Henderson, TX

Ryan C. Johnson

For more than two decades, Ryan Johnson has earned a reputation as an aggressive trial lawyer and advocate with a long track record of success in the courtroom and the boardroom, earning verdicts and settlements of more than $100 million. Ryan uses his background in engineering and safety, as well as relationships with leading industry experts across the country, to help his clients achieve their financial goals. He has broad experience representing businesses and individuals in litigation and arbitration, as well as product liability matters. Ryan’s passion is advocating for his clients in the courtroom, having successfully prosecuted a wide variety of claims involving serious personal injury, wrongful death, merger and acquisition agreements, violations of non-competition agreements, trademark and trade-secret disputes, patent infringement claims, employment discrimination disputes, product liability, and securities claims. Ryan also serves as outside general counsel and a trusted advisor to businesses in the restaurant, agriculture, and construction industries, and has experience representing clients in commercial business and real estate transactions. Whether in the courtroom or the boardroom, Ryan aggressively and passionately represents his clients and gets results. Ryan has been selected by his colleagues to the Texas Super Lawyers list, a Thomson Reuters Service, in Texas Monthly magazine for the last decade, in recognition of his advocacy on behalf of clients. Ryan has also served as an adjunct professor at Baylor Law School, where he has taught classes on arbitration and lectures on trial preparation.

Craig D. Cherry

Craig Cherry is an award-winning trial lawyer. Over the course of his career, Craig’s clients have included individuals and families, small and midsize businesses, local governments, and Fortune 500 companies. Craig maintains a nationwide trial practice with a focus on complex civil litigation including catastrophic personal injury litigation, wrongful death litigation, business litigation, and intellectual property litigation. Craig has been counsel on cases that have resulted in over $2 billion in verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients, and was recognized by The National Law Journal as having obtained one of the largest product liability verdicts in the country. Craig has been repeatedly selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America. He has also been recognized by his peers as a Texas Super Lawyer for over 10 years and, prior to that, as a Texas Rising Star. Craig has also been named as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by The National Trial Lawyers and previously as one of the Top 40 Under 40 trial lawyers by The National Trial Lawyers. Craig is Board Certified in Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He is also board-certified in both Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Craig has been appointed by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization to serve as a Member of the Personal Injury Trial Law Exam Commission and the Civil Trial Law Advisory Commission. He was honored to receive the Tom Garner Award in 2023 from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, which recognizes a TBLS attorney “who best epitomizes the best ideals of voluntary service by their knowledge, dedication, hard work and integrity.” Craig has also earned and maintained an AV Preeminent peer-review rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

Scott H. James

Scott is a founding partner of Cherry Johnson Siegmund James, and a highly skilled trial lawyer. His practice primarily focuses on catastrophic personal injury cases, business litigation, eminent domain/condemnation, and real estate disputes. Known for his tireless work ethic, dynamic personality, and sharp intellect, Scott has successfully handled and tried complex litigation on both sides of the docket. With deep expertise in land ownership, land management, and oil and gas law, Scott brings a unique perspective to real estate litigation and condemnation matters, offering exceptional value to his clients. Scott was also a founding partner of Scanes, Routh & James, LLP, where he helped manage the law firm for nine years. From 2014 to 2016, Scott took a break from the private practice of law to co-found Texas Endurance Sports, LLC, d/b/a Bicycle World. His success in the business industry gives Scott the practical experience necessary to assist his clients in all aspects of their business litigation and transactional needs. Scott graduated from Baylor Law School as the highest-ranking student in his commencement class, and graduated as the highest-ranking student in his MBA commencement class. He is deeply involved in the Greater Waco community and is proud to serve as a Deacon at Harris Creek Baptist Church and as a member of Legacy Outfitters Ministry.

Mark D. Siegmund

Mark D. Siegmund is a seasoned trial lawyer who brings the discipline, resilience, and strategic mindset honed during his service in the United States Marine Corps to his thriving legal practice. He has secured multiple successful jury verdicts on both sides of the “v”, including one of the largest jury verdicts in the U.S. in 2023. He has built a reputation as a fearless advocate, handling high-stakes litigation with a strategic focus on trial success. Prior to beginning in private practice, Mark clerked for United States Federal District Judge Alan D Albright, giving him a unique and advantageous perspective for handling litigation matters.

John R. “Rusty” Phenix

John R. “Rusty” Phenix is the managing partner of Phenix & Crump, PLLC. He received his Bachelor of Arts in 1982 from Baylor University and his JD in 1984, being admitted to the Bar the same year. He is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1994, and also a Board Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Rusty is rated by Super Lawyers as one of the top 5 percent of practicing attorneys in Texas and is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers.

Kenneth Morgan Biggs

Kenneth Morgan Biggs is a co-founder and managing shareholder with extensive experience in government and criminal law. A Marine Corps veteran and former law enforcement officer, he served two tours in Iraq and spent nine years as an Assistant Criminal District Attorney, trying over one hundred cases to jury verdict. He focuses his practice on police complaint and misconduct, personal injury, and criminal law.

Joshua J. White

Josh White brings over two decades of legal experience to the courtroom, the conference room, and the negotiation table with a reputation for trial excellence, business insight, and deep client trust. He joined Cherry Johnson Sigmund James PLLC in 2023, in an “Of Counsel” capacity, and focuses on complex commercial and construction disputes. Josh is Board Certified in Construction Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Roughly half of his practice centers on construction-related matters, with proficiency in AIA®, ConsensusDOCS™, and DBIA formats. He investigates and litigates claims involving construction defects, delay and disruption, mechanics’ liens, and payment bond issues across Texas. Josh also represents clients in a wide range of commercial and financial disputes across multiple industries. He is particularly skilled in cases involving cybercrime and financial institutions. Beyond litigation, Josh offers strategic counsel and mediation services to resolve complex business and construction disputes without the need for trial. Previously, Josh served as Chief Operating Officer for Pearson Butler, one of Utah’s largest law firms. Josh remains a passionate mentor to young lawyers, instilling grit, precision, and reverence for the craft of trial advocacy. As a trial lawyer, over a 20+ year career, Josh still finds joy in a well-crafted argument, a hard-won result, or a beautifully written brief.