Lawyers

Laura De Santos is a partner in the Houston office of Gordon & Rees. She has extensive experience representing corporate clients in state and federal courts in Texas and throughout the United States.  

Ms. De Santos concentrates her practice on product liability, commercial litigation, and employment law litigation. She has represented pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers and has tried numerous cases of serious injury to verdict. She has handled numerous matters involving consumer products that include lamps, ladders, over-the-counter medications, and paint products, as well as insecticide and pesticide products. She has also been involved in automotive cases on allegations of faulty repairs or maintenance claims. She has been involved in all aspects of tort litigation management and handling, including discovery, document management, settlement evaluation and negotiation, and expert witness development. She has participated in the briefing and presentation of dispositive motions and appeals, including a number that have had important impact on the issues of removal jurisdiction, federal preemption, and the reliability of expert opinion. 

In addition, Ms. De Santos has represented employers in claims involving discrimination, wrongful termination, harassment, and retaliation brought under Title VII, FMLA, ADA, and various state employment statutes. She also regularly counsels employers on personnel policies, harassment investigations, wage and hour issues and represents employers before administrative agencies, including the TWC, EEOC, and DOL.

Ms. De Santos’s experience also includes assisting clients with media relations. She is fluent in Spanish and is a member of the Drug and Medical Device group and the Employment Law group at Gordon & Rees. 

Admissions

Texas
United States District Court, Southern, Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas
United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit 

Memberships

Texas Bar Association
Houston Bar Association
Hispanic National Bar Association
Defense Research Institute, Drug & Medical Device Committee
International Association of Defense Counsel: Chair IADC Membership Committee (2009-2011); Vice-Chair IADC Membership Committee (2007-2008); Chair of Diversity Committee (2006-2007)
The Foundation of the IADC, Board of Directors, 2012