Dykema Client VSP Vision and Visionworks Honored with 2025 San Antonio Corporate Counsel Award for Business Litigation of the Year

Dykema, a leading national law firm, is proud to announce that its client VSP Vision and its subsidiary Visionworks of America received the 2025 San Antonio Corporate Counsel Award for Business Litigation of the Year, presented by the Association of Corporate Counsel’s San Antonio Chapter and The Texas Lawbook. The Texas Lawbook highlighted the award win in its feature, “VSP Visions’ Two Lisas and Their Historic Constitutional Fifth Circuit Win.”

The award recognizes VSP Vision’s Lisa Fields, Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, and Lisa Hill, General Counsel of Visionworks, for their leadership in securing a landmark Fifth Circuit victory that protected the companies’ First Amendment rights. Dykema served as litigation counsel to VSP Vision and Visionworks in the case.

At issue in the case was a Texas law that restricted managed vision care companies from communicating directly with customers about cost-saving programs—limitations that VSP and Visionworks argued infringed upon their constitutional right to commercial free speech. In a unanimous decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit sided with the companies, affirming an injunction that blocked enforcement of the law.

“This case has been the highlight of my legal career,” said Lisa Fields, General Counsel of Visionworks and Deputy General Counsel of VSP Vision. “Never in my life did I think that I, as a corporate in-house lawyer, would ever be involved in such a significant constitutional law case.”

Dykema’s litigation team was led by Chris Kratovil, with support from Leigha Simonton and Brooke Bohlen, and Dykema alum (and now Presiding Judge) David Schenck. Dan Harkins leads the firm’s relationship with VSP.

“The Fifth Circuit victory secured by Vision Service Plan stands as a textbook example of business litigation that reshapes an industry, protects a vital business model and sets nationwide precedent,” added Dykema’s Dan Harkins. “The case… merits Business Litigation of the Year honors because it combines high stakes, sophisticated constitutional advocacy and industrywide impact, all while demonstrating the capacity to defend against existential threats.”

The Business Litigation of the Year Award honors exceptional collaboration between in-house and outside counsel in achieving impactful litigation outcomes. VSP Vision and Visionworks were recognized alongside other distinguished honorees at the 2025 San Antonio Corporate Counsel Awards on November 6, 2025.