Ware Jackson is proud to announce that five of our partners have been recognized by Thomson Reuters as Texas Super Lawyers in 2023. Only 5% of Texas attorneys are selected in a multi-phase process based on peer recognition and professional achievement. This year’s Super Lawyer honorees are Don Jackson, Tim Lee, Eileen O’Neill, Paul Smith, and Dennis Barrow.
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Ware Jackson Attorneys Honored to be Named to 2024 Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch and Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers®.
Ware, Jackson, Lee, O’Neill, Smith & Barrow, LLP is pleased to announce that six of its lawyers have been included in the 2024 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.
Best Lawyers® has published their list for over three decades, earning the respect of the profession, the media, and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Its first international list was published in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in over 75 countries.
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Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers based on professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing.
Recognized Attorneys – Best Lawyers in America
- Don Jackson – Arbitration, Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Energy Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs
- Timothy Lee – Appellate Practice
- Eileen O’Neill – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Management
- Paul Smith – Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Dennis Barrow – Litigation – Construction
- Margaret Bryant – Appellate Practice
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Certain lawyers are recognized as 2024 Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers®. This prestigious award is presented to only one individual in a given geographical region and practice area each edition.
Recognized Attorneys – Best Lawyers: Lawyer of the Year
- Don Jackson – Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
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The Ones to Watch list recognizes lawyers who are earlier in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice.
Recognized Attorneys – Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
- Avery Sheppard – Commercial Litigation, Oil and Gas Law



Ware Jackson partner, Avery Sheppard, to present at the TexasBar CLE’s 45th Annual Advanced Real Estate Law Course in San Antonio
Ware Jackson partner, Avery Sheppard, will be presenting at TexasBar CLE’s 45th Annual Advanced Real Estate Law Course in San Antonio, Texas on Friday, July 14. Avery’s presentation will highlight the case of Lennar Homes v. Whiteley, in which the Supreme Court of Texas ruled in favor of Ware Jackson’s client and held that a subsequent purchaser of a home was bound by the original homeowner’s arbitration agreement under the doctrine of direct-benefits estoppel.
Ware Jackson Attorneys honored to be named to 2023 Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch and Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers®
Ware, Jackson, Lee, O’Neill, Smith & Barrow, LLP is pleased to announce that six of its lawyers have been included in the 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.
Best Lawyers® has published their list for over three decades, earning the respect of the profession, the media, and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Its first international list was published in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in over 75 countries.
Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers based on professional expertise and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing.
Recognized Attorneys – Best Lawyers in America:
- Don Jackson – Arbitration, Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Energy Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs
- Timothy Lee – Appellate Practice
- Eileen O’Neill – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Management
- Paul Smith – Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Dennis Barrow -Litigation – Construction
- Knox Nunnally – Commercial Litigation
Certain lawyers are recognized as 2023 Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers®. This prestigious award is presented to only one individual in a given geographical region and practice area each edition.
Recognized Attorneys – Best Lawyers: Lawyer of the Year
- Don Jackson – Arbitration
- Paul Smith – Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
The Ones to Watch list recognizes lawyers who are earlier in their careers for outstanding professional excellence in private practice.
Recognized Attorneys – Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch
- Avery Sheppard – Commercial Litigation




Ware Jackson had a great summer with our clerks
Ware Jackson had a great time bowling with our summer clerks and University of Houston law students, Jordan Buie and Matthew Welsh! We wish them good luck in the rest of their law school careers and are looking forward to watching them grow in their professions!
We are proud of our 2022 Texas Rising Stars
Ware, Jackson, Lee, O’Neill, Smith & Barrow LLP is pleased to announce that its partner, Avery Sheppard, has been recognized as one of the 2022 Texas Rising Stars by Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters publication. Less than 2.5% of Texas attorneys are selected for this honor, which is based on peer nomination, independent research, and peer evaluation.

Ware Jackson celebrates our veterans
Ware Jackson hosted our annual Veterans Day Lunch Celebration to honor veterans and active service members of the United States of America. We had the privilege to hear from our guest speakers Captain Nicholas Panarella of the U.S. Army – Special Forces Vietnam and Major Jesse D. Pletts of the U.S. Marine Corps – Iran and Afghanistan.
Captain Panarella was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army during his time of service. He was selected for Special Forces and assigned to the 8th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He held multiple command and staff positions in the U.S. Army reserves in both special forces and airborne units during the Cold War.
Major Pletts volunteered for the Marines and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. He served as both an Artillery and Special Operations officer. He is a veteran of five combat deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and other contested locations in Southeast and Southwest Asia. As a Raider, he led direct-action teams in combat in both Afghanistan and other contested areas.
To those in uniform serving today and to those who have served in the past, we thank you and honor you today and every day.
Ware Jackson partner, Knox Nunnally, recognized as one of Hart Energy’s 2021 Impactful Veterans in Energy
Congratulations Knox Nunnally for being recognized as an Impactful Veteran in Energy. Knox was recognized for this program by demonstrating leadership and contributing to the oil and gas industry as a military veteran. Thank you for your service, Knox! You can read more about him and his recognition by clicking here.

The Rockies came in Second Place in the Bellaire Little League National Division Tournament!
Ware Jackson would like to congratulate our sponsored team, The Rockies, for coming in second place in the Bellaire Little League Fall Ball Nationals Division Tournament! Way to go Rockies!
Kiara Gradney appointed Panel Chair by Houston City Council
Ware Jackson’s attorney Kiara Gradney was appointed Houston Independent Police Oversight Board (IPOB) Panel D Chair and to the Administrative Disciplinary Committee (ADC) by the Houston City Council. IPOB reviews any internal investigations of possible misconduct by HPD employees. As a new member to ADC, Kiara is responsible for reviewing investigations containing sustained allegations and making a disciplinary recommendation to the Chief of Police. Kiara has been a IPOB board member since February of 2020. She accepted the Houston City Council’s panel chair appointment to increase her community involvement, service, and leadership. You can also read more about Kiara’s new position here.