General Information

Year founded: 1993
This is the year the firm (or its earliest predecessor entity) was founded.
Logo for Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing

Overview

Content is provided by the firm.

Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing or AZA, is home to true courtroom lawyers who provide clients with a formidable track record in complex commercial litigation including energy, trade secret, intellectual property, construction, and business dispute cases.

AZA earned a coveted rating for its work in Texas commercial litigation in the 2014 -2021 editions of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, published by Chambers and Partners which is recognized worldwide for its prestigious guides to the legal profession. AZA was named First-Tier in Commercial Litigation in Houston by U.S. News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America in their rankings of the nation’s Best Law Firms. Likewise, AZA was named a Recognized Firm by Benchmark Litigation—the definitive guide to America’s leading litigation firms and attorneys.

In 2015, AZA was recognized as one of only 10 boutique firms nationally by Law360 for successfully challenging the nation’s biggest law firms. The list of Top 10 Boutiques includes firms that are on par with the biggest firms but less expensive and more accessible to clients. Likewise, AZA was named among the “Most Feared Law Firms” by corporate counsel at major U.S. companies, as surveyed by the leading legal research group BTI Consulting. The 40 firms across the country on the 2015 list were chosen on the basis of extensive interviews with 300 general counsel and in-house litigation counsel at top-spending companies and organizations. In addition, AZA was chosen the 2015 and 2019 Litigation Department of the Year by the publishers of Texas Lawyer newspaper. The annual honor recognizes the Texas-based litigation firms that have excelled during the previous year based on courtroom results. Just three general firms are chosen statewide for having the top litigation departments. AZA, a powerhouse with fewer than 40 lawyers, claimed the top spot in the small-firm category.

Dedication to clients, coupled with the ability to prevail in the courtroom before judges and juries alike, is why so many general counsel across the U.S. know AZA. It’s also why corporate counsel have named AZA one of the law firms with the best client service of those serving the Fortune 1000. In fact, AZA has been hired on many occasions by the same companies the firm has prevailed against at trial.

Rankings

Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing is nationally ranked in 1 practice areas and metro ranked in 9 practice areas. Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process.

Read how Best Law Firms ranks firms

National Rankings

Tier 3
Tier 3 for Litigation - Construction

Metro Rankings

Houston
Tier 1 for Appellate Practice
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Employment Law - Management
Tier 1 for Litigation - Construction
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property

About Our Clients

Air Liquide USA LLC
American Automobile Association
CITGO Petroleum Corporation
Columbia Gulf Transmission Company
Contango Oil & Gas Company
Enbridge Inc.
Genuine Parts Company
GreyStar Corporation
Holloman Corporation
Key Energy Services, Inc.
LoJack Corporation
Lyondell Chemical Company
Mercedes-Benz USA
Mistras Group, Inc.
National Oilwell Varco
NRG Energy
Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.
PSC
Versata, Inc.

Select Clients

  • Air Liquide America
  • American Automobile Association
  • CITGO Petroleum Corporation
  • Enbridge Inc.
  • Genuine Parts Company
  • Mercedes-Benz USA
  • National Oilwell Varco
  • Plains All American Pipeline, L.P.
  • PSC , LLC
  • Versata Software

Highlighted Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
Commercial Litigation
Ahmad Zavitsanos is an excellent firm with top shelf attorneys.
Commercial Litigation
I had an excellent work experience with Joe Ahmad on an important case and other employment matters. They offered advice that was both practical and effective. I would definitely work with them again.
Commercial Litigation
Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing is dedicated to working in the best interests of the client. Their judgement and expertise of their attorneys are unquestioned. The firm is driven by results, not by cost, and can be trusted to handle the most complicated commercial litigation cases. I have worked with John Zavitsanos for many years and have absolute confidence in his representing our company in any litigated matter. His "bulldog" mentality is absolutely results driven.
Earl Silverstein, Vice President Legal Affairs – Healix, Ltd.
Commercial Litigation
Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing is one of the best litigation firms in the US.
E. Chris Kaitson – Enbridge Energy Company, Inc.
Commercial Litigation
Ahmad, Zavitsanos is top-notch. It iss good as any firm in the U.S. and better than 99.9 percent.
E. Chris Kaitson – Enbridge Energy Company, Inc.
Commercial Litigation
Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing does a great job.
Litigation - Intellectual Property
Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing does a great job.

Rankings

National Rankings

Tier 3
Tier 3 for Litigation - Construction

Regional Rankings

Houston
Tier 1 for Appellate Practice
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Employment Law - Management
Tier 1 for Litigation - Construction
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 1 for Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
Tier 2 for Patent Law
Tier 2 for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Tier 3 for Arbitration

Practice Areas

The below are areas of legal specialty volunteered by the firm and do not designate a specialty in which a Best Law Firms ranking is held.
  • Appellate Practice
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Health Care Law
  • Litigation - Construction
  • Litigation - Intellectual Property
  • Litigation - Patent
  • Oil and Gas Law
  • Trade Secrets Law

Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®

Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing has 14 lawyers recognized for individual performance in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. By receiving this Best Lawyers recognition from their peers for their professional excellence, these lawyers made Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing eligible for evaluation for Best Law Firms rankings. For almost two decades, Best Lawyers has awarded these singular accolades, making them the foundation of our Best Law Firms awards. Read more about our Best Lawyers process here.
Spinning circle
{{ practiceAreaName }}
{{ lawyer.FirstName[0] }}{{ lawyer.LastName[0] }} {{ lawyer.FirstName[0] }}{{ lawyer.LastName[0] }} {{ lawyer.Locations[0].City }}{{lawyer.Locations[0].StateCode ? ', ' + lawyer.Locations[0].StateCode : '' }}

Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
Spinning circle
{{ comment.ClientFullName + (comment.ClientTitle ? ", " : "") }} {{ comment.ClientTitle }} – {{ comment.ClientCompanyName }}

Awards

Awards are self-reported by firms and are not verified by the Best Law Firms rankings.
  • Benchmark Litigation - Firm and three lawyers rated
  • AZA listed by Law360 among 10 boutiques “Giving BigLaw a Run for its Money”
  • Texas Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year by firm clients and the publishers of Global Law Experts
  • Texas Super Lawyers - 9 AZA Lawyers named Texas Super Lawyers
  • AZA Earns Selection to Texas Verdicts Hall of Fame - Texas Lawyer
  • Three AZA Attorneys Named to Who's Who in Energy List - Houston Business Journal
  • Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business - AZA among Best in Commercial Litigation
  • Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business - 3 AZA lawyers rated
  • Houston Law Firm AZA Named Among Largest Energy Practices by Houston Business Journal
  • BTI Client Service All-Star Team 2013 - John Zavitsanos
  • BTI Consulting Group names AZA "Awesome Opponents"
  • U.S. News/Best Lawyers in America - 9 AZA Best Lawyers
  • U.S. News/Best Law Firms- AZA Tier 1 in Commercial Litigation
  • Texas Super Lawyers - 3 AZA Lawyers Top 100 Texas, 4 AZA Lawyers Top 100 Houston
  • Texas Super Lawyers - up to 7 to 13 lawyer on Rising Stars list for Texas
  • BTI Client Service A-Team 2012 to firm AZA
  • 3 of Texas Top 2011 Verdicts on Both Sides of the Bar - Texas Lawyer
  • Who's Who in Energy named 3 AZA Lawyers - Listed by 7 city business journals

Main Location

Management and Personnel

Office Administrator
Sandy Howell
Managing Partner
John Zavitsanos
Find the Best Law Firms
Search for a Law Firm
Search our directory of over 16,000 firms across the Globe.
Search
Is Your Law Firm Ranked?
Enhance your firm's reputation and visibility with our marketing opportunities.
Marketing Opportunities
Ranked Practice Areas
See the practice areas included in our Best Law Firms research.
Practice Areas