Dear Friends of the Firm:
2011 was an eventful year that saw many client successes and positive changes at Wick Phillips. With many options for legal services, we greatly appreciate the support and loyalty of our clients. Across the Firm, in Litigation, Labor and Employment, Bankruptcy, and Corporate and Finance, Wick Phillips had a great 2011.
Legal Successes
Wick Phillips secured numerous significant legal victories on behalf of the Firm’s clients this year. In October, Wick Phillips won a decisive $81 million judgment in favor of one of the Firm’s commercial real estate clients. In November, we secured a $7.5 million summary judgment defeating a plaintiff’s claims against his former employer. The Firm secured equally important successes for clients across a broad range of industries, including banking, energy, real estate, technology, staffing, medical services, restaurants, wealth management, construction and numerous other industries. Additional significant representations included:
- Wick Phillips served as lead trial counsel in Delaware Bankruptcy Court and defeated an $8 million claim that paved the way for a resolution of a bankruptcy case pending since 2008.
- Wick Phillips won an important trial verdict in the BroadStar bankruptcy case concerning ownership of valuable intellectual property related to wind turbine technology. The lawsuit alleged that one of the owners attempted to unwind a $6,000,000 investment and to transfer the technology to another business.
- The firm secured a $2 million judgment for J.G. Cooper Development, Inc. for the wrongful retention of escrowed funds.
2011 also was a significant year for the Firm’s Corporate Finance Group, which handled transactions valued in excess of $250 million in the energy, medical device, technology, and entertainment industries, among others, including several transactions valued at over $10 million.
Attorney Additions
The Wick Phillips team continues to expand in 2011 with the addition of one partner and three associates. The Firm continued its growth in Fort Worth with the addition of David J. Drez III as a Partner in the Commercial Litigation Group. In addition, four associates joined the Firm including: Joseph Callister (Litigation), Meredith Perry (Litigation), Melissa Mehall (Real Estate) and Ken Chuka-Obah (Corporate Finance). The Firm is poised to continue its strategic growth in 2012.
Peer Group Recognition
Each year the attorneys at Wick Phillips are recognized by their peers and community for excellence in legal services and high ethical standards. The following Wick Phillips attorneys received recognition in 2011:
Professional and Community Leadership
In addition to providing top-notch legal services, the attorneys at Wick Phillips regularly contribute to the community outside the courtroom and boardroom. These activities include participation on charitable boards, giving speeches on a variety of topics, providing pro bono services, and writing articles. Below are some of the notable examples of the Firm’s commitment to the profession and the community.
- The American Bankruptcy Institute tapped Jonathan Covin to lead a discussion on bankruptcy litigation trends during The TexasBarCLE in Houston in October.
- Marcia Nelson Jackson participated at the 22nd Annual Labor & Employment Law Update for the State Bar of Texas, speaking about the inherent challenges facing employment law litigators in the discovery process.
- Bryan Wick was appointed to the advisory board of the DailyDAC, an organization that assists active investors focusing on investing in or acquiring companies in transition or their assets.
- Wick Phillips also sponsored a breakfast forum for prominent business leaders and attorneys from throughout North Texas. Together with the law firm of SNR Denton, Wick Phillips hosted former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft in Dallas to speak to Firm clients and business leaders on the critical issues of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
- Sean Lemoine coached a team of ninth graders from A. Maceo Smith New Tech High School in South Dallas in the 33rd Annual Texas Mock Trial Competition.
- David J. Drez III was selected to join the Board of Trustees for Fort Worth Academy.
- Wick Phillips again co-sponsored Entrepreneurs For North Texas’ Freedom Day© where the Firm and nearly 500 others paid tribute to the lives lost during the 9/11 terrorist attacks by giving their time and energy to a successful volunteer effort to rebuild and re-beautify a YMCA in East Dallas.
- Seema Tendolkar was appointed to the Board of Captain Hope’s Kids, which helps to serve the roughly 1,100 North Texas children in homeless and domestic violence shelters, and thousands more that fall outside of the social services system.
- And Jeff Hellberg, along with nine other volunteers, braved another Steam Team Mission to bring home-cooked steak dinners to soldiers stationed in Afghanistan. This was Jeff’s third trip with STM, and they used 2,500 pounds of food to feed a record 1,900 steaks to troops in the Helmand Province.
We appreciate your continued partnership and support, and look forward to working with you in the coming year.
Regards,
The Attorneys of Wick Phillips |
