(305) 416-3180

Texas

Our Texas Team

Jane Braugh

Jane M. Braugh is a partner in Lydecker’s Los Angeles office and received her B.A. in English from the University of Kentucky. She attended law school at the University of Houston, Law Center in Houston, Texas. During law school, Jane M. Braugh studied abroad in Innsbruck Austria and Mexico City, Mexico, where she completed a law internship at Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), Mexico’s state-owned petroleum company.

After obtaining her juris doctorate degree, Jane M. Braugh was appointed Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas in the Financial Crimes Division, and practiced in Austin, Texas from May 1995 through December 1999. While an Assistant Attorney General, Jane M. Braugh took her first jury trial to verdict obtaining a judgment for the State of Texas against a nightclub owner in Fort Worth. Ms. Braugh co-authored the Texas County and District Attorney’s Practice Guide on Asset Seizure and Forfeiture, drafted proposed legislation and testified before Legislative committees regarding pending legislation.

Jane M. Braugh then transferred her practice to Southern California in January 2000 where her practice focused on a variety of complex litigation matters involving catastrophic injury, wrongful death, product liability, premises liability, vehicular and trucking accidents, aircraft accidents, workplace accidents, labor and employment claims, and a variety of business and commercial disputes. Included in her practice is the participation in the complex courtrooms of Los Angeles County Superior Court, Judicial Council Coordination Proceedings (JCCP) for products liability cases involving auto and tire manufacturers. Such complex coordinated matters included those filed in, In Re Firestone Tires (including a jury trial to judgment in Ramon Moreno Sr., et al. v. ATV, Inc.) and In Re Winston Tires. Jane M. Braugh was part of the trial team that obtained a judgment after jury trial in the products liability case of Mendoza v. Ford Motor Co., in Kern County Superior Court.

Jane M. Braugh is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the State Bar of California. She is admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Northern, and Western Districts of Texas, as well as the Central District of California. Jane M. Braugh is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Jane M. Braugh, a Native American, is also a member of the judiciary. In 2004, Jane M. Braugh was elected District Court Judge of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation (CPN) of which she is a tribal member, where she served until 2010. On June 26, 2010, Jane M. Braugh was elected Associate Supreme Court Justice of the CPN Supreme Court where she remains serving for multiple consecutive terms.

chris chapaneri

Christopher Chapaneri is the managing partner for our offices in Texas and Oklahoma and the founding partner of our Dallas office. Christopher is a strategic, results-oriented litigator obtaining favorable settlements where appropriate and trying cases before a judge or jury when needed, including first and second chair jury trial experience in state and federal courts. Christopher intuitively anticipates litigation methods pursued by all parties in a lawsuit, allowing him the ability to engage in “outside the box” strategies where appropriate.

Christopher is experienced in and enjoys practicing in a wide array of cases involving commercial litigation, wrongful death/survivor actions, products liability, premises liability, construction defect, catastrophic injury, transportation matters, employment litigation, commercial landlord-tenant disputes, professional liability for engineers, amusement park law, and environmental law. Moreover, Christopher has handled a variety of appellate matters to the Texas Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Christopher has taught the following Lydecker U courses “Handling Complex Litigation in Amusement Park Industry in Texas” and “Enforcement of Arbitration & Pre-Injury Waivers Against Minors in Texas” for CE/CLE credit. 

 

Mrs. Diverio (1)

Mrs. Diverio is a shareholding partner at Lydecker’s Miami office and is the chair of the property practice group. She is a trial and appellate attorney for first and third party lawsuits. She handles bad faith claims, third party claims nationally, fire/theft/fraud investigations, windstorm coverage insurance defense, personal injury, general liability, subrogation claims, fraud investigations, and all types of property damage claims.

In addition to her broad insurance coverage practice, Ms. Diverio has significant experience in Directors & Officers (D&O) condominium litigation, where she represents boards, associations, and insurers in matters involving governance disputes, fiduciary duty claims, and coverage issues. Her work in this area provides clients with strategic counsel on both preventative risk management and litigation defense.

Mrs. Diverio litigates insurance disputes involving high exposure commercial and personal lines in both State and Federal court. Mrs. Diverio’s practice group handles claims from pre-suit investigations through trials and appeals.

Mrs. Diverio has handled a multitude of appellate and trial matters and has been first-handedly involved in changing and upholding Florida Statutes on significant current insurance defense issues.

Most importantly, Mrs. Diverio’s strength lies in client relations and professionalism. She maintains an open line of communication with her clients during all phases of litigation, settlement of a dispute, and works in conjunction with her adjusters to quickly and efficiently resolve claims.

Madeleine Gerdes Headshot

Madeleine Gerdes is an Associate in the firm’s Dallas office. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a Minor in Legal Studies, from the University of Mississippi. Madeleine returned to her home state of Texas to pursue her Juris Doctor at the University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law.

During law school, Madeleine demonstrated a strong commitment to public service. She volunteered with the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program, assisting veterans through the program’s legal clinic. She also served at UNT Dallas’s Community Lawyering Center, providing pro bono legal assistance in a variety of civil matters to underserved communities across North Texas.

Following her admission to the bar, Madeleine began her legal career as a plaintiff’s personal injury attorney, where she managed a range of personal injury cases throughout the litigation process. She joined Lydecker with valuable experience advocating for clients in complex civil matters.

Christopher Lutzel

Christopher Lutzel is an associate at the firm’s Dallas and Miami offices. Mr. Lutzel is a detail-oriented, communicative litigator experienced in providing tailored strategies that conclude with superb results for his clients whether through favorable settlements or other means of resolution. Mr. Lutzel provides in-depth analysis of all facets of a case from presuit investigation through trial preparation in order to provide his clients with optimal strategy recommendations based on how any case develops through the course of litigation.

Mr. Lutzel concentrates his practice in cases involving Bodily Injury, Premises Liability, and Commercial and Homeowner’s First-Party Disputes. His experience involves matters dealing with traumatic brain injuries, physical altercations resulting in injury, slip/trip and fall, and motor vehicle accidents among others in addition to his experience in property matters centered around catastrophes, weather, and non-weather related property damage.

Mr. Lutzel graduated from the FIU College of Law. While in Law School, Mr. Lutzel was president of the Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Society. While in college, Mr. Lutzel was a member of the Baylor University football team.

Mr. Sanchez Parraga

Mr. Sanchez Parraga is a partner at Lydecker’s Miami, New Jersey, New York, and Los Angeles offices. He is an experienced insurance and commercial litigation attorney whose practice focuses on first-party and third-party property coverage and related litigation. He advises domestic and international insurers on complex coverage issues arising from a broad range of construction and property losses, including those caused by hurricanes, fires, hailstorms, structural failures, and other catastrophic events.

Mr. Parraga regularly acts as both coverage and litigation counsel, with experience representing insurers in high-exposure claims involving commercial buildings, residential developments, hospitality properties, and industrial sites. He is well-versed in policy interpretation, claim assessment, and the application of exclusions and endorsements, and is familiar with insurer reporting obligations and litigation management protocols.

He understands the financial, reputational, and operational pressures faced by insurers and their insureds in the wake of significant property losses. Whether handling claims involving large commercial assets or navigating disputes tied to policyholder obligations, Mr. Parraga offers practical, tailored advice aimed at achieving efficient and favorable outcomes.

In addition to his broad insurance coverage practice, Mr. Sanchez Parraga has developed substantial experience handling Directors & Officers (D&O) insurance claims, particularly in the context of condominium litigation. He regularly represents boards, associations, and insurers in matters involving governance disputes, alleged breaches of fiduciary duty, and complex coverage issues. His work in this area combines strategic counsel on D&O risk management with effective litigation defense.

Mr. Sanchez Parraga routinely collaborates with trial attorneys to enhance case strategies, ensuring that issues are preserved for appeal and maximizing the potential for favorable outcomes. His analytical skills enable him to foresee potential challenges and craft strategic solutions, ensuring that every pleading, motion and brief is meticulously prepared and delivered.

Mr. Sanchez Parraga is admitted to practice in Florida, New York, New Jersey, California, Texas, and Georgia.

Mr. Sanchez Parraga earned a Bachelor in Law, with honors, from the University of Barcelona, and received his Juris Doctorate magna cum laude from Nova Southeastern University in 2018. He is admitted to practice law in Florida, New York, New Jersey, and California as well as in the United States District Courts for the Middle and Southern District of Florida.

Main Office

1221 Brickell Avenue, 19th Floor Miami, FL 33131

Phone

(305) 416-3180

Main Office

MON-FRI 

8:30 AM - 5:30 PM