Representative Matters

U.S. Supreme Court
Health Care Service Corp. v. Pollitt, No. 09-38 (pending), merits-stage briefing (challenge to removal of state-law insurance bad faith claim based on complete preemption and federal officer removal statute).

HCA Inc. v. Aon Corp., 130 S. Ct. 271 (2009) (order), petition for certiorari (due process challenge to application of Illinois law to nationwide class action) (counsel of record).

Aspenwood Apartment Corp. v. Link, 129 S. Ct. 997 (2009) (order), opposition to certiorari (use of collateral estoppel in suit against city officials under 42 U.S.C. § 1983).

Stoneridge Investment Partners, LLC v. Scientific-Atlanta, Inc., 552 U.S. 148 (2008), merits-stage briefing (challenge to scheme liability for securities fraud).

Continental Carbon Co. v. Action Marine, Inc., 128 S. Ct. 2994 (2008) (order), petition for certiorari (constitutional excessiveness challenge to $17.5 million punitive award in environmental tort case).

Tellabs, Inc. v. Makor Issues & Rights, Ltd., 551 U.S. 308 (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, 551 U.S. 264 (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).

Texas Supreme Court
Guaranty Bank v. Lenk, No. 08-0908 (pending), petition for review (contractual liability on closed account, reliance on forged letters of administration) (lead counsel).

Dealers Elec. Supply Co. v. Scoggins Constr. Co., 292 S.W.3d 650 (Tex. 2009), amicus brief supporting petitioner (remedies available to subcontractors and suppliers for non-payment) (lead counsel for American Subcontractors Association) (presented oral argument).

Miga v. Jensen, 53 Tex. Sup. Ct. J. 49 (2009), response to petition for review, merits briefing, petition granted (defend summary judgment in $23 million restitution case).

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 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).

Formosa Plastics Corp., U.S.A. v. Material Partnerships, Inc., No. 02-1107 (2003), response to petition for review, merits briefing, petition denied (commercial fraud).

Federal Appellate Courts
Franks Inv. Co. v. Union Pacific R.R., 2010 WL 22337 (5th Cir. Jan. 6, 2010) (en banc), petition for rehearing en banc granted by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (challenge to preemption of state property rights by railroads).

In re Superior Offshore Int’l, Inc., 2009 WL 4798851 (5th Cir. Dec. 14, 2009) (challenge to confirmation of Chapter 11 bankruptcy liquidating plan) (presented oral argument).

Brummett v. Taylor, 569 F.3d 890 (8th Cir. 2009) (defense of favorable judgment in defamation case) (presented oral argument).

American General Life Ins. Co. v. Schoenthal Family, LLC, 555 F.3d 1331 (11th Cir. 2009), amicus brief supporting appellant (rescission of life insurance policy due to misrepresentations by insured) (counsel for American Council of Life Insurers).

Courtney v. Arthur Andersen LLP, 264 Fed. Appx. 426 (5th Cir. 2008) (scope of class action settlement and release).

Ameritech Corp. v. IBEW, 543 F.3d 414 (7th Cir. 2008) (challenge to labor arbitration award).

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).

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).

Texas Appellate Courts
Natural Gas Pipeline Co. v. Justiss, No. 06-09-47-CV (Tex. App.—Texarkana) (pending) (challenge to $1.8 million nuisance judgment regarding pipeline compressor station) (lead counsel).

Allen v. Devon Energy Holdings, LLC, No. 01-09-643-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.]) (pending) (challenge to summary judgment on claims of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and securities law violations in stock repurchase transaction).

Las Colinas Obstetrics-Gynecology-Infertility Association, P.A. v. Villalba, No. 05-09-31-CV (Tex. App.—Dallas) (pending) (employment dispute regarding calculation of bonus and competition with employer) (lead counsel).

In re Joe E. Small and Enerplus Resources (USA) Corp., 2009 WL 1620436 (Tex. App.—El Paso June 10, 2009, orig. proceeding) (mandamus challenge to order compelling disclosure of privileged documents) (presented oral argument).

Ernst & Young LLP v. Martin, 278 S.W.3d 497 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2009, orig. proceeding) (mandamus challenge to denial of motion to compel arbitration).

Alpert v. Riley, 274 S.W.3d 277 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2008, pet. denied) (challenge to summary judgment on trustee appointment and order disregarding jury finding that trustee breached his fiduciary duty) (presented oral argument).

Porretto v. Patterson, 251 S.W.3d 701 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2007, no pet.) (challenge to judgment conferring sovereign immunity in takings and trespass to try title case) (presented oral argument).

AVCO Corp. v. Interstate Sw., Ltd., 251 S.W.3d 632 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2007, pet. denied), 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, pet. denied), (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., 2005 WL 2989576 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2005, no pet.) (upheld personal jurisdiction over broker of Texas real property) (lead counsel).

Swan Transportation Co. v. McClenny, No. 12-00-342-CV (Tex. App.—Tyler 2004) (challenge to asbestos tort liability on undertaking theory, damages for risk and fear of cancer) (settled).

Swan Transportation Co. v. Blackburn, No. 05-00-1765-CV (Tex. App.—Dallas 2004) (challenge to asbestos tort liability on undertaking theory, damages for risk and fear of cancer) (settled).

In re Titan Tire Corp., No. 13-04-434-CV (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 2004, orig. proceeding), stay granted (mandamus challenge to discovery sanctions) (lead counsel).

Greenberg Traurig of New York, P.C. v. Moody, 161 S.W.3d 56 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2004, no pet.) (securities fraud and conspiracy).

Velco Chemicals, Inc. v. Polimeri Europa Americas, Inc., 2004 WL 1965643 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2004, no pet.) (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, pet. denied) (powers of managing conservator and revocation of trust by will).

EMI Music Mexico, S.A. de C.V. v. Rodriguez, 97 S.W.3d 847 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 2003, no pet.) (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, pet. dism’d w.o.j.) (personal jurisdiction) (presented oral argument).

Other Appellate Courts
Harvey v. Nebraska Life & Health Ins. Guaranty Ass’n, 765 N.W.2d 206 (Neb. 2009), amicus brief supporting appellee (liability of state guaranty association for obligations of viatical settlement company not licensed in state) (lead counsel for American Council of Life Insurers).

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

Trial Courts
Carlton Energy Group, LLC v. Phillips, No. 2006-80212 (2009), 295th District Court of Harris County, Texas (post-trial motions in $40 million contract and tortious interference dispute regarding development of foreign gas field).

Expro Americas, LLC v. Boots & Coots Int’l Well Control, Inc., No. 2007-47397 (2009), 281st District Court of Harris County, Texas (jury charge and post-trial motions in $3 million case regarding misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of fiduciary duty by former employees).

Hudson v. Schlumberger Technology Corp., No. H-08-2318 (2009), U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas (jury charge and post-trial motions in employment discrimination case tried to verdict).

FPL Farming Ltd. v. Envtl. Processing Sys., L.C., No. CV71974 (2008), 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).

Carter v. Teays Valley Health Care Servs., Inc., No. 05-C-5000 (2008), 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).

Aurelius Capital Master, Ltd. v. TOUSA Inc., No. 08-61317 (2008), U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida (appeal of bankruptcy court cash collateral order).

McCarron v. Andrews, No. 94-5176 (2008), U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut (appeal of bankruptcy court order in adversary proceeding regarding non-dischargeability of judgment).

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., 2006 WL 163616 (2006), U.S. District Court, Western District of North Carolina (motion to dismiss securities class action for failure to allege loss causation).

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).

In re Rezulin Products Liability Litigation (Bothe v. Warner-Lambert Co., Teague v. Parke-Davis), MDL No. 1348 (2001), motion to stay transfer filed with Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation and motions to remand filed with U.S. District Courts in Texas, Mississippi, and New York.

Publications and Speeches

"Ex-Law Clerks, Attorneys Salute Justice Stevens," Law360, April 9, 2010.

"Lesser-Known Stevens Rulings Changed Face of Law," Law360, April 9, 2010.

"Justice Stevens' Adieu Leaves Institutional Void," Law360, April 9, 2010. 

“2008 Year in Review: Appellate Law,” 72 Texas Bar Journal 34 (2009).

"Fifth Circuit Decision Threatens a Tsunami of Climate Change Tort Cases While the Defense Bar Awaits a Circuit Split," Environmental Law Update, October 22, 2009.

“Exxon Shipping Co. v. Baker: The U.S. Supreme Court Adopts Federal Common-Law Limits On Punitive Damages,” Appellate Issues, ABA Council of Appellate Lawyers, October 2008.

“Jury Charge Issues,” Advanced Civil Trial Course, State Bar of Texas, Fall 2008.

“Punitive Damages in an Age of Tort Reform,” U.T. Conference on State and Federal Appeals, May 2008.

“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, 2005-2008.

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

 “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.

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

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