Paul S. Francis
Paul Francis has extensive first chair experience in complex business and commercial litigation and arbitration in all levels of state and federal courts. He has tried over 50 cases in court and in arbitration and argued more than 20 cases on appeal in state and federal appellate courts. He is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Mr. Francis is a Fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation and a member of the Houston, Texas and American Bar Associations and the Litigation Committees of each. Mr. Francis was a panelist for the American Arbitration Association, Houston, in the years 1995-2000, and served as an arbitrator in six cases during that period.
Mr. Francis was elected by his peers to be a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, is a member of the Texas Association of Defense Counsel, was named by Texas Monthly Magazine as a 2006 “Super Lawyer,” was named as one of Houston’s Best Lawyers in 2005 by the H Texas Magazine, and is listed in the 2006-2007 “Honors Edition” of the Madison Who’s Who Among Executives and Professionals.
Oil & Gas Litigation
Mr. Francis has handled claims by and against operators, royalty owners, contractors, insurers of oil and gas properties, including claims involving alleged breach of joint operating agreements, bad faith pooling, negligent drilling and completion of wells, failures of down-hole tubular goods and damage to reservoirs.
Construction Litigation/Arbitration
Mr. Francis has handled a variety of industrial, commercial and single and multi-family residence construction cases representing owners and contractors in courts of law and in arbitration before the American Arbitration Association.
Intellectual Property Litigation
Mr. Francis has litigated patent, copyright, trademark and trade dress infringement cases, breach of confidentiality agreements, theft of intellectual property, sought and resisted injunctions to enforce intellectual property rights.
Real Estate Litigation
Mr. Francis has defended and prosecuted claims involving buyers, sellers, investors and brokers in real estate sales, investment and development transactions, landlords and tenants of commercial and retail properties, and commercial and residential owners associations.
Business Organizations Management/Shareholder/Members Litigation
Mr. Francis has handled numerous claims involving disputes between investors and owners of corporate, partnership and other forms of business entities and their officers and directors, derivative and dissenting shareholder cases and in fair value litigation. He has defended and attacked corporate management in suits involving alleged self-dealing, usurpation of corporate opportunities, breach of fiduciary duty and excessive compensation.
Securities Litigation and Arbitration
Mr. Francis has been involved in securities suits and arbitrations, including defense of representatives in NASD investigations, representing brokers, brokerage firms and clearing firms, including cases involving sales of derivative securities and allegedly unsuitable securities.
Banking/Financial Institutions
Mr. Francis has defended financial institutions in lender liability suits, depositor claims, letters of credit issues, usury claims and lending and secured transaction disputes.