ATTORNEYS
Dean G. Pappas
Board Certified in Workers’ Compensation Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
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For more than 30 years Dean G. Pappas has represented insurance providers under the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act at both the administrative and district court level. Mr. Pappas’ commitment to clients in the insurance industry and his knowledge of Texas workers’ compensation law are the cornerstones of his practice.
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Mr. Pappas has an extensive trial docket and specializes in defending employers’ liability, workers’ compensation cases, non-subscriber claims and general liability cases in district courts throughout the state of Texas. Mr. Pappas has tried more than 100 cases before juries in Harris and neighboring counties. He reported the first jury verdict under the 1991 Texas Workers’ Compensation Act.
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Mr. Pappas represents numerous insurance carriers and self-insured entities before the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (formerly the Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission). Mr. Pappas has handled hundreds of Contested Case Hearings before the Division of Workers’ Compensation. Mr. Pappas also has spoken at numerous seminars involving practice before the Division of Workers’ Compensation.
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Mr. Pappas was born in Houston, Texas. He earned a B.A. in political science from the University of Houston in 1981. Mr. Pappas received his J.D. from South Texas College of Law in 1985. Mr. Pappas is a member of the Texas State Bar and also is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas.
Mary M. Markantonis
Mary M. Markantonis joined Dean G. Pappas Law Firm, PLLC shortly after the firm was created, bringing a wide array of experience in civil law. Ms. Markantonis’ knowledge of pre-trial and appellate procedure enhances her practice in the area of workers’ compensation law.
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Ms. Markantonis began her legal career as a sole practitioner, handling a variety of civil and family law cases as well as transactional matters. Thereafter, she acted as general counsel to a local developer, concentrating in real estate, financing, labor management, property and business management areas of law.
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Ms. Markantonis’ practice now largely consists of workers’ compensation related litigation, subrogation, general and premises liability defense, insurance defense, pre-trial procedure and appellate work. Ms. Markantonis has represented firm clients in Texas state courts, federal courts and before the Supreme Court of the United States.
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Ms. Markantonis was born in Houston, Texas, and received a B.S. in mathematics from the University of Texas. She earned her J.D. from Southern Methodist University School of Law (now known as the Dedman School of Law) in 1977. Ms. Markantonis is a member of the Texas State Bar and also is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas, U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas, the Fifth Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States.
Marilyn J. Allen
Marilyn J. Allen is a licensed attorney with a unique background in both private practice and in government. Prior to joining Dean G. Pappas Law Firm, PLLC, Ms. Allen was a Hearing Officer for five years with the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation presiding over hundreds of Contested Case Hearings on indemnity disputes arising under the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act.
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Before her state service, Ms. Allen served as an assistant city attorney with the City of Houston Legal Department and was a member of the Forfeiture Abatement Support Team (F.A.S.T. Unit), a multi-agency initiative composed of police officers, neighborhood protection investigators and city attorneys which interfaced directly with neighborhood associations in order to prosecute common nuisances. In that position, Ms. Allen used civil litigation to shut down illegal enterprises that knowingly tolerated criminal activity.
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Ms. Allen began her legal career in private practice and for eight years represented a wide variety of clients with matters concentrating in the areas of personal injury, insurance defense, commercial litigation, product’s liability, premises liability and workers’ compensation. Before attending law school, Ms. Allen was a police officer with the Houston Police Department for five years and worked as a patrol officer and an internal affairs investigator.
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Ms. Allen was born in Lincoln, Nebraska and received a B.A. in Sociology from Purdue University Northwest. She earned her J.D. from Texas Southern University in 1999. Ms. Allen is a member of the Texas State Bar and the Houston Bar Association.
Randi P. Capone
Randi obtained her B.A. in Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin in 2005 and shortly thereafter was an investigator for three years at the Texas Board of Nursing where she conducted investigations of complaints against nurses and assisted in adjudicating complaints. Randi obtained her J.D. from South Texas College of Law in 2011. While at South Texas she interned for a very prominent Criminal Defense and Civil Litigation firm in Houston and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Randi excelled in the school’s nationally renowned trial advocacy program and competed in numerous Moot Court and Mock Trial competitions. She was inducted into the prestigious Order of Barristers- a national honorary society for those who demonstrate extraordinary skills in the courtroom.
After law school, Randi began her career as a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office where she thrived for approximately ten years. At the DA’s office, Randi evaluated thousands of criminal cases and spent five years trying cases in juvenile, misdemeanor and felony courts. At the end of her tenure with the DA’s Office Randi focused on post-conviction legal work in the Conviction Integrity Division where she reviewed cases and re-investigated cases to determine if there was a colorable claim of actual innocence. Randi helped develop the office’s policies and procedures on reviewing actual innocence cases and worked closely with the defense bar, local laboratories, and innocence organizations nation-wide.
Randi joined Dean G. Pappas Law Firm, PLLC as a Contract Associate Attorney in the summer of 2023. She is a member of the Texas State Bar and the Houston Bar Association.
Crystal K. Ramswarup
Crystal K. Ramswarup joined Dean G. Pappas Law Firm, PLLC in 2025 as an Associate Attorney in the Workers’ Compensation Department. Ms. Ramswarup brings a strong background in civil litigation, corporate and commercial law, estate matters, and regulatory compliance, with over six years of international legal experience prior to relocating to the United States.
Before joining the firm, Ms. Ramswarup practiced law in Trinidad and Tobago, where she was admitted to the bar in 2019. Her practice included civil litigation, conveyancing, corporate advisory work, contract drafting and negotiation, probate and estate planning, and intellectual property matters. She also served as General Counsel to a regional transportation and logistics company, advising on corporate governance, labor and employment matters, risk management, and commercial transactions.
Ms. Ramswarup began her professional career in education, teaching Sociology for ten years after earning her B.Sc. in Sociology with a minor in Literatures in English from the University of the West Indies in 2008. While teaching, she completed her Bachelor of Laws from the University of London, followed by the Legal Practice Certificate from Staffordshire University, graduating with distinction. She later earned her Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Corporate and Commercial Law from the University of the West Indies, where she received the award for top-performing student.
In anticipation of her move to Houston, Ms. Ramswarup successfully sat for the Multistate Bar Exam in July 2024. She was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in March 2025. Since joining Dean G. Pappas Law Firm, PLLC, her practice focuses on representing insurance carriers and self-insured entities before the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation, including involvement in Benefit Review Conferences, Contested Case Hearings, compensability disputes, extent-of-injury issues, and medical and indemnity controversies under the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act.
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Ms. Ramswarup was born in Trinidad and Tobago and relocated to Houston, Texas in 2024. She is a member of the Texas State Bar and the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago.
Chinasa Emenaha
Chinasa Emenaha is a skilled litigation attorney with a strong background in criminal prosecution, civil litigation, and complex document review. She earned her Juris Doctor from Thurgood Marshall School of Law in 2022, where she excelled in the school’s trial advocacy program—winning both the Halley Catherine Shaw Mock Trial Competition and the Neal Speedon Moot Court Competition, and competing nationally in multiple trial advocacy tournaments. During law school, Chinasa also served as a Civil Procedure Tutor and was recognized for her courtroom acumen and advocacy skills.
Before pursuing law, Chinasa worked as a Hospice and Pediatric nurse. After law school, Chinasa began her legal career at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, where she managed over 1,000 active criminal cases and ranked #1 out of 32 prosecutors in her division for victim communications and case evaluations. She conducted witness meetings, trial preparation, and jury selection, earning a reputation for diligence and precision in case management.
She later joined the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office, where she handled approximately 300 active criminal and civil matters, drafted motions and subpoenas, and achieved favorable trial outcomes through strategic advocacy and persuasive legal writing.
In private practice, Chinasa has served as a Contract Attorney and Litigation Associate, managing extensive civil dockets, drafting complex pleadings, and conducting discovery, depositions, and trial preparation for both state and federal matters. Her experience includes defending motions, negotiating settlements, and collaborating with co-counsel to achieve timely, high-quality case resolutions.
Outside of her legal practice, Chinasa provides strategic consulting to entrepreneurs, influencers, and small businesses—negotiating brand partnerships and contracts.
She is a member of the Texas State Bar and is passionate about advocacy, justice, and mentorship in the legal community. Her interests include public speaking, human trafficking advocacy, hosting, and health and wellness.
