About Us
ELI ZEV “E. Z.” ILIONSKY, Esq.
Managing Attorney
“E. Z.” Ilionsky is the managing attorney behind Ilionsky Law, PLLC. Born in the former Soviet Union, E. Z. is the son of a refugee family which – after living as stateless persons in Europe – eventually settled in the United States. This background and experience has made E. Z. appreciate more than most the rights and freedoms our legal system provides. He zealously employs these beliefs in his law practice.
E. Z. has an extensive experience in and out of the courtroom and is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas and the federal United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. E. Z. has successfully represented both clients in jury and non-jury trials, hearings, mediations, arbitrations, and administrative hearings. He is an active member of multiple prominent professional legal associations and has been included in the “2021 Texas Rising Stars” list, a distinction reserved for 2.5% of attorneys in Texas. In addition, E. Z. has a Lead Counsel Rating in four areas of law: International Law, Business Law, Family Law, and Civil Litigation. In order to qualify for this, an attorney has to demonstrate that he or she has ample legal experience, a spotless record free of any disciplinary actions, and has been endorsed by peers in the legal profession. E. Z. also speaks Russian on a native level and Hebrew on a proficient level. (His Spanish language skills leave a lot to be desired, but thankfully his office staff can help.)
Outside of his legal practice, E. Z. enjoys strength training, rugby, and soccer. He also engages in amateur study of ancient history, linguistics, anthropology, and ethnography – enough to sound initially interesting but ultimately boring at dinner parties. He splits his time between Houston and Austin and spends time volunteering with legal clinics.
Education
University at Buffalo Law School, 2006
–Juris Doctor
–Editor, Buffalo Environmental Law Journal
Universite Robert Schuman (Strasbourg, France), 2004
– European Union and Continental European Law Program
University of Houston Law Center, 2005
-Visiting Scholar
University at Houston, 2003
–Bachelor of Arts
Bar Admissions
State of Texas, 2007
United States District Court For The Southern District Of Texas, 2007
Professional Affiliations and Recognitions
SuperLawyers – Rising Star of 2021Client Champion 2019 Martindale-Hubbell (Platinum Rating)
Client Champion 2018 Martindale-Hubbell (Silver Rating)
Client Champion 2017 Martindale-Hubbell (Gold Rating)
Lead Counsel Rated by Thomson Reuters (Family Law, Business Law, Litigation, and, International Law)
American Bar Association (Committee Member)
Garland R. Walker American Inn of Court (Master)
Houston Bar Association (Member)
Texas Trial Lawyers Association (Member)
Texas Bar Family Law Section (Member)
ANJALI DEMLA BRAUN, Esq.
Senior Associate Attorney
Born in Texas, Anjali spent her formative years in New Jersey prior to coming back to the Lone Star State. Anjali graduated from Penn State University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in Technical Writing. She then earned her Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 2013.
Aside from being a noted athlete in college, Anjali is also an accomplished writer with published works including but not limited to manuals, guidebooks, and, legal topics. Anjali excels in legal research and drafting, and is considered a rising star in family law, to which she devotes most of her legal work.
Anjali taught herself XML (the computer Extensible Markup Language) for fun. She also speaks conversational Spanish.
Education
South Texas College of Law, 2013
–Juris Doctor
Penn State University, 2007
–Bachelor of Arts
Bar Admissions
State of Texas, 2014
Professional Affiliations and Recognitions
Texas Young Lawyers Association (member)
South Asian Bar Association of North America (member)
NIKKI CHAPA M.B.A., Esq.
Associate Attorney
Nikki Chapa is a true Austinite, born and raised in the capital city. Nikki pursued her bachelor’s degree in Political Science while competing as a D2 women’s lacrosse player at Catawba College. Ms. Chapa returned to Texas in 2017 to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an attorney. She attended St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas for her Juris Doctorate and for Master’s in Business Administration.
Nikki has a background as a highly motivated and skilled attorney. Her appreciation for complex legal issues, litigation, and helping those in need have guided her into a career in family law. Nikki enjoys working out, spending time with her pets and family, and is a self-professed “foodie.”
Education
St. Mary’s University Greehey School of Business, 2019
–Master in Business Administration
St. Mary’s University School of Law
-Juris Doctor, 2020
Catawba College
–Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
Bar Admissions
State of Texas, 2021
ALLECIA LINDSEY POTTINGER, Esq.
Of Counsel
Allecia Lindsey Pottinger, J.D. has been licensed to practice law since 1995. In 1997, Allecia started working for the NAACP as the staff attorney and later became their legal program director. In addition, Allecia has taught as an Adjunct Professor with San Jacinto College. She is currently working as a hearing examiner for the Texas Education Agency and and runs her own practice. In 2018, Allecia published “What’s Love Got To Do With It” – a Texas guide on divorce.
Allecia is informally known in the courtroom as a walking “legal encyclopedia,” due to her uncanny ability to quote statutory law and stare decisis out of memory. She loves to travel, and to give E. Z. a hard time whenever he calls her to co-counsel.
Education
Thurgood Marshall School of Law, 1994
–Juris Doctor
Texas Southern University, 1986
–Bachelor of Arts
Bar Admissions
State of Texas, 1995
Professional Affiliations and Recognitions
Houstonia Magazine’s Top Lawyer (2013, 2014, 2016, 2017)
NETA LOVE, M.B.A.
Office Manager
Neta Love is the office manager for the form, and oversees the day-to-day administrative tasks of the office, including information systems, accounting, records management, library administration, and, client relations. Neta’s educational background includes a focus on economics and business with a undergraduate degree in economics and an MBA from one ot the top-tier business schools int the world. Aside from keeping the lights on in the office, Neta is a certified yoga instructor trained in a type of yoga which focuses on rehabilitation and strengthening. Neta has two pet frogs named Vasilisa and Yaroslav.
Education
Tel Aviv University, 2010
– Masters in Business Administration
Universitat Wien (Vienna, Austria), 2010
– International Business Exchange Program
University at Houston, 2006
– Bachelor of Arts