Texas

Firm overview

With a history of success spanning more than four decades, Bell Nunnally stands out as one of the most respected business law firms in Texas and is among the largest in North Texas by attorney head count. The firm’s profound legal knowledge and extensive experience set it apart, solidifying its reputation as Behind Every Great Company™. A member of the global law firm network Legalink, Bell Nunnally offers a comprehensive range of services, including litigation, appellate law, commercial finance, corporate and securities, creditors’ rights, bankruptcy, health law, intellectual property, labor and employment, immigration, real estate, entertainment, mergers and acquisitions, estate planning, tax, and white-collar criminal defense. Recipient of the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) “Compass Award,” featured as one of Law.com’s “Mid-Market Pro 50,” and a multi-year honoree among the Dallas Morning News’ “Top Workplaces,” Bell Nunnally continues to be recognized for its commitment to diversity and excellence.

Litigation Overview: Bell Nunnally litigators aggressively represent clients across many industries, always driven to achieve our clients’ goals and protect their interests. We have represented some of the largest corporations in America, as well as local businesses, government entities and individuals. Our practice encompasses all aspects of the litigation process, from pretrial matters through trial and all levels of appeal in state and federal courts. We also routinely represent clients in arbitral forums and before regulatory bodies. In addition to litigating individual matters, we have served as regional coordinating counsel for Fortune 500 companies and as de facto national counsel for clients. Not only are we skilled in trials and appeals, we also have a demonstrated record of resolving lawsuits favorably for our clients prior to trial. We have won numerous cases involving a wide variety of commercial issues and are well versed in complex litigation. Virtually no area of civil litigation is beyond our capabilities.

In every lawsuit, we strive to discover the strengths of our clients’ positions and uncover and capitalize on the weaknesses of the opposition. We understand that not all cases are destined for trial, so we evaluate creative solutions to disputes early and often to further our clients’ objectives. As experienced business litigators, we help clients evaluate litigation risks and develop a settlement strategy from the outset of a case when appropriate. Our litigators are seasoned, tough negotiators who guide our clients through settlement discussions from a position of strength. When a reasonable settlement is not possible, we aggressively represent our clients through trial — we are more than litigators; we are trial lawyers.

Our attorneys understand that client relationships extend beyond a single case, so we tailor each litigation plan to achieve our clients’ overall business objectives. We take our clients’ budgets into account, staffing cases leanly and making use of experiences to achieve cost effective solutions. 

Litigation Highlights:

• Represented a Fortune 1000 Corporation in significant litigation in statecourt in Gwinnett County, Ga. and several other jurisdictions, along with parallel FINRA arbitration proceedings, which focused on protecting the company’s confidential
  information and enforcing contractual covenants against several former sales representatives. In furtherance of that complex litigation, the Bell Nunnally team took over thirty depositions across five states and filed hundreds of pages of motions, supporting legal briefs and proposed findings to present its clients’ claims. The matter reached a successful resolution that included long-term protections for the client’s rights.
• Secured a favorable settlement for Sperlonga Data & Analytics Systems LLC in a $30 million breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets dispute. 
• Secured a unanimous jury verdict in a patent infringement case in favor of Odessa Separator, Inc., a Texas-based manufacturer of award-winning downhole sand and gas separation products that are used in oil wells throughout the world. Plaintiff sought damages in excess of $2 million.
• Obtained a favorable settlement for Buffalo Wild Wings franchisee, R Wings R Wild LLC (RWRW) in a $3 million class action dispute with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The central claim brought against RWRW, the owner/operator of over twenty Buffalo Wild Wings franchise locations, stemmed from a male bartender who alleged that in 2014 he applied for and was denied employment due to his gender. RWRW agreed to a nominal monetary
  settlement, a fraction of the total amount initially sought by the Commission, and it agreed to conduct sex discrimination training at its locations to demonstrate its continuing commitment to providing equal employment opportunities for all.
• Represented AMLI Residential and its affiliated entities in six-year lawsuit over the sale of a luxury apartment complex. After serving as co-trial counsel during two-week jury trial, sercured a unanimous verdict in favor of AMLI on the plaintiffs’ $38 million in claims and was awarded $5.8 million in attorneys’ fees.
• Secured a $3.5 million settlement on behalf of a defrauded client investor in a FINRA arbitration against two national FINRA broker dealers. The case centered on a multi-year Ponzi scheme perpetrated by the client’s financial adviser who was also the registered representative of the respondent FINRA broker dealers. After four years of litigation, including numerous delays due to COVID, the parties reached a settlement one week before the final arbitration hearing. 
• Secured a complete defense victory on behalf of three departing partners of a national public accounting firm against allegations of trade secret misappropriation, breach of fiduciary duty and violations of non-compete agreements. Plaintiffs sought approx. $10 million in damages After a five-day final hearing, the arbitrator denied all requested relief – including a request to cancel the firm’s future payment obligations to the departed partners – and entered a take-nothing judgment in favor of Bell Nunnally’s clients. The arbitrator also substantially reformed and narrowed the restrictive covenants in response to arguments and defenses under the Texas Covenants Not to Compete Act.

Noteworthy:

• 17 Bell Nunnally Attorneys Named to “Ones to Watch” by The Best Lawyers in America® 2025
• 24 Bell Nunnally Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025
• Bell Nunnally Named to “Best Law Firms” List (published by Best Lawyers and featured in U.S. News and World Reports) in 13 Practice Areas
• 12 Bell Nunnally Attorneys Named to Texas Super Lawyers 2024 List
• 13 Bell Nunnally Attorneys Named to “2024 Texas Rising Stars” List Published by Super Lawyers
• 3 Bell Nunnally Partners Featured on D Magazine’s 2024 “Best Lawyers Under 40 in Dallas” List
• D Magazine’s “Best Lawyers in Dallas 2024” List Featured 10 Bell Nunnally Attorneys
• Firm ranked in Labor & Employment and Litigation: General Commercial in Chambers USA
• Partner Alana Ackels Ranked in L&E in Chambers USA
• Partner Trey DeLoach Ranked in Commercial Finance in Chambers USA
• Partners Christopher Trowbridge and Kartik Singapura Ranked in Litigation: General Commercial in Chambers USA
• Named to Vault Law's “Best Midsize Law Firms in Texas” and “Top 150 Under 150” lists
• Ranked on Law.com’s “2023 Mid-Market Pro 50” List

Updated Sep 2024

Firm overview

With more than 120 trial lawyers across offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, Marshall (TX), New York, and Washington, DC, McKool Smith has established a reputation as one of America’s leading trial firms. The firm has secured 13 nine-figure jury verdicts and15 eight-figure jury verdicts, obtaining more VerdictSearch and The National Law Journal “Top 100 Verdicts” than any other law firm. Courtroom successes like these have earned McKool Smith critical acclaim and helped the firm become what The Wall Street Journal describes as “one of the biggest law firm success stories of the past decade.” McKool Smith represents leading clients in complex commercial litigation, intellectual property, bankruptcy, and white collar defense matters.

Commercial litigation: McKool Smith specializes in complex commercial litigation. The firm litigates and regularly tries complex cases across a broad range of practice areas including antitrust, bankruptcy, entertainment, class action, contract, corporate governance, energy, fiduciary duty, insurance recovery, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, securities, and qui tam/whistleblower, among others. The firm’s attorneys also routinely appear in leading arbitral forums (e.g., JAMS and AAA) and appellate courts nationwide, including the US Supreme Court.

Intellectual property litigation: McKool Smith’s courtroom track record in intellectual property (IP) cases is unrivaled. Over the past 20 years, this distinguished trial team has won more patent litigation damages than any other firm (3 billion+). The firm represents both plaintiffs and defendants in all aspects of IP litigation including patent litigation; ITC/Section 337 disputes and investigations; copyright, trademark, and false advertising litigation; and trade secret disputes. The firm’s attorneys also represent clients before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. The IP practice has been recognized as the US “Plaintiff IP Firm of the Year” by Managing IP, “Intellectual Property Firm of the Year” by Benchmark Litigation, and “IP Group of the Year” by Law360, among other honors.

Insurance recovery: McKool Smith’s litigators have more than 30 years of experience effectively leading clients through high-stakes coverage and liability disputes against their insurance providers. Collectively, the firm’s lawyers have obtained more than $5 billion in insurance-related recoveries for clients across a broad range of industries including manufacturing, chemical, entertainment, pharmaceutical, financial, education, and healthcare, among others.

White-collar defense: The firm’s white-collar defense practice is led by former federal prosecutors with experience in virtually every type of government investigation and prosecution. They defend alleged art, bank and securities fraud; insider trading; and antitrust, environmental, FCPA, OFAC, and tax violations, among other matters. The firm’s attorneys have also been appointed to monitorships and guided corporations, boards, and committees through internal investigations.

Bankruptcy: The firm’s bankruptcy practice focuses on complex disputes arising under bankruptcy and related state and federal laws, representing trustees, debtors, creditors’ committees, and other parties. The firm also handles complex reorganization proceedings and out-of-court restructurings. 

Diversity & Inclusion: McKool Smith is the proud home of a team of top-notch lawyers who, without limitation, celebrate diversity and the creativity and innovation it promotes. The firm understands the value of collaboration among lawyers with a range of backgrounds and experiences and the synergies gained by drawing from a variety of perspectives. Our commitment to hiring and retaining a diverse team enables us to provide superior service to our clients in a workplace where elite trial attorneys attain the highest level of professional satisfaction. 

Communicating with juries is at the heart of what we do, and no two jurors are the same. Top to bottom, McKool Smith has taken steps to ensure, that our lawyers can make connections where it matters most, that we reflect the communities we serve, and that diversity is woven into every stitch of the firm’s fabric. Together. Stronger. 

Diversity is a core value and a force multiplier. Study after study has shown that diverse teams perform better, irrespective of industry or geography. Diverse companies attract top talent, enjoy greater employee retention, and elevate decision making and customer service to achieve better results. It’s how you win. 

As outlined in our Diversity Policy, McKool Smith is committed to recruiting, retaining, and promoting a diverse team of lawyers and legal professionals and fostering a culture of inclusion. To honor this commitment, our Diversity Committee is charged with ensuring the continuous improvement of the firm’s diversity and inclusion efforts and oversees the administration of our Diversity Action Plan, which features strategies to help meet these goals. The action plan includes mandates for: 

• Monitoring and promoting the Diversity Policy; 
• Communicating the firm’s diversity initiatives internally and externally; 
• Focusing on inclusion, mentoring and diverse staffing on client matters; 
• Enhancing our diversity recruiting efforts for both law students and laterals; and 
• Improving, expanding, and promoting our relationships with organizations supporting the interests and advancement of minorities, women, and other communities that are underrepresented in the legal industry. 

In January 2020, McKool Smith retained Coston Consulting, a certified minority/Black-owned business advisory firm, to oversee development and implementation of the firm’s diversity initiatives in collaboration with the Diversity Committee. Michael Coston, the firm’s CEO, acts as McKool Smith’s external diversity & inclusion officer. 

Other Offices: Austin · Houston · Los Angeles · Marshall · New York · Washington, D.C 

Updated Sep 2024

Firm overview

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Hunton Andrews Kurth is a global law firm with over 900 lawyers handling a range of complex transactional, litigation, and regulatory matters for clients in many industries, including energy, financial services, real estate, retail and consumer products, and technology. With offices across the US and in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, the firm is aligned with clients’ businesses and committed to delivering exceptional service. Our full-service litigation practice is one of the largest in the country, with particular depth in key litigation markets such as Texas, California, New York, Florida, and Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic. 

Since its founding more than 100 years ago, Hunton Andrews Kurth has been a business-focused firm, an approach we continue in today’s litigation-focused climate. Our team of more than 400 litigators draw upon decades of experience to handle all aspects of disputes with the goal of achieving successful results whether in a courtroom or the boardroom. 

Our skilled litigators focus on strategy from the outset and develop individualized litigation plans that are comprehensive in scope, mindful of each client’s business and legal goals, and aligned with client needs. We aggressively and efficiently represent clients at different phases of their corporate life cycles. Whether advising a start-up in patent litigation or a Fortune 100 company in a bet-the-company class action, we apply the same principles of client-focused representation to achieve the desired result. 

Litigation Overview: Hunton Andrews Kurth has a top global litigation team, having litigated and/or arbitrated in all 50 states and many foreign countries. We often serve as national or worldwide coordinating counsel. Our diverse team has the collective knowledge, skill, and experience to help businesses identify and manage risks, respond to existing or threatened litigation, and pursue resolution in any venue. Hunton Andrews Kurth attorneys are admitted to the American College of Trial Lawyers and ranked by publications such as Chambers USA, Legal 500, and Benchmark Litigation, and the firm is named one of the “most feared firms in litigation” by BTI. 

We handle litigation matters in the energy, financial services, healthcare, telecommunications, food, hospitality, consumer products, and retail industries, tailoring strategy on a case-by-case basis. Our commercial litigation docket includes class action defense, commercial contract issues, white collar defense, administrative matters, cybersecurity and privacy investigations, and appeals in state and federal courts. We represent corporations and other entities across a broad range of complex matters – from providing advice and counsel about business disputes and torts to civil litigation, trial, and appeal. We are often engaged in “bet-the-company” cases, multidistrict litigation, and coordinated state law proceedings. Our lawyers have the experience to handle cases that involve multiple adversaries in courts across the nation and abroad. 

In addition, the firm’s environmental team, with more than 45 environmental attorneys and scientists, many of whom are former DOJ attorneys and senior regulatory agency officials, handles high-profile environmental litigation matters. These include enforcement defense, permit litigation, and challenges to environmental regulatory programs before federal district and appeals courts and the US Supreme Court, addressing issues of nationwide significance.

Updated Aug 2024

Firm overview

McGinnis Lochridge is a highly experienced, multi-practice Texas law firm with more than 70 attorneys. Founded in 1927, McGinnis Lochridge has maintained strong ties to its judicial and legislative traditions for over 90 years. The Firm has been fortunate to count among its lawyers distinguished leaders in judicial and governmental positions, including state and federal trial judges, a Texas Supreme Court justice, a Fifth Circuit justice, state and federal legislators, a past president of the Texas Bar, and even a governor of Texas. The Firm has continued to grow and adapt to meet clients’ needs in a changing and increasingly complex business environment.

Today, from offices in Austin, Houston, Dallas, McAllen, and Decatur, the Firm’s attorneys maintain a broad civil law practice in all Texas state and federal courts. Our major practice areas include oil and gas, complex commercial litigation, public utility regulation, electric energy, class actions, corporate, environmental, labor and employment, trust and estates, intellectual property, and international law. The Firm’s clients range from individuals and small businesses to some of the world’s largest corporations.

At McGinnis Lochridge, each client and every legal matter receives partner-level attention. This client focus ensures maximum value, efficiency, and results. At the same time, the breadth of our practice areas enables clients to rely on McGinnis Lochridge as a comprehensive resource — a single-source, trusted advisor able to address the most challenging business and legal needs.