For the sixth year, litigator Chrysta Castañeda has been named to D Magazine’s list of the top attorneys in Dallas. She was selected for her expertise in business and commercial litigation, having achieved major victories in the oil and gas space. 

To compile its list of the city’s best lawyers, D Magazine invites the Dallas legal community to nominate their colleagues. After the nominations, a team of editors and an anonymous panel of attorneys reviews the entries and finalizes the honorees.

An influential figure in the Texas oil and gas industry, and a prior Democratic nominee for Texas Railroad Commissioner, Castañeda uses her platform to advocate for responsible energy use in Texas, both in the media and in the courtroom.

This February, Castañeda filed a lawsuit on behalf of Aspire Power Ventures asserting that the Texas Public Utility Commission failed to comply with Texas law by illegally driving up electricity prices and creating artificial scarcity. The announcement garnered major media attention across the state.

The following month, the Houston Chronicle published her opinion piece criticizing Texas lawmakers who support an anti-ESG stance, stating that it’s not only bad for the environment, it’s also bad for business:

If a firm seems too friendly to the environment, the Texas comptroller can put them on a blacklist, banning them from doing any business with state and local governments. If they acknowledge the potential financial impact of climate change, state pension funds and even county governments issuing bonds can be barred from working with them.

For a state that touts being good for business, Texas is sacrificing its reputation by using the heavy hand of government to force investment into oil wells owned by a group with lots of political influence — the owners of the least producing, highest polluting oil wells.

This type of dedication has caused more than D Magazine to take note of Castañeda’s success. In the last year, she has been named to national publications that include Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers, and her firm has been selected to the prestigious Chambers Regional Spotlight and Best Law Firms.