Top rated State, Local & Municipal attorney in Dallas, Texas
Practice Areas:
Civil rights
Education Qualification:
Georgetown University Law Center
Practice Areas:
Civil rights
8150 N Central Expy, Suite 1000Dallas, Texas, 75206
First Admitted: 1984, Illinois
Bar/Professional Activity:
Authored publications for State Bar of Texas Advanced Government Law Course concerning issues regarding Qualified Immunity from 2020 through 2024, and presented speeches each year as to same in lecture for Advanced Government Law Course. 2020- Recent Developments Regarding Qualified Immunity and a Modest Proposal 2021- Qualified Immunity Update 2022-The Practical Aspects of Recent Qualified Immunity Cases 2023- Qualified Immunity Update : Practical Aspects from a Practitioner's Perspective 2024-Qualified Immunity Update and Predictions: Where Are We Going and Where Have We Been, 2024
Selected by Dallas Bar Association to author "Headnotes" article for publication titled "Recent Developments Regarding Qualified Immunity" for January, 2021 issue. , 2020
Served on statewide planning committee for State Bar of Texas in regard to Advanced Government Law Course from 2020 through 2024 and on multiple prior occasions., 2024
Invited to lecture on legal and ethical issues to Executive MBA Program students at University of Texas at Arlington
Served on many State Bar CLE programs as faculty member. At various times member of Texas City Attorneys' Association, Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Dallas Association of Defense Counsel, Dallas Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, Fifth Circuit Bar Association, and Illinois Bar Association.
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
Won summary judgment for City of Paris and its Police Department in a police shooting case; Carico v Bristow., 2024
Argued and won appeal in U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for City of Waxahachie and its Police Department in case of Bradyn S. v. Waxahachie ISD, et al., 2023
Obtained TRO and temporary injunction in favor of City of Cedar Hill to stop zoning and land use violations in Cedar Hill v. Lockwood, et al., 2020
Motion to Dismiss granted in U.S. District Court in case of TM Housing v. City of Quinlan, Texas in property case, 2020
Motion to Dismiss granted in U.S. District Court case of Bradyn S. v. Waxahachie ISD, et al. dismissing all claims against the City and two of its police officers based on qualified immunity and other arguments, 2020
Motion to Dismiss granted in U.S. District Court case of Alexis Carlito-Garcias v. City of Fort Worth, et al., dismissing all claims against the two police officers represented based on qualified immunity arguments., 2020
Motion to Dismiss granted in Snider v. City of Cleburne, et al. , dismissing all claims against City Defendants in COVID-19 litigation, 2020
Successfully argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in case of Defrates v. City of Cedar Hill, et al., and obtained opinion upholding summary judgement and prior dismissal of claims against the City of Cedar Hill and one of its police officers, 2019
Obtained summary judgment in case of May v. City of Greenville involving property claims against the City, 2019
Many other successful results over the past twenty-five years. Representative examples are defense verdicts in trial of Jim Sowell Construction Company vs. City of Coppell, U.S. District Court , Dallas; successful ruling after oral argument before Texas Supreme Court in I.H.S. Cedars, et al. v. Ramos, et al.; Texas Supreme Court, 2004 Tex. LEXIS 534; defense verdict in trial of Forney Messenger , et al. v. City of Forney, U.S. District Court, Dallas; defense verdict in trial of Borth v. City of Cedar Hill, U.S. Distirict Court, Dallas; and many others.
Representative Clients:
Town of Flower Mound : Represented the Town on multiple land use and employment matters over past years., 2024
Sherman ISD School Board: Handled investigation for Board clients., 2024
Panel Counsel for Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool(for approximately last 29 years) and regularly assigned to represent numerous of its governmental entity Fund Members , 2024
City of Mansfield, Texas re: employment and investigative matters, 2020
City of Burleson, Texas re: employment and investigative matters, 2024
Counsel for City of Plano, Texas Civil Service Commission; served as such for over 15 years., 2024
Travis County Emergency Services District #2 with offices in Pflugerville, Texas; served as District lead counsel in collective bargaining negotiations with firefighters' association (had served in same capacity in multiple prior years), 2019
Pro bono/Community Service:
Prior service on Prince of Peace School Board in Plano, and then elected to service on School Board of Bishop Lynch High School of Dallas; also many years coaching and working with North Texas middle and high school students (basketball).
Honors/Awards:
Selected Program Director of annual State Bar Course on Suing and Defending Governmental Entities in 2008 and named to Planning Committee and Faculty multiple prior occasions and at present. Received award from State Bar for such service., Program Director, State Bar of Texas, 2008
Chosen for Texas Super Lawyers 2020-2024, Texas Super Lawyers Honoree, superlawyers.com
Educational Background:
Awarded J. D. 1984 from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.; M.A. from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois in 1981; B.A. from DePaul University in 1979.
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
Author of over twenty articles and presentations for State Bar CLEs, Texas City Attorneys' Association presentations, Southwestern Legal Foundation presentations, Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool Attorney Workshops, and Federal Bar Association seminar, among others, with current listings of articles available on request.
Other Outstanding Achievements:
Selected convocation speaker from student body for one of graduation ceremonies that year at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Awarded M.A. with highest honors from DePaul University in 1981 and awarded B.A. with highest honors in 1979 from DePaul University. Also selected for Georgetown Law Center Appellate Litigation Clinic and argued case before District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
Industry Groups:
Texas Municipalities And Other Governmental Entities