Warren W. Harris
Partner
Adell Milam
713.223.2300 x2556
Warren W. Harris heads the firm's appellate practice. He is chair of the IADC Appellate Practice Committee and a director of the Houston Bar Association. Mr. Harris is a past chair of the State Bar of Texas Appellate Section, the Texas Bar Journal editorial board, the ABA Tort and Insurance Practice Section Appellate Advocacy Committee, and the Houston Bar Association Appellate Practice Section. He is a frequent lecturer on appellate and insurance topics and has spoken at more than 100 legal education seminars.
Mr. Harris has handled hundreds of appeals and original proceedings in the Texas Supreme Court, United States Supreme Court, and state and federal courts of appeals, including handling many cases that were originally tried by other law firms. He also assists in pretrial and trial strategy, preservation of error at trial, preparation of and arguing jury charges, post-verdict proceedings in trial courts, and analysis of the trial record for appellate potential. He has extensive experience in preparation of appellate briefs and oral advocacy in appellate proceedings.
Mr. Harris has also served as an adjunct professor in appellate advocacy at The University of Texas School of Law and The University of Houston Law Center. He previously served as a briefing attorney for the Supreme Court of Texas. Mr. Harris has also been appointed by the Commission for Lawyer Discipline as special assistant appellate disciplinary counsel in attorney discipline proceedings.
Representative Matters
VHC, Inc. v. Corporate Property Assocs., 2008 WL 867455; Tex. App. - Dallas 2008. Affirming $3 million judgment for breach of environmental holdover provision in lease.
Spring Creek Village Apartments Phase V, Inc. v. General Star Indemnity Co., 2008 WL 2520801; Tex. App. - Houston [14th Dist.] 2008. Affirming a defense verdict in favor of insurance company.
Excess Underwriters at Lloyd's, London v. Frank's Casing Crew & Rental Tools Inc., 246 S.W. 3d 42; Tex. 2008. Affirming summary judgment on claim for equitable reimbursement of $7.5 million in settlement funds.
Gulf Restoration Network v. U.S. Dept. of Transp., 452 F. 3d 362; 5th Cir. 2006. Successfully defended the appeal of a Deepwater Port Act license for a $700 million offshore LNG facility.
Exxon Mobil Corp. v. Kinder Morgan Operating L.P. "A", 2006 WL 397163; Tex. App. - Houston [14th Dist.] 2006, no pet. Affirming defense verdict in $37 million breach of contract and conversion case.
General Star Indemnity Company v. Spring Creek Village Apartments Phase V, Inc., 152 S.W.3d 733; Tex. App. - Houston [14th Dist.] 2004, no pet. Reversing $8 million judgment against insurance company.
Reardon v. Lightpath Technologies Inc., 2005 WL 2674993; Tex. App. - Houston [14th Dist.] 2005, pet. denied. Affirming summary judgment in favor of defendant in case involving claims of securities violations and fraud.
Tarrant Regional Water Dist. v. Gragg, 151 S.W.3d 546; Tex. 2004. Affirming judgment in inverse condemnation action.
National Union Fire Insurance Company v. Keck, Mahin & Cate, 154 S.W.3d 714; Tex. App. - Houston [14th Dist.] 2004, pet. denied. Affirming defense verdict in legal malpractice case.
American National Insurance Company and American National Property and Casualty Company v. Cannon, 86 S.W.3d 801; Tex. App. - Beaumont 2002, no pet. Reversing class certification of a nationwide class of insurance agents in a breach of contract action.
In re Service Corporation International, 85 S.W.3d 171; Tex. 2002. Granting mandamus relief compelling arbitration in securities fraud litigation.
Pecos Petroleum Co. v. McMillan, 2003 WL 1823389; Tex. App. - San Antonio 2003, pet. denied. Affirming summary judgment on tortious interference claim.
D.H. Blair Investment Banking Corp. v. Reardon, 97 S.W.3d 269; Tex. App. - Houston [14th Dist.] 2002, pet. dism'd w.o.j. Reversing denial of special appearance for investment banking firm.
Evans v. Dynasty Transp. Inc., 2003 WL 21191135; Tex. App. - Corpus Christi 2003, no pet. Affirming summary judgment on merits of class claims in commercial dispute.
Homan v. Randolph and Kelley, 2001 WL 931112; Tex. App. - Houston [14th Dist.] 2001, pet. denied. Reversing denial of summary judgment for media defendant in defamation case.
MTM Electrical Corp. v. Bechtel International Inc., 2001 WL 1474495; Tex. App. - Houston [14th Dist.] 2001, no pet. Affirming judgment for defendant in breach of contract and fraud case.
Whiteside v. Hartung, 1999 WL 548211; Tex. App. - Houston [14th Dist.] 1999, no pet. Reversing judgment against attorneys for breach of fiduciary duty.
In re Torch Energy Marketing Inc., 989 S.W.2d 20; Tex. App. - San Antonio 1998, orig. proceeding. granting mandamus relief to disqualify trial judge.
Maritime Overseas Corp. v. Ellis, 119 S. Ct. 541; 1998. Denying petition for writ of certiorari in $17 million judgment for personal injury related to Diazinon exposure in Jones Act case.
Commission for Lawyer Discipline v. Benton, 980 S.W.2d 425; Tex. 1998. Reversing judgment declaring disciplinary rule unconstitutional, cert. denied, 119 S. Ct. 2021, 1998.
Neely v. Commission for Lawyer Discipline, 976 S.W.2d 824; Tex. App. - Houston [1st Dist.] 1998, no pet. Reversing judgment suspending attorney from practicing law.
Texas Lottery Commission v. Wenner, 118 S. Ct. 1514, 1998. Denying petition for writ of certiorari in case for lottery winner.
Surgitek Inc. v. Adams, 955 S.W.2d 884; Tex. App. - Corpus Christi 1997, pet. dismissed. Successfully affirmed judgment regarding venue and joinder issues.
Werner v. Colwell, 909 S.W.2d 866; Tex. 1995. Reversing personal injury judgment against employer.
Texas Instruments Inc. v. Teletron Energy Management Inc., 877 S.W.2d 276; Tex. 1994. Affirming judgment in lost profits case.
Selected Publications
"Appellate Law," 70 Texas Bar Journal 40, 2007.
"Class Actions," 68 Texas Bar Journal 31, 2005.
"The Texas Supreme Court Tightens the Noose on Class Actions," 66 Texas Bar Journal 30, 2003.
"CD-ROM: Briefing of the Future," 65 Texas Bar Journal 814, 2002.
"State Court Jurisdiction Expanded to Allow Permissive Appeals," 65 Texas Bar Journal 31, 2002.
"Top 5 Lists for the Texas Supreme Court's Term," Tex. Lawyer, Aug. 27, 2001, at 41.
"Top 10 Lists for the Supreme Court's Term," Tex. Lawyer, Aug. 28, 2000, at 42.
Selected Speeches
"Texas Supreme Court Justices Panel," 22nd Annual Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course, State Bar of Texas, 2008.
"Jury Charge," 31st Annual Advanced Civil Trial Course, State Bar of Texas, 2008.
"Sea Change: Excess Underwriters v. Frank's Casing, The Most Significant Insurance Decision in the Last Several Years," State Bar of Texas, 2008.
"How Not to Lose Your Appeal at Trial," International Association of Defense Counsel, Midyear Meeting, 2008.
Course Director and Moderator, 21st Annual Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course, State Bar of Texas, 2007.
"How to Write a Strong Brief on the Merits," Practice Before the Texas Supreme Court, State Bar of Texas, 2007.
"Effective Appellate Advocacy: A Mock Oral Argument of an Insurance Case," International Association of Defense Counsel, Midyear Meeting, 2007.
"Reality Check: Processing Your Appeal," 20th Annual Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course, State Bar of Texas, 2006.
"Turning the Tide: Use of Amicus Support to Potentially Alter the Outcome of Your Case," International Association of Defense Counsel, Annual Meeting, 2006.
"Insurance Update: Frank's Casing and Other Changes in Insurance Law Affecting Trial Practice," Litigation Section, Houston Bar Association, 2006.
"Insurer's Reimbursement Rights in Light of Frank's Casing and Matagorda County," 10th Annual Insurance Law Institute, University of Texas, 2005.
"Texas Supreme Court Update," Appellate Section, Tarrant County Bar Association, 2005.
"Practical Solution to Ethical Issues Facing In-House Lawyers," 4th Annual Advanced In-House Counsel Course, State Bar of Texas, 2005.
"Texas Supreme Court Update," Harris County Judicial Conference, 2005.
"From Initial Interview to Engagement Letter: Handling the Appellate Client and the Trial Lawyer," Appellate Law Section, Dallas Bar Association, 2005.
"Class Actions and What May Be in Store for the Future," Shell Knowledge Management Team Seminar, 2005.
Education
J.D., cum laude, University of Houston Law Center, 1988
B.B.A., The University of Houston, 1985
Bar Admissions
Texas
Court Admissions
U.S. Courts of Appeals for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, District of Columbia and Federal Circuits
U.S. Supreme Court
Board Certifications
- Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Civil Appellate Law
Affiliations
American Bar Association, Tort and Insurance Practice Section, Appellate Advocacy Committee, Chair, 2000-2001
State Bar of Texas, Appellate Section, Chair, 2005-2006, Texas Bar Journal, Editorial Board Chair, 2002-2006
Houston Bar Association, Director, 2008-present; Appellate Practice Section, Chair, 1998-1999; The Houston Lawyer, Editor in Chief, 1991-1992
Houston Young Lawyers Association, President, 1999-2000
International Association of Defense Counsel, Appellate Practice Committee, Chair, 2003-present
Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Amicus Curiae Committee, Chair, 1997-1999
Texas Bar Foundation, Secretary-Treasurer, 2008-present; Houston Nominating Committee, Chair, 2006-present; Sustaining Life Fellow
Houston Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
Noteworthy
The Best Lawyers in America, Appellate Law, 2007-present
Chambers USA: Guide to America's Leading Lawyers for Business, Appellate Litigation, 2006-present
Texas Super Lawyer, Appellate Law, 2003-present
Top 100 Texas Super Lawyers, 2006-2007
Top 100 Houston Super Lawyers, 2005-present