Smith County Lawyers

Joanna Whittaker, fondly called “Jo” by her close friends, is a dedicated attorney who has been an Arkansan through and through. Born and raised in Maumelle, Joanna attended North Little Rock High School (NLRHS) and later pursued higher education at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR), earning dual bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Criminal Justice, with a minor in Human Services. Joanna completed her formal education at the Bowen School of Law, where she obtained her Juris Doctorate (JD). Before her legal career, Joanna worked closely with children, gaining valuable experience as a church nursery worker, camp counselor, and...

I represent individuals and small-to-midsize businesses in a variety of litigation matters, with a primary emphasis on contract and construction disputes.

Gerald W. Livingston, native Dallasite. Served in the United States Army, Graduated Southern Methodist University - Dallas, TX with a LL.B. in Law.
Member of the Texas State Bar, the Dallas Bar Association, Tarrant County Bar Association, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association and past member of the State Bar of Texas District 6A, Grievance Committee in Dallas.
AREAS OF PRACTICE: Personal injury claims in all fields (30 + years experience); Employment Law; Business Law. Member of the National Trial Lawyers Top 100, The National Trial Lawyers Top 25 Specialty Associations and AV Preeminent...

Real Estate and Business Litigation along with Transaction Documentation are the focus of the law practice of Charles Holt. When the outcome really matters - chose experience - choose Attorney Charles Holt.

- Licensed to Practice since 1992.
- Law School: South Texas College of Law.
- Member College of the State Bar of Texas, Dallas Bar Association, Tarrant County Bar Association
- On the exclusive STATE BAR OF TEXAS Lawyer Referral Information Service
- On the exclusive DALLAS BAR ASSOCIATION Lawyer Referral Service (DBA LRS)
- Court Appointed Mediator
- Court Appointed Attorney
- Admitted to Practice in Federal Court for the Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas.
- Excellent disciplinary record with the State Bar.

Handling family law matters with superior strategy and knowledge of the law is my strong point. Rita Boyd handles cases in Dallas, Collin, Denton,...

Sam is a specialist in estate planning & probate law and residential real estate law. He is board certified in both areas by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Included in his specialties is Elder Law, specifically Medicaid eligibility, Qualified Income (or Miller) Trusts, and disability planning.

In 2020, I left a large national law firm to open the Law Office of Andrew D. Thomas. I was frustrated with the limitations of big law and believed there was a better way to practice law. I started the Law Office of Andrew D. Thomas so I could provide exceptional legal service with small town values at prices real people can afford.

We are a client-services firm. We provide honest and accurate assessments of clients' legal needs. We keep clients informed each step of the way and promptly respond to all inquiries. We appropriately staff and work our cases. We...

Mark R. Basile started his career at Shea & Gould in New York City and throughout the course of his career has, and continues to represent small publicly traded companies in securities and corporate finance litigation in both state and federal courts around the country. Mr. Basile won a landmark decision (2021) for small public companies in the New York Court of Appeals that agreed that certain corporate funding instruments are subject to NY's criminal usury laws. Mr. Basile is also a Professor of Law & Entrepreneurship at The Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center in New York teaching a course that he...

Personal Injury Litigation

For over 50 years Lou Fouts has represented thousands of clients who have sustained serious bodily injuries, or the loss of a loved one by wrongful death. He works zealously to achieve fairness and justice in securing recoveries for his clients. His career and reputation are distinguished by excellence and compassion for his clients. Both clients and other attorneys have recognized his tenacity and determination for his clients. Lou Fouts earned his B.B.A from S.M.U. and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from The University of Texas at Austin Law School in 1970. While repersenting individuals who...

Mr. Clint Broden is board certified in the area of criminal law and criminal appellate. His practice is limited to criminal defense work. He has received an "AV" rating from Martindale Hubbell, the highest rating available. He was voted by his peers as a "Super Lawyer" in criminal defense from 2004 - Current. From 2011 - 2013, D Best named him a "best attorney" in Dallas in the field of criminal defense. Although he handles all types of criminal cases, Mr. Broden specializes in complex, criminal cases in federal court at both the trial and appellate level. He...

Chad West has dedicated his career to protecting the rights of individuals who are facing difficult legal circumstances. Throughout his career, he has worked on a vast variety of cases ranging from complex litigation suits to car wreck cases to workplace injury cases generating over $200 million in verdicts, judgments, and settlements. Chad's practice focuses on civil litigation, personal injury, and car accidents. After growing up on a farm in Southern Illinois, Chad attended and graduated from Washington University in St. Louis and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. He served in...

Summary Statement Matthew E. Yarbrough is a renowned expert in digital discovery. He has 20 years legal and investigative experience working both as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and in private legal practice. He is a trial lawyer with extensive jury trial experience in both civil and criminal matters. The Yarbrough Law Group focuses on complex business litigation, including intellectual property, cybercrimes, government investigations, internal investigations, financial fraud, and technology-related litigation. Mr. Yarbrough served as head of the Cybercrimes and Criminal Intellectual Property Task Force for the Department of Justice and was tapped by former Texas Attorney General John Cornyn to be...

Marty Jo Taylor advocates against family violence so children can grow up free from pain and insecurity. A mother of one son, she is a strong advocate for children and works diligently to keep them safe and secure.

She assists families with navigating the legal system during this sensitive and often traumatic time. She never rushes through the process and uses her mediation training skills to develop workable solutions instead of adding fuel to the fire.
Clients with questions about their case know they can count on Marty Jo to take the time to examine the facts and the...

Karen Ensley is a board-certified construction law attorney focused on representation of small and large commercial and specialty contractors throughout Texas. Karen “grew up in the business,” working firsthand in the construction industry prior to becoming an attorney. Karen is well versed in lien and bond claim law, collecting for unpaid work, and defending against claims of improper workmanship, Karen also regularly drafts, reviews and negotiates construction contracts, provides counsel to her clients with employer/employee issues and implementation of general best
business practices.

I am a zealous legal professional with a track record of highly effective strategy formulation and implementation, skillful contract negotiation, and multiple successful corporate transactions. Over the course of my career, I have acquired a reputation for the delivery of innovative legal counsel. Among my various talents is the ability to communicate effectively and convey complex concepts to stakeholders across all levels of business, following the analysis and interpretation of information. I perform exceptionally when performing independently and I am also able to engage in efficient cross-functional collaboration to enable the achievement of targets. In addition, I have proven business...

After graduating with a B.A. (summa cum laude) in Foreign Languages from Southern Methodist University, Raney obtained her law degree from SMU in 2001. She worked for three years in Paris, France before returning to the U.S. to work for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), where she advised clients on the intricacies of complex federal lending regulations. Raney currently represents criminal defense clients, with an emphasis on how criminal law relates to federal immigration law. She also handles a wide range of immigration issues including employment-based and family-based matters. Raney has also represented a several clients in...

Described by colleagues as a “gym rat” in the courtroom, Bill Forteith still loves going into court and fighting for his clients in trial after almost forty years of exclusively practicing civil trial law. Trying hundreds of jury trials, his legal experience has literally gone from the cradle to the grave having represented clients involved in prenatal and neonatal care, daycare centers, nursing homes and even funeral homes. Yet trial work, such as automobile accidents and premises liability cases, excite him just as much as the more unusual cases. He believes that every client deserves the same passionate representation regardless...

Tiara A. Thomas is an attorney, speaker, and philanthropist. Throughout her career, she has helped her clients get the justice they deserve for being injured in both commercial and non-commercial vehicle crashes. In addition to personal injury, Tiara has represented clients in complex civil litigation claims, including breach of contract claims, civil fraud claims, Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act claims, & more! In 2022, she was selected as a “Top 40 Under 40 Attorney,” an honor given to only the top 40 under 40 African American lawyers in each state or region with reputations for providing excellent legal representation in their...

Mike Killough was certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Residential and Commercial Real Estate Law from 1983, the first year the certification was available in Texas, until 2023 . He is a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas and was selected a Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly. He is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the Texas Supreme Court. A Distinguished Military Graduate in 1964, Mike served on active duty from 1967 to 1969. He attained...

Board Certified in Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Grady K. Bergen is a partner at Griggs Bergen LLP, a law firm specializing in intellectual property with offices in Dallas, Texas. He is a registered patent attorney with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and is licensed to practice in Texas and Missouri. Mr. Bergen earned his Juris Doctorate from Baylor University School of Law in 1992, and holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma, completed in 1988. His legal practice focuses on patents, trademarks, copyrights, and related intellectual property matters. With a background in engineering, Mr. Bergen is experienced in handling cases across various technology...

A founding partner of Steckler Wayne Cochran PLLC (“SWC”), Stuart Cochran is a civil trial lawyer with almost twenty years of experience litigating, trying, arbitrating, and mediating complex commercial, class action, and personal injury cases in state and federal courts across the nation. Stuart has a nationally-recognized consumer class action practice, and he is frequently brought in to cases outside of Texas due to his experience. More locally, Stuart handles complex commercial cases and catastrophic personal injury cases. Stuart’s practice is unique in that he handles cases for both plaintiffs and defendants. Stuart has helped recover...