John Thomas

John B. Thomas is the co-founder of Houston-based commercial litigation boutique Hicks Thomas LLP. Known for his deep experience in handling complex commercial litigation, Mr. Thomas and the firm’s lawyers represent both defendants and plaintiffs in litigation spanning a broad range of industries. Mr. Thomas is an Associate Member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), has long been recognized by Chambers USA, Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers in America for his work in Commercial Litigation and Intellectual Property Litigation, and has been selected as a Texas Super Lawyer by Thompson Reuters for every year since its inception. John was recently included in Lawdragon’s 2025 100 Managing Partners You Need to Know guide.

Updated Oct 2025

• Lead Counsel in $3 Billion claim for fraudulent conveyance in connection with the EPC contract for the construction of Golden Pass Terminals, LLC (owned jointly by Quatar Energy, Inc. and Exxon Mobil Corporation). Litigation of claims paved the way for the Zachry entities to structure a plan of reorganization to emerge from Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.
  
  
• Obtained Dismissal of $1.3 Billion subrogation claims brought in the name of Freeport LNG entities by insurance companies that paid claims for plant explosion and shutdown. The arguments and ultimate ruling were premised on enforcement of EPC contracts that contained waivers of consequential damages.
  
  
• Advised member companies in connection with force majeure claims related to the construction of the Freeport LNG facility in Freeport, Texas.
  
  
• Defeated claims for trade dress violations in connection with the company’s launch of Therapedic brand of memory foam mattress.
  
  
• Represented Union Pacific Railroad in litigation against a major Gulf Coast plastics shipper who claimed over $100 million in damages for the alleged breach of a favored nation’s clause in a rail transportation contract.

• Construction and real estate
• Energy and construction
• Environmental
• Intellectual property
• Plaintiff
• Trade Secret Litigation
• Natural Resource Litigation
• Business Litigation

• Construction and materials
• Energy
• Natural resources
• Real estate

• J.D. - University of Michigan    
• B.S. - Western Michigan University

• American Board of Trial Advocates    

• State Bar of Texas    
• State Bar of California