Rick Harrison, born Marfa, Texas, has 35 years of experience in representing clients in litigation disputes in a broad range of areas, including business litigation, technology, employment, and product liability, both at trial and on appeal. Recent Experience and Accomplishments Technology: - Represented a real estate developer enjoining a competitor from using an internet domain name. Successfully defended the appeal through the Supreme Court of Texas.
- Successfully defended a $6 million software trade secret infringement case.
- Successfully defended a $350 million trade secret and patent infringement case, securing a take-nothing judgment and a $1 million recovery of punitive damages on a defamation counterclaim.
- Prosecuted a Lanham Act trade dress infringement case for a national jewelry manufacturer.
General Business and Fiduciary Matters - Successfully defended a $30 million breach of contract claim in the Cameron County District Court.
- Successfully represented an international corporation in a commercial fraud case wherein an injunction was obtained prohibiting the gray market sale of the client's product.
- Successfully defended a major corporation in a $2 million breach of contract suit in Webb County, Texas.
- Obtained defense judgment (take nothing) in a $30 million RICO/conspiracy claim against a franchise.
- Successfully represented a resort and real estate development corporation in several trials involving multi-million dollar damages and breach of contract.
- In January, 1987, secured the largest jury verdict in Morris County, Texas' history ($8.3 million) in a breach of contract suit; reduced to $6.8 million on appeal and affirmed. Lone Star Steel v. Scott, 759 S.W. 2d 144 (Texark., 1988).
- Successfully represented a River Authority concerning a defective dam, recovering $2.4 million in settlements from the engineers and a $12.4 million judgment against the contractor. The $12.4 million judgment was assigned to my client and resulted in a $12 million settlement with a national insurer on a bad faith insurance claim.
Energy - Handled a case of first impression concerning the priority of rights between surface lignite producers and oil and gas operators, both holding valid leases to the same tracts of property.
- Represented a major oil company in royalty disputes involving multi-million dollar claims - Midland, Texas, and Corpus Christi, Texas.
- Successfully defended a major oil company in a $20 million trespass action (airborne radiometric survey) tried in Federal court, Pecos, Texas, 1981 - achieved a directed verdict.
Professional/Officer Liability - Represented an architect against allegations of copyright infringement.
- Successfully represented plaintiffs in an accounting malpractice case concerning erroneous advice given to holders of incentive stock options.
- Represented a former officer of a venture capital firm against claims by a group of investors that investments were mishandled and that securities laws were violated.
Product Liability - Represented a multi-national corporation in a product liability case involving a death on a drilling rig in DuBai.
- Successfully defended an international corporation in a $10 million product case venued in Starr County, Texas.
- Successfully defended multi-national corporation in a $3 million product case venued in Nueces County, Texas (directed verdict).
- Successfully defended a multi-national corporation in an $8 million product case venued in Starr County, Texas.
State Taxation - Responsible for discovery, trial preparation and three-month jury trial in Houston, Texas, concerning the Howard Hughes Estate and the determination of Howard Hughes' legal domicile at death; continued with representing the State of Texas in federal interpleader action appealed to the United States Supreme Court, and represented the State of Texas in the resulting Original Action involving the States of California and Texas. This Original Action settled two weeks before trial in the summer of 1984 with a $50 million payment to the State of Texas.
- Represented the State of Texas in several multi-million dollar test cases involving franchise taxes and state sales taxes.
- Obtained a jury verdict and judgment against the State of Texas negating a sales tax audit, recovering all taxes paid under protest, plus attorneys' fees.
Employment - Successfully represented several individuals in defeating non-competition clauses in their employment agreements.
- Negotiated the resolution of stock option and severance packages for departing executives of various high-tech companies.
- Successfully represented an employer charged with sexual discrimination in the workplace.
Bar Admissions
Texas, 1968
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas, 1968
U.S. District Court Western District of Texas, 1973
U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas, 1974
U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas, 1975
U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1974
U.S. Supreme Court, 1975
U.S. Court of Federal Claims, 1987
Education
The University of Texas School of Law, Austin, Texas, 1968 J.D.
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA, 1966 BBA
Schreiner College, Kerrville, TX, USA, 1964 AA Major: Pre-Law
Summa Cum Laude
Representative Clients
Eaton Corporation
Cutler-Hammer, Inc.
Lake Lyndon B. Johnson Improvement Corporation
Professional Associations and Memberships
Travis County Bar Association
American Bar Association
Federal Bar Association
Hughes Springs Industrial Foundation, 1978; President
Cass County Democratic Party, 1968 - 1972; Precinct Chairman
Salvation Army, 1970 - 1972; Area Coordinator
Hughes Springs United Fund, 1972; Chairman
St. Lukes on the Lake Episcopal Church, 1984; Senior Warden
St. Lukes Episcopal School, 1995 - 1998; Trustee, Treasurer
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