Ashley Arnett is a seasoned commercial litigation attorney licensed since 2008, with more than 15 years of experience representing businesses, individuals, and fellow attorneys in complex, high-stakes disputes. Her practice centers on breach of contract, business fraud, fraudulent transfers, shareholder and partnership disputes, trade secret misappropriation, fraudulent transfer, and other matters that carry significant financial and reputational exposure. She thrives in the courtroom, bringing sharp trial instincts, quick strategic thinking, and disciplined analysis to every stage of a case.
A proven trial lawyer, Ashley has tried cases in state and federal courts across the country and has secured multiple seven-figure verdicts and judgments for her clients. That courtroom record spans a broad range of demanding matters, from commercial and business disputes to complex civil and criminal tax controversies, giving her a rare depth of trial experience in the kinds of technically intricate cases where preparation and judgment decide the outcome. In and out of the courtroom, she advances her clients’ interests with advocacy grounded in logic, data, and practical judgment.
In 2025, Ashley partnered with Seth Kretzer to form Kretzer & Arnett, a boutique litigation firm focused on complex disputes, appeals, and post-judgment enforcement. The firm reflects a shared commitment to rigorous advocacy, efficiency, and results-driven representation.
Immediately prior to forming Kretzer & Arnett, Ashley practiced at Hendershot Cowart, where she focused exclusively on complex commercial litigation in Texas courts. She was drawn to the firm’s collaborative culture, boutique structure, and sophisticated business litigation practice.
Earlier in her career, Ashley practiced with Michael Louis Minns and Minns & Arnett, where she tried cases in state and federal courts nationwide, including matters in Texas, Minnesota, Florida, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Massachusetts, Illinois, Washington, South Carolina, Colorado, and Virginia, as well as the United States Tax Court. This nationwide trial experience continues to inform the strategic, courtroom-tested approach she brings to every commercial dispute.
Ashley earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, completing her degree in three years and graduating cum laude. She received her Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 2008.
• Won complete Defense summary judgment for a nurse practitioner and her GLP-1 weight-loss practice, defeating a former company’s non-compete, breach-of-fiduciary-duty, and trade secret claims — the court dismissed every claim and declared the non-compete unenforceable.
• Served as lead trial counsel for a former Subway franchise owner, obtaining a $2,241,717.76 jury verdict in a fraudulent-transfer case after the buyers of its restaurants moved assets to family members to avoid paying the debt.
• Won $2.25M and $1.25M judgments for a factoring company defrauded through fictitious invoices, tracing hidden assets and piercing corporate shells to hold the individuals behind the scheme personally liable.
• Represented a minority shareholder in the successful negotiation of a buyout in a business divorce.
• Served as co-counsel in obtaining a temporary restraining order and injunction against a stock transfer company threatening to release millions of shares to alleged predatory lenders.
• Represented a U.S. veteran defrauded in an emerald-investment scheme, obtaining a default judgment of roughly $218,000 — including $45,000 in actual damages, $155,000 in punitive damages, statutory theft damages, and attorney’s fees.
• Negotiated a favorable release and termination of a franchise agreement.
• Successfully defended a client against a frivolous lawsuit filed by a vexatious litigant.
• Secured not-guilty verdicts for clients in criminal tax prosecutions brought by the U.S. Department of Justice.
• Tried and resolved complex civil and criminal tax controversies, including successfully representing clients in IRS audits and investigations that resulted in no changes, penalties, assessments, or criminal referrals.
