For more than 20 years, he has represented clients in a variety of industries in complex litigation. His experience includes financial institutions, commercial, construction, energy, environmental, insurance, government investigations and professional liability matters. His trial experience includes both federal and state courts, as well as jurisdictions outside of Texas and the United States. In addition to his trial practice, he advises clients during all aspects of the business life cycle from start-up, acquisition, restructuring and divestiture, with an emphasis on strategic planning.

Representative Matters

Financial Institutions and Insurance
Represented bank in fiduciary litigation against claims of breach of fiduciary duty, breach of trust and tortious interference based on allegation of misapplication of trust resources.
Defended numerous Lloyd's of London syndicates in an international insurance coverage matter regarding power generation facilities.
Represented mortgage servicing companies in numerous high profile cases.
Successfully defeated class action certification attempt brought by an individual against a financial institution regarding Fair Debt Collection Act.
Successfully prosecuted a coverage claim for an exploration and production company in a loss of well control insurance matter.
Commercial
Represented a software company in a post-acquisition dispute involving the breach of purchase and merger agreement relating to the valuation of intellectual property.
Defended foreign electronics manufacturer in an international commercial dispute.
Lead trial counsel defending chemical manufacturer against claims for breach of a tolling agreement.
Represented a NYSE-listed corporation in an acquisition dispute.
Construction
Defended a professional engineering firm in a design defect case against a Texas municipality for design defects in a water and sewage treatment facility.
Lead counsel on mass action involving more than 5,000 claims for home damage due to alleged construction material defects and workmanship.
Represented an owner in an arbitration against professional design-build company involving the construction and design of oil & gas processing facilities across the United States.
Represented a foundation repair company in its purchase of a portion of a startup venture that provides new technology to the industry.
Energy
Successfully defended an oilfield product supplier in a Texas jury trial in a reservoir damage matter.
Received a defense verdict in a Texas jury trial for an oilfield service company regarding a pipeline damage allegedly caused by a product additive to crude oil transportation via pipeline.
Represented an oilfield service company in a Texas jury trial in a well damage matter involving a sour gas well. Under the allegations of providing improper down hole tubulars for a sour gas environment, a defense verdict was received against allegations the tubular products cause irreversible damages to the well.
Represented an offshore drilling company in a London-based arbitration regarding a multinational commercial dispute involving property damage to a jack up drilling rig.
Represented a manufacturer of oilfield drilling equipment in a case alleged damage to an oil and gas reservoir. This one-week jury trial resulted in a take nothing judgment for the client against alleged damages exceeding $3 million.
Environmental
Lead counsel defending a client in an action to recover for environmental damages for alleged violations of the Clean Water Act and violations of regulations promulgated by the Texas Railroad Commission involving a natural gas exploration and production.
Lead counsel on numerous CERCLA matters.
Represented client's employees in a criminal investigation conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Air Act.
Represented an oilfield service company in a suit alleging damages to the water wells and underground water supply from fracking activity.
Defended a mining company in a dioxin contamination matter involving alleged contamination of millions of pounds of food products in a series of cases across multiple jurisdictions.
Defended a U.S.-based food supplement manufacturer in a dioxin contamination matter brought in numerous jurisdictions across the European Union.
Lead counsel representing a depositor defendant in a water contamination, landfill leeching case brought against landfill owners, operators and industrial defendants.
Strategic Business Counsel
Served as outside general counsel for nonprofit and for-profit entities.
Advised numerous clients on the sale of businesses and business units.
Lead counsel on a start-up software venture.
Strategic counsel on corporate restructuring of a closely held corporation.
Provided counsel to Fortune 500 officers regarding Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance and investigation.
Advised a NYSE-listed corporation in regards to a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) investigation.

Professional Honors & Activities

Member – Houston, Texas and American Bar Associations
Named – Houston Top Lawyer by H Texas Magazine in Business & Commercial Litigation (2011 – 2018)
Named – Texas Rising Star in Law & Politics, Key Professional Media, Inc. (2006 – 2010)
Advisory Board Member – Institute for Energy Law
Member – Vistage CEO Group - Houston

Publications