Posted on Aug 30, 2014 in
COVER STORY
Amy Mitchell and Elizabeth Duff-Drozd.
Say the words Mitchell & Duff in Fort Bend County, and immediately, people recognize the two powerhouse women behind the firm: Amy Mitchell and Elizabeth Duff-Drozd. The two women, who are at the helm of one of the largest female-owned firms in Fort Bend, are synonymous with two things: stellar legal representation and service to community.
The founders and partners of Mitchell & Duff, Amy Mitchell and Elizabeth Duff-Drozd, have combined nearly five decades of vast legal experience. Their philosophy of service is simple for an industry known for its complexity: experience, knowledge, teamwork and community. “With our broad-based knowledge of the legal field, we can assist people in Fort Bend County, whether their needs are business or personal,” said Mitchell. Duff-Drozd concurs. “From defending clients in the courtroom to adopting a child, probating a loved one’s will, or creating a business, our firm can meet any civil legal needs for our clients.”
Vast Experience and Knowledge
Jennifer Chiang, Amy Mitchell, Elizabeth Duff-Drozd and Stacey Severovich. Photo by Nesossi Studios
The partners created one of the first female-owned law firms in Fort Bend in 2009 with offices at 210 Main Street in Richmond just blocks away from the historic Fort Bend County courthouse. Mitchell is an experienced civil litigator with over 60 successful trials under belt. Named a “Top Rated Lawyer” in Texas Legal Leaders by the Texas Lawyer, National Law Journal and American Lawyer, Mitchell has nearly 30 years’ experience in personal injury, civil and commercial litigation, consumer debt litigation and complex litigation including class actions and multi-party death cases and appeals. She has represented a number of Fortune 500 corporations and has handled over 2,000 litigated cases from inception to conclusion. A graduate of Case Western Reserve, Mitchell is licensed to practice in all Texas state courts, the Federal Courts of the Southern District, Northern, Western and Eastern District of Texas.
Duff-Drozd also excels in the courtroom with her over 20 years’ experience in family law including divorce, guardianship, probate, wills and trusts, adoption, parent rights and termination. She is regularly appointed by Fort Bend County judges to act as both Attorney ad Litem and Guardian ad Litem in probate, guardianship and child protection cases and is trained in Family and Civil Law mediation. A large portion of Duff-Drozd’s clientele also includes representing individuals in business and transactional issues including contracts, corporate documents, real estate transactions, collections, business issues and human resources. A graduate of South Texas College of Law, she is licensed in all Texas state courts and the United States District and Bankruptcy Courts in the Southern District of Texas.
Dedicated Teamwork
From the beginning, Duff-Drozd knew that forming a partnership with Mitchell was a win-win. “I have always been part of a productive, successful firm,” said Duff-Drozd. “But together, as a team, I knew that Amy and I could make an even greater difference in the lives of our clients.” And make a difference, they have.
Judges and their peers have recognized Mitchell & Duff as one of the finest with an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell’s Peer Review Ratings. While they have had multiple successes in their tenure together, in 2013, the firm won a jury trial verdict in excess of one million dollars. This was a big victory for their client, a local businessman who was originally sued by his business partners. The duo credit their success to teamwork. “Teamwork and dedication are the keys for a complex and lengthy litigation like this case,” said Mitchell. “As long as you have a good team, you don’t need a big firm to deliver big results.”
A boutique law firm, the team at Mitchell & Duff has recently grown to include two Associate Attorneys. Jennifer Chiang, a Sugar Land native, holds an M.B.A. from the University of St. Thomas and a J.D. from the University of Houston. She joined the firm in 2012 and has a wide civil practice that includes commercial litigation, business transactions, real estate, oil and gas, probate, family law, veteran’s disability and children’s protective services. Chiang is licensed to practice in all state courts in Texas, as well as the United States District and Bankruptcy Courts in the Southern District of Texas. She is a Member of the Real Estate, Probate and Trust Section of the State Bar of Texas and a Member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, an honor society of lawyers committed to increasing the professionalism of lawyers in Texas. Since 2010, Chiang has also been a Licensed Real Estate Salesperson in the State of Texas.
Stacey Severovich, a lifelong resident of Fort Bend, holds an M.B.A. from the University of Houston-Victoria and a J.D. from South Texas College of Law, where she graduated cum laude. Severovich joined Mitchell & Duff in 2013, and she practices in all areas of general civil law, civil litigation, and family law. She has been a qualified mediator since August of 2012 and has been published in the South Texas Law Review. Severovich is licensed to practice in all state courts in Texas, as well as the United States District and Bankruptcy Courts in the Southern District of Texas.
Commitment to Community
The two partners of Mitchell and Duff have lived in Fort Bend County collectively for over 60 years, and they are not only proud to call it home, they are staunch community servants. In fact, their dedication to the law is matched by their dedication to community.
Mitchell is currently serving her second term on Sugar Land City Council and has volunteered her time and talents with several non-profit organizations including the Exchange Club of Sugar Land (president 2009-2010), Aga Kahn Foundation (emcee at numerous events), Richmond Exchange Club (co-founder), Central Fort Bend Chamber Alliance (Board Member), Literacy Council of Fort Bend (Chair of Wine and Music for Literacy) and Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels (Chair of Groovy Party). She served for six years on the 5A Grievance Committee of the State Bar of Texas, two of which she served as the Committee Chair.
“Serving others is part of what we do – both in our profession and in our personal lives,” said Mitchell. “Being able to serve our community has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career.”
Duff-Drozd has served as a board member of the Fort Bend County Fair for over 10 years and is a former president of the organization. She serves on the Lamar Education Awards Foundation (L.E.A.F.) board and has been an active member of Richmond Rotary for over a decade where she has held numerous leadership positions including President. Duff-Drozd has held leadership positions in several additional organizations including the Central Fort Bend Chamber Alliance, the American Red Cross and Rotary International. She served for six years on the District and 5A Grievance Committee of the State Bar of Texas, and she has been an active member of First Baptist Church of Richmond for over 40 years.
“I truly believe in being good stewards of our community,” said Duff-Drozd who has lived in Richmond since 1974. “By investing our time and resources in our community, we are investing in our future.”
Mitchell & Duff’s philosophy of teamwork also carries over into the community service efforts or their two newest attorneys. Chiang is a board member of the Sugar Land Cultural Arts Foundation, Secretary of the Fort Bend Young Lawyer’s Association and recently served as the only female commissioner on the City of Sugar Land Charter Commission. A lifelong resident of Sugar Land, she is a graduate of Sugar Land 101 and is active in Fort Bend politics.
Severovich serves on the South Texas Law Review Advisory Board and is a member of the Fort Bend Bar Association and the Fort Bend Young Lawyers Association. Severovich is active in the Central Fort Bend Chamber Richmond Business Department and is participating in the Central Fort Bend Chamber Leadership Class of 2015.
For more information about Mitchell & Duff and their dedication to experience, knowledge, teamwork and community, visit www.MitchellandDuff.com or call 281-341-1718 for a confidential consultation.
Mitchell & Duff Areas of Practice
Fort Bend County’s premier female-owned law firm, Mitchell & Duff, practices law in four major civil litigation categories including:
CORPORATE:
• Collections
• Compliance and Litigation Avoidance
• Commercial Transactions
• Corporate and Business Formation
• General Business Representation
• Insurance Law
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Real Estate and Construction
REAL ESTATE:
• Foreclosures and Options
• Evictions
• Pursuit of Deficiency Judgments
• Litigation Involving Title Issues and Mortgage Fraud
• Transactions: Real Estate Sales, Residential and Commercial Lease Work and Consulting Services
PERSONAL SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE:
• Adoptions
• Estate Planning
• Family Law
• Probate
• Wills and Trusts
LITIGATION:
• Appellate and Supreme Court Practice
• Banking Litigation
• Class Actions and Collections
• Commercial Litigation and Arbitration
• Construction and Consumer Debt Litigation
• Consumer Financial Services Litigation
• Dram Shop
• Guardianship
• Insurance Coverage
• Litigation involving FCRA, FDCPA, RESPA, TILA and other regulatory violations
• Personal Injury
• Probate
• Products Liability
• Oil and Gas Related Disputes
• Real Estate Litigation
• Wrongful Death
The firm also provides arbitration and mediation services. For more information or to schedule a confidential consultation with the attorneys of Mitchell & Duff, visit www.MitchellandDuff.com or call 281-341-1718.
