Houston, TX Lawyers

Personal Injury Law

1150 Bissonnet St, Houston, TX 77005, USA

Erin Copeland currently serves as the court-appointed Lead of the Paragard (birth control) MDL pending in the Northern District of Georgia and Co-Lead of the Suboxone MDL pending in the Northern District of Ohio. She serves on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee of the Hair Relaxer MDL pending in the Northern District of Illinois. Previously, from 2017 to 2022, Erin served on the Executive Committee for the Essure consolidated state litigation in California, where she and her team oversaw the claims of thousands of women who suffered severe and permanent injuries as a result of the Essure permanent sterilization birth control device. In August 2020, she helped to negotiate a $1.6 billion settlement with Bayer to resolve the Essure litigation. Erin also served on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for the various female pelvic mesh MDLs pending in the Southern District of West Virginia as well as the Pradaxa litigation pending in the Southern District. In the Pradaxa litigation, Erin served as State-Federal Liaison Counsel to the cases pending in St. Clair County, Illinois. Erin is often invited to speak on a variety of legal issues at both judicial and general legal conferences. She also serves on the board of several legal organizations, including the American Association for Justice and Texas Women Rainmakers. Erin is a native Houstonian who practices with the Houston-based law firm Fibich Leebron Copeland & Briggs. Erin and her family split time between Houston and Colorado where her son was a competitive snowboarder before attending golf school.

Corporate and Transactional Law

811 Main St, Houston, TX 77002, USA

Evan Shepherd is a corporate transactional associate in the Houston office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. His practice focuses on representing public and private company clients and private equity sponsors (including their portfolio companies) in domestic and cross-border transactions, including M&A acquisitions/dispositions, joint ventures, spin-offs, private equity investments, venture capital investments, other strategic investments, securities offerings and related general corporate advice. He currently practices in the firm’s Corporate department, with a specific emphasis on strategic transactions. His corporate representations include Kraft Heinz, NetApp, General Electric, Amazon.com, Mondelez International, Brown Forman, Viavi Solutions and Ziff Davis (formerly J2 Global), among others. Evan received his Juris Doctorate from the NYU School of Law, where he was President of the Student Bar Association, editor of the NYU Law Review and recipient of the Vanderbilt Medal for outstanding contributions to the NYU School of Law, and his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science (Law & Public Policy) from the University of Louisville, cum laude. Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, he was an associate with Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in London, United Kingdom. Evan is admitted to practice law in the states of New York and Texas.

Civil Litigation

3040 Post Oak Blvd, 1400, Houston, TX 77056

Fred Johnson is a trial attorney with more than 27 years of experience litigating and trying cases to juries, judges, and arbitrators. He has represented clients as first chair trial attorney in more than 25 jury and bench trials, as lead counsel in contested matters seeking injunctive relief, in arbitrations and mediations. He has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in a wide range of matters. Fred has spent most of his career litigating commercial cases involving businesses and individuals in a variety of areas. He has significant experience handling cases involving fiduciary duties, employment contracts, trade secrets, and non-compete agreements. He has handled and tried cases involving the construction industry, manufacturing, employment discrimination and wrongful termination, EEOC and OSHA investigations, legal malpractice, insurance coverage disputes, trust agreements, products liability, and more. He also handles matters seeking temporary restraining orders and injunctions. During his career, he has handled cases in Texas, California, Colorado, Utah, Illinois, Florida, Louisiana, and Delaware. He has represented clients before the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the United States Department of Labor, and the Texas Workforce Commission. Fred has also provided counseling and training for clients in the areas of employment /Title VII issues and litigation issues such as contribution and indemnity in Texas.

Civil Litigation

770 South Post Oak Lane, 420, Houston, TX 77056

Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Billy Shepherd is a seasoned and highly-regarded litigator with vast experience trying many different types of cases. He attended the University of Virginia, earning academic honors, and graduated with a B.S. from the University’s McIntire School of Commerce in 1982. He then returned to his native New Orleans and obtained an M.B.A. from Loyola University in 1983, where he also earned academic honors. In 1984, Billy moved to Austin to begin law school at the University of Texas School of Law, where he earned a J.D. with honors in 1987. Billy became licensed to practice law later that year, and moved to Houston to join the trial section of Andrews Kurth LLP. In 1992, Billy and other members of the trial section left Andrews Kurth to form Cruse, Scott, Henderson & Allen, L.L.P., which later became Shepherd, Scott, Clawater & Houston, L.L.P. In 2015, Billy formed Shepherd Prewett PLLC with Matthew Prewett. Throughout his many years of litigation and appellate experience, Billy has cultivated a practice that encompasses a broad range of matters, including representation of attorneys and law firms, large corporations, energy companies, insurance companies, and individuals in various types of disputes. He also often consults on ethical issues facing attorneys and their firms in today’s complicated business climate. In addition to having taught trial advocacy at the University of Houston Law Center, Billy has frequently served as a speaker on legal malpractice and ethics issues. Admitted to practice in various state and federal trial courts, Billy is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the International Association of Defense Counsel, and the Texas Bar Foundation.

Civil Litigation

770 South Post Oak Lane, 420, Houston, TX 77056

Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Billy Shepherd is a seasoned and highly-regarded litigator with vast experience trying many different types of cases. He attended the University of Virginia, earning academic honors, and graduated with a B.S. from the University’s McIntire School of Commerce in 1982. He then returned to his native New Orleans and obtained an M.B.A. from Loyola University in 1983, where he also earned academic honors. In 1984, Billy moved to Austin to begin law school at the University of Texas School of Law, where he earned a J.D. with honors in 1987. Billy became licensed to practice law later that year, and moved to Houston to join the trial section of Andrews Kurth LLP. In 1992, Billy and other members of the trial section left Andrews Kurth to form Cruse, Scott, Henderson & Allen, L.L.P., which later became Shepherd, Scott, Clawater & Houston, L.L.P. In 2015, Billy formed Shepherd Prewett PLLC with Matthew Prewett. Throughout his many years of litigation and appellate experience, Billy has cultivated a practice that encompasses a broad range of matters, including representation of attorneys and law firms, large corporations, energy companies, insurance companies, and individuals in various types of disputes. He also often consults on ethical issues facing attorneys and their firms in today’s complicated business climate. In addition to having taught trial advocacy at the University of Houston Law Center, Billy has frequently served as a speaker on legal malpractice and ethics issues. Admitted to practice in various state and federal trial courts, Billy is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the International Association of Defense Counsel, and the Texas Bar Foundation.