© 2012 The Texas Lawbook.
By Natalie Posgate
Staff Writer for The Texas Lawbook
When the attorneys at Rusty Hardin & Associates decided in February that they needed to add an associate or two to their team, the last thing they expected was to hire a former journalist, a former geophysicist and a former LSU football player. But the Houston trial boutique scored all three and is extremely pleased with the results of its hiring efforts.
The unique backgrounds of Carolyn Courville, Jennifer Brevorka and Bob Wynne are not the only attributes that these three new attorneys bring to the table. They’re also helping the firm expand its services in complex commercial litigation – a legal sector that continues to grow hot.
Managing partner Rusty Hardin said that these new hires allow the firm to gain a larger presence in business litigation while maintaining its specialty in civil litigation (which, despite the media’s heavy coverage on Hardin’s famous white-collar criminal cases, is the dominant firm-wide focus).
“I think we’re going to be predominantly business litigation because I think that’s where the market is now,” Hardin said. “But there are several members of the firm who enjoy personal injury. I think we’re going to be a combination – more business rather than personal, but there will be several [attorneys] with a [civil] docket.”
Jennifer Brevorka was the first of the three to join Hardin’s firm. An attorney only a few years out of Duke University School of Law with a couple of federal judicial clerkships under her belt, Brevorka met the exact description the firm was looking for. But there was a bonus: Before becoming a lawyer, Brevorka spent four years as a reporter and two as a teacher.
As an associate, Brevorka focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation and criminal defense. Since she joined Hardin, Brevorka has assisted clients in a civil dispute involving a Middle Eastern government and an oil trading company; an ethics inquiry involving the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners; and the special court of inquiry for the Michael Morton matter slated to continue in February next year that Hardin will serve as the special prosecutor.
Brevorka said she joined the firm because she was impressed by the diversity and complexity of client matters that her now-fellow attorneys work on, and the fact that many of the firm’s cases involve individuals or small businesses.
“I jumped at the chance to work at a small trial boutique with highly-skilled litigators who handle big firm cases,” Brevorka said. “As a litigator who enjoys being in trial, I was drawn to RH&A because of the firm’s reputation for success in cases that went to trial.”
When the firm also offered Bob Wynne an associate position, he happily joined, saying it was “way too good of an opportunity to pass up.”
But something that perhaps impressed Hardin more than his qualifications as a lawyer was what Wynne accomplished in college. Wynne managed to graduate No. 1 in his class at Louisiana State University – even after spending his undergraduate years as a starting offensive lineman for the football team.
“Being in football isn’t relevant to being hired, but being No. 1 in your class and [playing football] in a major conference is relevant to being hired,” Hardin said.
Before joining Rusty Hardin & Associates, Wynne practiced at the Houston firm Burford, Hawash, Meade & Gaston, where he handled many cases that resulted in multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements. Like his work at his previous firm, Wynne’s practice focuses on personal injury lawsuits and commercial litigation with a focus on representing plaintiffs.
After hiring Brevorka and Wynne, Hardin thought he had all of the attorneys he needed. But then his headhunter gave him another call.
His headhunter had found out that an experienced attorney he knew, Carolyn Courville, was looking to get into litigation after spending 10 years at Susman Godfrey and four more years at Jackson Gilmour & Dobbs.
And before that she was a successful geophysicist.
“My god she [didn’t] fit the model but one of the things that made her most attractive was she loves a part of the practice that most trial lawyers hate: she loves document reviewing and getting them in order,” Hardin said.
Not to mention her significant experience in complex oil and gas litigation. Courville specializes in exploration and midstream contract disputes, royalty and accounting claims, and environmental contamination claims. In addition to oil and gas litigation, Courville’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation.
Aside from the three attorneys’ accomplishments, Hardin said they met the culture at the firm as being just as enjoyable to work with as having a drink with.
“The common thread with all of these people is they’re extremely bright but they don’t wear their brightness and ability on their sleeve,” Hardin said. “They’re tremendously fun to work with and [are people] clients and juries relate to.”
It’s evident the new attorneys feel the same way.
Wynne is happy that he has the chance to work with “a group of genuinely good-natured, happy, family-oriented men and women.”
“And I really like bright ties and light-colored suits,” he added.
© 2012 The Texas Lawbook. Content of The Texas Lawbook is controlled and protected by specific licensing agreements with our subscribers and under federal copyright laws. Any distribution of this content without the consent of The Texas Lawbook is prohibited.