HOUSTON – AZA partner Lizzie Pannill Fletcher won an upset election against a Republican congressman this week to become the first Democrat ever elected to the Houston congressional district once represented by President George H.W. Bush.
At the same time, former AZA trial lawyer Lauren Reeder was elected to Harris County’s 234th Civil District Court.
“I am thrilled to see Lizzie and our former associate Lauren elected to Congress and the bench. These are two great steps in the right direction for Houston,” said John Zavitsanos, a founding partner of AZA or Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C.
Ms. Fletcher unseated Rep. John Culberson for the 7th congressional district seat held by the first President Bush when he began his political career as a congressman. The race was a key toss-up battle in Democrats’ bid to win the U.S. House and was followed closely by the national media.
“Tonight’s results have shown that we have the power to change the direction of our country – that’s what we did with this race,” Ms. Fletcher said.
A fifth-generation Houstonian and a fourth-generation Texas trial lawyer, Ms. Fletcher has been recognized by attorneys across the country as among the Best Lawyers in America for commercial litigation. She is listed in the 2016-19 editions of that respected guide to lawyers. She also has been recognized as one of Texas’ top lawyers in Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers magazine from 2016-19.
After graduating from the William & Mary Law School in Virginia where she was editor of the William & Mary Law Review, Ms. Fletcher joined Vinson & Elkins LLP in Houston in 2006. Three years later she joined AZA, becoming the firm’s first female partner in 2015.
Ms. Reeder joined AZA from the global law firm Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP in 2012. A Harvard Law School graduate, she focused on complex commercial and business litigation at AZA and she left in 2014 to become an assistant Harris County prosecutor.
Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C., or AZA, is a Houston-based law firm that is home to true courtroom lawyers with a formidable track record in complex commercial litigation, including energy, intellectual property, and business dispute cases. AZA is recognized by Chambers USA 2018 among the best in Texas commercial law; by U.S. News – Best Lawyers’ Best Law Firms as one of the country’s best commercial litigation firms for seven years running including 2019; and previously by Law360 as a Texas Powerhouse law firm. National corporate counsel named AZA one of the country’s best in client service among law firms serving the Fortune 1000.