Representative Matters

U.S. Supreme Court
Stoneridge Investment Partners, LLC v. Scientific-Atlanta, Inc., 128 S.Ct. 761 (2008), merits-stage briefing (challenge to scheme liability for securities fraud).

Continental Carbon Co. v. Action Marine, Inc., No. 07-257 (pending) (constitutional excessiveness challenge to $17.5 million punitive award in environmental tort case).

Tellabs, Inc. v. Makor Issues & Rights, Ltd., 127 S. Ct. 2499 (2007), petition-stage and merits-stage amicus briefs supporting petitioners (scienter pleading standard under PSLRA) (counsel for the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association and the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America).

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC v. Billing, 127 S. Ct. 2383 (2007), merits-stage briefing (implied antitrust immunity for conduct during highly regulated securities offerings).

Day v. McDonough, 547 U.S. 198 (2006), petition for certiorari granted (waivability of one-year statute of limitations for filing habeas corpus petitions) (presented oral argument).

GDF Realty Investments, Ltd. v. Norton, 545 U.S. 1114 (2005) (order), petition for certiorari (Commerce Clause challenge to the Endangered Species Act).

Federal Appellate Courts
Ameritech Corp. v. IBEW, No. 05-2574 (7th Cir. pending) (challenge to labor arbitration award).

Courtney v. Arthur Andersen LLP, No. 07-20347 (5th Cir. 2008) (scope of class action settlement and release).

Bates v. United Parcel Service, Inc., 511 F.3d 974 (9th Cir. 2007) (en banc), amicus brief supporting appellee (safety-based qualification standards and business necessity defense under Americans with Disabilities Act) (lead counsel for American Trucking Associations, Inc.).

Action Marine, Inc. v. Continental Carbon Co., 481 F.3d 1302 (11th Cir. 2007) (challenge to liability findings, actual damages, and punitive damages in $19.5 million environmental tort case).

Shahbaz v. AFC Enters., Inc., 210 Fed. Appx. 926 (11th Cir. 2006) (breach of franchise agreement, fraud, and attorneys’ fees) (lead counsel).

Crowley v. McKinney, 400 F.3d 965 (7th Cir. 2005) (constitutional rights of non-custodial parent to participate in education of children) (presented oral argument).

Doe v. Veneman, 380 F.3d 807 (5th Cir. 2004) (injunction against disclosure of information under Freedom of Information Act).

Texas Supreme Court
Miga v. Jensen, No. 07-0123 (pending), response to petition for review, merits briefing (defend summary judgment in $23 million restitution case).

Gerstner v. Alpert, No. 06-0898 (2007), response to petition for review, petition denied (defend denial of immunity to court-appointed receiver for breaches of fiduciary duty) (lead counsel).

Barker v. Eckman, 213 S.W.3d 306 (Tex. 2006), petition for review granted (statute of limitations for bailment, attorneys’ fees) (presented oral argument).

Reid v. Alenia Spazio, S.p.A., No. 04-0461 (2006), petition for review, merits briefing requested (personal jurisdiction).

In re Kingwood CrossRoads, L.P., No. 06-0938 (2006), petition for mandamus (waiver of attorney-client privilege).

In re Hammond, No. 04-0089 (2005), amicus brief on the merits supporting petition for mandamus (First Amendment limits on regulation of issue advocacy) (lead counsel for Chamber of Commerce of the United States).

Enterprise Leasing Co. of Houston v. Barrios, 156 S.W.3d 547 (Tex. 2004), petition for review granted (breach of rental contract).

Cannon v. Sun-Key Oil Co., No. 03-1143 (2004), petition for review, merits briefing requested (termination of oil and gas lease).

FPL Farming, Ltd. v. Texas Natural Resource Conservation Comm’n, No. 03-0355 (2004), petition for review, merits briefing requested (subsurface waste invasion and water pollution) (lead counsel).

Union Pacific Resources Group, Inc. v. Hankins, 111 S.W.3d 69 (Tex. 2003), petition for review granted (natural gas royalty class action).

Southern Union Co. v. City of Edinburg, 129 S.W.3d 74 (Tex. 2003), response to petition for review, merits briefing, petition granted (franchise taxation of natural gas).

El Puerto de Liverpool, S.A. de C.V. v. Servi Mundo Llantero, S.A. de C.V., No. 02-0801 (2003), response to petition for review, petition dismissed for want of jurisdiction (personal jurisdiction) (lead counsel).

Texas Appellate Courts
In re Ernst & Young LLP, No. 14-07-896-CV, and Ernst & Young LLP v. Martin, No. 14-07-821-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] pending) (petition for mandamus and appeal challenging denial of motion to compel arbitration).

Alpert v. Riley, Nos. 01-06-00605-CV and 01-06-00505-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] pending) (challenge to summary judgment on trustee appointment, order disregarding jury finding that trustee breached his fiduciary duty, and order refusing to set supersedeas bond for non-monetary part of judgment) (presented oral argument).

Porretto v. Patterson, __ S.W.3d __, No. 01-05-942-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2007) (challenge to judgment conferring sovereign immunity in takings and trespass to try title case) (presented oral argument).

AVCO Corp. v. Interstate Sw., Ltd., __ S.W.3d __, No. 14-05-860-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2007), amicus brief supporting appellant (challenge to $86 million award of punitive damages) (counsel for the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America).

Wyeth v. Coffey, No. 09-04-344-CV (Tex. App—Beaumont 2007) (challenge to $1.013 billion pharmaceutical product liability verdict on grounds including causation, liability, preemption, excessive non-economic damages, punitive damages cap, excessive punitive damages, charge error, and erroneous spoliation instruction) (settled).

Alpert v. Gerstner, 232 S.W.3d 117 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2006) (successful challenge to summary judgment conferring immunity on court-appointed receiver for breaches of fiduciary duty) (presented oral argument).

Capital Pacific, L.L.C. v. Humble Garden, L.L.C., No. 01-05-469-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2005) (upheld personal jurisdiction over broker of Texas real property) (lead counsel).

In re Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., No. 14-05-137-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2005) (petition for mandamus challenging order authorizing joint trial of employment disputes).

In re Titan Tire Corp., No. 13-04-434-CV (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 2004) (petition for mandamus challenging discovery sanctions) (emergency stay granted) (lead counsel).

Greenberg Traurig of New York, P.C. v. Moody, 161 S.W.3d 56 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2004) (securities fraud and conspiracy).

Velco Chemicals, Inc. v. Polimeri Europa Americas, Inc., No. 14-03-395-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2004) (personal jurisdiction) (lead counsel).

General Electric Capital Assurance Co. & Bank One Texas, N.A. v. Jackson, 135 S.W.3d 849 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2004) (powers of managing conservator and revocation of trust by will).

Barker v. Eckman, 213 S.W.3d 360 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2004) (statute of limitations for bailment, attorneys’ fees) (lead counsel).

EMI Music Mexico, S.A. de C.V. v. Rodriguez, 97 S.W.3d 847 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 2003) (personal jurisdiction) (presented oral argument).

El Puerto de Liverpool, S.A. de C.V. v. Servi Mundo Llantero, S.A. de C.V., 82 S.W.3d 622 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 2002) (personal jurisdiction) (presented oral argument).

Other Appellate Courts
VLIW Technology, LLC v. Hewlett-Packard Co., 840 A.2d 606 (Del. 2003) (breach of contract, trade secret misappropriation, unfair trade practices).

Trial Courts
Carter v. Teays Valley Health Care Servs., Inc., No. 05-C-5000 (pending), Circuit Court of Putnam County, West Virginia (post-trial motion challenging finding that hospital was grossly negligent in credentialing doctor as predicate for award of punitive damages in 122 medical malpractice cases).

FPL Farming Ltd. v. Envtl. Processing Sys., L.C., No. CV71974 (2007), 75th District Court of Liberty County, Texas (lead appellate counsel for pre-trial motions, jury charge, preservation of error, and post-trial motions in trespass case tried to verdict).

Romatel, Inc. v. Houston Cellular Tel. Co., L.P., No. 03-CV-1840 (2007), 410th District Court of Galveston County, Texas (pre-trial motions, jury charge, and preservation of error for trial of partnership dispute) (settled during trial).

Cortina v. Perry, No. 056154-A (2006), 28th District Court of Nueces County, Texas (special appearance challenging personal jurisdiction over executor of foreign estate) (presented oral argument).

Kingwood CrossRoads, L.P. v. First American Title Ins. Co., No. 05 03 02662 (2006), 410th District Court of Montgomery County, Texas (jury charge in real property annexation case tried to verdict).

In re: The First Union Corp. Sec. Litig., No. 3:99CV237 (2006), U.S. District Court, Western District of North Carolina (motion to dismiss securities class action for failure to allege loss causation).

Action Marine, Inc. v. Continental Carbon Co., No. 3:01-CV-994-F (2006), U.S. District Court, Middle District of Alabama (post-trial motions in $19.5 million environmental tort case).

Lunsford v. Titan Tire Corp., No. C-18810-2002 (2005), 145th District Court of Nacogdoches County, Texas (jury charge for trial of deceptive trade practices and breach of warranty case) (settled during trial).

Hinojosa v. Titan Tire Corp., No. 2003-05-2751-B (2004), 138th District Court of Cameron County, Texas (lead appellate counsel for trial motions, jury charge, and preservation of error in product liability and wrongful death case tried to verdict).

Teleplus, Inc. v. Avantel, S.A., No. SA-98-CA-00849-WWJ (2004), U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas (trial motions, jury charge, preservation of error, and post-trial motions in business contract and tort case tried to verdict).

Vela v. City of Houston, No. H 97-3471 (2004), U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas (motions regarding liquidated damages of $96 million in Fair Labor Standards Act case).

Marroquin v. Duke Energy Hidalgo, L.P., No. C-4864-99-F (2003), 332nd District Court of Hidalgo County, Texas (jury charge for personal injury case tried to verdict).

El Puerto de Liverpool, S.A. de C.V. v. Servi Mundo Llantero, S.A. de C.V., No. C-3263-97-A (2002), 92nd District Court of Hidalgo County, Texas (lead counsel handling special appearance, motion to dismiss for forum non conveniens, and motion for application of Mexican law).

Publications and Speeches 

“Punitive Damages: Charge, Constitutionality, and Caps,” Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course, State Bar of Texas, September 2007

“U.S. Supreme Court Trends,” Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course, State Bar of Texas, September 2006

Fifth Circuit Editor, ABA Appellate Practice Journal, Winter 2005-present

“United States Supreme Court Update,” Appellate Advocate, State Bar of Texas, 2006 (4 issues), 2005 (4 issues), 2004 (3 issues)

“Review of Decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States That Impact Texas Civil Courts,” Harris County Judicial Education Conference, August 2006, August 2005

“Texas Supreme Court Extends Civil Liability Restrictions,” Texas High Courts Term in Review 2004-05, Texas Lawyer, August 29, 2005

“Perfecting the Appeal in Texas and Federal Courts,” Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course: Boot Camp, State Bar of Texas, September 2005

“The Supreme Court's Environmental Decisions During the 2003 Term: A Survey,” ABA Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, 12th Section Fall Meeting, October 2004

“Roadmap of Texas and Federal Standards of Review,” Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course: Boot Camp, State Bar of Texas, September 2004

“United States Supreme Court Update: October Term 2003,” Houston Bar Association Appellate Practice Section, July 2004

“Charging the Jury in the Wake of House Bill 4,” 57 Texas Bar Journal 276 (2004)

“Post-Verdict Strategies,” Houston Bar Association CLE, 2004