Bee Cave, TX

Dan Worthington

Dan K. Worthington is a Founding Member and Co-Manager for Ramón Worthington Nicolas & Cantu, P.L.L.C.. His practice is trial focused, primarily representing defendants in first-party insurance claims, products and premises liability, commercial, insurance, labor and employment, and personal injury matters. Dan has successfully tried numerous lawsuits and arbitrations on behalf of corporate and individual clients in various types of cases. In addition to his trial practice, Dan serves as a mediator as well. Dan has been Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® rated since 2001 and has been named a Texas Super Lawyer as awarded by Thomson Reuters and published by Super Lawyers/Texas Monthly magazine every year since 2005. In 2007, Dan was named as one of the Top 50 Central and West Texas Region Attorneys. He is a leader in the profession, being elected as President of the Texas Association of Defense Counsel in 2012, President of the Rio Grande Valley Chapter of the Texas Chapters of the American Board of Trial Advocates in 2010, Chair of the State Bar of Texas 12-B Grievance Committee, Panel Chair in 2006, being named to the Lawyer’s Committee of the National Center for State Courts, and being asked to serve on numerous State Bar of Texas Committees (including the State Bar of Texas Administration of the Rules of Evidence Committee, member 2005-2008 and the State of Texas Pattern Jury Charge Committee, Commercial and Employment, member 2009-2012). Dan was elected a National Director for the DRI in 2014 through 2017. Dan is a frequent speaker and lecturer regularly speaking to State wide audiences on issues including, the expedited jury trial procedure, “paid or incurred”, “removal and remand”, and legislative matters. In addition, Dan has served as the Chair for the State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Litigation annual seminar. Dan is active in his community as well. Dan served on the Board of Directors for the International Museum of Arts & Science from 2006-2013. He is a former Post Judge Advocate of the American Legion Post 93. He is a past President of the McAllen South Rotary Club. Dan is a native Texan and was commissioned into the U.S. Army as Second Lieutenant at the age of 19. Dan served in the Army from 1983 -1991, achieving the rank of Captain. He trained at the U.S. Army Infantry Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia, earned his Parachutist Airborne badge and was the Honor Graduate of the Joint Deployment Officer’s Course. His awards include the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal.

Kimberly G. Kleinhans

Kimberly G. Kleinhans is a founding partner of Law Office of KG, PLLC, representing individuals in custody battles and personal injury cases. She graduated cum laude from Penn State University and with distinction from Thomas Cooley Law School in 2008. Kimberly is recognized for her extensive trial experience and personalized client attention. Her achievements include Super Lawyer’s Rising Star (2014-present), Litigation Counsel of American (2016-2018), 10 Best of the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys (2016-present), Lawyers of Distinction (2018-present), and The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 (2019). She is licensed to practice in all courts in the State of Texas and the United States Federal District Court, Western District, and is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

Keith L. Kleinhans

Keith L. Kleinhans is a founding member of the Law Office of KG, PLLC, dedicated to helping injured Texans and practicing family law. He graduated from Baylor University and Thomas Cooley Law School in 2008. Keith is known for his strategic planning, attention to detail, and courtroom experience. He has received accolades such as Super Lawyer Rising Star (2013), Nominee to 10 Best of the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys (2016), and Nominee to Million Dollar Advocates Forum (2014-2016). He is licensed to practice in all courts in the State of Texas and the United States Federal District Court, Western District.

Elizabeth Cantu

Elizabeth “Liz” Cantu was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Irving, Texas. She graduated from Santa Clara University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. Liz received her law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1999. In 2017 she became a founding member of Ramón Worthington Nicolas & Cantu, P.L.L.C., along with her three wonderful partners. Liz represents corporate clients in first party/bad faith insurance litigation, premise liability, personal injury and other business related matters. Liz was named a Rising Star and Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters, is the Chair of the Women and the Law Section 2023-2024, and the Co-Chair of the Cross-Marketing Section of NAMWOLF, an At Large State Bar of Texas Director, an Editor of the Texas Bar Journal, Committee member for the Advanced Civil Trial CLE and a member of the Texas Bar Foundation. Liz was the co-chair of the 2023-2024 International Women’s Day event and CLE for Women and the Law and is a frequent speaker along with her law partner Sofia Ramon. She is engaged in community outreach for college students and other organizations and lives in Mission, Texas with her husband of twenty four years, real estate attorney Richard “Richie” Cantu, and their three children.

Sofia is a Founding Member and Co-Manager for Ramón Worthington Nicolas & Cantu, P.L.L.C., a majority women and minority owned (NAMWOLF) law firm devoted to civil litigation, including complex commercial litigation. Her practice is trial focused, primarily defending corporate and individual clients involved in employment matters, complex commercial litigation, products liability, medical malpractice, transportation law and first party/bad faith insurance litigation. She has been practicing law for over three decades and has tried numerous cases to verdict as first chair in jury and bench trials in State and Federal Courts across Central and South Texas. She has earned membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), including TEX-ABOTA. She is actively involved in a number of professional associations, currently serving on the Executive Committee (Treasurer) for the State Bar of Texas Litigation Council, and previously serving in various board positions, including Area Vice President, over the last few decades for the Texas Association of Defense Counsel (TADC). She is also a qualified Mediator pursuant to Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §154.052(a) and Member of the Association of Attorney-Mediators and has devoted a portion of her practice to mediating cases involving serious personal injury and complex commercial matters. She has served on the planning committees for and written and presented at numerous continuing legal education seminars for the State Bar of Texas, Texas Women Lawyers, TADC and the HCBA in multiple areas, including ethics. She was named the 2024 Louise B. Raggio Award Recipient by the Women and the Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and was also honored to receive the 2021 Hidalgo County Bar Association’s Ethics Award. She is a native of South Texas, born and raised in Edinburg, and believes in giving back to the community in which she was raised. She proudly serves as a National Director for AVANCE, INC., an organization which works to break the cycle of inter-generational poverty through innovative, two-generation educational support for families with young children. She also served as a Board Member for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA of Hidalgo), an organization uniquely created to help abused and neglected children in the foster care system, who are referred for advocacy services. Prior to this position, Sofia was involved in the Puente Mentor Program for South Texas College, a program designed to increase the number of academically underserved students and encourage their continued education in four year colleges and universities so they may develop as leaders and mentors.

Sarah Ann Nicolas is the Managing Member of Ramon Worthington’s Austin office. The firm is a proud member of NAMWOLF, the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms, as well as the Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council (SWMSDC) and the Texas Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Program. Sarah is a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® rated attorney who has successfully represented both corporate and individual clients at trial and on appeal in various types of cases, including complex commercial litigation of varying kinds, products liability, construction, other serious personal injury and death, breach of fiduciary duty, professional liability/legal malpractice, negligence, trademark and copyright infringement and misrepresentations, and related disputes in State and Federal Court, as well as arbitration. Sarah’s practice includes representation of plaintiffs and defendants, at both trial and appeal. She also counsels clients with regard to non-litigation contract drafting, negotiation and enforcement. Sarah is a Qualified Mediator pursuant to Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §154.052(a) and §154.052(b) (family). Sarah is a native of Texas and lived in the Rio Grande Valley for almost ten years. She returned to the Austin area in 2011. Sarah graduated from Texas Lutheran University in 1996, receiving a B.A. with honors in Political Science and International Studies. Sarah then attended The University of Texas School of Law and received her Juris Doctor with honors in 1999 and was admitted to practice in Texas that same year. Sarah was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2001. Sarah has been active in the profession, volunteering on pro bono legal projects and speaking at continuing legal education seminars. Sarah has also volunteered for the Center for Human Rights & Constitutional Law. Sarah also has a political past, including time spent as a Legislative Aide for United States Congressman Lloyd Doggett in Washington, DC, and as Deputy Director of Convention Affairs for the Democratic National Committee for the Democratic National Convention in 2000. Sarah was also Deputy Finance Director for the Garry Mauro for Governor campaign in 1998. Sarah is a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® rated attorney and has been named a “Texas Super Lawyer” (2023) and “Texas Rising Star” (2007-2014) by Thomson Reuters and published by Super Lawyers/Texas Monthly magazine. Sarah enjoys running.

Kristen L. Vela

Kristen L. Vela is a Senior Associate at Ramon Worthington Nicolas & Cantu, PLLC. Kristen focuses her practice primarily on complex civil litigation and on serving as a trusted advisor to corporate clients in dealing with commercial and business disputes, personal injury claims, and labor and employment matters. Kristen’s proactive approach often enables clients to anticipate and resolve business problems, business disputes and workplace and employment issues before they end up in court; however, when litigation is unavoidable, Kristen is a skilled and zealous advocate for her clients. Kristen has litigation experience representing clients in a wide variety of cases on both sides of the docket. Kristen graduated Summa Cum Laude from Rice University with a BA in Political Science in 2012-after only two years-and was inducted into the nation’s oldest and most prestigious academic honor society, Phi Beta Kappa. Kristen received her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law in the Spring of 2017. Following her first semester of law school, Kristen’s Legal Research and Writing Class Memo was selected and named as Outstanding Memorandum of her first-year class. As a result of her outstanding performance in the area of research and writing, Kristen was invited to join UT Law’s Legal Research Board and served as Co-Chair from 2016-2017. She was also a member of the American Journal of Criminal Law. In February 2018, Kristen was published in the State Bar of Texas’ 10th Annual Damages in Civil Litigation CLE for her role as co-author of, “Defamation Damages in Texas: Placing A Dollar Amount on The Impairment of Good Name and Reputation as A Result of Libel or Slander.” Kristen volunteers her time by proudly involving herself in various professional and community organizations. She is a graduate of Class 41 of Leadership McAllen and served on Leadership McAllen’s Board of Directors both as a Steering Board member and as PR Chair until April 2024. After serving on the Friends for Hope Board since 2021, in July 2024, Kristen finished her term as President of the Friends for Hope Board, a local organization that is dedicated to helping the needs of children suffering from cancer in the Rio Grande Valley by ensuring that no child is denied lifesaving treatment and by raising awareness for the Vannie E. Cook, Jr. Children’s Cancer & Hematology Clinic. During her tenure as President, Friends for Hope had a record-breaking year, raising nearly $500,000, all of which was donated to the Vannie Cook Children’s Cancer Clinic for direct patient care. In 2023, Kristen Co-Founded and Co-Chaired the Hidalgo County Bar Association’s Business Law and Commercial Litigation Section. During its inaugural year, it was awarded HCBA Law Section of the Year. Kristen continues to serve as Co-Chair of the Business Law and Commercial Litigation Section and this year helped start a new initiative entitled, Attorneys Give Back: Contribute...Connect...Community. Since 2022, Kristen has served a member of the Young Lawyer’s Committee of the National Center for State Courts (“the NCSC”), an organization created by the US Supreme Court and based in Williamsburg, Virginia. Its purpose is to improve the administration of justice through leadership and service to the courts. Earlier this year, Kristen was selected to serve as Chair of the Young Lawyer’s Committee and has been working to improve the engagement of the Young Lawyer’s Committee in a meaningful way that ensures the perspective of younger lawyers are considered in our justice system to serve litigants, judicial officers, jurors and the system as a whole. In addition, Kristen was recently selected to participate in Class X of the Rio Grande Valley Partnership Leadership Program, a 9 month-educational program to engage and educate leaders on the importance of collaboration and discussion on the region’s most pressing challenges and opportunities. In August 2024, Kristen was selected by the State Bar of Texas and the Texas Young Lawyers Association to participate in the 2024-2025 Leadership SBOT Program. This program was designed to recruit, train, and retain Texas lawyers for leadership positions in the legal community and the State Bar of Texas. Only 20 Texas lawyers are selected each year to participate in this prestigious program. During her free time, Kristen enjoys playing tennis, working out, reading and spending time with her family and friends. Kristen is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas and in the Southern District of Texas.