
Our Cases in the News
- Air Force Ordered to Pay $230 Million to Victims of 2017 Church Shooting, The New York Times February 7, 2023
- Sutherland Springs survivors offer to accept reduced damages to end the DOJ appeal in a letter to the AG, NBC News January 20, 2023
- DOJ ask judge to throw out ruling that found the Air Force mostly responsible for mass shooting at Sutherland Springs, KENS5 January 10, 2023
- Continuing the Fight for the Sutherland Springs’ Victims w/ Jamal Alsaffar, Lawyer Minds Podcast #29 December 6, 2022
- How likely is it to win a lawsuit against a gun seller or manufacturer after a mass shooting? KXAN November 30, 2022
- Five years on, shooting victims fight for government to admit liability, The Washington Post August 13, 2022
- Sutherland Springs families wait for justice KENS 5 DC News September 1, 2022
- Five years on, Sutherland Springs shooting victims fight for government to admit liability LMTonline August 13, 2022
- Five years on, shooting victims fight for government to admit liability Washington Post August 13, 2022
- The Justice Department Appeals a Case that Found the Air Force Culpable in a Mass Shooting Federal Drive Podcast with Host Tom Temin
- Austin attorney representing Uvalde victim’s family in lawsuit against Daniel Defense KXAN June 5, 2022
- Analysis: Police, guns, and schools protected from lawsuits over Texas shooting Reuters June 2, 2022
- Gov. Abbott falsely claims background checks would not have prevented Sutherland Springs shooting KERA News May 31, 2022
- Analysis-Police, guns and schools protected from lawsuits over Texas shooting KELO News May 31, 2022
- ‘It’s nightmarish’: Attorney for Sutherland Springs victims talks about parallels to Uvalde KXAN News May 27, 2022
- 104 – Jamal Alsaffar – Sutherland Springs: The Untold Story of a Foreseeable Tragedy Trial Lawyer Nation April 15, 2022
- Judge Determines Damages for Sutherland Springs Survivors Relatives to be Paid By Federal Government The Texan February 14 2022
- For Sutherland Springs families, verdict brings closure but won’t bring back loved ones San Antonio Express News by Guillermo Contreras on February 8, 2022
- Air Force Fought Families of Texas Shurch Shooting Victims Tooth and Nail Lawyer Says Military.com by Thomas Novelly on February 8, 2022
- $230 Million Verdict: 9 Figure Award After Second San Antonio Bench Trial, Law.com by Adolfo Pesquera on February 8, 2022
- Department of Justice ordered to pay more than $230M to victims, family members in Sutherland Springs shooting, KXAN News by Maggie Glynn on February 7, 2022
- Victims, family from Sutherland Springs shooting awarded $230 million, Texas Standard, February 8, 2022
- Air Force Ordered to Pay $230 Million to Victims of 2017 Church Shooting, The New York Times, February 7, 2022
- Sutherland Springs victims’ lawyer calls government offer ‘inhumane, shocking’, Houston Public Media, November 30 2021
- US offers less than 10% of damages requested by Sutherland Springs shooting victims, Courthouse News Service, November 29 2022
- Holding Government Accountable After a Massacre at Sutherland Springs w/ Jamal Alsaffar, Lawyer Minds Podcast, August 10 2021
- Air Force Found Largely Responsible for Texas Church Shooting, Wall Street Journal, July 7, 2021
- Air Force mostly responsible for church massacre in Sutherland Springs, Tex., judge says, Washington Post, July 7, 2021
- Court Rules US Government Liable to Mass Shooting Victims in Sutherland Springs Church Massacre, Law.com, July 7, 2021
- Judge finds U.S. 60% responsible for 2017 Texas church mass shooting, Reuters, July 7, 2021
- Judge says Air Force liable in Sutherland Springs shooting, San Antonio Express-News, July 7, 2021
- Judge rules Air Force bears 60 percent of responsibility for Sutherland Springs massacre, WOAI-TV San Antonio, July 7, 2021
- Judge Rules US Air Force Largely Responsible For Sutherland Springs Shooting, Texas Public Radio, July 7, 2021
- ‘He Was the Angel of Death’: Trial Over Sutherland Springs Shooting Concludes, Courthouse News, April 20, 2021
- Feds argue Air Force not liable for Sutherland Springs massacre, or only partly responsible, San Antonio Express-News, April 13, 2021
- Air Force Can’t Escape Suit Over Ex-Airman’s Mass Shooting, Law360, January 8, 2021
- Courts Slash Governmental Immunity, Allowing Mass Shooting Victims to Sue, Law.com, September 5, 2019
- U.S. Air Force could face liability in Texas shooting: legal experts, Reuters, November 9, 2017
- San Antonio judge sanctions government lawyers for keeping names from Sutherland Springs survivors, San Antonio Express-News, September 25, 2017
- Air Force could face record lawsuits over mass shooting, Stars and Stripes, November 13, 2017
- At a four-star veterans’ hospital: Care gets ‘worse and worse,’ Boston Globe, July 15, 2017
- Tragedy and injustice: The heartbreaking truth about military medical malpractice, Military Times, July 10, 2016
- When the Mother is a Soldier: Column, USA Today, November 27, 2015
- Military Family Presses Novel Gender-Bias Case Before the Supreme Court, National Law Journal, October 15, 2015
- Law prevents some family members from suing the military, Military Times, July 5, 2015
- Reproductive Malpractice and the Military, Huffington Post, July 4, 2015
- Court orders VA to pay stroke victim $21 million in malpractice case, Washington Post, April 15, 2015 (clients received $15,884,511.98 after attorneys’ fees and expenses)
- Is the Feres Doctrine fair? Stars and Stripes, June 19, 2011
- $7,860,000 Settlement Army Hospital Birth Injury
- $6,500,000 Settlement Air Force Hospital Birth Injury
- $5,800,000 Settlement Army Hospital Birth Injury
- $5,117,473.50 Trial Judgment Air Force Hospital Medical Malpractice
- $5,000,000 Settlement Army Hospital Failure to Diagnose
- $5,000,000 Settlement Army Hospital Failure to Diagnose
Firm recognition
- Firm and partners featured on Austin’s Top Attorneys 2021 list in Austin Monthly.
- Whitehurst, Harkness, Brees, Cheng, Alsaffar, Higginbotham, and Jacob, PLLC are listed on the US News Best Law Firms List
- All partners and firm recognized as Austin’s Top Attorneys 2020 in Austin Monthly
- All partners named Super Lawyers in Texas Monthly by Thomson Reuters, September 8, 2015
Speaking engagements
- Michelle Cheng and Chip Brees Presented at the CATLA Luncheon on August 9, 2022
- Jamal Alsaffar presented at the 2021 Arkansas Trial Lawyer Association Annual Convention on taking effective Zoom depositions.


Real Client testimonials
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Helped me navigate an extremely complex system
“I couldn’t recommend her enough.”
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Very impressed
“She always responded quickly and kept me informed at all times.”
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Instantly put us at ease.
“Words cannot fully express the amount of gratitude that we have for the both of you.”
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The entire team was always professional and supportive.
“Chip was always there to answer questions, calm me down and let me know everything was going to be okay!”
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We are truly grateful for Jamal and his team
“After a long and lengthy process we feel secure in that we will be able to provide everything our son needs and deserves through the trusts that they set up for him.”

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PEER APPROVED
More attorneys* named Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters in the “Personal Injury Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff” category in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 than any other law firm in Texas (*Bill Whitehurst, Chip Brees, Michelle Cheng, Jamal Alsaffar, Laurie Higginbotham and Tom Jacob)
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TEXAS ROOTS
Founded in Austin with more than 40 years of trial experience.
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NATIONAL REACH
National results in complex personal injury litigation.
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DEEP BENCH
Many experienced lawyers ready to serve you.
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SE HABLA ESPAÑOL
Our team has multiple Spanish speaking staff members.