2020
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Dear Clients and Colleagues:
In keeping with the recommendations of state and local authorities and public health officials, we are working remotely in order to maintain appropriate “social distancing,” in an effort to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus and protect the health of our employees. We have established systems to provide continuity while working remotely, as we did in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Obviously, this current health crisis is much more widespread, and we recognize that our clients, the other firms with whom we work, and the judicial system are also dealing with this situation.
Our office is not closed, although our on-site staff is greatly reduced. Our phones will continue to be answered during normal business hours, and after-hours calls will be provided with our firm directory. All voicemail messages are automatically emailed to our lawyers. Our lawyers have been and will continue to provide cell phone numbers for ease of communication. If you cannot reach someone at our firm regarding a matter requiring immediate attention, please email us at 2020@wrightclosebarger.com and your message will be directed to our response team.
We want to assure you that we are fully capable of continuing to meet the needs of our clients. Together, we will get through this.
- Wright Close & Barger Lawyers Named to 2020 Texas Rising Stars
- Super Lawyers® (published by Thomson Reuters) names four of our outstanding young lawyers to its list of “Rising Stars”: Brian Cathey, Elizabeth Rivers, Brad Snead, and Natasha Taylor.
- Wright Close & Barger is pleased to welcome three new attorneys to the firm.
- WCB starts off the year with three appellate wins in January – click here to see some of our results. Over the past five years, our firm has achieved at least 10 appellate wins per year for our clients.
2019
- Texas Lawyer announces the winners of its 2019 Professional Excellence Awards, and names WCB the Top Appellate Firm in Texas for 2019.
- WCB wins a unanimous decision from the U.S. Supreme Court in a significant employment discrimination case.
- BTI Consulting names WCB to its 2019 list of “Client All Stars.” BTI compiles its list by interviewing in-house counsel for companies with revenues of at least $1B. This list traditionally includes the largest national law firms. WCB is honored to be included as one of only a very few smaller firms.
- US News – Best Lawyers Ranks WCB Among Top Appellate Firms in Nation.
- Eleven of our lawyers are named to the Best Lawyers in America guide for 2020. Our firm has more appellate honorees than any other firm in Houston.
- Nine of our lawyers are named Texas Super Lawyers for 2019.
- Texas Super Lawyers® (published by Thomson Reuters) names Jessica Barger as a Top Rated Appellate Attorney in 2019.
- Partner Raffi Melkonian is quoted by Law360 and Texas Lawyer regarding the Affordable Care Act case in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
- Partner Wanda McKee Fowler, an AAA arbitrator and former judge, speaks with the Houston Chronicle about mediation.
- Brian Cathey and Andrew Nelson are promoted to Partner.
2018
- We become Wright Close & Barger, adding partner Jessica Barger's name to our firm. Media outlets take note of this name change.
- Our firm earns recognition by U.S. News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America® (published by BL Rankings, LLC) as one of the top appellate and civil litigation firms in the country. This marks the fifth time the firm is named to this annual list.
- U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers in America® (published by BL Rankings, LLC) recognize us as among the best law firms in the country for our appellate work. Several of our lawyers are also recognized for their trial and appellate skills. Click here to learn more.
- Texas Super Lawyers® annual guide (published by Thomson Reuters) recognizes our attorneys for litigation, appellate and estate & trust litigation. Two of our appellate lawyers also earn Texas Rising Star honors.
- Our team wins $17 million reversal of jury verdict for contractor in Baylor bridge case. Click here to learn more.
- Brittany Greger and Jonathan Lehrmann join our team as associates.
- For the fourth year in a row, our team secures wins for our clients in at least ten appellate decisions.
2017
- The American Law Institute elects founding partner, Tom Wright, to its membership.
- Texas Super Lawyers® (published by Thomson Reuters) names seven of our attorneys to the 2017 list. Click here to learn more.
- Best Lawyers in America® (published by BL Rankings, LLC) names us a “Tier 1” law firm in the categories of Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation–Defense, and Appellate Practice.
- Brian Cathey joins us as an associate, adding to our deep bench of talent.
- Our lawyers secure take-nothing judgment for insurance company clients when the Texas Supreme Court refuses to rehear a case. Click here to learn more.
- An appeals court win by our team remains intact and drastically reduces a jury award, saving our client about $2 million in a train derailment dispute. – click here to learn more.
- The firm secures take-nothing judgments after the Texas Supreme Court denies review in two of our firm’s cases, including one involving $22 million in damages. –click here to read more.
- The firm kicks off 2017 with another win in the Texas Supreme Court – in UDR Texas Properties v. Petrie– affirming protections for property owners from claims involving criminal activity on their premises. See the Our Appeals page for details.
- Tom Wright is quoted in Law360 about Texas legal fees legislation that would expand recoverable attorneys’ fees in commercial disputes. He is quoted in “Texas Bill May Fix Cos.' Unequal Footing In Atty Fee Fights” (subscription required).
2016
- Our firm closes out 2016 with two favorable decisions from the Texas Supreme Court – Byrdson Services v. SETRPC and 4Front v. Rosales – issued on the same day. See the Our Appeals page for details.
- Our firm starts off the summer with back-to-back wins in the Texas Supreme Court – Centerpoint Builders v. Trussway and In re J.B. Hunt – followed up with a win in the 4th Court of Appeals reversing a $9.5 million judgment against our client. Check out the Our Appeals page for details.
- Firm partners Howard Close and Patrick McAndrew successfully represent a power company in a “baseball” arbitration concerning the sale of a $250 million power generation plant, in which our opponents sought damages of $125 million. Following the arbitration, the panel chooses our client's proffered damages figure, and finds our opponents are entitled to recover only one percent of the damages claimed.
- Firm partners Howard Close, Randy Owens, and Brad Snead successfully represent royalty interest owners in a large carbon dioxide fields in Colorado, in a lawsuit against ExxonMobil (the working interest owner). After a one-week trial, the jury finds ExxonMobil breached its duty of good faith and fair dealing by selling the CO2 at an artificially low price over several years.
- H Texas magazine names Tom Wright, Howard Close, Jessica Barger, Randy Owens, and Marie Jamison as outstanding Houston attorneys.
- Firm wins reversal of $22 million judgment and a take-nothing judgment for its client in an appeal of an oilfield accident case.
- Martindale-Hubbell names Randall Owens a “Top Rated Lawyer” in the field of Labor & Employment Law.
- Firm partner Raffi Melkonian is interviewed by Boston radio station WEEI (93.7FM) about the 2nd Circuit decision in the National Football League’s appeal from the reversal of Tom Brady’s suspension. Here’s the link: http://media.weei.com/a/114858579/federal-appellate-lawyer-raffi-melkonian-give-his-expert-analysis-on-2nd-circuit-court-s-decision-4-25-16.htm
- Justin Campbell and Suzanne Goss join the firm as Of Counsel. Ken Fair joins the firm as a Partner.
2015
- For the third year in a row, Firm named a “Tier 1 Best Law Firm” in the categories of Personal Injury Defense and Appellate Practice by Best Law Firms® (published by BL Rankings, LLC).
- Firm wins a dozen appeals in the first eight months of the year.
- Tasha Taylor and Raffi Melkonian are recognized by Law & Politics on its annual list of Texas Rising Stars®.
- Howard Close, Russ Hollenbeck, Randy Owens, and Tod Phillips are recognized as Texas Super Lawyers® – and Tom Wright is included as one of the Top 100 attorneys in Texas – on Law & Politics’ annual list, published by Thomson Reuters.
- Lisa Wright joins the firm as an associate.
2014
- Firm again named as a Tier 1 “Best Law Firm” in categories of Personal Injury Defense and Appellate Practice, by Best Lawyers in America® (published by BL Rankings, LLC).
- Marie Jamison and Brad Snead are named partners in the firm.
- Firm wins a dozen appeals, including three in the Texas Supreme Court.
- Andrew Nelson coaches the South Texas School of Law moot court team to a national championship at the Burton Weschler First Amendment Moot Court Competition, in Washington, D.C.
2013
- Firm is listed in Tier 1 of the 20th Edition of “The Best Lawyers in America” in the areas of Appellate Practice and Personal Injury Litigation—Defendants, by Best Lawyers in America® (published by BL Rankings, LLC).
- Wright & Close is named a finalist in Texas Lawyer magazine’s “Litigation Departments of the Year” feature in the category of “General Litigation.” Read Article Here.
- Firm successfully persuades Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold a $50M judgment in favor of our client in a trade secrets case.
- Tom Wright, Howard Close, Russ Hollenbeck, Randy Owens, and Tod Phillips are recognized by Law & Politics on its annual List of Texas Super Lawyers®.
- Natasha Taylor and Raffi Melkonian join the firm as associates.
- Firm moves into new offices at One Riverway, Suite 2200.
2012
- In defense of patent infringement claims, the firm obtains a decision from the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals invalidating our opponent’s patent.
- Andrew Nelson and Andrea C. Geohegan join the firm as associates.
- Patrick McAndrew and Jessica Barger are named partners in the firm.
2011
- Firm's lawyers win 6 appeals in first four months of the year.
- Firm wins complete defense verdict in defense of $60M breach of trust case.
- Tod Phillips is named a partner in the firm.
- Elizabeth Rivers joins the firm as an associate.
2010
- Marie Jamison joins the firm as an associate.
- Governor Rick Perry appoints firm partner Harvey G. Brown to serve as Justice of the First Court of Appeals. Harvey is a brilliant lawyer and a good friend, and will be an outstanding appellate jurist.
- Randy Owens joins the firm as a Partner.
2009
- Tom Wright argues last case of the year in the Texas Supreme Court.
- Portrait of former partner Harvey G. Brown, Jr. is hung in the 152nd Judicial District Court of Harris County, where he served as judge from 1995-2002.
- In the term ending July 2009, the Texas Supreme Court rules in favor of the firm’s clients in four out of four cases pending in that Court.
- Firm is named in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers by Martindale-Hubbell.