Beaumont, Texas Office
Brent Coon & Associates’ headquarters is located in Beaumont, TX just 90 miles east of Houston. Initially, the Beaumont offices were spread throughout three separate buildings, but in 2009 they consolidated in downtown Beaumont’s historic Kyle Building. Originally built in 1931, the Kyle Building contains 11 storefronts spanning an entire block face in Beaumont’s downtown commercial district. At one time the downtown district was vibrant, energetic, and flush with traffic as local residents flocked to the area’s shopping malls. But as the city expanded outwards, the downtown district slowly became barren. The Kyle block was completely vacant before BCA decided it needed a new home. Now the entire building is housed by the firm’s attorneys and office staff.
In addition to being one of the largest BCA offices, Beaumont also houses the firm’s Human Resources, Information Technology, Accounting and Finance Departments. The Beaumont office also acts as the hub for the firm’s partnerships with several national Union Labors. Overseen by Larry Sartin, the Labor department works hand in hand with organizations such as the United Steel Workers and the Helicopter Pilots Union. Brent Coon currently sits on the United Steelworkers Council and attorney John Thomas works closely with the Texas Municipal Police Association.
As Firm Owner and Beaumont Management Team Attorney, Brent Coon began his meteoric rise in 2001. Mr. Coon began his career under the tutelage of Walter Umphrey at the Beaumont-based asbestos litigation firm, Provost Umphrey. It was during this period when modern day asbestos litigation found its genesis in Southeast Texas. Provost Umphrey began offering free medical screenings for refinery workers in area. From the screenings, the firm was able to identify which workers had contracted mesothelioma or asbestos related lung cancer. It was during this time that Mr. Coon became one of the most respected and knowledgeable asbestos attorneys in the country. Mr. Coon eventually left Provost Umphrey to start his own practice, one that has grown from a two person team in 2001 to boast 15 offices and over 70 attorneys nationwide.
As Lead Counsel on what many consider one of the most important public policy cases of the past decade, Brent Coon stood against British Petroleum, taking the worst industrial accident since 1989 and the fight for industry change all the way to the Texas Supreme Court. Mr. Coon’s firm reviewed over seven million documents and worked hand-in-hand with the Department of Justice and U.S. Chemical Safety Board, spending millions to ensure justice for his client, Eva Rowe, who had lost both of her parents in the tragic explosion.
By refusing to allow BP to seal the documents as part of the settlement, Mr. Coon was able to hold an entire industry accountable for its mistakes. As a key part of the settlement, Brent Coon forced BP to give 32 million dollars to universities and charities, which has been considered a dawn of a new age of dispute resolution by media and journalists worldwide. Finally, Brent Coon wrote the “Remember The 15 Bill” to forever improve refinery safety conditions, and introduced it into the Texas Legislature during a ceremony held at the Capitol, commemorating the second anniversary of the blast that killed 15 people.
For his efforts, Mr. Coon was named “Lawyer of the Year” in 2007 and was awarded the prestigious Steven J. Sharp Award for Excellence by the American Association of Justice. He has also been named as a Texas Super Lawyer for two years straight.
Jason Cansler joined Brent Coon & Associates in 2002. Mr. Cansler was recently nominated by his peers as a Texas Lawyer Rising Star. His work focuses primarily on helping victims of asbestos related disease. Mr. Cansler is a graduate of the Baylor Law School and Lamar University. Prior to his legal career, he served as an Active Duty Marine in Desert Storm where he received various awards for valor and combat action.
Eric Newell joined Brent Coon & Associates in early 2005. Mr. Newell was extensively involved in representing victims injured in the 2005 explosion at the BP Texas City refinery. His work also includes representing client involved in other personal injury and employment law matters. Mr. Newell earned his J.D. from the University of Houston. He is a member of the American Association for Justice, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and the Southeast Texas Trial Lawyers Association.
For 18 years John Thomas has practiced law in Texas and Mississippi. As a former insurance and asbestos defense attorney who has switched over to the plaintiff’s side, Mr. Thomas knows the other team’s playbook, which has proved to be an extremely valuable asset in the courtroom. He also plays a large role in BCA’s associations with various unions as well as the Texas Municipal Police Association. He is a graduate of the South Texas College of Law.
Lori Slocum joined Brent Coon & Associates in June of 2005. After her undergraduate years at Lamar University, Lori headed to the South Texas College of Law, where she earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the American Bar Association, the Jefferson County Bar Association, and Trial Lawyers for Public Justice.
Ryan Douglas White joined BCA in 2005, initially as a law clerk in the New Orleans, LA office and now as an associate in the Beaumont, TX office. Since joining Brent Coon and Associates as an associate, Ryan's practice has centered on general personal injury work and business/contract litigation. In the aftermath of Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Ike, he has also worked a great deal with insurance litigation. Ryan is a graduate of the Tulane University School of Law.
