Biography

Gregory Cokinos is a founder of Cokinos | Young, and he has earned a reputation as one of the preeminent lawyers in his field. Gregory’s practice includes all aspects (trial, dispute, and contract negotiations) of industrial and commercial construction, including pipelines, power plants, processing plants, refineries, highway construction, offshore production and drilling platforms, office buildings, high-rise condominiums, and schools. Gregory also has extensive experience in real estate transactions and development, having represented owners, developers, landlords, and tenants in all areas of commercial real estate acquisition, financing, development, leasing, and sale. His project involvement includes central business district office buildings, health care facilities, shopping centers, housing developments, and apartments.

Although his practice is concentrated in the area of construction and real estate development issues, Gregory has handled a wide range of litigation matters as well as contract negotiations, including significant cases in securities fraud, patent infringement, employment, banking, franchise agreements, and oil and gas. Gregory has also handled serious personal injury cases, including brain damage, permanent paralysis, and death.

Gregory devotes considerable time to the advancement of the industry. After serving as editor of the State Bar Construction Law Section Newsletter, he was instrumental in creating and organizing the Construction Law Journal, a joint publication by the Construction Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and The South Texas College of Law. He became the first editor of the journal, a position he held for close to two decades, until 2019. Gregory is a member of the American College of Construction Lawyers and was the first lawyer from Houston inducted into this prestigious organization. Gregory is also an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association, on both the commercial and construction panels, and for the International Center for Dispute Resolution. Gregory is also a Department of Construction Science Lecturer with the College of Architecture, Texas A&M University, teaching COSC 465 – Advanced Topics in Construction Law since 2019.

Education

• South Texas College of Law – J.D., 1982
• Texas A&M University – B.B.A., 1979

Recognitions & Distinctions

• Chambers USA: “Star Individual” Ranked Lawyer in Texas Construction Law (2003–2025)
• Texas State Bar Construction Law Section Chair (2022–2023); Chair-Elect (2021–2022)
• Named by Thomson Reuters as one of The Top 100 Super Lawyers in the State of Texas every year since 2007
• Named 2018 Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers
• Named Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters every year since 2005. Each year, no more than 5 percent of lawyers in the state are selected to receive this honor
• AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell peer review ratings, the highest rating possible
• American College of Construction Lawyers, first Houston attorney selected and inducted into the prestigious, invitation-only association of the top 1% of construction lawyers in North America
• Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® (2005–present): Construction Law, Commercial Litigation & Construction Litigation, Corporate Law, and Litigation – Construction
• Distinguished Alumni of Texas A&M (2022)
• Texas A&M Mays Business School Distinguished Alumni (2017)

Memberships & Affiliations

• American Arbitration Association: Panelist on Construction and Commercial Panels
• American Bar Association: Litigation, Construction Law, Business Law, Real Estate, Oil and Gas
• College of the State Bar of Texas
• Litigation Council of America Fellow
• Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Life Member
• Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Life Member
• State Bar of Texas: Litigation, Business Law, Real Estate, Entertainment and Sports Law
• Construction Law Section Newsletter: Editor (1997–2003)
• Construction Law Journal: Editor (2003–2020)
• Appointed as a member of the Construction Law Exam Inaugural Commission (2016), charged with drafting the board certification exam for construction law, and grading the exam for the Texas Bar of Legal Specialization
• Texas Bar Foundation
• Texas Trial Lawyers Association
• Texas Aggie Bar Association
• Association of General Contractors of America
• Associated Builders and Contractors of Houston
• Houston Contractors Association
• Houston Bar Association: Litigation, Construction Law, Business Law, Real Estate, Oil and Gas
• Houston Young Lawyers Association: Former Council Member
• District 4D Grievance Committee, Panel Chair
• Chair of 12th Man Foundation
• Board Member of the Association of Former Students (2012–2017)

Admissions

• State Bar of Texas
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• United States District Courts: Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas
• United States Supreme Court

Community Involvement

• Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral Expansion, Construction Subcommittee Chair (1992–1995)
• Chair of $17.0mm Cathedral expansion of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral (2016–present)
• Served on the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral Parish Council (1986–1992; 2011–2017)

Biography

Craig Clendenin’s practice involves arbitration and litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts throughout Texas. As a litigator, Craig has tried well over 150 jury trials to verdict in over a dozen counties throughout Texas and in all United States Federal Districts in Texas. He represents individuals, corporations, and business clients in claims focusing primarily on construction, real estate, and finance on behalf of Owners, General Contractors, and Subcontractors. In his 36 years of trying cases, his trial and arbitration experience has involved matters ranging from failed business ventures to securities, personal injury, toxic tort, environmental, trucking, and general contract law.

Education

• South Texas College of Law – J.D., 1983
• University of Texas at Austin – B.A., 1980

Recognitions & Distinctions

• Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® (2024–2026): Commercial Litigation
• AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell peer review ratings, the highest rating possible.
• Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1990.
• Named a Texas Super Lawyer in Construction Litigation by Thomson Reuters (2018–2025). Each year, no more than 5 percent of lawyers in the state are selected to receive this honor.

Representative Experience

• Successfully defended a general contractor in a jury trial in Jefferson County, Texas, in which the Owner of a Beaumont Refinery had asserted a $15,000,000.00 claim for welding defects and delays against the general contractor. The Owner ultimately settled with the general contractor after three weeks of testimony before foregoing its claims and agreeing to pay the general contractor the majority of the general contractor’s $2,500,000.00 counterclaim.
• Successfully represented a subcontractor who provided materials for a wind farm in Cameron County, Texas, against a general contractor. After a five-day arbitration, the Panel rejected the general contractor’s claims for delays and defects and awarded COKINOS’ client the totality of its claim against the general contractor in an amount exceeding $2,000,000.00.
• Successfully represented MK Constructors in an arbitration claim against an Owner for non-payment of dirt work performed in Jefferson County, Texas, in anticipation of construction of a residential subdivision. MK refused to perform any additional work until payment was made. In response, the Owner terminated the contract. MK filed a mechanic’s lien against the property in the amount of $978,000 and filed a claim. The Owner counter-sued for breach of contract, fraud, misrepresentation, and attorney’s fees. The Arbitration Panel determined the Owner was responsible for the first material breach of the contract and awarded MK over $1.3mm (including all attorneys’ fees) and denied the Owner’s counterclaims in their entirety.
• Ronquillo / Rubenstein v. Tharpe, 2019 WL 3335480 (Tex. App. – Corpus Christi 2019, pet. dismd)(successfully defended a disparagement claim using Texas Anti-SLAPP statute with recovery of attorney’s fees on behalf of clients).
• Byrd Bros., Inc. v. Marsh Buggies, Inc., 2013 WL 6095844 (Tex. App. – Houston [14^th Dist. 2013], pet. dsmd) (successfully represented a subcontractor on a bond claim against the general contractor and surety on a claim under the McGregor Act).
• Morrell Masonry Supply, Inc. v. Lupe’s Shenandoah Reserve, LLC, 363 S.W.3d 901 (Tex. App. – Beaumont 2012, no pet. (successfully overturned existing precedent regarding notice under the Texas Property Code, removing lien and recovering attorney’s fees for client).
• Sanders v. Herold, 217 S.W.3d 11 (Tex. App. – Houston [14th Dist.] 2006, pet den’d) (obtained summary judgment of parents being sued for failure to warn).
• Bill’s Dollar Store, Inc. v. Bean, 77 S.W.3d 367 (Tex. App. – Houston [14th Dist.] 2002, pet den’d) (obtained reversal and rendering of verdict against store owner in slip-and-fall matter).
• Sturges v. System Parking, Inc., 834 S.W.2d 472 (Tex. App. – Houston [14^th Dist.] 1992, no pet.)(obtained a reversal of summary judgment in favor of parking facility owner, rendering judgment in favor of broker culminating in settlement).

Memberships & Affiliations

• State Bar of Texas
• Houston Bar Foundation
• Houston Bar Association
• Harris County Bar Association

Admissions

• State Bar of Texas
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• United States District Courts: Eastern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas