Mississippi-based Butler Snow announced Thursday that it has added four commercial litigators and one healthcare litigator to its Austin office.
The four commercial litigators – Christopher R. Cowan, Eric J.R. Nichols, Amanda G. Taylor and Karson K. Thompson – join the firm from Beck Redden. Cedric E. Evans joins from Bowman and Brooke.
The additions grow Butler Snow’s relatively new Austin office to seven attorneys. The Austin office opened in the spring of 2016 when it hired products liability lawyer Gary Davis. The Austin office also includes products liability attorney Katie Fillmore.
“We are happy to welcome Chris, Cedric, Eric, Amanda and Karson to our team and continue expanding our presence in Austin,” Butler Snow Chairman Donald Clark, Jr. said in a statement. “Each is a great addition to our firm. We look forward to the knowledge and experience that they will offer to our clients.”
Cowan focuses his practice on representing individuals and businesses in civil litigation involving claims of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, employment-related discrimination, products liability, deceptive trade practices, negligence and misappropriation of trade secrets. He also guides clients through government and internal investigations. He is licensed to practice in Texas and California.
Evans primarily focuses on defending pharmaceutical manufacturers. He has taken lead or prominent pre-trial and trial discovery roles in mass tort matters involving a range of pharmaceutical products, including diet drugs, pain management medications, antidepressants, Cox-2 inhibitors, acne medications, antihypertensives and antiepileptic drugs. From 1987-1997, Evans served in the U.S. Army Reserves, retiring with the rank of second lieutenant.
Nichols specializes in representing companies and individuals in business and commercial disputes. He also helps companies and individuals navigate white collar criminal investigations and proceedings both in federal and state court. Nichols is a former deputy attorney general for criminal justice for the State of Texas Attorney General’s office and is a former assistant United States for the Southern District of Texas.
Taylor’s widely-varied practice includes disputes regarding contracts, business organizations, shareholders, fiduciaries, trusts, the Texas Citizens’ Participation Act, real property, franchise and sales tax, employment, fraud/misrepresentation consumers and high-asset divorces.
Thompson’s practice focuses on commercial litigation. He is a former teacher, receiving his education degree from the University of Kansas. He has extensive experience with federal motion practice and procedure from his federal clerkship for the Honorable Sam Sparks in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.