Raina Newsome

Socia

Raina Spielman Newsome aporta más de 25 años de experiencia en litigios y un historial comprobado de éxito. Es apasionada en su lucha por obtener justicia para las víctimas de negligencia y sus familias. Tiene una amplia trayectoria en litigios comerciales complejos, responsabilidad por productos defectuosos y lesiones personales, pero su enfoque principal es en el litigio de mala praxis médica, especialmente en lesiones de nacimiento.

Raina obtuvo su Licenciatura en Administración de Empresas en Finanzas y Mercadotecnia con honores en la McCombs School of Business de la Universidad de Texas en Austin, donde estuvo en la Lista de Honor del Decano durante sus cuatro años de estudios y fue seleccionada para ser miembro de la National Business Honor Society. Posteriormente, obtuvo su Juris Doctor con honores en la Escuela de Derecho de la Universidad de Texas, donde fue reconocida por haber obtenido el GPA más alto de su clase en el primer año y fue seleccionada para formar parte de la Texas Law Review, sirviendo como Editora Asociada. También fue elegida para el Order of the Coif, la Sociedad Nacional de Honor en Derecho, un reconocimiento reservado para el top 10% de los graduados de escuelas de derecho en Estados Unidos.

Raina inició su carrera como abogada litigante asociada en la oficina de Houston de Fulbright & Jaworski (ahora Norton Rose Fulbright), donde aprendió a litigar casos y manejó litigios comerciales complejos, responsabilidad por productos defectuosos, mala praxis médica y casos de lesiones catastróficas en representación de los demandados. También trabajó en Hunton Andrews Kurth y sus firmas predecesoras, especializándose en litigios de mala praxis médica y litigios relacionados con productos médicos. Ha llevado juicios con jurado, juicios en tribunal, arbitrajes y ha presentado argumentos orales en apelaciones, demostrando su experiencia en todas las etapas del litigio.

Raina dejó Big Law para luchar por las víctimas de negligencia y mala praxis médica. Su profundo conocimiento de cómo se defienden estos casos le permite desarrollar estrategias para obtener los mejores resultados para sus clientes lesionados y sus familias. Raina lucha con pasión por sus clientes y ha logrado recuperar con éxito más de $40 millones en daños, lo que le ha valido su membresía en el Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

Además de ser miembro del Colegio de Abogados del Estado de Texas, Raina también es miembro del Colegio de Abogados de Arizona y ha sido admitida para ejercer pro hac vice en varios otros estados, representando a víctimas de negligencia y mala praxis médica.

Raina ha completado siete maratones, incluyendo el Maratón de Boston, aunque ahora prefiere carreras más cortas, ciclismo de ruta, senderismo y esquí. Es madre de tres hijos maravillosos y “Mimi” de una hermosa nieta, quienes junto con su pareja Tom Lightsey son la mayor alegría de su vida.

  • Mala Praxis Médica
  • Lesiones Personales
  • Responsabilidad por
  • Productos Defectuosos
  • Responsabilidad de Locales
  • Negligencia General
  • Colisiones de Camiones y Automóviles
  • Litigios Comerciales
  • Accidentes Marítimos
  • Lesiones de Nacimiento
  • Homicidio Culposo
  • Derecho de Apelaciones
  • Arbitraje

Universidad de Texas School of Law, Juris Doctor con Honores

  • Editora Asociada, Texas Law Review
  • Order of the Coif (top 10% de la clase)

Universidad de Texas en Austin, Licenciatura en Administración de Empresas con Honores

  • Especialización en Finanzas, subespecialización en Mercadotecnia
  • Beta Gamma Sigma, Sociedad Nacional de Honor en Negocios
  • Kappa Kappa Gamma, hermandad de servicio y social
  • Top 100 – The National Trial Lawyers
  • Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
  • Texas Law Review, Editora Asociada
  • Order of the Coif
  • Premio a la Excelencia Académica Carrington, Coleman, Sloman y Blumenthal
  • Premio Bankston, Wright y Greenhill en Derecho de Daños y Perjuicios (Tort Law)
  • GPA más alto en el primer año en UT Law
  • Premio al Logro del Decano por el Mejor Desempeño en el Estudio de Contratos
  • Premio al Logro del Decano por el Mejor Desempeño en el Estudio de Daños y Perjuicios (Torts)
  • Colegio de Abogados del Estado de Texas
  • Colegio de Abogados del Estado de Arizona
  • Corte Suprema de los Estados Unidos
  • Corte de Apelaciones de los Estados Unidos para el Quinto Circuito
  • Tribunal de Distrito de los Estados Unidos para el Distrito Sur de Texas
  • Admisiones Pro Hac Vice en Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nuevo México y Utah
  • Asociación de Abogados Litigantes de Texas (Texas Trial Lawyers Association)
  • Asociación de Abogados Litigantes de Houston (Houston Trial Lawyers Association)
  • Asociación de Abogados de Estados Unidos (American Bar Association)
  • Asociación de Abogados de Houston (Houston Bar Association)
  • Asociación de Abogados Federales (Federal Bar Association)
  • Fulbright and Jaworski (Norton Rose Fulbright)
  • Mayor Day Caldwell and Keaton
  • Andrews Kurth
  • Hunton Andrews Kurth
  • The Ammons Law Firm
  • The Newsome Law Firm

Recognized as a Rising Star in 2019, 2020 and 2021 by Texas Super Lawyers, Phil is also a Fellow in the Texas Bar Foundation. Prior to becoming a lawyer, taught in the Houston Independent School District at an inner-city middle school. He also served as a bandmaster and musician on Norwegian, Celebrity, Holland America and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. He is admitted to the Fifth Circuit, Southern District of Texas and Western District of Texas in the federal court system.

Phil lives in Houston with his wife and their two young boys. When not working, Phil can be found coaching or assisting with his kids’ sports, enjoying Houston’s vibrant arts scene with his wife, or cheering on the Astros.

J.D., University of Virginia School of Law

  • Order of the Coif (Top 10% of Class)
  • National Trial Advocacy Team
  • National Trial Competition (National Finalist)
  • National Trial Advocacy College (Graduate)

M.A., The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies

  • Highest Honors
  • Dual concentrations in International Economics and U.S. Foreign Policy

B.A., Washington & Lee University, Politics

  • Summa cum laude
  • Phi Beta Kappa
  • American Bar Association
  • American Association for Justice
  • Texas Trial Lawyers Association
  • Houston Bar Association
  • Top Scorer, Texas Bar Exam
  • Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
  • Fellow, Houston Bar Foundation
  • Houstonia Magazine’s “Top Personal Injury Lawyers”
  • Texas Super Lawyers “Rising Star”
  • U.S. Inspector Generals’ Council’s “Top Financial Crimes Investigation”
  • “Legal Article of the Year,” Houston Bar Foundation
  • National Trial Competition, National Finalist
  • Order of the Coif, Virginia Chapter
  • Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society
  • Sorrels Law Adds Litigation Muscle with Ex-Prosecutor, Law360 (April 20, 2023) (profiled) Read More…
  • Did Texas Rangers miss a key fact in probe of Lina Hidalgo’s office?, Houston Chronicle (April 3, 2022) (quoted)
  • Hidalgo Aides Are Accused of Steering a Contract to an Ally. Internal Communications Paint a Murkier Picture, Texas Monthly (March 29, 2022) (quoted)
  • Supreme Dilemma: Handling Conflicts Between State Medical Privacy Laws and Federal Investigative Subpoenas, 31 The ABA Health Lawyer 6 (Aug. 2019) (co-author)
  • Lessons in Due Diligence Seen in Case of Jailed Fraudster Whose History Hid in Plain Sight, Regulatory Compliance Watch (Dec. 3, 2018) (quoted)
  • Seeking Justice for Victims, UVA Lawyer (Spring 2018) (profiled)
  • Woman Who Ordered ‘Colombian Necktie’ Hit from Pinellas Jail Tells Judge She Has ‘Bad Judgment,’ Gets 65 More Years, Tampa Bay Times (Jan. 4, 2018) (quoted)
  • Case Study in International Money Laundering, Financial Crimes/Inspectors General Conference(Tampa, Aug. 2017) (speaker)
  • Emerging Trends in Securities Enforcement, Hillsborough Bar Assoc. (Tampa, April 2017) (speaker)
  • Effective Opening Statements, Goldberg Inn of Court (Tampa, Jan. 2017) (speaker)
  • The Benefits and Costs of the Joint Venture, 79 Texas Bar J. (Nov. 2016) (co-author)
  • Timely Disclosure Requirements of Texas’s RTP Statute, Texas Lawyer (Nov. 2, 2015) (co-author)
  • Joint Venturing the Case, 52 Houston Lawyer (July/Aug. 2015) (co-author)
  • Called to the Bar, 77 Texas Bar J. (July 2014) (author)
  • Address on Behalf of New Inductees, Texas Bar Induction Ceremony (Austin, June 2014) (speaker)
  • Waiting in the Wings? Assessing the Admissibility of Neuroimagery, 27 Dev. Mental Health L. 1 (2008) (author)
  • Prosecuting Opportunistic Hate Crimes, Anti-Defamation League (Boston, July 2008) (speaker)
  • Gerger, Hennessy & Martin (Partner)
  • Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check (Partner)
  • U.S. Department of Justice (Assistant U.S. Attorney)
  • Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Aziz (Associate)
  • Hogan Lovells (Associate)
  • Manhattan District Attorney’s Office (Assistant District Attorney)

Randy is the past President of the Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists, and past Chair of the Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation.  He has served as the President of the Houston Bar Association, President of the Houston Trial Lawyers Association, President of the Houston Trial Lawyers Foundation, Vice President of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Trustee of the Texas Bar Foundation, Director of the State Bar of Texas (two terms), Commissioner of the Equal Access to Justice Commission, Trustee of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society, and is currently on the Board of Directors at South Texas College of Law Houston.

Randy started his legal career at Fulbright & Jaworski, where he represented doctors, hospitals, insurance companies, and businesses in the state of Texas who were accused of civil wrongdoing.  He graduated Magna Cum Laude from South Texas College of Law Houston in 1987, where he was on the Law Review and was a member of the nationally recognized Board of Advocates.  South Texas College of Law Houston has honored Randy with its highest honor— the Dean’s Medal, as well as its Public Service Award (the inaugural award).  South Texas College of Law Houston has renamed its legal clinics The Randall O. Sorrels Legal Clinics, which represents 15,000 square feet of new, state-of-the-art facilities to bring together clients with unmet legal needs and students who are eager to work with those clients under the direct supervision of their professors.  In 2018, South Texas College of Law Houston honored Randy with the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Prior to law school, Randy graduated Magna Cum Laude from Houston Baptist University— where he was recognized as an NCAA Academic All-American in 1984.  He attended HBU on a soccer scholarship, and the soccer field at the university now carries his name— Randall O. Sorrels Field.  While at school, he was recognized as the Outstanding Student in both Political Science and Speech Communications.  In the greatest honor, the university gives to alumni, Randy was named as HBU’s Outstanding Alumnus of the Year for 2009, and he continues to be involved in alumni events and meetings.

Randy is married to his law partner, Alex L. Farias-Sorrels, and considers her one of the smartest lawyers he knows.  He is also a father of five children and one granddaughter.  His oldest daughter is a teacher and helps with the Sorrels Law communications efforts.  His second daughter is a speech language pathologist in New York.  His twin son and daughter are law students at the University of Texas.  And his youngest son is in a Montessori program.

  • State Bar of Texas, 1984
  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
  • United States District Court, Southern District of Texas
  • American Association for Justice
  • Houston Bar Association, Appellate Section Member
  • State Bar of Texas, Appellate Section Member
  • Texas Association of Board Certified Trial and Appellate Specialists
  • Texas Trial Lawyers Association

He has published numerous articles, including:

  • “False Claims Act Actions—The Developing Case Law Regarding If and When Opinions of Medical Necessity Can Be Fraudulent”, The Health Lawyer, April 2015.
  • “In BP Gulf Oil Spill Litigation, the District Court Decided Important Legal Questions that will Likely be Appealed, including the Standard for “Gross Negligence” and “Willful Misconduct” under the Clean Water Act and the Standard for Vicarious Liability for Punitive Damages under Maritime Law”, The Energy Newsletter, October 1, 2014.
  •  “New York’s Highest Court Holds that Zoning Laws of New York Towns Banning Fracking Are Enforceable — A Brief Analysis of the Oral Arguments and the Court’s Opinion”,Pratt’s Energy Law Report, September 2014.
  •  “New Silica Exposure Standard Likely to Impact Fracking”, Energy, Employment and Project Finance Law360, September 17, 2014.
  •  “New Trial Orders in Texas Now Subject to Appellate Review”, Texas and Appellate Law360, September 9, 2013.
  •  “Unsettled Questions of Texas Law—Claim for Exemplary Damages Against an Insured Employer for a Work-Related Death”, 53 South Texas Law Review 787, Summer 2012.
  •  “Cellphones can be perilous to employers,” Houston Business Journal, August 12, 2011.
  •  “Tortious Interference Arising from Filing or Threatening to File a Lawsuit: The Privilege Defense in Flux,” The Houston Lawyer; September/October, 2003.
  •  “The 1979 Amendments Revolutionized the Texas Statutes of Limitations. But it was Not Recognized Until Almost 11 Years Later,” Texas Bar Journal, Vol. 54, No. 4, April, 1991.
  • Served on the Board of the Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists.
  • Served as the President of the Houston Chapter of the Christian Legal Society.
  • Performed significant pro bono legal services for many clients who could not afford to pay an attorney.
  • Mentored underprivileged high school students through Breakthrough Houston.

He lives in Bellaire, Texas with his wife Carol, and has two adult children. He is an avid cyclist and consumer of political news. He and Carol are active members at Christ the King Presbyterian Church.