Texas has four federal judicial districts: the Southern, Northern, Eastern, and Western Districts. Each operates its own court system with its own judges, its own procedural rules, and its own bar. An attorney licensed by the State Bar of Texas can practice in state courts across the state, but practicing in a federal district court requires separate admission to that district’s bar. Todd Mensing holds admission to all four.
That’s not a formality. Federal court admission determines where an attorney can file cases, argue motions, and try cases. Without it, you can’t walk into a courtroom in that district without another admitted attorney beside you. For a litigator whose practice spans energy disputes, commercial contract cases, and intellectual property litigation across Texas, admission to all four districts eliminates a logistical barrier that constrains attorneys admitted to only one or two.
How Federal Court Admission Works in Texas
Each federal district sets its own requirements. The Southern District of Texas, headquartered in Houston with divisions in Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, Brownsville, Victoria, and McAllen, requires applicants to hold a license from any state’s highest court, file an application, pay a $199 fee, and execute an oath. The Northern District, headquartered in Dallas, requires an application approved by a district judge and an introduction by a member of that court’s bar who sponsors the applicant at a swearing-in ceremony.
The Western District, headquartered in San Antonio with divisions including Austin, Waco, El Paso, Del Rio, Midland-Odessa, and Pecos, adds further requirements: two letters of recommendation from attorneys already admitted to its bar, a certificate of good standing, and completion of a continuing legal education program on federal court practice within the year preceding the application. The Eastern District, headquartered in Tyler with divisions in Beaumont, Lufkin, Marshall, Sherman, and Texarkana, maintains its own parallel requirements.
An attorney admitted to the Southern District can’t walk into a Northern District courtroom and file a case. They’re separate bars with separate applications. Mensing’s admission to all four means he can litigate in any federal trial court in Texas without obtaining special permission, retaining local counsel, or filing pro hac vice motions.
Todd Mensing Litigation Work in the Southern District
The Southern District of Texas is where most of Mensing’s federal practice has played out. The Port of Houston Authority v. Louis Dreyfus Company Houston Export Elevator LLC, Case No. 4:19-cv-00746, was tried before U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes in the Southern District. The case involved a breach of contract claim over maintenance obligations under a long-term operating agreement for a grain elevator facility at the Port of Houston.
After a four-day jury trial, the jury found in favor of the Port of Houston on its breach of contract claim and awarded substantial damages. Mensing served as lead trial counsel. Louis Dreyfus later challenged the verdict through a motion for a new trial and a request to reduce the damages award, both of which the court denied.
The case illustrates why federal court admission matters in practice, not just on paper. The Port of Houston is a Harris County governmental entity, and Louis Dreyfus is a foreign corporation. That diversity of citizenship gives federal courts jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1332. Without admission to the Southern District’s bar, Mensing couldn’t have tried the case himself.
Why Multi-District Admission Matters for Commercial and Energy Litigation
Commercial disputes in Texas don’t confine themselves to a single district. Energy companies operate across the Permian Basin (Western District), the Eagle Ford Shale (Southern District), and the Barnett Shale (Northern District). Patent cases involving Texas-based defendants often land in the Eastern District, which has historically attracted a high volume of intellectual property litigation, particularly in its Marshall and Tyler divisions.
An attorney admitted to all four districts can follow the case wherever it’s filed. Todd Mensing’s practice at AZA covers energy litigation, commercial contract disputes, patent infringement, and trade secret cases, categories where the filing venue depends on where the parties are located, where the disputed conduct occurred, or where the plaintiff chooses to bring the action. Multi-district admission means the choice of federal venue doesn’t require a change in lead counsel.
Pro hac vice admission, where an out-of-district attorney seeks temporary permission to appear in a single case, is an alternative, but it adds cost, delay, and uncertainty. The admitting court can deny the motion. Some districts require the out-of-district attorney to associate with local counsel, which adds another lawyer and another fee to the client’s bill. Full admission eliminates those friction points.
Federal vs. State Court: Different Forums, Same Todd Mensing Trial Lawyer
Mensing’s trial record spans both systems. The SilverBow Resources trespass case was tried in the 343rd District Court of McMullen County, a state court. The Port of Houston case was tried in the Southern District of Texas, a federal court. The pipeline defense case was tried in the Texas Business Court, a specialized state court. Each forum has different procedural rules, different discovery practices, and different judicial cultures.
Federal courts generally follow the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which differ from the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure on issues like discovery scope, expert disclosure timelines, and summary judgment standards. Federal judges carry smaller dockets than many state court judges and may be more willing to impose strict scheduling orders and page limits on briefing. Trial practice in federal court tends to be tighter and faster than in state court, which rewards attorneys who’ve tried cases in both systems.
Mensing’s admission to all four Texas federal districts, combined with his state court trial record, positions him to handle litigation wherever it lands. For clients whose disputes could be filed in either system, or whose cases might be removed from state to federal court by an opposing party, it matters to have lead counsel who can practice in both forums without disruption. It’s not a credential that makes headlines, but for any client hiring a litigator, it’s one that determines whether their first choice can actually try the case.
