Members of the Firm

Randal Mathis

Randal Mathis has been practicing law for over four decades. During that time, he has tried a great number of jury and non-jury trials to verdict at the state and federal levels. Mr. Mathis has demonstrated exceptional skills as a strategic trial lawyer and counselor, with a wide breadth of legal knowledge covering many different areas of the law. Prior to co-founding Mathis & Donheiser, Mr. Mathis was a litigation partner and leader at Strasburger & Price where he began his legal career. Later, he joined Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C., as a litigation partner and board member. Notably, Mr. Mathis and Mr. Donheiser began collaborating together while at Strasburger & Price forging a unique partnership with their combined trial and appellate experience. Mr. Mathis is known for never stepping away from the most formidable, demanding, or complex legal disputes, including civil cases with high financial exposure, civil matters with related criminal law components, cases of unusual art work provenance, matters involving constitutional issues, insurance and commercial disputes, catastrophic personal injury cases including product liability and wrongful death matters, complicated trust, estate, and will disputes, and matters involving civil rights, sexual abuse, and firearms liability. His clients are diverse including medical, legal, and athletic professionals, religious institutions, clergy, manufacturers, banking institutions, high-rise condominium associations, nonprofit organizations, as well as small businesses, large national and international corporations, and private individuals. Mr. Mathis’s trial experience includes representation of defendants and plaintiffs. Under Mr. Mathis’s leadership, the firm has a long history of successful jury trials and has become well known for assuming representation just prior to trial, during the course of a case when a change of counsel is desired, or when additional counsel is needed. Mr. Mathis contributes his time doing various pro bono work, including his role as national trial counsel for the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. Mr. Mathis takes a realistic and practical approach to every legal matter while representing his clients combining vigorous advocacy with empathy. He believes in solving legal matters with unrelenting vigor and work ethic while pursuing the best resolutions and most realistic goals for his clients. He never loses sight of what is best for his clients and is highly responsive to their legal needs and challenges as they experience the many facets of the legal process.
Education
J.D. Texas Tech University School of Law, 1980B.A. Texas Tech University, 1976 Other Recognition 2023 Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Attorney Rating
Admissions
State Bar of Texas, 1980 State Bar of New York, 1993
U.S. Supreme Court U.S. Court of Claims
U.S. District Court for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas

Mark Donheiser

Mark Donheiser has been a practicing appellate lawyer for forty years. After serving as briefing attorney for Chief Justice Clarence Guittard of the Dallas Court of Appeals, he joined Strasburger & Price where he became a partner in the Appellate Section. He later joined Munsch Hardt Kopf & Harr, P.C., as a shareholder and headed their Appellate Section. In 2001, he partnered with his long-time collaborator, Randal Mathis, to establish the firm Mathis & Donheiser. Throughout his extensive and distinguished career, Mr. Donheiser has handled over 200 appellate matters, successfully representing clients in courts across the state and in the Fifth, Ninth, and Eleventh Federal Courts of Appeals. With a profound understanding acquired from years of experience, Mr. Donheiser recognizes that winning at trial is only half the battle in a legal proceeding. The other half of the battle is preserving the winning verdict if challenged on appeal, making appellate advocacy a critical and indispensable part of every trial practice. Mr. Donheiser has built an esteemed career specializing in appellate law. He is an unrelenting advocate for his clients in pursuing and defending appeals at every level of the appellate process. From meticulously preserving errors for appeal during the trial, to handling post-trial procedural issues, and crafting numerous motions, briefs, and documents, his comprehensive expertise extends to presenting compelling oral arguments before both state and federal appellate courts. Additionally, Mr. Donheiser has extensive experience in the trial courts, handling complex motions, intractable discovery disputes, and charges of the court. His achievements as a creative and innovative appellate lawyer, along with his thoughtful approach to practicing law, are invaluable to the firm’s trial practice. Mr. Donheiser’s intellectual and strategic capabilities are integral to the preparation and completion of each case. His written work and persuasive oral presentations combined with his sound judgment allow the firm to consistently achieve the best possible resolution for each client. Mr. Donheiser’s vast knowledge of the law, capacity to analyze legal issues quickly, and his uncanny ability to foresee the unique legal challenges presented by each case have earned him an exceptional reputation and made him a highly sought after appellate lawyer. He handles the necessary appeals for the firm’s litigation section, but is often engaged to handle appeals originating outside the firm. In recent years, Mr. Donheiser has become significantly involved with the Texas Citizens’ Participation Act, the so-called anti-SLAPP statute. He has responded to numerous motions under that Act and has successfully defended them on appeal, further solidifying his expertise in that area of the law.
A Representation of Mr. Donheiser’s Appeals includes:
  • Jenevein v. Willing, 493 F.3d 551 (5th Cir. 2007)
  • Burlington Insurance Co. v. Texas Krishnas, Inc., 143 S.W.3d 226 (Tex. App. – Eastland 2004, no pet.)
  • Caprock Construction Co. v. Guaranteed Floorcovering, Inc., 950 S.W.2d 203 (Tex. App. -- Dallas 1997, no pet.)
  • Reames v. Hawthorne-Seving, Inc., 949 S.W.2d 758 (Tex. App. – Dallas 1997, pet. denied)
  • Bell v. Showa Denko, K.K. 899 S.W.2d 749 (Tex. App. –Amarillo 1995, writ denied)
  • Jack B. Anglin Co. v. Tipps, 842 S.W.2d 266 (Tex. 1992)
  • Moreno v. Sterling Drug, Inc., 787 S.W.2d 348 (Tex. 1990)
Education
J.D. University of Texas School of Law with Honors B.A. Vanderbilt University, 1978 Other Recognition 2023 Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Attorney Rating
Admissions
State Bar of Texas, 1983 U.S. Supreme Court U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit U.S. District Court for Northern District of Texas

Rebekah D’Ambola

Rebekah D’Ambola has been an integral member of the firm since its inception in 2001, practicing alongside Mr. Donheiser and Mr. Mathis. Prior to joining the firm, she was an Associate with the distinguished national law firm of Gardner, Carton & Douglas, as well as the renowned international law firm of Vinson & Elkins.
Ms. D’Ambola has experience in a wide range of cases in both federal and state courts, and has successfully represented clients in diverse areas of the law. While she has adeptly handled defense matters, her primary focus lies in championing plaintiffs' causes. Her clients have included private individuals, small businesses, corporations, banks, manufacturers, medical professionals, clergy, and nonprofit organizations. Her experience encompasses catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death, product liability cases from medical devices to farming equipment, and matters involving creditor’s rights, boating accidents, family law issues, and disputes involving wills, estates, and trusts. Additionally, Ms. D’Ambola assumes a pivotal role in counseling and representing clients who lack the financial resources to afford legal services, and she leads the firm’s Pro Bono program. Through her extensive pro bono work, Ms. D'Ambola has garnered vast experience in helping clients manage their legal challenges both within and outside of the courtroom. With her excellent advocacy and counseling skills, she has successfully assisted clients facing the most difficult legal issues. Her client centered approach to resolving legal matters is characterized by aggressive advocacy, empathy, and professionalism. Throughout her career, Ms. D’Ambola has advised and mentored many aspiring law students and young lawyers, encouraging them to be effective, responsible, empathetic, and capable attorneys while emphasizing the importance of their obligations to the practice of law and their communities.
Education
J.D. Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, Memphis State University, 1985American Jurisprudence Award, Ethics, 1985B.B.A. Roanoke College, 1981
Admissions
State Bar of Texas, 1985 U.S. Supreme CourtU. S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
Other Legal Associations
Instructor, Southern Methodist University School of Law Legal Assistance Certificate Program, Creditor’s Rights, 1991

In Memoriam

Roger Evans

April 18, 1951 - August 14, 2009
Partner and Dear Friend Mathis & Donheiser, P.C. 2001-2009 For more information regarding Mr. Evans please visit: http://memorialwebsites.legacy.com/RogerEvansMemorial/homepage.aspx
From left to right: Randy Mathis, Joanne Donheiser, Mark Donheiser, and Rebekah D’Ambola