Texas

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 2021

Firm overview

Gibbs & Bruns LLP is a litigation boutique engaged exclusively in high-stakes business and commercial litigation.  The firm is acclaimed for its high-value and precedent-setting work across the banking, energy, technology, and financial services sectors, among others. Gibbs & Bruns is renowned for its signature lean trial teams and representation of both plaintiffs and defendants in complex matters.  Representation of clients on both sides of the docket gives our trial lawyers unique insights into what motivates opponents in court and during settlement negotiations.

          As top-flight as it gets. A boutique staffed with outstanding lawyers.

          An excellent high-stakes litigation firm – top-notch across the board.

                                                                                                             Chambers USA

          Creative, resourceful, committed, responsive, talented across the board. 

          A pleasure to work with.

                                              Legal 500 US

Founded by Robin Gibbs, named “Father of the Litigation Boutique in Texas” by The Texas Lawbook, the firm sustains a forward-thinking culture of creativity and a personal approach to managing its client matters.  Reciprocity is at the core of all of the firm’s client engagements. Risk sharing with clients and innovative fee arrangements are a hallmark of Gibbs & Bruns’ practice.  The firm’s track record of successes for clients since 1983 attests to the talents, creativity, and dedication of the firm’s trial lawyers.
 

Recent results demonstrate the significance of our firm’s impact on the nationwide litigation scene: 

• $8.5 Billion Countrywide RMBS Precedent–Setting Settlement Obtained for 22 Institutional Investor Clients (2015)
• $7 Billion Allowed Claim - ResCap Bankruptcy Settlement with 17 Institutional Investors (2013)
• $4.5 Billion Settlement with JPMorgan on Behalf of 21 Institutional Investors (2013)
• $2.4 Billion Settlement with Lehman Brothers on Behalf of 14 Institutional Investors (2017)
• $1.7 Billion Net Settlement Package for Huntsman; including $1.1 billion in financing and $632 million in cash, the largest cash settlement payment ever recovered with respect to a busted LBO (2009)
• $1.13 Billion Settlement with Citigroup on Behalf of 18 Institutional Investors (2014)
• $1 Billion in Total Recoveries for Clients, Including $400 Million Settlement with Credit Suisse - National Century Enterprises (NCFE) Securities Litigation (2013)
• Major Defense Win in Multi-Billion Dollar Environmental Trial for Waste Management; settlement was less than one percent of the government’s demand (2014)
• $196 Million Judgment Win for Plaintiff Client D. Bobbitt Noel Jr. against Devon Energy (2011)
• $100 Million Value Arbitration Award for Venoco against Denbury Onshore (2014)
• $56 Million Take-Nothing Success for Natural Resource Partners (2019)
• Take Nothing Judgment for Private Client in $40 Million Trade Secrets Dispute (2021)
• $37.2 Million Recovery for Client Against the Port of Houston (Verdict 2010, Finalized 2017)
• $35 Million in Settlements for ERG re: Contract Dispute in the Republic of Columbia (2017)
• $12.4 Million Judgment for Private Client in Dispute with EnVen Energy Corp. (2021)
• $8.1 Million Trial Win for Private Client in Employment Agreement Dispute (2021)
• $5.65 Million in Damages Awarded in Trial Win for U.S. Pipeline (2018, Affirmed by Nebraska Supreme Court 2019)
• $4.58 Million Jury Verdict for Plaintiff Client SourceGas in Dispute against Noble Energy (2011)
• Successful resolution of seven-year dispute for Chevron re the transfer of its responsibility for massive future dismantling and restoration costs of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline; the firm succeeded on each aspect of the legal disputes involved in this matter (2019)
  
  

Updated Sep 2021

Firm overview

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, a leading international law firm, consistently ranks among the world’s top law firms in industry surveys and major publications. The firm is distinctively positioned in today’s global marketplace with more than 1,400 lawyers and 20 offices.

Litigation Practice: Acclaimed as a litigation powerhouse, Gibson Dunn and the members of the Litigation practice have a long record of outstanding successes. The American Lawyer named Gibson Dunn its 2020 Litigation Department of the Year, recognized as the “best of the best.” This unprecedented achievement was the firm’s fourth win in the last six years of the publication’s biennial “Litigation Department of the Year” competitions, and the sixth time in a row the firm has been a finalist.

The members of our litigation practice group are not just litigators, they are first-rate trial lawyers. Each year, we try numerous cases to verdicts before juries, judges and arbitrators. Our clients have trusted us to try their most significant disputes to verdict.

We have tried cases and argued appeals before the U.S. Supreme Court and state supreme courts in addition to federal and state courts across the United States involving almost every foreseeable area of controversy. We also handle disputes before a wide variety of nonjudicial forums, from federal and state agencies to international arbitrations.

Antitrust & Trade Regulation: Gibson Dunn serves clients in virtually every significant area of antitrust and trade regulation law, including cartel and government civil investigations, class action treble damage litigation, private antitrust litigation, government review of mergers and acquisitions, and trade regulation matters.

Appellate: Gibson Dunn has one of the nation’s leading appellate practices with broad experience in complex appellate litigation at all levels of the state and federal court systems. The practice has been involved in matters covering an array of constitutional, statutory, regulatory and common-law issues. Our lawyers have presented arguments in front of the Supreme Court of the United States more than 100 times.

Business Restructuring & Reorganization: The firm has extensive experience in both US and multinational insolvencies. Its lawyers regularly represent and counsel official creditors’ committees, ad hoc creditor groups, secured lenders, investors and companies (including DIP and exit financing) in out-of-court work-outs and Chapter 11 cases.

Commercial Litigation & Arbitration: Gibson Dunn’s approach emphasizes the full spectrum of services for our clients. Our litigators are trained to evaluate actual and potential cases at the earliest stages, to first determine if litigation can be avoided, or, if it is filed, whether the matter can be resolved quickly and economically. We pride ourselves on handling our litigation matters as efficiently as possible. Gibson Dunn lawyers are fully familiar with a wide array of alternative dispute resolution techniques, including arbitration, mediation, “mini-trials” and the like. 

Intellectual Property: Gibson Dunn’s deep bench of trial lawyers with technical backgrounds, advanced degrees and industry experience provides the necessary insight to develop and defend against sophisticated claims in a wide range of industries and complex technologies. Our litigators are recognized throughout the industry as leaders in prosecuting, defending and trying IP claims in federal and state courts, before administrative bodies including the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), as well as before arbitration panels.

Labor & Employment: Gibson Dunn is known for our unsurpassed ability to help the world’s preeminent companies tackle their most challenging labor and employment matters. We have prevailed in what are believed to be the largest class actions under several different U.S. employment laws, including Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the wage and hour laws. Gibson Dunn has also worked on high-profile ERISA cases, nationally recognized Sarbanes-Oxley ‘whistleblower’ cases and aggressive advocacy on OSHA issues. 

Securities Litigation, Regulation & Corporate Governance: A recognized leader in the defense of securities class actions, derivative litigation and SEC enforcement actions, the firm advises companies on disclosure, accounting and regulatory issues for domestic and foreign regulatory bodies. The partners include nationally recognized securities class action defense counsel and a number of former senior officials with the SEC, NASD and DOJ.

Transnational Litigation: Gibson Dunn’s Transnational Litigation practice specializes in protecting clients against claims in U.S. and other courts stemming from overseas activities, as well as reducing and eliminating the risks posed by foreign litigation that, if unchecked, threaten company-wide implications. Our uniquely skilled, creative and experienced transnational team is equipped to manage all aspects of cross-border litigation, including devising, coordinating and implementing offensive and defensive global strategies and has represented clients in some of the highest-profile cases around the world. Gibson Dunn’s international team consists of US, English, French, Spanish and German-qualified lawyers, many of whom are dual qualified.

White Collar Defense & Investigations: The firm defends prominent companies and executives against federal and state prosecutions and has conducted numerous sensitive internal investigations in areas including anti-money laundering; computer and IP crimes; environmental violations and compliance; FCPA matters; forfeiture (civil and criminal); health care fraud; privacy; procurement fraud; securities, financial institution and accounting fraud; and tax offenses. The practice group includes numerous former federal and state prosecutors and officials, many of whom served at high levels within the DOJ, SEC and other key investigative arms of the government. The American Lawyer named Gibson Dunn a finalist for the White Collar/Regulatory Department of the Year in 2020, and in 2016 was the winner.

Firm overview

Tillotson Law Firm is a litigation boutique that focuses on significant commercial litigation matters. Three things separate Tillotson Law. First, we built our firm as a ‘team’ concept. The firm is a single, integrated trial team. Cases are not staffed with whatever lawyers might be free; the trial team is already in place. Clients know exactly who will work on their case and what their role is.

Second, our team has enormous trial expertise. Our team typically tries several major cases per year. We are on both sides of the docket as we often represent businesses as plaintiffs.

Third, our expertise is in knowing how to win cases. We do not litigate. We try cases to win. Lots of firms will tell you that the best way to get a case resolved is to push it to trial. Here’s the part they miss: You have to be a credible trial threat in the first place for that strategy to work. We have that credibility because we try - and win - the difficult cases. And when we say difficult, we are not kidding. After all, we are the trial team that exposed Lance Armstrong’s drug usage (the result of an epic ten-year lawsuit later made into a movie). We are also the trial team that earned the Texas Lawbook Business Litigation win of 2018 (FTC v. DIRECTV). That’s just the beginning. We are a law firm that took on Yahoo! in a “Billion Dollar NCAA bracket case” and won. Not every case makes the news, but our consistent and long history of successful trials speaks for itself.

Updated Sep 2021