
  • Senior Editor, Berkeley Journal of Middle Eastern & Islamic Law
•  Emory University, B.A., cum laude
  • Continuing Excellence Scholarship
  • Delores P. Aldridge Excellence Award
  • Honor Societies:  Omicron Delta Kappa, Pi Sigma Alpha, Phi Eta Sigma

ADMISSIONS

• Texas
• New York
• U.S. Southern District of Texas
• U.S. Eastern District of Texas
• U.S. Northern District of Texas
• U.S. Western District of Texas
• U.S. Southern District of New York
• U.S. Eastern District of New York

HONORS AND AWARDS

• 2022-2026 list of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
• Texas Rising Star honors as presented by Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters Business,  2021-2025
• Top 500 Leading Litigators in America by Lawdragon, 2025-2026
• 2025 Best Lawyers Under 40 award from the Asian Pacific Interest Section of the State Bar of Texas
• National Association of Muslim Lawyers Rising Star
• Texas Lawyer’s 2025 Texas Legal Awards – On the Rise

IN THE NEWS

• AZA Partner Shahmeer Halepota Awarded Fourth Rising Star Honor in Six Months
• P.S. — Wills for Officers, AZA Partner Goes to U.N., Eviction Advocacy Comes to Houston
• Twenty-Four AZA Lawyers Named 2025 Texas Super Lawyers & Rising Stars
• AZA Partner Shahmeer Halepota Speaks at The United Nations
• Fourteen AZA Lawyers Named 2026 Lawdragon Leading Litigators
• 26 AZA Attorneys Honored as 2026 Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch
• AZA Partner Shahmeer Halepota Selected as One of Texas Lawyer’s On the Rise Award Winners
• AZA Favorably Resolves Multi-Million Dollar Litigation for UFC Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov
• AZA Partner Shahmeer Halepota Named Rising Star by South Asian Bar Association of North America
• AZA Client Successfully Beats Back High-Stakes Claim in $80 Million Partnership Dispute
• ‘First of its Kind’ Influencer Copyright Case Dropped Against AZA Client
• AZA Partner Shahmeer Halepota Recognized by State Bar of Texas Group
• AZA Social Media Influencer Case Featured in The New York Times
• Ben & Jerry’s Sues Corporate Parent Over Gaza Stance Censorship
• AZA Client Removes the Secrecy Veil from Meta Employee Arbitrations
• Eleven AZA Lawyers Named Lawdragon Leading Litigators
• More than half of AZA’s attorneys honored as Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch
• Jury Awards AZA Client Mid Main $32.5 Million in Midtown Construction Case
• Twenty-Six AZA Lawyers Honored as Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch
• Thirteen AZA Attorneys Earn Texas Rising Stars Honor
• AZA Names Five New Partners for 2023
• Seven Young AZA Lawyers Ranked among Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for 2023
• AZA Represents Ben & Jerry’s in International Lawsuit Against British-based Parent Company
• AZA Beats Frivolous Anti-SLAPP Appeal in Construction Case
• Ten AZA Lawyers on Texas Rising Stars List for 2022
• Twelve Young AZA Lawyers Ranked among Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for 2022   
• Eleven AZA Lawyers Make the 2021 Texas Rising Stars List