Todd W. Mensing

Mr. Mensing focuses on complex commercial litigation in a variety of areas, including energy, real estate, construction, fraud and fiduciary litigation, partnership disputes, breach of contract and business torts, as well as condemnation. Mr. Mensing also focuses on representing executives in employment disputes, non-compete and trade secret matters, as well as both companies and individuals in catastrophic personal injury cases. Texas Monthly named Mr. Mensing a Texas Super Lawyer in only his fifth year of practice, a designation voted upon by the bar and limited to the top 5% of Texas lawyers. Mr. Mensing was one of the youngest attorneys in Texas to gain this distinction. Mr. Mensing has also been named one of Houston's Best Lawyers by H Texas Magazine and also a Rising Star by Texas Monthly. Mr. Mensing is also a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, whose members include attorneys who have secured verdicts in excess of one million dollars. Less than one percent of U.S. lawyers are members, and Mr. Mensing is one of the youngest attorneys in Texas to earn this distinction.

Mr. Mensing enjoys an extensive trial practice, having tried over twenty jury trials, bench trials, and arbitrations. He has represented both large companies and individuals, collecting significant verdicts for plaintiffs as well as take-nothing judgments for defendants. Prior to joining Ahmad, Zavitsanos, & Anaipakos, P.C., Todd Mensing graduated with Honors and in the top ten percent of his class at the University of Texas School of Law. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Stanford University. He was named a Partner in the Firm in 2006.

Mr. Mensing is currently lead counsel representing a major gas storage and pipeline company in a $100 million environmental contamination dispute against the State of New Jersey as well as several international energy companies.
Mr. Mensing is also currently lead counsel representing a national pipeline company in a $30 million pipeline construction dispute filed in federal court in Utah.
In 2009, Mr. Mensing was lead counsel representing a Fortune 100 distribution company in an eight-figure breach of contract and business tort lawsuit. Mr. Mensing’s client brought the action against its former product suppliers in federal court in Atlanta. The case settled favorably in 2010.
In 2009, Mr. Mensing was lead defense counsel representing a major Houston real estate developer in a complex breach of fiduciary suit in which the plaintiffs sought up to $30 million in damages. The case settled favorably in 2010.
In 2008, Mr. Mensing was the lead trial lawyer in the defense of a former Chief Financial Officer for the Texas operations of a publicly-traded company. The CFO's former employer sued Mr. Mensing's client for breach of fiduciary duty and sought punitive damages, claiming the CFO had participated in an embezzlement scheme, engaged in self-dealing, and conspired to bring litigation against the company while still an officer. After a week-long trial in Harris County, the jury delivered a unanimous defense verdict. The jury also delivered a unanimous verdict that the former employer had fired the CFO without cause under his executive employment agreement.
In 2008, Todd Mensing was the lead trial lawyer in a commercial real estate dispute. Mr. Mensing defended the owners of the Lancaster Hotel which is located in downtown Houston. The Plaintiffs, Houston restauranteur Jean Soussan and his company, Al Mamounia, Inc., alleged that the property owners had breached their lease contract and unlawfully appropriated the Plaintiffs' property. At the conclusion of the trial, the jury deliberated for only two hours before unanimously rejecting each of the Plaintiffs' claims. The jury also found against the Plaintffs on counterclaims for statutory theft and conversion, entered a finding of malice, and awarded a verdict of nearly three quarters of a million dollars against the Plaintiffs.
In 2007, Mr. Mensing was the lead lawyer in the defense of a $150 million breach of contract lawsuit related to the joint operation of a pipeline system located in offshore Louisiana. A national energy corporation brought the case against Mr. Mensing's client, a multi-state pipeline company. Prior to engaging AZA, Mr. Mensing's client lost a related case to the same plaintiff before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The plaintiff sought to impose the FERC's findings in the related case to establish liability. Mr. Mensing led the team of lawyers that defeated this strategy. Afterward, Mr. Mensing's client achieved a walk-away settlement.
In 2007, Mr. Mensing was the lead trial lawyer in a discrimination lawsuit brought in federal court on behalf of an executive of a seismic equipment manufacturer. The jury returned a verdict that the employer discriminated against Mr. Mensing's client when it terminated him, and did so willfully, resulting in a $1.27 million judgment.
In 2006, Mr. Mensing was the lead lawyer for one of the nation's largest pipeline companies in a plaintiff's suit alleging fraud and breach of contract against a multinational energy provider. The suit involved the $75 million dollar purchase of a pipeline system in the Gulf of Mexico. The case settled favorably for a confidential sum.
In 2006, Mr. Mensing acted as the lead attorney representing a Fortune 100 distribution company in a multimillion dollar breach of contract lawsuit filed against two of the company's former business partners. The case settled favorably for a confidential sum.
In 2005, Mr. Mensing acted as lead counsel in a complex employee compensation dispute filed in federal court on behalf of a former executive of a Fortune 100 company. After Mr. Mensing's client prevailed in the district court, the case settled for a confidential sum.
In 2003, Mr. Mensing acted as lead lawyer in the defense of a national real estate development firm in a bet-the-company lawsuit filed in federal court. Closely monitored by lawyers, trade groups, and legislators across Texas, the case involved the application of a new series of legislative reforms that had not yet been interpreted by any court, and held industry-wide implications for Texas real estate developers. The Court issued a take-nothing judgment in favor of Mr. Mensing's client. In the same year, Mr. Mensing defended the same client in a seven-figure fraud lawsuit filed in state court. Although the plaintiffs pled over sixty causes of action, Mr. Mensing was able to successfully obtain summary judgment on every one of the plaintiffs' claims.
In 2002, Mr. Mensing tried an arbitration against a defendant represented by one of Texas' largest firms. Mr. Mensing's client alleged that her dismissal had been illegally influenced by the sexist animus of her male co-workers. After prevailing on her claims and obtaining an award for both economic and compensatory damages under title VII, Mr. Mensing's client was also awarded her full attorney's fees and costs.
In 2001, Mr. Mensing was lead trial counsel in the defense of a Houston university professor indicted on charges of assaulting a female student. After deliberating for less than an hour, the all-female jury acquitted Mr. Mensing's client.
In 2001, Mr. Mensing was lead trial counsel in a wrongful termination lawsuit brought by a former employee of a large Houston physician's group. After a jury trial in federal court, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Mr. Mensing's client.
In 2001, Mr. Mensing was lead trial counsel in a multi-plaintiff arbitration brought against the City of Houston and the Houston Police Officer's Union. Mr. Mensing's clients alleged that they had been denied promotions in violation of the collective bargaining agreement between the HPOU and the City. After the conclusion of the arbitration, Mr. Mensing's clients prevailed and were awarded all of their requested relief.
In 2000, Mr. Mensing was lead counsel in a dispute involving several million dollars between two Houston oil companies. Mr. Mensing obtained a dismissal of his opponent's counterclaims in their entirety, and won judgment in favor of his clients awarding them their full damages.
In 2000, Mr. Mensing was a member of a team of lawyers litigating a dispute with a large Florida construction company that involved hundreds of millions of dollars. Prior to trial, Mr. Mensing achieved dismissal of all of the defendants' counterclaims, and also successfully defended all of his client's claims against summary judgment. After the court's rulings, Mr. Mensing's client received a multi-million dollar settlement.

Mr. Mensing was born in Modesto, California. In 1994, he earned an A.B. in English, with Honors, from Stanford University. In 1999, Mr. Mensing graduated in from the University of Texas School of Law, where he was a four-time recipient of the Dean's Achievement Award. After graduating from law school, Mr. Mensing began his career in the litigation section of Vinson & Elkins, L.L.P. In March of 2001, Mr. Mensing joined Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Anaipakos, P.C.

EDUCATION

Stanford University (A.B., with Honors, 1994)
University of Texas School of Law (J.D., with Honors, Order of the Coif, 1999)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

State Bar of Texas
United States District Courts for the Southern, Northern,
Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas
The Association of Trial Lawyers of America
Federal Bar Association
American Bar Association
Houston Bar Association

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