A Professional Corporation

Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys - General Defense

Jeff Ray

El Paso, TX

• E-Mail: jray@raylaw.com

Years of Experience: 37

Admitted

• Texas, 1982
• New Mexico, 1993
• U.S. District Court, Southern and Western Districts of Texas, 1982
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth and Ninth Circuits, 1982
• U.S. District Court, District of New Mexico
• U.S. District Court, Eastern and Northern Districts of Texas
• U.S. Supreme Court

Additional Biographical Details:

Texas Super Lawyer, 10 Consecutive Years

Jeff is known as a trial lawyer who is one of the few lawyers who spends much of his time in court and in front of juries throughout the Southwest. He has tried or has been lead counsel in cases in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Ohio.

During his career, a number of Jeff's cases have received national recognition for defense verdicts in pipeline explosion, tire defect, automobile defect, product defect, oil field accident, refinery explosion, transportation accident, and liquor liability cases (reported by various news sources including CNN, USA Today, Business World and ABC News).

Memberships:

• American Bar Association
• State Bar of Texas
• State Bar of New Mexico
• Texas Association of Defense Counsel
• Defense Research Institute

Certifications:

• Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Education:

• The University of Texas at Austin, B.A. (with honors), 1979
• St. Mary's University School of Law, J.D. (with honors), 1982

Born: 1957

Brian Brack

El Paso, TX

• E-Mail: bbrack@raylaw.com

Admitted

• New Mexico, 1993
• Texas, 2003
• U.S. District Court, District of New Mexico, 1994
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, 2004

Additional Biographical Details:

AV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell; The Best Lawyers in America; Southwest Super Lawyers

Memberships:

• State Bars of Texas and New Mexico

Education:

• New Mexico State University, B.S., 1989
• Creighton University School of Law, J.D., 1993

Daniel H. Hernandez

El Paso, TX

• E-Mail: dhernandez@raylaw.com

Years of Experience: 28

Admitted

• Texas, 1991
• New Mexico, 2008
• U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas
• U.S. District Court, District of New Mexico
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit

Since 1991 Daniel has been an active trial lawyer, trying over 60 jury trials as lead counsel, and combined part of trial teams over 100 trails as counsel for businesses, corporations, governments, employers, manufacturers, owners, insurance companies, and individuals. Daniel has tried cases in Texas and New Mexico in which he has achieved a favorable outcome and defense verdicts in over 90% of his cases. In 2015, Daniel obtained an improbable jury defense verdict in a personal injury lawsuit in which his client had been previously convicted of murder and engaging in organized criminal activity for the very same activity claimed in the lawsuit, and for which he is serving fifteen years in a Huntsville, Texas prison. Daniel has also handled many of his own trial verdicts on appeal with similar successful results.

Daniel has tried over 150 administrative cases as lead counsel before Workers' Compensation agencies, and in South Texas, was part of a trial team which successfully defended a worldwide clothing manufacturer in over 2,000 worker claims involving respiratory exposure injuries. As a Board Certified Personal Injury attorney, Daniel has defended a variety of injury cases involving a large variety of accidents, including auto, trucking, bus, work sites, construction sites, premises products, fire, workers' compensation, and dog bites. Many of these cases are catastrophic death and injury cases involving auto and trucking accidents, which includes the handling and examination of a variety of experts in various professional specialties. Daniel also handles cases involving general commercial and civil liability, civil rights, deceptive trade practices, premises security, food-borne illnesses, property damage claims, inverse condemnation, first and third party insurance claims, and employment disputes such as discrimination and wrongful termination cases.

Memberships:

• State Bar of Texas
• College of the State Bar of Texas
• Texas Association of Defense Counsel

Certifications:

• Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Education:

• The University of Texas at El Paso, B.S., 1986
• University of Denver, J.D., 1991

Law Review:

Student Editor-In-Chief, Family Law Quarterly, 1990-1991

Honors:

American Jurisprudence Award

Language:

• Spanish

Born: 1961

Aldo Lopez

El Paso, TX

• E-Mail: alopez@raylaw.com

Years of Experience: 12

Admitted

• Texas, 2007
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court

Prior to joining RMJ as an associate, Aldo participated in prosecution and defense of commercial disputes, DTPA, unfair debt collection, foreclosures, wrongful foreclosures, landlord/tenant disputes, evictions, civil appeals & mandamus, various experience for creditors and debtors in Ch. 7, Ch. 13, and Ch.11 bankruptcies.

Eighth District Court of Appeals of Texas, Oct. 2007-Sept. 2009 Judicial Clerkship in the Chambers of Chief Justice David Wellington Chew.

Promoted to Research Attorney in Oct. 2008. Performed extensive legal research and drafted opinions in regular and accelerated criminal, civil, and juvenile appeals. Also, prepared memoranda for oral arguments and gave recommendations on motions before the court.

Education:

• Trinity University, B.A., 2004
• St. Mary's University School of Law, J.D., 2007

Noemi V. Lopez

El Paso, TX

• E-Mail: nlopez@raylaw.com

Years of Experience: 8

Admitted

• Texas, 2011
• New Mexico, 2021

Noemi has trial and appellate litigation experience. Her experience includes claims analysis, investigation, discovery, motion practice, and handling or assisting in all phases of trial and appeals in a variety of complex matters.

Noemi's legal career began as a law clerk and then a Staff Attorney for the Texas Eighth District Court of Appeals. As a staff attorney, she produced highly advanced appellate work requiring in-depth analysis and preparation of legal memoranda/opinions and extensive research of applicable law in civil and criminal appeals. She also participated in pre- and post-submission conferences and made recommendations to the appellate court. Noemi later worked as an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas in El Paso investigating and prosecuting federal criminal offenses.

During law school, Noemi served as a certified legal intern for Penn State Law's Children Advocacy Clinic. She also interned at MidPenn Legal Services, The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General (Healthcare section), and a large civil litigation firm in El Paso. Noemi performed pro bono work for the Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center and was involved in various community service projects, including Habitat for Humanity, Toys for Tots, Wills for Heroes, and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA). Today, Noemi continues her commitment to community service by participating in professional and non-profit associations that serve our greater community.

Education:

• Penn State University, J.D., 2011

Jeffrey T. Lucky

El Paso, TX

• E-Mail: jlucky@raylaw.com

Years of Experience: 29

Admitted

• Texas, 1990
• New Mexico, 1991
• U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas
• U.S. District Court, District of New Mexico

Additional Biographical Details:

Co-Editor, El Paso Law Journal, 1997-1998; Editor, EP Law, Journal of the El Paso Bar, 1997-1998

Jeff has primarily been involved in product liability, general negligence defense, labor and employment litigation and commercial litigation with a large litigation firm in El Paso. He has been actively involved in trying various types of civil cases for more than 25 years.

Memberships:

• State Bar of Texas (Litigation Section, Council Member, 1996-2004)
• El Paso County (President 2003-2004) Bar Association
• Defense Research Institute

Certifications:

• Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Education:

• Texas Tech University, B.A., 1974
• Baylor Law School, J.D., 1990

Honors:

Texas Super Lawyer

Born: 1951

James A. Mounts, III

El Paso, TX

• E-Mail: jmounts@raylaw.com

Years of Experience: 33

Admitted

• Texas, 1986
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas, 1989

Mr. Mounts' practice focuses on providing insurance companies, rail and road carriers, employers and general industry with efficient and result-oriented legal representation in personal injury and general civil litigation.

Since 1986 Mr. Mounts has maintained an active trial docket of cases in the transportation, products liability and general liability areas in El Paso County and throughout West Texas. Mr. Mounts has defended multiple death motor vehicle accidents for various trucking and insurance carriers, all types of first and third party litigation for automobile and homeowner insurance carriers, third-party premises security cases for real property owners and managers, construction cases for owners and contractors, products liability, business dispute, and deceptive trade practices cases for business and industrial entities, and a large variety of other personal injury and civil litigation. Mr. Mounts has also defended employment litigation, including wrongful termination and retaliatory discharge suits.

Memberships:

• State Bar of Texas
• Trucking Industry Defense Association
• Transportation Lawyers Association

Education:

• University of Virginia, B.A., 1982
• Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D., 1986

Marisa Ybarra-Williams

El Paso, TX

• E-Mail: mybarra-williams@raylaw.com

Years of Experience: 10

Admitted

• Texas, 2009
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas, 2009

Marisa Ybarra joined Ray, McChristian & Jeans in 2013 as a litigation associate after practicing for five years with a small civil litigation firm in El Paso, Texas. She is a resident in the firm's El Paso and San Antonio offices and focuses on litigation related matters. Marisa is a trial attorney experienced in representing corporate, industry, transportation, and commercial clients. She has successfully resolved six and seven-figure exposure cases through mediation and motion practice both in State and Federal Court. As first trial chair, Marisa obtained a defense verdict where the plaintiff requested seven figures in damages.

During the last two-years of law school, Marisa was employed as a law clerk with a small civil litigation firm in Austin, Texas. During her first and second summers, she was a legal intern with the Honorable Kathleen Cardone, District Judge, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas and the Honorable Phil Martinez, District Judge, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. While attending the University of Texas at El Paso, Marisa was a legal intern for the Texas 8th Court of Appeals. Prior to attending law school, Marisa enjoyed a career in politics and worked for political campaigns ranging from the President of the United States to local school board races.

Memberships:

• Federal (El Paso Chapter), El Paso and El Paso Women's Bar Associations
• State Bar of Texas
• Associate Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
• Texas Association of Defense Counsel
• Texas Young Lawyers Association
• National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel
• Defense Research Institute

Education:

• The University of Texas at El Paso, B.A., 2005
• The University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 2008

Language:

• Spanish

Rebecca H. Alvarez

El Paso, TX

• E-Mail: ralvarez@raylaw.com

Admitted

• Texas, 2019
• New Mexico, 2021
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas, 2020

Memberships:

• State Bars of Texas and New Mexico

Education:

• Louisiana Tech University, B.A., 2014
• Texas State University, M.A., 2015
• Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, J.D., 2019

Isaac Gutierrez

El Paso, TX

• E-Mail: igutierrez@raylaw.com

Admitted

• Florida, 2014
• Texas, 2015
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas

Memberships:

• The Florida Bar
• State Bar of Texas
• El Paso Bar Association

Education:

• Seattle University, B.A., 2005
• Florida Coastal School of Law, J.D., 2014

Rosa Sung

El Paso, TX

• E-Mail: rsung@raylaw.com

Admitted

• New Mexico, 2017
• Texas, 2018

Education:

• Seoul National University, B.A., 2003
• Seoul National University, M.B.A./M.A., 2006
• The University of Texas at Austin, J.D., 2017

David S. Jeans

El Paso, TX

Admitted

• Texas, 1978
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas, 1978
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1978

Additional Biographical Details:

Texas Super Lawyer, 12 Consecutive Years

David began his legal career in 1978 with a large law firm in El Paso where he became a shareholder in 1982 until 1995. He left to join the firm presently known as Ray, McChristian & Jeans.

He has practiced primarily in the areas of medical malpractice defense, railroad litigation, insurance defense and commercial litigation.

Memberships:

• American Bar Association
• State Bar of Texas
• Texas Association of Railroad Trial Lawyers
• American Board of Trial Advocates
• National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel
• Texas Association of Defense Counsel
• Defense Research Institute

Education:

• The University of Kansas, B.A., 1970
• The University of Kansas, J.D., 1978

Law Review:

Law Review

Born: 1948