Speakers

Meet Our Talented Team

Our speakers are leading voices in the legal industry, bringing deep experience, practical insight, and forward-thinking perspectives. Each session is designed to deliver real-world value, actionable strategies, and meaningful discussion that helps attendees stay ahead in a rapidly evolving legal landscape.

Ted B. Lyon, Jr., Esq.

Owner, Ted B. Lyon & Associates | Partner, Loncar Lyon Jenkins

Session: Austin’s Lord of the Flies: The Hazing and Death of Sawyer Updike & Mild Traumatic Brain Injury – The Invisible Injury

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Ted has over 49 years’ experience representing clients in complex litigation, involving personal injury, wrongful death, products liability, and business disputes. He has received verdicts which were ranked in the top ten in the nation on three occasions. He has been interviewed and featured by national and local media outlets, including Good Morning America, 60 Minutes II, NBC Dateline, Texas Lawyer, Dallas Observer, The National Law Journal, D Magazine, and Texas Monthly. Ted handles complex litigation. Ted has repeatedly (2003 through 2025) been named to the Super Lawyer List by Thomson Reuters, and was named one of the top 100 Lawyers in America by American Trial Lawyers Association consecutively since 2007.

Clay Lewis Jenkins, Esq.

Owner, Clay Jenkins & Associates | Partner, Loncar Lyon Jenkins

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Clay began his legal career after clerking for the Texas Supreme Court, an experience that gave him firsthand insight into the workings of the state’s highest judicial authority. In 1989, he launched his personal injury practice, determined to advocate for those harmed by negligence. For the next 25 years, he worked closely with Brian Loncar, handling some of the firm’s most high-profile and consequential cases. Together, they achieved many of Loncar Lyon Jenkins’ most significant victories. Eventually, Clay became a part-owner, helping guide the firm’s strategic growth and enduring reputation across Texas.

William “Bill” Johnston, Esq.

Lead Trial Attorney, Loncar Lyon Jenkins

Session: Austin’s Lord of the Flies: The Hazing and Death of Sawyer Updike

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Bill Johnston serves as the lead trial attorney at Loncar Lyon Jenkins, where he draws on a distinguished career spanning public service, federal prosecution, and high-stakes litigation. He is a former Assistant United States Attorney who served with the U.S. Department of Justice for 14 years. Over the course of his federal service, he led several high-profile prosecutions, including the Branch Davidian Cult case, the federal aspect of the Kenneth McDuff serial killer case, and three “Nation’s Top 15” fugitive cases.

Marquette Wolf, Esq.

Attorney, Ted B. Lyon & Associates

Session: Contingent Liabilities, Sox, and the FASB5 Maneuver – How TBLA Has Recovered Over $328 Million Using These Tactics

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Marquette Wolf began working for the firm while attending the Southern Methodist University School of Law. Since then, he has tried dozens of jury trials to verdict and cases in arbitration, gaining critical expertise representing clients in major cases. Marquette played a key role in the groundbreaking Smalley vs. Koch case, which resulted in a major judgement for our client.

Calvin McLean, Esq.

Attorney, Loncar Lyon Jenkins – Houston

Session: Probate Law & Personal Injury

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Calvin McLean is a personal injury attorney at Loncar Lyon Jenkins who is dedicated to fighting for individuals harmed by negligence. In addition to his legal expertise, he brings a strong commitment to client advocacy, focusing on obtaining maximum compensation for victims of car accidents, workplace injuries, and other personal injury claims. Because of his thorough understanding of the law and his empathetic approach, he has become a trusted legal partner for clients navigating difficult times.

Adrian Baca, Esq.

Attorney, Loncar Lyon Jenkins – Dallas

Session: The Intersection of Divorce & Personal Injury Settlements in Texas

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Adrian Baca is a dedicated Texas personal injury attorney known for his aggressive litigation style and unwavering commitment to injured victims and their families. As a key member of the Loncar Lyon Jenkins trial team in Dallas, Adrian has handled a wide variety of personal injury cases, including auto accidents, truck collisions, wrongful death claims, and catastrophic injury lawsuits. Since becoming licensed in 2016, Adrian has tried over 60 cases to verdict, earning a reputation for fearless courtroom advocacy and strategic case-building.

Jeffrey Grell, Esq.

Attorney, Ted B. Lyon & Associates

Session: The Fine Line Between Asset Protection & Fraud: Personal Injury Judgements That Lead to Much Larger Recoveries Against Much Deeper Pockets

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In 2024, Jeff joined Ted B. Lyon & Associates as Special Counsel. For over 30 years, Jeff has been litigating claims under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (“RICO”) Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1961, et seq. For over 20 years, Jeff has also been a RICO educator. He is the author of Grell on RICO and was an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, where he taught RICO for over 25 years. Since the Fall of 2024, Jeff has taught his RICO class at Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law.

Justin Swaim, Esq.

Founding Attorney, Swaim Law Firm

Session: The Fine Line Between Asset Protection & Fraud: Personal Injury Judgements That Lead to Much Larger Recoveries Against Much Deeper Pockets

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Justin enjoys helping people solve problems, standing with them, fighting for them, and being their voice throughout the legal process. The firm has experience in assisting clients in a broad range of legal areas. Justin has represented clients who have suffered catastrophic injuries from automobile and semi-truck and trailer collisions, injuries at work, wrongful conduct and discrimination in the workplace, violations of constitutional rights, and financial loss from corporate negligence and fraud on the consumer, among many others.

Stephen Daniel, Esq.

Attorney, Clay Jenkins & Associates

Session: Handling the New Summary Judgement Rules

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Stephen Daniel works exclusively as a personal injury lawyer. He is experienced in automobile accidents and trucking accidents (he has a CDL), industrial accidents, workplace accidents, product liability, garbage truck accidents, motorcycle accidents (he has his motorcycle license), bus accidents, electrocutions, brain injuries, burn injuries and oilfield accidents.

Judge Martin Hoffman

68^th Civil District Court

Session: What’s New at the George Allen

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Judge Hoffman was elected in November 2006 to the 68th District Court. This court specializes in civil jurisdiction. Judge Hoffman has been honored with the Outstanding Trial Judge Award in 2013 by the Texas Attorney Mediator Coalition for his work with foreclosure mediation legislation. He has been elected three times by the 10,000 members of the Dallas Bar to the Dallas Bar Board of Directors. In 2012, Judge Hoffman was honored with the Outstanding Mentor award by both the Texas Young Lawyer Association and the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers. He was also selected by his peers at the George Allen Courthouse to serve at the Presiding Judge of the Central Jury Room for 2009 and as the Presiding Judge of the Civil District Judges for 2014.

Richard Mann, Esq.

Attorney, Ted B. Lyon & Associates

Session: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury – The Invisible Injury

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Richard Mann joined Ted B. Lyon & Associates in 2011 after graduating from the University of Texas School of Law at Austin. Since that time, Richard has been the attorney primarily responsible for multiple cases that have resulted in substantial high-dollar recoveries in the practice areas of fraud/deceptive trade practices, wrongful death, and catastrophic injuries, including burn victims.

Ricardo Garcia, Esq.

Principal Attorney, Personal Injury Lawyer – Ricardo A. Garcia

Session: How to Win Jury Trials Using AI

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Ricardo Garcia is recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization as a Board Certified Personal Injury Specialist, a distinction achieved by fewer than 3% of lawyers practicing in Texas. Less than 1% of attorneys achieve the honor of Fellow which he was also named. Mr. Garcia is a native of McAllen, Texas, where he lives with his wife and two children. He is fluent in both English and Spanish.

Rep. John Bryant, Esq.

House of Representatives, District 114

Session: Update on the Texas Legislature

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Rep. John Bryant represented District 114, in the Texas House of Representatives for nine years, then for fourteen years in the U.S. House of Representatives, as a progressive Democrat. After serving, he returned to private business, law, and civic activity here in Dallas, Texas. During his service he was twice named one of the “Ten Best Legislators in Texas” by Texas Monthly, successfully prosecuted impeachment of a corrupt federal judge before the U.S. Senate and passed the East Texas Wilderness Bill establishing Texas’ only federally protected wilderness.

Royce West, Esq.

Texas Senator, District 23

Session: Update on the Texas Legislature

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Royce West is a lawyer and public servant who was first elected to the Texas Senate in 1992, where he has represented the 23rd Senatorial District. During his tenure, he has been named by Texas Monthly as one of the 25 most powerful people in Texas politics, and he has been selected for the magazine’s biennial “Ten Best Legislators in Texas” list twice, as well as receiving mention on the Associated Press’ “Movers and Shakers” list and the Texas Insider’s “Best Legislators” list. Senator West is Vice Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee and is a member of Senate committees: Education K-16, Finance, Local Government, and Redistricting, Special.

Hakam Asaad, MD.

Neurologist, Lone Star Neurology

Session: Personal Injury Case From Start to Finish From the Neurologist Perspective

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Hakam Asaad, MD is a neurologist at Lone Star Neurology in Frisco, TX.

Hakam Asaad, MD completed his medical school in Jordan, then he did 2 years of internal medicine residence at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He then completed his Neurology residency as well as Clinical Neurophysiology fellowship at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.

He is board certified in Neurology, Clinical Neurophysiology, Vascular Neurology and Sleep Medicine. He has been in private practice in Nebraska for 13 years, before moving back to Dallas. Besides treating general neurology patients, he has special interests in migraine, Parkinson’s, epilepsy, sleep disorders, stroke and neuromuscular diseases.

Judge Dianne Jones

Dallas County Court at Law 4

Session: What’s New at the George Allen

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Judge Jones is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, and Southern Methodist University School of Law. Her background includes work in private practice, as in-house counsel, and work in the Federal Public Defender’s Office. She also served as an Assistant United States Attorney with the Northern District of Texas. Judge Jones has served on the bench before. She presided over Dallas County Criminal Court 11, a family violence court, for seven years. Her legal experience spans criminal law, civil law and family law.

Judge Maria Aceves

192nd Civil District Court

Session: What’s New at the George Allen

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Judge Maria Aceves is the presiding judge of the 192nd Civil District Court in Dallas County. Prior to getting on the bench, Judge Aceves was an award-winning civil litigation attorney, focusing on personal injury matters. She also handled guardian ad litem appointments representing minor children’s interests in civil cases. Prior to starting her own firm, Judge Aceves practiced civil litigation at a prominent defense firm and worked at a boutique catastrophic injury firm.
Session: What’s New at the George Allen