Simmons and Fletcher, P.C., my law firm, has been a trusted name in Houston since the 1970's. We proudly represent the little guys against big insurance companies and corporations. I earned my law degree and passed the bar in 1995. I immediately began my practice in personal injury trial law with Simmons and Fletcher, P.C. as a trail attorney. I became Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law in 2005 in Texas. I have received recognition as a “Top Lawyer” by H Texas Magazine in 2013 and was most recently named A Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly's Super v Meragazine. I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Texas in 1992 and earned my Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 1995. While in school, I was a member of the Phi Delta Phi Honorary Legal Fraternity, the Student Bar Association Student Concerns Committee, and the Houston Young Lawyer’s Association Environmental Committee.

Attorney Josh Mintz is a native Houstonian who grew up around the law, becoming the 7th lawyer in his family when obtaining his J.D. from U.C. Hastings College of the Law (San Francisco) in 2003. Since then, Josh has developed a rare mix of expertise as both a lawyer and businessperson in a wide variety of professional organizations, including the California firm Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth, the Am Law 100 international law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, and the Beaumont, TX based firm Waldman Smallwood. He supplemented this experience with several years managing multi-million dollar business segments for retailers UncommonGoods and Design Within Reach, and the media company behind Dwell magazine. After spending much of his childhood in Southwest Houston, Josh moved to Kingwood in 1990 and later graduated from Kingwood High School in 1996. He spent his first half of college at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) as part of the LSA Honors Program, before transferring to the University of Texas (Austin) and graduating with a B.A. in 2000. After several years in New York City, Josh gladly returned home to Houston in 2014 where he now lives with his wife, Dr. Emily Mintz, and their three children.

Before beginning his legal studies and career, James Rodriguez earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Texas A&M University. After graduating from Texas A&M in 1989, Mr. Rodriguez was selected from a nationwide search to participate as a Fellow in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in Washington D.C. While in D.C he worked as a legislative aide on Capitol Hill. In 1996, Mr. Rodriguez graduated from the University of Houston Law Center, after working full time as a legal clerk while attending law school. After law school, Mr. Rodriguez began his career representing catastrophically injured clients and today is a partner with Padilla & Rodriguez, L.L.P., where he continues to work on cases involving catastrophic personal injuries and wrongful deaths. Mr. Rodriguez is fluent in Spanish and has worked in a number of capacities advocating for immigrants’ rights. He has served as past president of the Mexican American Bar Association (Houston); past vice president of the Hispanic Bar Association (Houston); past president of the League of Latin American Citizens Council 30. He is currently on the advisory board of the Hispanic Bar Association (Houston) and is a member of the board of directors of the Fe y Justicia Worker Center. He is also a member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Houston Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Association of Justice. Mr. Rodriguez is a Member of the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers (2013). Mr. Rodriguez is a native of Bryan, Texas. His family roots trace back to the earliest Mexican settlers in Brazos County, Texas. While living in Houston, Texas, Mr. Rodriguez remains active with his family and in community, business and civic affairs in Bryan. His interests include fund-raising for various programs aimed at the advancement of minority young adults and speaking to young students about the value of education.

David McNeal is a Texas attorney who has represented hundreds of injured Texas citizens. He graduated from Tulane University Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana, and in addition to earning his Juris Doctor, he earned a Certificate of Specialization in Maritime Law, was a member of the Juvenile Law Clinic and received Trial Advocacy honors – an accolade awarded to only the top 10% of the class. David has gone to trial numerous times in and around the Greater Houston area. David has also recovered millions for clients who have been hurt due to the negligence of corporations and/or individuals. As part of a military family, David spent a decade of his life in the Philippines and Germany before moving to San Antonio, Texas at the age of twelve. He graduated from John Marshall High School and spent the next two years attending the University of Texas at San Antonio and San Antonio College before being accepted into the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point New York, where he majored in Logistics and Intermodal Transportation. David was a Football Team Captain at Kings Point, setting numerous Academy rushing and scoring records and becoming an NCAA 1st Team All-American – only the second Football All-American in the 76-year-old Academy’s history. He was also named the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and Player of the Year and the Freedom Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year. In 2019, he was inducted into the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Athletic Hall of Fame. Now as an offensive-minded trial attorney, he brings the same “running-back” mentality to the courtroom. Nowadays the handoffs come from the injured clients he serves. And, while he still advances towards the opposition, it is always with the client’s “goal” in mind. Upon graduation from “Kings Point”, David was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy Merchant Marine Reserves Program (now the Strategic Sealift Officer Program) and received his U.S. Coast Guard issued Merchant Mariners License as a Third Mate (ship’s officer). While working in vessel construction and as a mate for the NYC Department of Transportation aboard the Staten Island Ferry, he earned the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade in the Navy Reserves before receiving an interservice transfer and attending Marine Corps Officer Candidate School (OCS) where he earned a commission in the United States Marine Corps Reserves. While attending law school, he served as a legal officer with the 4th Marine Logistics Group and 4th Marine Division. David has been named a Top 40 Under 40 Attorney by the National Black Lawyers' Association in 2018, 2019, and 2020.

D. Douglas Grubbs has been helping victims of defective pharmaceutical products since early 2004 when he assisted with a nationwide Fen-Phen docket comprising more than 7,000 injured men and women. From 2005 to 2008, Doug attended South Texas College of Law where he made the Dean’s Honor List. Throughout law school, Doug also clerked at a nationally recognized mass tort law firm in Houston. After earning his jurisprudence doctorate in 2008, Doug accepted an associate position at a prominent East Texas law firm where he focused his practice on the firm’s national pharmaceutical and medical device dockets. During that time, Doug also advocated for those who had been injured as a result of negligent drivers, medical malpractice, and unsafe work premises. Mr. Grubbs returned to Houston in 2012, continuing to represent those wrongfully injured by negligent pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Doug’s diverse experience in products liability litigation allows him to quickly determine the merits of a potentially successful claim. He has also been involved in numerous facets of mass tort litigation including depositions, motion practice, written discovery, witness and trial preparation, as well as settlement negotiations. In honor of his excellence in the practice of law, Doug has been recognized by his peers as a 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 Texas Super Lawyers – Rising Star (a Thomson Reuters service). This recognition is awarded to only 2.5% of emerging attorneys in Texas 40 years old or younger, or those who have been practicing law for 10 years or less. In 2013, Doug joined a select group of lawyers recognized for their legal ability and professional ethical standards by receiving an AV® Preeminent Peer Review rating (a Martindale-Hubbell service). An AV® certification mark is a testament to the fact that Doug’s peers ranked him at the highest level of professional excellence. Doug has also received a 5 out of 5 preeminent client review rating from an IVC filter client. In 2016, Doug was invited to join The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 under 40. Membership is extended solely to a select few of the most qualified attorneys from each state who demonstrate superior qualifications of leadership, reputation, influence, stature, and public profile. Invitees must exemplify superior qualifications, trial results, and leadership as a young lawyer under the age of 40.

We are a personal injury litigation practice that has been assisting residents of Houston for many years. We have the skills and understanding to assist you in obtaining the compensation you are entitled to. We will work tirelessly to achieve the best possible outcome in your case. To learn more about how we can assist you, please get in touch with us immediately.