Lauren Van Ness is a trial lawyer with extensive experience representing clients in complex commercial litigation, employment disputes, and real estate matters. Since joining the firm in 2021, she has been actively involved in all aspects of trial preparation and presentation, including drafting persuasive pleadings, managing discovery, handling depositions, negotiating settlements, participating in mediations, and trying cases in court.
Lauren has successfully first- and second-chaired trials and is known for her ability to distill complex facts into compelling trial narratives. Her recent trial victories include securing a take-nothing judgment on behalf of a prominent attorney accused of professional negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and fraud, and obtaining a unanimous 12-0 jury verdict in Harris County for a business and personal advisor client on claims of breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
While Lauren is always ready to try cases, she is equally committed to guiding her clients toward practical, cost-effective settlements that make economic sense. She works closely with clients to evaluate risk, weigh strategic options, and make informed decisions at every stage of litigation.
Lauren also has significant appellate experience. She has co-authored appellate briefs filed in the First and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals in Houston, as well as in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. In one notable case, Lauren co-authored the appellate brief that led the Fifth Circuit to reverse a summary judgment ruling, holding that overtime plaintiffs bear only a light burden under the current case law to prove damages when an employer fails to track hours worked. That victory paved the way for a six-figure settlement on behalf of three workers who had not been paid overtime. Plaintiff-side employment litigation is a cornerstone of Lauren’s practice. She represents individuals in workplace disputes involving discrimination, retaliation, and wage violations, and has experience in every stage of these cases-from initial EEOC and Texas Workforce Commission complaints through trial.
Lauren earned her B.A. in Psychology from Texas A&M University in 2014, magna cum laude, and her J.D. from South Texas College of Law Houston in 2017. While in law school, she was selected as a Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Fellow and spent a year teaching constitutional law to high school seniors at a high-performing public charter school in Houston.
