Jonna Summers is a trial and appellate attorney in the firm’s construction litigation and appellate sections. Jonna advocates for clients to resolve construction-related disputes in state, federal, and bankruptcy courts. In addition to construction litigation, she has extensive experience in a variety of areas, including energy, bankruptcy, and commercial litigation. She is lauded for her motion and briefing strategies for facilitating faster, favorable resolutions for clients. She further assists trial teams in trial preparation, presentation, and error preservation and handling appeals.

Jonna has served as a law clerk for the Honorable Judge Ewing Werlein, Jr. in the Southern District of Texas - Houston Division, the Honorable Harold R. DeMoss, Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the Honorable Michael H. Schneider of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

Honors & Recognitions

Porter Hedges Pro Bono Award Recipient

Credentials

Education

J.D., Baylor University School of Law, magna cum laude, 2007

B.A., Mount Vernon Nazarene University, summa cum laude, History and Communications, 2005

Admissions

Texas

United States District Courts for the Eastern, Northern, and Western Districts of Texas

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth, Tenth and Federal Circuits

Clerkships

  • Law Clerk to the Honorable Judge Ewing Werlein, Jr., United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas - Houston Division
  • Law Clerk to the Honorable Harold R. DeMoss, Jr., United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • Law Clerk to the Honorable Michael H. Schneider, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas

Experience

Construction Litigation

  • Represented owner of a $117 million gas processing facility in a dispute relating to more than 30 lien claims and a contractor in bankruptcy
  • Represented public energy company in a dispute arising from the design and construction of a crude oil splitter complex
  • Represented owner in a dispute relating to a $90 million gas processing facility involving claims between the owner, surety, and lien claimants and a contractor in bankruptcy
  • Represented chemical manufacturer in a dispute against roofing company to recover losses resulting from defective work
  • Represented construction company in overturning an adverse judgment for alleged defects in a hazardous waste containment facility

Energy Litigation

  • Represented energy company to limit liability in a post-closing dispute arising from a $2.4 billion acquisition of oil and gas assets in the Permian Basin
  • Represented oil transportation company in a dispute to recover payment for rendered services
  • Represented gas fittings manufacturer in a product liability dispute
  • Represented oil pipeline company to defeat allegations of liability for personal injury
  • Represented energy company against allegations of breach of contract and fraud arising from the termination of an illegal kickback scheme
  • Represented energy company on appeal to secure summary judgment relief and award of attorneys’ fees
  • Represented energy company on appeal to secure the jury’s take-nothing judgment

Bankruptcy Litigation

  • Represented trustees in fraudulent transfer and preference actions to recover wrongfully transferred assets
  • Represented creditors to obtain favorable sales and settlements
  • Represented clients in a variety of adversary proceedings

Other Litigation

  • Represented financial institution to obtain quick summary judgment to stay meritless arbitration
  • Represented individual to secure confirmation of a favorable contested settlement on appeal
  • Represented public company to defend summary judgment of breach of contract and an award of attorneys’ fees as damages
  • Represented chemical manufacturer in a dispute to recover against a utility for its wanton termination of power to the manufacturer’s facility
  • Represented clients in a variety of patent, copyright, trademark, and trade secret disputes
  • Represented former pharmaceutical employees against a myriad of common law allegations of wrongdoing
  • Represented numerous other entities in disputes before trial courts and on appeal

Newsroom

Affiliations

State Bar of Texas, Member

Houston Bar Association, Member