Houston, TX -- (SBWire) -- 01/19/2012 --The Houston complex commercial litigation and intellectual property firm Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C. (AZA) is announcing the hiring of two new associates.

Diane Guillerman joins the firm with more than 12 years of experience in litigation and appellate matters, including prior work as a chambers attorney for then-Texas 14th Court of Appeals Justice Eva Guzman.

Reed Smith has clerked for two federal judges, including one on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; helped write solicitor general briefs in support of Texas law; and served as editor of the law review at the University of Virginia School of Law.

“We’re very pleased to add these two exceptional attorneys to our team of skilled trial lawyers,” says John Zavitsanos, a founding partner of AZA.

Ms. Guillerman has extensive experience in pretrial preparation and electronic discovery in complex commercial litigation cases involving FERC, securities matters, contractual interference and breach of contract. In addition to her appellate and litigation credentials, Ms. Guillerman has mediated cases at the Dispute Resolution Center of Harris County for two years. She is a member of the College of the State Bar, and she was also recently appointed by the mayor to serve on Houston’s Independent Police Oversight Board. Before attending the University of Houston Law Center, Ms. Guillerman worked as a Division Order Analyst at Scurlock Permian Corp.

Mr. Smith co-authored the State of Texas’ successful brief in the 2010 case of Croft v. Perry, a challenge to the words “under God” in the state’s pledge of allegiance. As a clerk in the Office of Solicitor General – part of the Texas Office of the Attorney General – he worked on several other cases including Rangra v. Brown, a challenge to open meetings laws that resulted in a dismissal on behalf of the state. Mr. Smith also clerked for 5th Circuit Judge Catharina Haynes and U.S. MagistrateJudge Paul D. Stickney of Dallas, as well as serving as an intern for 5th Circuit Judge Jennifer Elrod.

Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.C., or AZA, is a Houston-based law firm that is home to true courtroom lawyers with a formidable track record in complex commercial litigation, including energy, intellectual property, securities fraud, construction, and business dispute cases. AZA is one of only 32 firms in the U.S. to be recognized as “awesome opponents” in a nationwide poll of corporate general counsel who were asked to name the law firms they hope their companies never have to face in court. In fact, AZA has been hired on many occasions by the same companies the firm has prevailed against at trial. More information about the firm can be found at http://www.azalaw.com.

For more information on Mr. Smith and Ms. Guillerman at AZA, please contact Mary Flood at 800-559-4534 or mary@androvett.com.