Sinha, Tara S.

In 1968, when Byron Sims and Thomas Brown formed their two-man law firm, Brown Sims, the initial focus was to offer their clients in the maritime and energy industries a superior and wide variety of litigation services.

But along with the growth in these industries along the Texas Gulf Coast, Mr. Sims' own personal ambition and desire to hire the best lawyers available resulted in unprecedented growth in his own practice. Impressed with the results they received from these two lawyers, Mr. Sims and Mr. Brown's clients and carriers began requesting that the firm venture outside its traditional practice areas.

Nearly 40 years later, the once small firm has grown into one of the top 25 largest law firms in Houston and one of the top 100 largest law firms in Texas. What was once a small and tailored practice with two lawyers, has grown to over 55 lawyers, assisting hundreds of clients in thousands of matters, and covering almost every conceivable industry.

Now one of the elder statesmen of the Houston legal community, Mr. Sims is well known and has long been recognized as one of the area's more experienced attorneys. He was honored as one of Houston's Top Lawyers for 2005 and 2007 by H Magazine and has been named a Texas Super Lawyer for 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 as featured in Texas Monthly.

Mr. Sims is Board Certified in both Personal Injury Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has been certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.

Mr. Sims practices in a number of the areas of the law that form the specialties of Brown Sims. He prides himself in his knowledge of many legal areas, but takes the most pride in defending fellow attorneys from malpractice lawsuits and grievance actions. To Mr. Sims, this is one of the most rewarding areas of his practice as it gives him an opportunity to give back to his fellow attorneys.

A 1963 graduate of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), Mr. Sims earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Texas School of Law in 1967. There he was a member of the Order of the Coif and Phi Delta Phi legal honor fraternity and won the American Jurisprudence Award for Contracts.

Mr. Sims has also spearheaded firm efforts on behalf of organizations in the Houston area, including industry groups such as the Greater Houston Partnership and International Association of Drilling Contractors. The firm's contribution to the Gulf Coast area includes the handling of pro bono legal efforts and support of organizations as diverse as the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the Houston International Seafarers' Center, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the American Cancer Society.