Partner Damon Edwards serves clients from the firm’s Houston office, where he has worked since before becoming an attorney.

Prior to attending law school, Mr. Edwards worked as an area manager in the Houston office. Later, during his last year of studies, he worked as a law clerk in the Post-Judgment department of the Houston office.

Mr. Edwards was born in Houston, Texas, where he attended Lamar High School. He later attended Texas A&M University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science in 1995, and South Texas College of Law where he received his Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1999. While in law school, he was elected to the board of directors of the Student Bar Association and was the student liaison to the governing board of the State Bar of Texas. He is also the recipient of the prestigious Donnelly Memorial Award, given in recognition of exemplary character and legal ability.

He has previously served on the board of directors of the State Bar of Texas and the Texas Bar Foundation. He is a past president of the Houston Lawyers Association and currently serves on the board of directors for the Texas Bar College.

James “Wade” Gent serves Linebarger’s Northeast Texas delinquent tax and court collection clients. As a trial attorney for nearly 25 years, his broad experience includes complex cases involving tax collection and other governmental receivables, state and federal regulations, fair debt collection, real estate disputes and appraisal district litigation.

Mr. Gent is admitted to practice law in Texas and Pennsylvania, as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas. He has represented clients in over 100 Texas counties and in at least 12 states.

A graduate of Kaufman High School, Mr. Gent earned a BBA in Business Economics from Texas Tech University in 1996 and a Juris Doctorate from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law in 2000. He is also a licensed real estate broker.

Prior to joining Linebarger, Mr. Gent was a Municipal Court Judge for 12 years and served as City Attorney for multiple cities. He represents Rockwall County as a board member of the North Central Texas Housing Finance Corporation and serves on the Rockwall ISD Education Foundation.

Corey Hamilton, Ph.D. manages the firm’s office in Miami, Florida.

Prior to joining the firm, Dr. Hamilton was an Assistant State Attorney for Florida’s 7th Judicial Circuit and clerked for the Florida Department of Transportation’s 5th District legal division.

Dr. Hamilton serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Civil Air Patrol. He is also a member of Golden Key International Honor Society and Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Fraternity.

Dr. Hamilton is admitted to the Florida Bar, the United States Supreme Court, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Dr. Hamilton received a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Florida in 2004 followed by his Juris Doctor from the Thomas M. Cooley School of Law in 2007 where he was a member of the Phi Delta Phi Honor Fraternity. He also received a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from Walden University in 2017 specializing in Law and Public Policy.

Daniel Albidrez is a Capital Partner who serves Linebarger’s West Texas Offices in Odessa and Fort Stockton, Texas.   

Prior to joining Linebarger in 2005, Mr. Albidrez owned a private practice, where he handled both criminal defense and plaintiff’s litigation at the trial and appellate levels.   

Mr. Albidrez engages with his community through his board membership at the Boys and Girls Club of Odessa, Rotary Club of Odessa, and United Way of Odessa.  

Mr. Albidrez is licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas and is a past President of the Ector County Young Lawyers Association. He also is a member of the Ector County Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas, the Midland County Lawyers’ Association, the Texas Association of Assessing Officers, and the Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas.   

Mr. Albidrez received a  Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Texas Tech University in 1993 and Doctor of Jurisprudence from Texas Tech University School of Law in 1996.  

Norman Nelson is the managing partner of the firm’s Houston office and a member of Linebarger’s Management Committee.

Before joining Linebarger, he was an Assistant City Attorney with the City of Houston Legal Department. He is also a retired Air Force Reserve officer.

Mr. Nelson is a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas, the Houston Bar Association, and a lifetime member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Mr. Nelson is admitted to practice before the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and the Southern District of Texas. He is a graduate of Tuskegee University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Management in 1973 and was then commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force. In 1975, while still on active duty in the Air Force, he received a Master of Science in Public Administration from the University of Northern Colorado. Mr. Nelson earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1984 from the Thurgood Marshall Law School at Texas Southern University and has been licensed to practice law since November 1984.

Herbert “Trey” Stone III is an attorney with over two decades of legal experience and a proven track record of excellence in the field. Trey earned his Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, in May 1999. He furthered his education at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas, where he graduated cum laude in May 2003.

Admitted to the State Bar of Texas in November 2003, Trey embarked on his legal journey with the Office of the Attorney General of Texas as an Assistant Attorney General. This role provided him with invaluable experience and a solid foundation in public service and legal advocacy. In 2004, Trey joined Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP, where he has since ascended to the position of Capital Partner, and is a contributing member of the firm’s success. Trey’s role at Linebarger encompasses managing client relationships, collaborating with support staff, and identifying and procuring new business opportunities for the firm.

Trey’s commitment to the legal profession is reflected in his active participation in several esteemed organizations. He is a proud member of the State Bar of Texas, the State Bar of Michigan, the Houston Bar Association, the local Houston chapter of the NAACP, and the Morehouse College Alumni Association. These affiliations underscore his dedication to professional growth, community service, and the pursuit of justice.

Beyond his professional life, Trey values spending quality time with his family. An avid sports enthusiast, he enjoys playing golf and tennis, activities that provide him with a healthy balance between work and leisure. Additionally, Trey is attuned to current events, staying informed about the latest developments in both the legal field and the broader world.

James Harris manages the firm’s delinquent toll road collections, including contracts with the Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, Colorado E-470 Public Highway Authority, Massachusetts Department of Transportation, and others. A graduate of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association’s (IBTTA) Leadership Academy. Mr. Harris brings over 20 years of management and collection expertise to the firm’s toll collection program. 

Before joining the firm in 2004, Mr. Harris served as the Public Law Bureau Chief in the Harris County Attorney’s Office. He oversaw five divisions, including the Revenue Division, responsible for collecting toll road accounts for the Harris County Toll Road Authority. Before the County Attorney’s Office, he worked for Lockheed Martin IMS as their EMS collections contract manager with the City of Houston. 

Admitted to the Texas State Bar in 1996, Mr. Harris is also licensed in Colorado and Virginia. He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree from the University of Houston Law Center and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Government from the University of Texas. 

Since joining Linebarger in 1999, Glenn Lewis has practiced in the area of delinquent tax collection, appearing in State District Courts in Tarrant, Denton, Johnson, Parker, Wise, Hood, Montague, and Clay counties.

Mr. Lewis is licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas since 1984. He is also licensed by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas and The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He has appeared in trial courts across the State of Texas, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, and the 2nd and 11th State Courts of Appeals.

A native of Fort Worth, Mr. Lewis graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Fort Worth. After attending Prairie View A&M University, he earned an associate degree from Tarrant County College, a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Wesleyan University, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Texas School of Law.

In addition to his active law practice, Mr. Lewis serves as the Presiding Municipal Judge in the City of Forest Hill. Mr. Lewis was elected Chairman of the Board for Texas Wesleyan University in 2021; he is the first person of color to hold this position in the University’s 131 year history.

Charles Brady brings a wealth of delinquent tax collection experience to the firm’s clients in North Texas. Prior to joining the firm in 2016, he was a partner in the law firm of Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins and Mott LLP in Arlington for over nine years. During his time with Perdue, his practice focused on delinquent tax collection and the proliferation of fees and fines accounts.

A native Texan, he has volunteered as a Teen Court Judge with the Arlington Municipal Courts for over eight years. He has also served on numerous steering committees, Education Foundation Boards, and Financial Committees for Districts throughout the metroplex.

Mr. Brady is a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington in 2000, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Juris Doctor in 2004 from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, now Texas A&M School of Law. At law school Mr. Brady was a member of the Phi Alpha Delta legal fraternity and the Hispanic Law Students’ Association. He received his license to practice law in Texas in November 2004.

Jake Battenfield currently serves as the lead attorney representing local taxing jurisdictions for the collection of delinquent property taxes and other ad valorem tax matters. Jake also assists counties and municipalities in recovering delinquent civil and criminal traffic citations as well as other court fees and fines. Mr. Battenfield joined Linebarger as an attorney in January 2008, became a partner in 2012, and rose to Capital Partner in 2016.

In 2004, Jake graduated from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law where he earned his Juris Doctor. While attending Texas Wesleyan University, Jake was on the dean’s list and participated in the Moot Court Honor Society. In 2005, Jake graduated from Southern Methodist University School of Law with a Master of Laws degree in Taxation. He also graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management. Jake was a member of the Corps of Cadets and the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band. Mr. Battenfield was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 2004.

Jake volunteers as a coach/assistant for his kids’ numerous sports teams, and is an Assistant Scoutmaster in his sons’ Boy Scout Troop.