Litigation
Overview
Experienced trial lawyers.Few firms try as many cases to a jury as we do. Our firm has developed a broad, national litigation practice. We are able to handle nearly every type of civil lawsuit in state or federal courts across the United States. Since our inception, we have established a reputation for favorable verdicts and settlements. Since 1998, we have tried over 140 jury trials. Our reputation in Dallas as trial lawyers is well known. It’s this reputation that allows us to not only have success in the courtroom, but also allows our clients to achieve success in reaching favorable settlements.
Focus on winning. Clients hire us to win their lawsuit, not simply handle it. But, there are many forms of victory for a client in any given lawsuit. There are times where a jury trial simply will not serve the client’s best interests. Other times, it’s the only way to best serve the client. For every lawsuit, we develop a winning strategy that may involve strategic dismissal motions, an absolute goal of obtaining a jury verdict, or positioning the case for a favorable settlement. Our lawyers focus their talents on helping clients achieve the best possible results in their litigation matters. Too many firm hope to simply lose small. We want to win big.
Ready for trial. We prepare and workup every lawsuit with the expectation that a jury will decide the outcome. From the first reading of the opposing party’s petition, we identify the issues and begin preparing for trial at the outset. From the initial investigation to the courthouse steps, we are prepared for trial. This gives us a profound advantage over the opposition, in the courthouse and in mediation, as our willingness to try cases helps us earn favorable settlements.
Areas of focus. We represent plaintiffs and defendants in wide range of substantive litigation areas. Representing clients on both sides of the docket gives us a unique insight into what motivates opponents in the courtroom and during settlement talks. Too many companies and individuals entrust their litigation interests to law firms that aren’t trial tested. Our attorneys have tried significant and complex cases in federal and state courts nationwide. For more information on the breadth of our litigation practice, please see the sections below.
- Alternative Dispute Resolution: Lawsuits are not always decided at trial. For many of our clients, it often may not be the best strategy to see a case through verdict. Simply put, if you can win your battles without going to court, take it. ADR has become an important and effective means to resolving disputes without the costs and risk associated with trial. Many times ADR can be voluntary, but other times it can be court-ordered or prescribed through a contractual agreement. Our trial lawyers have successfully represented clients in numerous forums involving arbitrators and mediators. Further, our experience often allows for the successful negotiation of a settlement that is acceptable to both sides.
- Class Action: In its simplest form, a class action is a lawsuit where a person sues a group of people, a group of people sues another group of people, or a group of people sues a person. However, in reality, class actions are complex and today are becoming more duplicative and overlapping. We have experience in class action suits involving Fortune 500 companies and are prepared to coordinate a multi-faceted prosecution or defense as needed for our clients.
- Commercial: Often, litigation can make or break a business. The decision to prosecute or defend a commercial lawsuit can be pivotal in the overall and long-term health of a company. Fully understanding these risks and implications, our attorneys are frequently asked by executives, risk managers, and general counsel to develop and implement legal strategies to best protect their businesses. These issues can include, but are not limited to, breach of contract, unfair competition, shareholder disputes, defamation, business fraud, and tortious interference with contract.
- Intellectual Property: At the crossroads of business and innovation, lies IP litigation that can be an unfortunate necessity in protecting a company’s assets. From trade secrets and patents, to trademarks and copyrights, to licensing and false advertising, our attorneys are prepared to protect and defend our client’s intellectual property rights.
- General Liability / Personal Injury: Even safe and prudent businesses and individuals can find themselves exposed to a wide range of numerous risks and liabilities. While most liabilities are predictable, they are inevitable, even when preventable. Liability defense is what we do best. With our practice rooted in the insurance defense industry, our attorneys have deep experience defending clients with aggressive, innovative, and proven strategies. Our experience is wide-ranging, encompassing construction incidents, class actions, dram shop, personal injury and wrongful death, and vehicular collisions.
- Maritime: Maritime litigation covers a broad range of admiralty and marine matters including personal injury claims of seafarers and harbor workers, environmental claims by government agencies, and property damage claims related to ships and their cargo.
- Medical Malpractice: Most physicians and health care providers will be the target of a lawsuit or board complaint at some point during the course of their career. Chamblee Ryan is one of the largest and most recognized medical malpractice firms in Texas. Our lawyers have decades of combined experience defending physicians and hospitals in Texas state and federal courts and before various professional boards. Our experience spans a wide array of medical specialties. For more information regarding our medical malpractice experience, please see our Health Care
- Non-Subscriber: Employers in Texas are given the ability to opt out of the state’s workers’ compensation program. This option, however, comes with both a carrot and a stick. The carrot: a non-subscriber is free to choose their own injury benefit program, craft a specific safety program, and provide their customized response to workplace injuries. The stick: non-subscribers are open to lawsuits with unique challenges related to the defenses they can assert and the liability they may absorb on a jury charge. We routinely represent non-subscribers in defense suits and are prepared to handle the complexities related to workplace injury lawsuits.
- Premises Liability: Premises liability defense is always a prevalent concern for companies of all sizes that operate in a wide range of industries. We routinely represent property owners and occupiers in premises liability suits ranging from run-of-the-mill slip-and-falls to complex wrongful death accidents with multiple defendants. We have also handled assault and inadequate security claims.
- Products Liability: Products liability defense is complex and difficult, and having the experienced trial lawyers of Chamblee Ryan can provide a formidable defense to earn a successful verdict at trial or reach a favorable settlement in a damages dispute. We are prepared to represent manufacturers and distributors in defense suits involving numerous types of products such as agricultural machinery, automobiles and parts, construction equipment, medical devices and drugs, industrial systems, and consumer goods.
- Professional Liability: Professionals have invested years developing their craft to excel in their chosen fields. Through their talents and hard work, our clients have built reputations as dedicated professionals. Still, from time-to-time, these professionals will be the target of a liability lawsuit. In today’s litigious environment, that can mean serious issues for their reputation, earnings, and career. This area of defense work encompasses services for accountants, architects/engineers, attorneys, executives/directors and officers, financial service providers, insurance agents and brokers, medical professionals and businesses, and real estate agents and brokers.
- Toxic Tort: Toxic tort litigation has been prevalent in Texas for decades. Our attorneys have experience handling liability issues related to asbestos, mold, lead paint, and other toxic substances arising in residential and commercial locations and industrial workplace sites.