Intellectual Property, Complex Commercial Litigation Attorney Steven Mitby Named Partner in Houston’s AZA Law Firm
November 17, 2011HOUSTON – Intellectual property and complex commercial litigation attorney Steven Mitby has been named a partner in Houston’s AZA, a dynamic boutique law firm also known as AZA.
“In just the last year alone, Steve helped win a $392 million patent infringement claim, an important appellate victory for Continental Airlines pilots in an ERISA case, and an oil & gas dispute where he was asked to come in at the last minute,” says Joe Ahmad, one of the founding partners of AZA.
“For good measure, Steve is also representing a high-profile government executive in an ongoing investigation. Who wouldn’t make him partner?” says John Zavitsanos, also a founding partner of the firm.
Mr. Mitby represents both plaintiffs and defendants in a wide variety of complex litigation matters, including patent infringement cases, insurance coverage disputes, securities class actions, products liability claims, construction litigation, oil and gas litigation, trademark infringement disputes, internal corporate investigations, and appeals.
Named to the 2011 Texas Rising Stars list published in Texas Monthly magazine, Mr. Mitby recently helped Austin-based Versata Software Inc. win a $392 million patent infringement verdict in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. In July, he was named Appellate Lawyer of the Week by Texas Lawyer after helping his clients avoid millions of dollars in liability following his arguments before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
In another case, Mr. Mitby assumed the lead counsel role only three days before a trial, successfully defending a group of former engineering firm shareholders against claims that the group owed a substantial debt stemming from the merger of two oil & gas companies. The judge awarded AZA $755,000 in attorney’s fees as well. He currently represents Port of Houston CEO Alec Dreyer in several controversies related to port operations.
A summa cum laude graduate of Harvard College and cum laude of Harvard Law School, Mr. Mitby worked in the Houston office of Baker Botts L.L.P. before joining AZA.
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, intellectual property, securities fraud, construction, and business dispute cases. AZA is one of only 32 firms in the U.S. to be recognized as “awesome opponents” in a nationwide poll of corporate general counsel who were asked to name the law firms they hope their companies never have to face in court. In fact, AZA has been hired on many occasions by the same companies the firm has prevailed against at trial.
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