Ayla S. Syed

Ayla is a trial litigator whose practice covers all stages of litigation, from pre-suit through appeal.  She has worked on a variety of state and federal cases, with a focus on complex civil litigation.

Following law school, Ayla practiced at Williams & Connolly LLP in Washington, DC, followed by a clerkship for the Hon. LaShann DeArcy Hall on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.  Ayla later clerked for the Hon. Beth Robinson on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, before ultimately returning to her hometown of Houston.

Representative Experience

• Represented pharmacy chain in 4-week, class action jury trial in federal district court, helping secure defense verdict on all counts
• Defended pharmacy chain against fraud allegations by Texas Attorney General in three-week trial in Texas state court, helping secure dispositive ruling on the bulk of claims before closing arguments
• Represented healthcare companies in defending against products liability claims at both the trial and appellate stages
• Represented corporate conglomerate, Fortune 500 company in prosecuting trade secret misappropriation claim
• Represented corporate clients during state and federal investigations on a variety of subject matters
• Represented law and accounting firms in defending against malpractice claims
• Represented significant government contractor in the aerospace and defense industry in civil FCA qui tam litigation, helped secure dismissal of all claims against her client following summary judgment
• Drafted several amicus briefs in the Ninth Circuit, Fifth Circuit, and U.S. Supreme Court, covering matters including immigration, police use of force, and the religious rights of individuals on death row
• Secured asylum for a family fleeing persecution in El Salvador