Burke Law Group adds veteran trial lawyer Liz Klingensmith as partner

Burke Law Group has hired Liz Klingensmith as a partner in Houston, strengthening its Texas litigation practice with a trial lawyer who has handled major commercial, energy and complex disputes. The move comes as the firm expands beyond government-facing matters into sustained, bet-the-company litigation for corporate clients.

Why it matters: - Burke Law Group is using the hire to deepen its Texas trial bench and compete for high-stakes disputes that can determine enterprise value. - Klingensmith adds experience in commercial, energy, construction and trade-secret cases, which are core conflict areas for Texas-based companies. - The move signals a broader shift for the firm from government-related crises to long-duration litigation campaigns for corporate clients.

What happened: - Burke Law Group named Liz Klingensmith a partner in its Houston office. - Klingensmith joined from an Am Law 100 law firm. - The announcement was made July 14, 2026. - Burke Law Group is headquartered in Houston.

The details: - Klingensmith brings more than two decades of trial experience. - Her practice spans pre-suit risk assessment, strategy, discovery, dispositive motions, trial, arbitration, mediation and appeal. - She focuses on protecting enterprise value and delivering business-critical results. - Klingensmith has tried multiple cases to favorable verdicts and judgments. - She served as co-lead trial counsel in a five-week jury trial involving a construction and energy dispute over the design and construction of a crude distillation facility. - That case produced a favorable verdict and more than $100 million in defeated counterclaims. - The verdict was later affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. - Burke Law Group said the addition extends its Texas litigation practice and supports a trial platform built for sustained, bet-the-company disputes. - The firm has grown to 22 lawyers in a few years. - Klingensmith joins partner Ross Spence in Houston and partner Jill Carvalho, Ph.D., in Austin. - The firm also has partners Patrick Kenneally in Chicago and Paul Simon in Lafayette, Louisiana. - Paul Simon has been ranked in the Chambers USA Guide for General Commercial Litigation for the past three years. - Joshua D. Wright, a former FTC commissioner, recently joined as senior counsel focusing on antitrust, consumer protection, regulatory and litigation matters. - The broader team includes counsel and associates Joe Bingham, Madison Burke and Abigail Hornsby. - Burke Law Group says those lawyers bring elite federal clerkships and government experience. - The firm’s practice areas include high-stakes litigation, environmental, regulatory and corporate matters. - More information is available at the firm's website.

Between the lines: - The hire strengthens a Houston-centered litigation platform that now has both trial depth and regulatory experience. - Burke Law Group is positioning itself as a single shop for companies that need both crisis response and long-term litigation strategy. - Klingensmith’s energy-sector background fits the firm’s Texas base and its client mix. - Marcella Burke said Klingensmith brings the judgment, command and business pragmatism the firm wants in existential cases. - Klingensmith said she was drawn to the caliber of the lawyers and to a platform built for how high-stakes litigation is won.

What's next: - Burke Law Group is likely to keep investing in trial talent as it builds out its litigation platform. - Klingensmith is expected to begin trying cases with the firm’s Texas and national team. - The firm will keep marketing itself to companies facing complex commercial and energy disputes.

The bottom line: - Burke Law Group is adding trial firepower as it pushes deeper into high-stakes business litigation across Texas and beyond.