P. Kevin Leyendecker
Top rated Personal Injury attorney in Houston, Texas
Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing, PLLC
Practice areas: Personal Injury, Business Litigation
Licensed in Texas since: 1992
Education: The University of Texas School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2026 Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing, PLLC
1221 McKinney StSuite 2500
Houston, TX 77010 Phone: 713-655-1101 Email: P. Kevin Leyendecker Visit website
Kevin Leyendecker is a trial lawyer with 30 years of experience trying cases to jury verdict in state and federal courts, as well as before arbitration panels. Kevin has tried over 30 cases to verdict – including successfully defending cases involving individuals and companies that sought hundreds of millions in personal injury and commercial damages and defeating class action claims that sought billions in damages. Kevin has also obtained eight figure verdicts and settlements on behalf of individual and corporate clients and together with his joint venture partners, recovered over $1 billion in settlements on behalf of individuals in a wide variety of consumer, fraud and personal injury matters.
Kevin relishes learning a case from the ground up and sets a standard to know the facts better than everyone else involved, including the clients. Since joining AZA in 2013, Kevin’s trial practice has flourished alongside his AZA colleagues and he is now eligible to sit for the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Civil Trial Law.
Many of the firm’s clients routinely insist that Kevin take an active day to day role and be part of the trial team on their most significant cases. Here are some snippets of what some of those clients say about Kevin.
“Kevin is the total package. He drills down and learns the important details, understands what’s important and what’s not and is a master in persuading judges and juries.” General counsel of Fortune 500 company.
“He can come across as a bit rough around the edges, but Kevin is a hell of a trial lawyer and I would not go to trial without him.” CEO of one of the Nation’s most successful financial advisory firms.
“When we get sued, one of the first questions we discuss in the legal department is whether ‘we need to go full Leyendecker on them.” Chief Litigation Counsel of one of the firm’s major Oilfield Service companies.
“Kevin is as sharp as they come. As a trial attorney and counselor, Kevin can be counted on to provide sage advice, act quickly, fiercely litigate, and yet also provide reassuring advice during uncertain times. I highly recommend Kevin and his team at AZA.” General counsel of the Nation’s market leader in prepaid legal contracts.
Although he loves trying cases, Kevin also takes great pride and joy in mentoring AZA’s young associates. He is regularly the most sought-after mentor and routinely takes on unofficial mentees in addition to the those formally assigned to him.
Kevin also serves as outside general counsel for energy companies located in and around Houston, Texas. And on occasion, Kevin has handled appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th circuit and various Texas state appellate courts.
He obtained both his law and undergraduate (McCombs School of Business) degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.
On a personal level, now that his youth coaching days are over, and parents’ weekends in College Station and Austin have come to a close, Kevin looks forward to spending time with his family and friends at their ranch in South Texas and second home in Wimberley.
First Admitted: 1992, Texas
Professional Webpage: http://www.azalaw.com/attorneys/kevin-leyendecker/
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- In 2010, Mr. Leyendecker recovered $4.5 million for a widow and her three minor children following the wrongful death of her husband. In 2006, Mr. Leyendecker recovered $8.3 million for a minority shareholder in connection with an oppression claim arising out of the sale of his directional drilling business. In 2005, Mr. Leyendecker and co-counsel recovered $450 million for several hundred former patients who underwent unnecessary invasive heart surgeries at a hospital in northern California. In 2004, Mr. Leyendecker and his long-standing joint-venture partner, Jim Moriarty, successfully tried an oral breach of contract suit against one of the highest ranking former Enron executives and his ex-wife. The jury found in favor of their client and awarded $14 million in damages and fees. In 2000, Mr. Leyendecker and co-counsel represented homeowners and their property management company in construction defect claims against a national homebuilder. The case settled during trial for $3.25 million at the conclusion of Mr. Leyendecker’s cross examination of the builder’s expert. In 2000, Mr. Leyendecker and co-counsel recovered in excess of $425 million in settlements and repurchased units for investors arising out of the Courtyard, Fairfield Inn and Residence Inn limited partnerships. In 1997, Mr. Leyendecker and co-counsel successfully represented several hundred children in their claims against a for profit psychiatric hospital chain. The children alleged the defendants conspired to bribe psychiatrists and unnecessarily hospitalize them until their insurance ran out. The case settled for an amount reported by The New York Times to be in excess of $100 million. In 1996, Mr. Leyendecker and co-counsel recovered in excess of $30 million for several thousand investors arising out of their purchase of oil and gas related limited partnerships. In 1994, Mr. Leyendecker tried his first case. The trial resulted in an award of actual and punitive damages against a home warranty company and the verdict led to $2.75 million in settlements on behalf of several dozen homeowners.
Educational Background
- JD, University of Texas at Austin, 1992; BBA, University of Texas at Austin, 1989
Office location for P. Kevin Leyendecker
1221 McKinney St
Suite 2500
Houston, TX 77010
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2026