Speaker Bios

Farrah Ahmed represents automobile lenders, restaurants, convenient stores (C-stores), gas stations, business entities, contractors, franchisees, e-cigarette/vape retailers and wholesalers, automobile mechanic or body shops, Montessori schools and daycares, and individuals in a variety of commercial matters, including litigation, arbitration, and mediation in complex contract disputes, landlord-tenant disputes, commercial and residential leases, subleases, and assignments, trade secrets, franchise law, contract enforcement, professional liability claims against realtors, attorneys, and title companies, business torts, non-compete agreements, Deceptive Trade Practices Act, product liability, and writ of sequestrations/repossession of automobiles.

Farrah also has transactional experience in various business transactions, including purchase-sale of business assets, stock purchase agreements, corporate governing documents (e.g., company agreement or shareholders agreement), management agreements, loan documents (i.e., promissory notes, pledge agreements, and security agreements), commercial leases, license agreements, co-existence agreements, franchise agreements, franchise disclosure documents, business opportunity agreements, employment agreements, independent contractor agreements, vendor agreements, and application service provider agreement.

Mr. Carlton represents business clients in complex civil litigation. He provides consultation and representation in numerous areas of insurance coverage and defends insurers and third-party administrators with respect to coverage disputes and claims of insurance bad faith, deceptive trade practices and insurance code violations. He also defends insureds in business and personal injury litigation, including attorney professional liability, auto liability, premises liability, products liability, construction defect, catastrophic injury, and first party property claims; and maintains a commercial liability practice representing construction companies, self-insured employers and other business entities.

As a member of the firm’s Dallas office, Michele is part of the Tech Errors and Omissions Practice Section and Compliance & Incident Response Team.
Ms. Focht comes to Freeman Mathis & Gary from Baker McKenzie where she was part of the Commercial Litigation practice area and a member of the Discovery and Cyber team.  There her practice included working with multinational clients on high profile corporate actions including complex litigation. Ms. Focht also has experience in working on cyber and privacy breach incidents as well as working with federal and state regulatory agencies and State Attorney Generals.
Beginning her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney, Ms. Focht spent 15 years in lobbying, legislative drafting and analysis and nonprofit executive leadership for two national non-profits and several local agencies before returning to legal practice in 2012. 
Ms. Focht enjoys spending free time with her children, family, and friends. She is also an avid amateur chef who likes experimenting with new recipes.
 
Bar Admissions
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas