Ten Brown Fox Attorneys Named 2026 Best Lawyers

August 21, 2025 by

Brown Fox is proud to announce that Best Lawyers of America has recognized ten of its attorneys in the 2026 Best Lawyers edition. Partner Brian Robison again garnered recognition as “Lawyer of the Year” for his antitrust work.

Selections are based entirely on peer review, with “Lawyer of the Year” awarded to attorneys receiving the highest overall feedback in their practice area and region. Managing Partner Russ Brown shared, “We’re so proud of our honored lawyers and the entire Brown Fox team. We’re built to serve most of the day-to-day legal needs businesses encounter. It’s great to see that range of service reflected in our honorees’ selection in ten different categories.”

Brown Fox, celebrating its fifteenth year, has also recently picked up honors as a Best Place to Work in the Dallas Business Journal, an Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Company, a Best Lawyers Tier 1 Best Law Firm, and ranked and spotlighted by Chambers in the category of Litigation: General Commercial.

We’re so proud of our honored lawyers and the entire Brown Fox team. We’re built to serve most of the day-to-day legal needs businesses encounter. It’s great to see that range of service reflected in our honorees’ selection in ten different categories.

2026 Best Lawyers

Michael Baum: Litigation – Labor & Employment. Baum’s practice focuses on employment and commercial litigation. This marks Baum’s sixth Best Lawyers honor. He was previously recognized as a Best Lawyer Under 40 by D Magazine and Rising Star by Super Lawyers.

Russ Brown: Employment Law – Management. This is Brown’s second Best Lawyers honor. He represents businesses and executives, with a focus on labor & employment matters. Brown co-founded Brown Fox in 2010, serving as the firm’s Managing Partner since inception. Prior honors include Super Lawyer and Rising Star from Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers under 40 by D Magazine, and 40 Under 40 by Dallas Business Journal.

Charlene Koonce: Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy). Koonce is an AV-rated, seasoned trial and appellate attorney who prosecutes and defends commercial disputes, serves as appellate counsel, and periodically represents receivers in government enforcement cases. She has also received prior honors from Super Lawyers, D Magazine, The American Lawyer, Martindale Hubbell, and National Law Journal honors.

Jenny DePonte: Employment Law – Management. DePonte is a double-board certified attorney in both labor & employment and civil trial law. She counsels clients on OSHA compliance, investigations, and employment litigation. This is her third Best Lawyers recognition, and she has been honored by Super Lawyers and D Magazine.

Brian Robison: Commercial Litigation, Antitrust Law, Litigation – Antitrust. A Best Lawyers honoree for fourteen years running, Robison was named Lawyer of the Year for Antitrust Litigation for the fifth time. His practice focuses on complex commercial and antitrust disputes, as well as mediation and arbitration. Robison has been honored by Chambers USA, D Magazine, and Lawdragon.

Cort Thomas: Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy). Honored for the fifth consecutive year, Thomas represents businesses in commercial disputes and often serves as a court-appointed receiver. He previously has been recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers.

Eric Wood: Litigation – Labor & Employment. Wood is an AV-rated litigator who has represented clients in all kinds of business disputes including cases involving breach of contract, enforcement of non-competition agreements, deceptive trade practices (DTPA), breach of fiduciary duty, fair debt collection practices, and employment disputes. Wood has received prior honors from Super Lawyers, The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, Martindale Hubbell, and National Law Journal.

Alan Carrillo: “Ones to Watch” – Commercial Litigation. Carrillo focuses his practice on commercial and bankruptcy litigation, advocating for clients in both state and federal courts. He has also been honored as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers.

Samuel Fubara: “One to Watch” – Corporate Law. Honored for the third year in a row, Fubara focuses on corporate, mergers & acquisitions, and private equity matters.

Paulette Miniter: “One to Watch” – Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation. This marks her sixth recognition for commercial litigation and fourth for appellate work. Miniter focuses her practice on lawsuits and appeals that present difficult issues or high stakes. She has also been honored as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers.

Visit Brown Fox’s Best Lawyers page by clicking here.


Founded in 2010, Brown Fox is a business boutique law firm focused on serving businesses, executives and entrepreneurs in practice areas most commonly needed to advance business growth, manage risk, and defend from attack. The firm’s representative clientele includes companies ranging from start-ups to publicly traded companies. The firm has offices in Dallas and Frisco.

Best Lawyers recently named Brown Fox a Tier 1 Best Law Firm for a fifth year in a row, Chambers & Partners has recognized the firm as a top small to midsize firm in all three of its Regional Spotlights, Inc. 5000 has recognized the firm for a third time as one of the Fastest Growing Private Companies in America, and The Dallas Business Journal named Brown Fox a Best Place to Work in 2025. The firm’s attorneys have garnered over seventy Super Lawyers & Rising Stars honors, several Best Lawyers honors from both D Magazine and Best Lawyers in America, among other honors.

Character Matters® is the firm’s foundational maxim; its core values of integrity, servant leadership, excellence, and impact are its roots. Brown Fox is committed to aggressively and creatively representing our clients, while staying true to the firm’s guiding principles. Learn more about Brown Fox by clicking here.


Integrity-Driven Advocates, Problem Solvers, and Counselors Ready to Serve.
Meet Brown Fox