Over Half of the AZA Firm Named on Super Lawyers and Rising Stars 2026 Lists 

HOUSTON – Thirty-five AZA lawyers were named to the Texas Super Lawyers and Rising Stars 2026 lists for excellence, largely in business litigation and intellectual property work. That includes more than half of the trial firm’s roster. 

AZA cofounders Joe Ahmad and John Zavitsanos were once again listed; both lawyers have been on the Texas Super Lawyers lists since the inaugural 2003 ratings.  Mr. Zavitsanos is noted for expertise in business litigation and Mr. Ahmad, who also focuses primarily on business litigation, for his work in business employment law.  

Super Lawyers says its patented attorney selection process is peer-influenced and research-driven, selecting the top 5% of attorneys for recognition each year. Peer nominations and evaluations are combined with independent research. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. 

 The other AZA lawyers listed as Super Lawyers for business litigation expertise are name partner Todd Mensing and Shawn Bates, Nathan Campbell, Sammy Ford IV, Edward ‘Ward” Goolsby, Nicholas Petree,  Kyle Poelker, Tim Shelby, Monica Uddin and David Warden.  

Jason McManis, the head of AZA’s IP section, was cited for his excellence in intellectual property litigation. Former judge Daryl Moore was listed for general litigation expertise and  JoAnn Storey for her appellate work. Kevin Leyedecker was named for his general personal injury plaintiff work.  

Super Lawyers notes on its website that no more than 2.5% of Texas Lawyers are named Rising Stars. These lawyers are 40 or younger or have been in practice for 10 years or less. 

AZA lawyers named as Rising Stars and their areas of expertise are: 

• Emily Adler – Appellate 

• Weining Bai – Intellectual Property 

• Cameron Byrd – Business Litigation 

• Thomas Frashier – Business Litigation  

• Michael Gorrell – Business Litigation 

• Ab Henry – Intellectual Property 

• Justin Kenney – Business Litigation 

• Louis Liao  – Intellectual Property Litigation 

• Warren McCarty  – Intellectual Property Litigation 

• Antonio X. Milton – Appellate 

• Spencer Packard – Intellectual Property Litigation 

• Colin Phillips – Intellectual Property  

• Hailey Pulman – Business Litigation 

• Sujeeth Rajavolu – Intellectual Property Litigation 

• Karina Sanchez-Peralta – Business Litigation 

• Jarmonique Smith – Business/Corporate 

• Paul Turkevich – Business Litigation 

• Kelsi Stayart-White – Appellate

• Brittainie Zinsmeyer – Business/Corporate 

AZA, or Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing, is a Houston-based law firm that is home to true courtroom lawyers with a formidable track record in complex commercial litigation, including energy, healthcare, intellectual property and business dispute cases. AZA was recognized again by Chambers USA 2025 as among the best in Texas in commercial law and intellectual property; the firm has been listed by Best Lawyers’ Best Law Firms as one of the country’s best commercial litigation firms for 13 years; has been named Litigation Department of the Year by Texas Lawyer three times; and was dubbed a Texas Powerhouse law firm by Law360.