Donald Godwin

Donald E. Godwin is considered one of the most respected and tenacious trial lawyers in Texas. For more than 40 years Don has tried significant jury cases in courts throughout Texas and across the United States. Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, he has the ability to translate complex matters of law and fact into easily understandable language for courts and juries.

Don's practice covers a broad range of areas with an emphasis on complex litigation, including:

• Oil and gas
• Bet the Company Litigation
• Environmental
• Fiduciary duties
• Will contests
• Major family law disputes
• Business torts

Of note, Don was the Lead Trial Lawyer in the successful defense of Halliburton in connection with all civil litigation and investigations concerning BP's Macondo well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, the largest environmental lawsuit in the history of the United States. As well as being recognized as a leading trial lawyer in the United States, Don has also earned the reputation among corporate executives, their legal departments, and other highly visible individuals as a master negotiator where the risks are substantial and the future and successes of such clients are on the line.

A Board-Certified Trial Attorney by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Mr. Godwin is one of the most widely respected attorneys in the nation. Reflecting the standard of long-term excellence established in his legal practice, he has been named to the 50 Lions of the Texas Bar by Texas Lawbook; recognized in Chambers USA since 2014 in the area of General Commercial Litigation, selected to the Lawdragon 500 honoring the 500 leading lawyers in America, named among the Top 100 Lawyers in Texas by Thomson Reuters 10 times, and chosen among Thomson Reuters Texas Super Lawyers since the award was initiated in 2003. He has also been honored by selection on the list of The Best Lawyers in America since 2012 in the area of Commercial Litigation along with a variety of other honors.

Representative Experience

Commercial Litigation

• Federal and state securities fraud
• Officers and Directors liability
• Contract disputes
• Breach of confidentiality agreements
• Breach of trade secret agreements

ENVIRONMENTAL LITIGATION

Mass Tort Litigation

• Defended Halliburton, Dresser and Brown & Root in their asbestos- and silica-related litigation throughout Texas
• Defend major apparel company in its asbestos litigation in South Texas
• Defend major manufacturing company in its asbestos litigation in Montana

Energy Litigation

• Disputes involving take-or-pay gas contracts
• Gas processing and gas balancing agreements
• Disputes involving cross-licensing agreements
• Royalty disputes between producers and interest owners
• Gas well blowout disputes in Louisiana and Texas
• Actions for theft of oil from tank farms
• Refinery explosions involving multiple deaths and serious bodily injuries
• Pipeline explosions in neighborhoods resulting in deaths, bodily injuries and property damages

Professional Services Litigation

• Defend attorneys against claims involving negligence, fraud, unjust enrichment and breach of fiduciary duties
• Defend accountants against claims of negligence, fraud and failures to prepare financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Honors and Awards

• Named "Distinguished Alumnus of the Year" by the University of North Carolina Wilmington, 2019
• 3-time selection to The Dallas 500 – The Most Powerful Business Leaders in Dallas-Fort Worth by D CEO Magazine, 2015, 2016, 2017
• Named as a Member of the Advisory Board to the Dean of the University of Memphis' Fogelman College of Business & Economics 2016-2018
• Named as "Outstanding Alumnus" of the Fogelman School of Business & Economics at the University of Memphis
• Inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Fogelman School of Business & Economics at the University of Memphis
• 5-time recognition in Chambers USA: America's Leading Business Lawyers – General Commercial Litigation, Texas, 2014-2018
• 4-time selection to Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 (by Lawdragon Inc.)
• Chosen to the list of the "50 Lions of the Texas Bar" by Texas Lawbook
• Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012 - 2019
• AV rated "Preeminent" Martindale Hubbell
• Designated as one of the “Top Five DFW Defenders,“ Dallas Business Journal, 2006, 2010
• 10-time selection to Thomson Reuters' "Top 100 Lawyers in Texas" as published in Texas Monthly & Super Lawyers magazines (2003-2006, 2012, 2014-2018).
• 14-time selection to Thomson Reuters' "Top 100 Lawyers in Dallas/Fort Worth" as published in Texas Monthly & Super Lawyers magazines (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010-2018).
• 5-time selection to "Who's Who in Energy" in Dallas, Houston, Austin, Denver, St. Louis, Columbus, San Antonio and Pittsburgh by the American City Business Journals, 2011-2015
• Selected to Texas Super Lawyers Advisory Board, 2010-2013
• Received the Distinguished Alumni Award for Private Practice from SMU Dedman School of Law for 2003
• 11-time selection as one of the "Best Lawyers in Dallas" by D Magazine, 2003, 2005. 2009, 2011-2018
• Selected in the Dallas Business Journal's list of the Top 10 Litigators/Trial Lawyers in the D/FW Metroplex, 2003
• 16-time selection to Thomson Reuters' "Texas Super Lawyers" as published in Texas Monthly and Super Lawyers magazines, 2003 – 2018

Admitted Practice

• U.S. Supreme Court
• State Courts of Texas
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
• U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas

Member

• American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
• Dallas Bar Association, Chairman, Antitrust & Trade Regulation Section, 1980
• State Bar of Texas
• William 'Mac' Taylor, Jr. American Inn of Court (Master Member)
• Executive Board Member, SMU Dedman School of Law, 2002 to present

Education

• Board Certified, Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1979
• Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law (J.D., 1973)
• Memphis State University (M.S., Accounting, 1970)
• University of North Carolina, Wilmington (B.S., 1969)

Community

• Board of Directors, Haggar Clothing Co.
• Chair, Dallas Symphony
• Corporate Underwriting Chair, Prevent Blindness and UT Southwestern Department of Ophthalmology, Eye Ball event
• Executive Board Member, SMU Dedman School of Law
• Outside Counsel and Trustee, Episcopal School of Dallas, 2002 to 2011

Representative Clients

• Hilltop Holdings, Inc.
• Hilltop Securities, Inc.
• Halliburton Company
• Ray Hunt
• Haggar Clothing Co.
• Ross Perot, Sr.
• PlainsCapital Bank
• Prime Lending, Inc.
• Donald J. Ford
• Jeremy Ford
• Alan White
• Hill Feinberg
• Lon Smith Construction Company

See Library Tab for articles, publications and presentations by Donald Godwin