Chris A. Blackerby is a successful trial lawyer with 30 years of experience in a wide range of matters focusing principally on product liability and personal injury litigation as well as commercial and patent litigation. He has tried complex cases throughout Texas and elsewhere totaling over $2 billion in controversy. After graduating law school, Chris served as a Briefing Attorney to the Honorable James R. Nowlin in the United States District Court, Western District of Texas. After a successful practice at a large law firm in Austin, Chris joined Germer in 2008. Chris is a “Texas Super Lawyer” and is rated an AV Preeminent Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell. Chris routinely handles complex product liability lawsuits for manufacturers. His clients include tire, automotive, agricultural and construction equipment manufacturers. He has defended cases involving tires, air bags, seatbelts, roof/vehicle structures, rollovers, fires, seats and seat backs and general crashworthiness.

Thomas M. Bullion III graduated with honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. After working for several years as an engineer, he went to law school at the Southern Methodist University School of Law in Dallas, Texas and graduated in 1984. Tom graduated Order of the Coif, was Chief Counsel of the Moot Court Board, and a member of the Barristers. Tom has been AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell since 1990. After practicing at another Austin firm, he joined Germer in early 2008. Tom is licensed to practice in the Supreme Court of Texas, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and all United States district courts in Texas. He is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and a member of the State Bar of Texas, Austin Bar Association. Tom has been recognized by “The Best Lawyers in America”, by BL Rankings, publication, since 2001 and a “Texas Super Lawyer”, a Thompson Reuters publication, from 2003-2007 and 2009-2023. Tom practices in the areas of products liability and personal injury.

Most estate planning problems don’t start in court—they start with not having a plan at all. Rebecca O’Connor is an experienced estate planning attorney in Austin, Texas, with a background in regulatory law, legislative policy, and estate strategy. With over a decade of legal experience across multiple jurisdictions, she helps individuals and families understand what could go wrong without proper planning—and what steps to take to protect their future. At the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, founded by Houston family law attorney Bryan Fagan, Rebecca focuses on helping clients make informed decisions about wills, trusts, and long-term protection—before problems arise.

Justin D. McMinn is a trial lawyer who aggressively represents personal injury plaintiffs and criminal defendants throughout the state of Texas.  He has a strong passion for seeking justice and helping his clients rebuild their lives after serious injury accidents.Justin was born and raised in Central Texas.  After completing high school, Justin attended the University of Texas where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Government.  Justin then went on to earn his Juris Doctorate degree from Texas Tech University School of Law.  While attending Texas Tech, Justin worked for a law firm that specialized in Personal Injury Litigation.  Here, Justin developed his passion to help people who had been seriously injured in accidents.  Justin worked up and helped prepare hundreds of personal injury claims for litigation.  After graduating law school, Justin accepted a position with the McMinn Law Firm, which was founded by his older brother Jason B. McMinn.  Justin represents criminal defendants and is experienced in negotiating favorable plea agreements, pretrial litigation, and preparing cases for trial.  This past year, Justin was named a partner in the McMinn Law Firm.Select Cases in 2008 Represented an Austin man who was hit by an 18-wheeler truck that was in the wrong lane and crushed his bucket truck that he was using to repair a traffic light.  The Austin man suffered from spinal injuries. After exposing the poor safety history of the trucking company, they agreed to settle the case for $1,950,000 with a client recovery of $1,025,000.  Represented a six year old Austin girl who sustained a brain injury at a local Austin business.  Prior to trial, the local business agreed to settle the case for $250,000 with a client recovery of $125,000.  Represented a Buda family that was involved in a head on automobile collision.  The husband and wife received spinal injuries from the impact of the collision. Prior to trial, the at fault driver's insurance company agreed to settle the case for $165,000 with a client recovery of $82,000.  Represented an Austin man that was hit by a car that jumped the curb and struck him while he was riding his bicycle.  After suit was filed, the insurance company agreed to pay $100,000 with a client recovery of $50,000 for the Austin man's spinal injuries.  AffiliationsJustin is a member of the Texas Young Lawyers Association, State Bar of Texas and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association.  Justin is an alumni of the Texas Kappa Alpha Order and a member of the Silver Spurs Alumni Association.

John M. Groce Jr. is a personal injury attorney with Anderson Injury Lawyers in Austin, Texas. He focuses on representing individuals who have been injured due to the negligence of others, including cases involving car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, and other serious injury claims. At Anderson Injury Lawyers, John M. Groce Jr. works closely with clients to help them understand their legal rights and pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages. The firm is committed to providing dedicated legal representation and personalized attention to injury victims throughout Austin and the surrounding communities.

Melissa C. Barrick is an Associate Attorney at the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to her practice. She earned her Juris Doctor from Regent University School of Law in Virginia Beach, Virginia, after completing her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. Licensed to practice law in Texas since 2021 and Maryland since 2003, Melissa is also admitted to the United States District Courts for the Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas. Her professional achievements include being a recipient of the Dean’s Decision Award in 2001 and serving as Vice President of the Women’s African American Law Students Association. Additionally, she is an active member of the Texas Bar College and the State Bar of Texas Family Law Section for 2024-2025. Melissa’s passion for law stems from an early interest in justice—playing lawyer instead of school as a child and being inspired by her brothers’ legal careers. She credits the Honorable Robert Broadwater of the 7th District Court in West Virginia for shaping her legal mindset, particularly in understanding the weight of justice and the impact of jury trials. Outside of her legal work, Melissa is deeply committed to animal rights and volunteers with her church, Shoreline Church in North Tampa. She enjoys spending her free time watching movies, listening to music, and traveling—aspiring to see every continent in the world. A proud pet owner, she has a Pekingese dog named Mo’mani, affectionately called Mo’ for short. Melissa was born in Junction City, Missouri, and raised in Wichita Falls, Texas, before eventually moving to Houston. She values family, hard work, and dedication—qualities reflected in both her personal and professional life. Known for being professional, tenacious, dedicated, and hardworking, Melissa is an advocate clients can trust to fight for their best interests.

Licensed since 2016, Raven brings a compassionate yet strategic approach to family law. With extensive experience navigating complex Texas family law matters, she is dedicated to guiding clients through life’s toughest transitions with clarity, integrity, and unwavering support.

Lucy “Brandy” Bramlett is a family law attorney at the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, serving clients from the firm’s Austin office. Brandy brings a diverse and well-rounded legal background to her practice, with experience spanning family law, law enforcement defense, environmental law, and oil and gas matters. Brandy earned her undergraduate degree in Chemistry from the University of Mississippi (1992) before pursuing her Juris Doctor at Texas A&M School of Law. Prior to joining the firm, she worked with several respected organizations, including Kimbrough Legal, Izzo & Associates, the Office of the Attorney General, Flahive, Ogden & Latson, and the Texas Senate. Brandy was drawn to the legal profession by a desire to help families navigate difficult and often emotional situations. She approaches each case with compassion, dedication, and a practical mindset.

Missy K. Atwood is a principal in the Austin office at Germer, PLLC. She has over 25 years of experience in civil litigation, healthcare law and administrative law. She has tried more than 60 cases to verdict as first-chair trial counsel in State District Courts and Federal Courts. She represents clients in a wide variety of complex civil litigation, as both lead counsel and local counsel, including high exposure medical malpractice, products liability, pharmaceutical products liability, construction, anti-trust, insurance coverage, and commercial litigation. She is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a Member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Samantha C. Jeffers is an Attorney in the Austin office of Germer. Samantha graduated Magna Cum Laude from Texas Woman’s University with a degree in Business Management. She then earned her law degree from The George Washington University Law School in 2019. Prior to joining the firm in 2022, Samantha practiced at a large insurance defense firm specializing in catastrophic personal injury, premises liability, and wrongful death claims. At Germer, Samantha focuses on medical malpractice, representing hospitals, physicians, and medical providers.