A
commercial trial attorney with a focus on energy, corporate fiduciary and
securities, and construction litigation, Jason Williams has significant
first-chair trial and arbitration experience and has argued as lead counsel
before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Working
as a mechanical engineer prior to attending The University of Houston Law
Center, he gained unique insights that have help to make him invaluable to his
clients facing technology-related disputes. His construction law experience
includes construction defect claims, design errors and omissions claims,
contractor termination matters, and construction delays. He also has
substantial experience in securities and fiduciary litigation, including
directors and officers liability, breach of fiduciary duty, derivative claims,
and business divorces. His work in energy disputes, focuses on drilling,
pipelines, refining, energy trading, and trade secrets.
Recent
case highlights:
- Defended
an oilfield specialty services company against claims of aiding and abetting
breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and theft of trade secrets brought by a former
customer – a much larger, publicly traded entity alleging $65 million in
damages. Attacking the plaintiff’s own internal controls and accounting
practices, and drawing upon substantial knowledge of internal controls over
financial reporting and public company accounting rules, a good settlement was
secured before trial and before the plaintiff obtained a substantial verdict
against the remaining co-defendants.
- Represented
minority shareholder of a closely held petroleum products marketing and
terminaling company against the company’s single dominant shareholder and board
of directors. The allegations included breach of contract, fraud, unjust
enrichment, and breach of fiduciary duty both as direct and derivative causes
of action. The client alleged that the company breached its promise to buy back
his shares at a certain value and that the company’s directors breached their
fiduciary duties to him by engaging in “conflicting interest transactions”
under Georgia law. After the presiding judge denied the defendants’ motion to
dismiss, the case settled for a confidential amount.
- Defended
the manufacturer and supplier of a mechanical vertical inclination well survey
tool known as a Wireless Drift Indicator against breach of warranty claims. The
plaintiff, a bankrupt operator, had drilled a deviated hole that had to be
sidetracked. After analyzing the drilling reports and interviewing and deposing
rig personnel regarding key events, it was determined that the operator failed
to follow the survey tool operating instructions and made critical errors
during drilling and in its handling of the bottom hole assembly. The case settled
favorably shortly after arguing the summary judgment motion.
- Defended
a major financial institution after it sold a large commercial tract. The
purchaser later accused the institution of fraudulently concealing defects in
the property and demanded $12 million in damages. Established in the deposition
of the purchaser’s contractor that the contractor warned the purchaser about
the defects and through hard-fought written discovery the purchaser disclosed
the defects to an insurer well before the purchaser’s supposed discovery of
them. The case settled for fraction of the amount sought.
- Represented
non-destructive testing and inspection company against a competitor’s claim of
tortious interference and theft of trade secrets. The case involved a novel issue
of federal jurisdiction over disputes related to foreign arbitration agreements
under the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral
Awards. Obtained dismissal of all claims. In a subsequent suit against the same
competitor, obtained summary judgment against competitor, securing $2.1 million
in damages.
- Represented
a municipal utility district against an engineering firm seeking damages of
over $1 million related to the alleged defective design of a flood control
detention pond which suffered a major structural wall failure. As part of the
representation, assisted the client in developing a plan for the replacement of
the entire detention pond and the hiring of a new engineering firm. Secured
settlement in excess of the engineering firm’s policy limits.