J. Michael
Wilson

Special Counsel
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Profile

Overview

Michael Wilson is special counsel in the Business Trial Practice Group in the firm's Houston office. 

Michael focuses on complex commercial and civil litigation, including securities litigation, financial services litigation, labor and employment litigation, class action litigation, civil rights litigation, real estate litigation, defamation litigation, antitrust litigation, trademark litigation, premises and product liability, trade secret, covenant not to compete and appeals. He has represented companies and individuals in the financial services, oil and gas, chemical, consumer product, construction, commercial real estate, securities, magazine and pharmaceutical industries. Michael has tried cases involving pipeline construction disputes, employment discrimination, trade secrets and breach of contract in federal and state courts.

Michael's practice also includes corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, internal trade law and general corporate contracts such as employment agreements, shareholder agreements and operating agreements.

Experience
  • Obtained defense verdict in breach of contract and employment discrimination trial involving claims for violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
  • Represented an interstate natural gas company in its efforts to recover more than $50 million in cost overruns resulting from construction problems on a pipeline expansion project, including a four-week trial that ultimately concluded with a favorable settlement.
  • Represented a major energy company in Delaware Chancery Court against claims brought by another energy company asserting a right of first refusal to key assets involved in a multi-billion dollar corporate merger, obtaining an agreed judgment denying all relief sought by the opposing party and declaring that no right of first refusal existed.
  • Represented the manufacturer of a national hunting products brand in defense of a lawsuit claiming the company breached a licensing agreement and failed to properly pay royalties.
  • Represented an A.I.-driven financial services and technology company in a Texas trademark and anti-cybersquatting action under the Lanham Act seeking disgorgement of profits, royalties, treble damages and a permanent injunction.
  • Represented a company asserting direct and derivative shareholder claims in Delaware Chancery Court challenging a $15 million insider-led promissory note offering resulting in settlement shorty before bankruptcy, including monetary consideration and debt restructuring following a failed attempt by the defendants to dismiss the claims.
  • Represented the directors and officers of a publicly traded financial services company for breach of fiduciary duty arising out of the approval of insider-led equity financing rounds which diluted the plaintiffs’ equity ownership in the company.
  • Represented a national real estate brokerage firm in defense of nine separate national and regional class action lawsuits seeking billions of dollars in damages for alleged anticompetitive behavior in violation of federal antitrust laws concerning price-fixing of brokerage commissions, resulting in a settlement following the filing of motions to dismiss.
  • Represented an interstate natural gas company in its efforts to recover costs for lost-and-unaccounted for gas that another natural gas transmission company had improperly charged in violation of the parties’ contract, obtaining a summary judgment finding that such costs were inappropriate.
  • Represented an oil and gas company in purchaser’s termination of service agreements and payments for natural gas based on a claimed event of Force Majeure.
  • Represented numerous clients in connection with the prosecution and defense of suits for injunctive relief involving theft of trade secrets and violations of covenants not to compete in the oil and gas, chemical and financial services industries.
Credentials
Education

J.D., Baylor Law School, 2004
B.J., Journalism, The University of Texas at Austin, 1999

Admissions

Texas

U.S. Supreme Court

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

U.S. Court of International Trade

U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas

Honors

Texas Super Lawyers – Rising Stars for Business Litigation, 2015

Texas Super Lawyers – Rising Stars for Business Litigation, 2014

Texas Super Lawyers – Rising Stars for Business Litigation, 2013

Thought Leadership

Complying with Anti-Discrimination Laws and Export Controls: Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place, panel presentation at the Deleon Trade: Advanced Topics in Customs Compliance Conference, September 22, 2017

  • Co-author, "The Iran Nuclear Deal: What to do if Sanctions Snap Back," The Daily Bugle, September 21, 2017
  • Co-author, "S. Appeals Court Sets Aside $4.07 Million OFAC Penalty," June 15, 2017
  • Co-author, "Treasury: No Waivers for Bypassing Russian Sanctions," The Daily Bugle, May 22, 2017 
  • Co-author, "China’s Push for Market Economy Status Under Review by Commerce Department," June 15, 2017