Carmen Jo Rejda-Ponce (“CJ”) is a Principal in Germer’s Houston office, but her practice takes her all across Texas. She regularly counsels and defends both private and public sector clients on matters involving employment issues and civil (constitutional) rights. She handles matters from the pre-claim and pre-suit stage, through litigation, and through appeal. She is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. CJ focuses on a broad range of labor and employment litigation, including, discrimination, harassment, hostile work environment, retaliation, disability accommodation, workers’ compensation retaliation, on-the-job injuries, and wage and hour issues. She has represented private and public sector clients in employment-related disputes before federal and state courts, federal and state administrative agencies, and arbitrators. CJ counsels private and public sector employers on labor and employment concerns, including, addressing medical leave, developing and revising workplace policies and procedures, investigating and addressing employee complaints, conducting employee disciplines and terminations, drafting employment, separation, and other agreements, and determining proactive solutions to workplace problems while avoiding litigation. CJ also defends public sector clients —including counties, cities, and law enforcement officers— in a variety of civil rights matters, including defense of first amendment retaliation, excessive force, wrongful arrest, inmate medical care, and jail death matters. Many of these civil rights matters involve qualified immunity issues for law enforcement officers. Through her civil rights defense work, CJ has gained appellate experience. She has handled multiple federal and state appeals. She has successfully argued for her clients twice before the Fifth Circuit, and is looking forward to more opportunities. CJ also has experience with personal injury litigation, including on-the job-injuries, motor vehicle accidents, and negligence claims against public entities. CJ’s private practice experience includes Baker Botts LLP and Reed Smith LLP. CJ also previously served as an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Houston in Labor, Employment, and Civil Rights Division. She was also a registered lobbyist during the 2013 Regular Session of the Texas Legislature.

Adrian Senyszyn is a principal at Germer PLLC, and he practices in the areas of construction, cybersecurity, health care law, HIPAA, employment law, administrative law, and personal injury. Mr. Senyszyn represents clients throughout Texas. Much of his construction practice involves large, multiparty construction defect litigation. Mr. Senyszyn represents both general contractors and subcontractors, and he has represented many scopes of work to include HVAC, swimming pools, electrical, roofing, waterproofing, masonry, framing, window manufacturers, concrete, and ornamental steel. He also advises about mechanic’s and materialman’s liens and other issues that affect the general business of contractors. Mr. Senyszyn’s cyber security practice includes the health care sector where he routinely advises health care practices about privacy and security rules. Mr. Senyszyn has extensive experience managing claims through the breach notification process, and he has advised many practices suffering catastrophic breaches. Mr. Senyszyn also defends clients before courts and administrative agencies such as the Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Texas Medical Board. Mr. Senyszyn has experience defending class action claims related to cybersecurity breaches. Mr. Senyszyn often speaks about health care issues, cybersecurity and HIPAA rules. Mr. Senyszyn has been recognized as a “Texas Superlawyer” by Thompson Reuters from 2021-2025, “Best Lawyers®” since 2022, and a “Top Attorney” according to Texas Monthly since 2023.

Collin D. Shellenberger was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas. He has spent his entire legal career with Germer, PLLC in its Beaumont office defending businesses and individuals in civil litigation matters.

Larry J. Simmons, Jr., a principal in the firm, has tried dozens of cases as lead attorney in a variety of commercial, employment, civil rights and personal injury lawsuits. Larry is one of only seven Texas attorneys double Board Certified as a Specialist in Labor & Employment Law (2005) and Personal Injury Trial Law (1999) by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Larry is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He has been recognized as a “Texas Super Lawyer”, a Thompson Reuters publication, in 2007, 2010-2020, and 2022-2025. In 2015, he was recognized in the Top 100 Houston Super Lawyers List, a Thompson Reuters publication. Larry is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and is also listed in the 2010-2022 editions of The Best Lawyers in America, by BL Rankings. Larry represents dozens of public and private sector employers in a variety of matters, ranging from consultation to trial work, including general litigation, discrimination, wrongful termination and wage & hour class action cases. Larry also represents public sector clients in a variety of civil rights matters, including defending excessive force, inmate medical care and jail death cases, many of which have received national media attention. Larry graduated in the top five percent of his Baylor Law School class, receiving his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree, cum laude. While in law school he held several positions with the Baylor Law Review including Executive Editor, Research & Topics Editor and Notes & Comments Editor. He was elected to the Baylor Order of Barristers. He was selected as a Top Ten Speaker in Moot Court and was awarded an Academic Merit Scholarship. Prior to law school, Larry obtained a Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude, from Lamar University and a Masters degree in Engineering Management from Southern Methodist University. Larry is an active member of the local business community, currently serving on the state and local boards of multiple employer associations. He is also a member of the State Bar of Texas Labor & Employment Section, and Texas Association of Defense Counsel. He is admitted to practice before Texas courts, and the United States District Court for the Eastern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas. Larry has been a principal with Germer since January 1997.

Ian helps claimants obtain the social security benefits they rightfully deserve and secures the money and medical treatment they need to move on from what can be the most difficult period of their lives. A zealous advocate for his clients, Ian believes in treating his clients with the utmost dignity and respectriginally from Boston, Massachusetts Ian graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University in 2002 and received his Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University in 2005. While at SMU Ian participated in the mock trial team and in the civil litigation clinic. As an attorney, Ian has worked tirelessly on behalf of clients for over a decade. Ian has successfully represented individuals at over 2,000 administrative hearings in all fifty states, including Puerto Rico. Ian thrives on the daily interactions with his clients and excels at formulating creative and unique applications of the law to maximize the return for his clients

In 1992, Matt Shaffer joined Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., the continuation of a firm that has focused on representing injured men and women since 1964. As a managing partner of the firm, Mr. Shaffer has represented thousands of clients across the United States. Most recently, he successfully settled the largest single victim Jones Act case on record for a client with a brain injury. He has played a significant role in litigation related to several major maritime disasters, including the Deepwater Horizon explosion. Mr. Shaffer takes pride in bringing an experienced and thorough approach to every case. He is dedicated to providing a high level of support for his clients, who are often surprised to get return phone calls and emails from him well after business hours are done. More than 25 years ago, Mr. Shaffer began his career in law by representing large corporate clients. In 1992, he came to SMSH and began using his experience to help working men and women recover damages for on-the-job injuries. Mr. Shaffer is among the small percentage of Texas attorneys who are certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial law. He has previously served as chairman of The Texas State Bar’s Grievance Committee for District 4C. He’s also licensed to practice law in Colorado. Every year since 2006, Mr. Shaffer has been named a Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly Magazine, an honor bestowed on only 5% of the state’s attorneys. He’s also been recognized by H Texas magazine as one of Houston’s Top Lawyers for the People and was selected for inclusion in the 22nd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America (2016) in the practice area of Admiralty and Maritime Law.

Laura De La Cruz first joined Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, LLP in 2010 as a paralegal for managing partner, Matthew D. Shaffer. She continued to work at the firm through law school until she became licensed to practice law in 2015. Laura believes the law is meant to serve those who have been wronged. She has devoted most of her practice to advocating for maritime workers and other individuals injured in serious accidents throughout the country. She understands how a serious injury can transform an individual’s life and fights hard to obtain the best outcome for her clients in every case. She is licensed to practice law in Texas and Louisiana and regularly practices in both federal and state court. Laura was born in Puerto Rico and spent much of her childhood moving across different parts of the United States. She now considers Texas her home. She is a graduate of the University of Houston Law Center and has spent her entire legal career representing claimants. In her spare time, Laura enjoys spending time with her two young daughters and traveling to new places.

Prior to joining Mostyn Law, Greg Cox was an attorney with the Provost & Umphrey Law Firm in Beaumont, Texas. He began his law career as a judicial law clerk to Judge Wendell C. Radford in the Eastern District of Texas. Immediately following his judicial clerkship, he worked as an associate at Baker & McKenzie in Dallas, Texas. Over the course of his legal career, Greg has worked on a wide variety of litigation matters, including wrongful death, product liability, insurance disputes, commercial litigation, and serious personal injury cases. He has also served as class counsel in several nationwide class action lawsuits.

Christy Amuny is an experienced trial lawyer who has tried over 100 cases to verdict. She received her undergraduate degree from The University of Texas (B.A. 1986) and attended Texas Tech School of Law (J.D. 1990). Christy is a native of Southeast Texas. She is licensed in both Texas and Louisiana, and is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Louisiana State Bar. She is admitted to practice in both state and federal courts in Texas and Louisiana and in the United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. She is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a Diplomate in the American Board of Trial Advocates and a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. She has served as President of the Jefferson County Bar Association (2006-2007), Chair of the Litigation Section of the State Bar of Texas (2013-2014), District 3 Representative on the State Bar Board of Directors, President of the Texas Association of Defense Counsel (2021-2022) and Chair of the State Bar of Texas Rules Committee (2024-2025). Christy was recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer, a Thompson Reuters publication, in 2004 and from 2006 to 2024. Christy practices in the areas of personal injury defense, insurance law, civil litigation, products liability, premises liability and extra-contractual insurance claims.

Matt McCracken has more than thirty years of trial, appellate and administrative law experience representing medical, legal, insurance and other professionals as well as product manufacturers, energy companies, telecommunications companies and medical institutions. Matt has defended numerous doctors, nurses and insurance professionals at their respective licensing boards. Matt is a well-known figure at the Texas Medical Board where he guides doctors through the professional disciplinary process and licensure issues. Notably, Matt briefed and argued the seminal case of American Transitional Care v. Palacios; 46 S.W.3d 873 (Tex. 2001) at the Texas Supreme Court. This important decision established minimum standards for preliminary expert reports in medical malpractice cases, and set the standard of appellate review in dismissals of medical malpractice cases under Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat. Ann. Article 4590i §13.01, now Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code Chapter 74. This case has been cited by appellate courts over 5,000 times and continues to instruct and inform judges and lawyers across the State of Texas.