Brian Hail is one of the region’s most well-regarded trial attorneys, and he represents a multitude of clients in high-stakes business disputes, fiduciary and fraud claims, employment-related claims, and other complex commercial litigation.
Brian is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has nearly three decades of courtroom experience handling complex commercial litigation. Brian's trial record includes 25+ multi-million-dollar judgments, verdicts or settlements on behalf of plaintiffs, primarily in the state and federal courts of Texas. Brian works on both sides of the docket and is known for his work with alternative fee arrangements, including significant work with contingency fees.
The vast majority of his experience has been in trial courts, helping clients resolve issues involving:
- Business disputes - fraud and breach of fiduciary duties and contentious fights between partners in business deals, minority interest holders, clients owed a fiduciary duty, and contractual issues
- Employment claims - issues involving non-competes, departing-employee issues, Title VII issues, and claims of trade secret misappropriation
- Securities and shareholder litigation - class action certification and defense, 10b(5) fraud and fraudulent misrepresentation, officer/director representation, and prosecution and defense of shareholder derivative suits
- Bankruptcy Litigation - hired by bankruptcy trustees to pursue claims on behalf of the bankruptcy trust against third parties such as fraudulent transfers
- Construction Litigation - litigation issues involving large commercial development projects
Brian also handles litigation and arbitration involving broker disputes, as well as wrongful death, catastrophic personal injury and defamation claims.
"I am known for being effective on my feet – in depositions, with juries and in the courtroom. Many litigators don’t have a track record of standing in front of a jury and trying a case." Believing it’s best for his clients, Brian often takes cases on a contingency fee basis, along with other alternative fee arrangements that share the risks and the rewards of going to trial. Brian adds, “I am always interested in aligning our approach with our client’s goals.”
Practice Areas
- Bankruptcy, Insolvency & Creditors' Rights
- Complex Commercial Litigation
- Construction
- Labor & Employment
- Probate, Fiduciary and Trusts
Credentials
Bar Admissions
- State Bar of Texas (1990)
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Western and Eastern Districts of Texas
Education
- The University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 1990
- Southern Methodist University, B.B.A., cum laude, 1987 Georgetown University, Institute on Comparative Economic and Political Systems, 1986
Honors
- Board Certified, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Civil Trial Law (2003)
- AV Preeminent®, Martindale Hubbell
- Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters (2003 - 2023)
- Best Lawyers in America©, U.S. News & World Report (2016-2023)
- Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine, Business Litigation (2017)
- “Top 50 Verdict”, TopVerdict.com (2017)
- “Top 100 Verdict”, National Law Journal (2014)
- “Litigator of the Week, Texas Lawyer (2013)
- “Best Lawyers Under 40”, D Magazine (2002, 2004)
Experience
Awards listed are net of attorneys' fees and expenses.
- Obtained over 25 multi-million dollar judgments, verdicts or settlements for plaintiffs in business and employment matters, and recovered net settlement proceeds in various plaintiff's litigation for the clients in excess of $100 million.
- Served as trial counsel in numerous business, contractual and employment claims resulting in multi-million dollar plaintiff's judgments and jury verdicts, including wins for:
- A defrauded limited partner for one of the initial investors in Blockbuster Entertainment Corporation, reported at the time to be one of the largest judgments in Dallas County history.
- A purchaser of luxury jet aircraft completions, which resulted in selection by Texas Lawyer as “Litigator of the Week” and recognition by the National Law Journal as a nationwide “Top 100” Verdict in 2014, ranked as No. 36 in the country and No. 3 in Texas.
- A romance fraud case involving Chicago Title, recognized as a 2017 Top 50 Verdict by TopVerdict.com.
- A commercial litigation matter against Shell Oil Company.
- An sales representative against Roche Pharmaceutical, reported at the time to be one of the largest sexual harassment verdicts ever.
- An heir in a will contest involving a multi-million estate.
- Initial investors in Low T Centers.
Associations
- Former Member, College of the State Bar of Texas
- Member, Dallas Bar Association
- Vice Chairman, Bench Bar Book, Dallas Bar Association Judiciary Committee, 2002
- Member, State Bar of Texas
- Fellow, Dallas Bar Foundation
Dallas Office