Howard Nations, J.D.

Howard L. Nations is triple board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization as both a personal injury trial lawyer and a civil trial lawyer.  Mr. Nations received his law degree from Vanderbilt University and a bachelor of arts degree from Florida State University.

Personal hands-on representation is the hallmark of the law firm. Mr. Nations continues to handle large catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases. The firm is currently emphasizing representation of plaintiffs in pharmaceutical mass torts. During his forty-plus years of trial practice he has tried cases in the areas of product liability, wrongful death, medical malpractice, real estate fraud, insurance bad faith, will contests, breach of contract and a variety of personal injury and workers' compensation cases. He is one of the leading counsel in Avandia, Gadolineum, Ortho Evra, Zyprexa, Seroquel, and Trasylol litigation.

Mr. Nations is one of the most sought after legal speakers in America. Howard continues as a member of the adjunct faculty at South Texas College of Law. He has also published numerous law review articles, CLE papers and legal publications.

Since receiving his law degree from Vanderbilt University in 1966, Mr. Nations’ career has been acknowledged as a nationally board certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocates, is certified as a Diplomate of Trial Advocacy by the National College of Advocacy, is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization as a personal injury trial lawyer, and is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization as a civil trial lawyer.

Carolyn St. Clair, R.N., J.D.

Carolyn St. Clair attended the University of Texas School of Nursing at Houston, then began her career as a registered nurse at The Texas Medical Center assisting famed heart surgeons, Dr. Denton Cooley and Dr. Michael DeBakey. The second phase of her career began after her graduation from The South Texas College of Law  as a  briefing attorney for the Texas Supreme Court. 

Upon entering private practice, Ms. St. Clair  specialized in medical law, including, personal injury and wrongful death and product liability. Carolyn has taken lead roles in multiple high profile litigations, including Avandia, Ortho Evra, Seroquel and Trasylol litigation. Other major roles include the mismatched heart-lung transplant of young Jessica Santillan (featured on Sixty Minutes), and the elevator decapitation of highly accomplished medical doctor, Hitoshi Nikaidoh. Both cases resulted in change to industry standards and charitable causes were established in memory of the deceased victims in the effort to avoid future harm to other individuals.

Carolyn has enhanced her medical and legal education and work experience with mutliple certifications in other disciplines, including, Harvard Law School mediation, arbitration  and negotiation. Carolyn St. Clair's briefing attorney experience at the Texas Supreme Court has served an essential role in litigating cases involving mass tort, medical device failure, implants and pharmaceutical product defects, auto, boat, motorcycle and railroad crossing accidents, class actions, toxic torts, multi-district litigation, oil rig, construction and amusement park accidents, forklift roll-overs, all terrain vehicle rollovers, doctor, chiropractor, nurse, hospital and nursing homes, sexual assaults, battery, false imprisonments and suicides, denial of health insurance and denial of social security benefits, mental incapacity disputes, mental health commitments, guardianship and probate mattes.

Her medical background at the Texas Medical Center has been critically utilized in cases involving heart failure, spinal cord injuries, closed and open head injuries, comatose victims, strokes, deep venous thrombosis, clots, burns, amputations, electricutions, drownings, explosions, birthing injuries, herniated disks, comas, blindness, hearing and nerve impairment, connective tissue diseases, kidney, liver and lung disease, heart disease, defects and transplants, congenital defects, fractures, soft tissue injuries, cancer and deaths.

Carolyn is honored to serve the medical professions as an ex officio member of the University of Texas Health Science Center Development Board over the six schools of health at the Texas Medical Center. Carolyn is a founding member of the Texas Medical Legal Society and contributing author to the ATLA Press Structuring Settlements and numerous other legal articles. She is a Lifetime Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, American Association for Justice, Houston Trial Lawyers Association, Houston Bar Association, the Association of Women Attorneys. She gives back to the health care profession by serving as President of the University of Texas School of Nursing at Houston Alumni Association, holds a variety of board positions, serves on committees and contributes to the Melvin Belli Society, Baylor College of Medicine Partnership, Rose Ribbon Cancer Reconstruction Foundation, Michael Bolton Women and Children at Risk Project, MADD - Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, Vogel Alcove Homeless Women and Children Foundation, Leukemia Society, End Hunger, and her pet project, Citizens for Animal Protection.

 

Dr. Robert Toth, MD, JD, Of Counsel

Dr. Toth was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1982. He is also admitted to practice in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas. He is also licensed to practice medicine by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners.

In addition to his law practice, Dr. Toth has served as instructor at South Texas College of Law and the Texas College of Trial Advocacy, besides delivering numerous lectures to attorneys, physicians and nurses on medical-legal topics. He co-authored and co-edited Legal Medicine: Legal Dynamics of Medical Encounters, C.V. Mosby & Co., 1988. He also wrote "The Law of Physician Assistants and Advanced Nurse Practitioners in Texas," South Texas Law Journal Vol. 22 No. 1, 1981, as well as other legal articles.

Dr. Toth is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law. He is also Board Certified by the American Board of Legal Medicine. Dr. Toth is a Fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation and a Diplomate of the National Board of Medical Examiners. He is Past President of the Houston Medical-Legal Society and Past Chairman of the State Bar of Texas Subcommittee on Malpractice Litigation. Dr. Toth serves on the State Bar Grievance (Attorney Disciplinary) Committee. He is a member of the Houston Bar Association, Houston Trial Lawyers Association, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, College of the State Bar of Texas, Texas Medical Association and Harris County Medical Society. Dr. Toth volunteers his time for the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Houston Power Squadron and Houston Grand Opera.

Jim Ashworth, J.D. 

Jim Ashworth is a 1974 graduate of the South Texas College of Law after receiving his Bachelor of Science in political science from the University of Houston in 1968. Mr. Ashworth worked as an associate with The Nations Law firm directly out of law school in the 1970's before returning to his highly successful business career.

Jim has contributed his legal services as a Special Prosecutor for the District Attorney’s office in Houston County, where he prosecuted cases for  the Texas State Constable's office. Jim also assisted in prosecutions for the U.S. Federal offices, the Texas State Forfeiture offices. the Texas State Forestry Service and conducted Chapter 59 forfeitures. As one of the most successful attorneys/businessmen in the nation, the firm is  fortunate to have Jim manage the cases in our trial dockets with skill, finesse and record setting speed and efficiency. 

 

Kim T. Truongle, J.D., Associate Attorney

Kim T. Truongle received her Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology and graduated with high honors from the University of Texas at Austin. She received her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Houston Law Center.

 

Ms. Truongle is a member of the American Association for Justice, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Southern Trial Lawyers Association, the Houston Bar Association, Houston Young Lawyers Association and the State Bar of Texas.

Ms. Truongle works with the firm in the representation of catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases and is currently active in the prosecution of pharmaceutical cases on behalf of Plaintiffs. While attaining her Juris Doctor degree, Ms. Truongle participated in various organizations and events, including a moot court competition, working as a mediator in local courts, and serving as a representative for the University of Houston's Health Law Organization. She has also engaged in numerous volunteer activities, such as the People's Law School and AIDS Walk Houston. She is fluent in reading, writing and speaking the Vietnamese language.  

Mark E. Dykes, J.D. Of Counsel

Mark E. Dykes graduated from Lamar University in 1992 with a business degree. He attended South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas and was awarded his Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1995.

While in law school Mr. Dykes developed an interest in advocacy and was on the winning team in the Fisher, Gallagher & Lewis Mock Trial Competition in 1995. He was licensed by the State Bar of Texas in 1995. Mr. Dykes is licenced to practice in all courts of the State of Texas and The United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Mr. Dykes is a member of the Houston Trial Lawyers Association, the Houston Bar Association, and the State Bar of Texas.

Mr. Dykes represents clients in a broad spectrum of litigation including business and real estate, insurance coverage, legal and medical malpractice, significant personal injury, and mass torts. Representation does not end at the trial court as Mr. Dykes maintains an appellate practice in addition to his trial work.

Cindy L. Nations, J.D. Associate Attorney

Cindy Nations received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin, graduating with honors and with special honors in psychology.

Ms. Nations has fourteen years of experience in community mental health. She also worked in law firms for nine years before becoming an attorney. Ms. Nations spent several years living and working in Mexico where she mastered the Spanish language, and gained an understanding of Mexican culture.

Entering the University of Texas Law School, her studies focused on various types of litigation. In 2002, she participated in a five-month clinic where she represented state hospital patients in mental health commitment hearings. Cindy Nations received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from The University of Texas Law School and is licensed to practice law in Texas.

Ms. Nations has worked on cases in the areas of product liability, wrongful death, medical malpractice, breach of contract, securities fraud and various types of personal injury. Her current practice focuses primarily on catastrophic injury, wrongful death, and pharmaceutical litigation.    

Lori A. Siler Restaino, J.D., Associate Attorney

Lori A. Siler Restaino, J.D., received her B.A. in journalism from Texas Woman's University, and her Doctor of Jurisprudence from South Texas College of Law. She has extensive experience in toxic tort litigation, catastrophic injuries and wrongful death. Currently, Lori focuses her practice on mass tort litigation, representing clients who were harmed by pharmaceuticals and medical devices and catastrophic trucking accidents.

Lori is a member of the Melvin Belli Society, American Association of Justice, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Southern Trial Lawyers Association, Texas Women Lawyers and the Houston Bar Association. She is admitted to practice in the Southern District of Texas, the Eastern District of New York and the Southern District of New York.