Houston Associate Joshua Newcomer has been selected for inclusion in the Houston Business Journal’s (HBJ) 2014 top “40 Under 40” class. A combination of high-profile legal representations, impressive pro bono achievements, and significant community involvement has earned Mr. Newcomer a spot on the list. Each year, the HBJ selects 40 professional men and women under the age of 40 who are recognized for their outstanding business and community leadership in the Houston area.
Mr. Newcomer is a graduate of Temple University School of Law and specializes in complex commercial matters, particularly international disputes involving energy-related litigation and arbitration. Since joining McKool Smith in 2013, he has represented an impressive roster of clients, including the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, Apache Corporation, and E&PCo, among others. He is also a member of the McKool Smith trial team that is defending Alcoa Power Generating, Inc. in a suit filed by the State of North Carolina, concerning ownership rights to submerged land and hydropower dams along the Yadkin River.
Mr. Newcomer has also been involved in several notable pro bono efforts. Through his work with Freedom Now, he represents individuals who were arbitrarily detained in Belarus, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan, through advocacy before international tribunals, including the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Human Rights Commission. His involvement in securing the release of Andrei Sannikov and other opposition politicians who were imprisoned in Belarus earned him recognition in 2012 as “Lawyer of the Week” in The Times of London. Mr. Newcomer also helps to promote the arts through programs and initiatives in Houston. He is a Founding Member of the Artadia Houston Council and a member of Houston’s Menil Contemporaries Steering Committee.
The full list of “40 Under 40” honorees will be announced in the October 31 weekly edition of the HBJ.
With more than 185 trial lawyers across offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Marshall, New York, Silicon Valley, and Washington, DC, McKool Smith has established a reputation as one of America’s leading trial firms. Over the past seven years, the firm has secured eight nine-figure jury verdicts, as well as seven eight-figure jury verdicts. The firm has also won more National Law Journal and VerdictSearch "Top 100 Verdicts" over the last five years than any other law firm in the country. Courtroom successes like these have earned McKool Smith critical acclaim and helped the firm become what The Wall Street Journal describes as “one of the biggest law firm success stories of the past decade.” McKool Smith represents leading clients in complex commercial litigation, intellectual property, bankruptcy, and white collar defense matters.