Areas of Practice
- Air & Ocean Cargo (COGSA, Warsaw Convention)
- Arbitration
- Construction
- Energy/Oilfield Litigation
- Healthcare
- Insurance
- Maritime Litigation
- Personal Injury/Wrongful Death Defense
- Premises Liability
- Products Liability
- Professional Liability
- Property
- Toxic Tort
- Transportation (Trucking and Marine)
Mr. Williams has achieved Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating for legal ability and professional ethics, AV Preeminent®, as reflected by the opinions of his peers and members of the judiciary. He has also been named to Texas Super Lawyers®, Texas’ Top Rated Lawyers®, and Houston’s Top Lawyers®.
Mr. Williams has successfully defended clients in significant maritime, international, commercial and civil litigation matters for over 30 years. He has also represented companies and insurers in commercial disputes, obtaining multi-million dollar recoveries in cases involving maritime liens and insurance coverage. He has obtained dismissal, verdicts or favorable settlements for clients in large claims arising from: product liability; transportation; energy/oilfield property damage and revenue loss; wrongful death; and offshore and onshore personal injuries. His trial team obtained a favorable South Texas jury verdict for less than 1% of the jury demand of $40 million by four plaintiffs with no contributory negligence submission. Jury verdict in favor of excess insurer that primary insurer breached its duty to settle within primary policy limits. Obtained dismissal of a drilling company’s $45 million property damage and lost profits claim against a shipyard client on the first day of trial, and recovered almost $1 million in defense costs from the Plaintiff under declaratory counterclaim for indemnity. Developed successful legal argument for an international air carrier, affirmed by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in a case of first impression, precluding claims against the carrier asserted under Texas state law.
After receiving his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Abilene Christian University 1981, Mr. Williams earned his Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University and attended the Maritime Law Institute at the University of Southampton in England as a scholarship student. He later earned an L.L.M. from Tulane University.
He is licensed to practice in all courts in Texas and admitted to the United States District Courts for the Southern, Eastern, Northern and Western Districts of Texas, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Court of International Trade, and the United States Supreme Court.
Mr. Williams is a member of the Defense Research Institute, the Texas Association of Defense Counsel, the Trucking Industry Defense Association, the Maritime Law Association of the United States, The Propeller Club of the United States and is an arbitrator with the Houston Maritime Arbitrators Association. He is a frequent speaker at seminars presented by continuing legal education providers, corporations and insurance companies.
Education
Tulane University, LL.M., 1986
University of Southampton, England, Rotary Scholar, 1983-84
Pepperdine University, Juris Doctor, 1984
Abilene Christian University, B.B.A., 1981
Awards/Recognition
Martindale-Hubbell – AV Rating
Texas Super Lawyer
Top Rated Lawyers – Insurance Law
Professional Experience
Brown Sims, P.C., Shareholder, 2000 to Present
Brown, Sims, Wise & White, Principal, 1994 to 1999
Brown, Sims, Wise & White, Associate, 1986-1993
Member, Texas Association of Defense Counsel; Defense Research Institute; Trucking Industry Defense Association, Maritime Law Association of the United States; Houston Maritime Arbitrators Association; Houston Bar Association; Propeller Club of the United States; Phi Alpha Delta
Admissions to Practice
State Bar of Texas; United States Supreme Court; United States Court of International Trade; United States Court of Appeals – Fifth Circuit and Ninth Circuit; United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas
Seminars
Speaker at public and private seminars presented by client and professional groups on various issues related to products liability, toxic torts, general civil litigation, maritime law, personal injury and death claims, claims under federal workers’ compensation laws, personal injury and property damage arising from onshore and offshore oil and gas operations, and maritime liens.
In-House Client Seminar Topics:
Admiralty and Maritime Jurisdiction
Trucking and Transportation Claims
Damages under Texas and Federal Law for Injury and Death
Jurisdiction of Jones Act and Longshore Claims
Insurance Coverage and Reservation of Rights
Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act/Bad Faith
Trial of Gross Negligence Claims
The Duty to Defend In Texas
Employers Liability Claims
Foreign Injury and Death Claims
LHWCA Claims, Practice and Procedure
Maritime Subrogation
Maritime Liens
Oilfield Property Damage and Injury Claims
Preparation and Trial of Maritime Injury and Death Claims
Professional Liability and Medical Liability in Texas
Products Liability and Class Actions in Texas
Subrogation Claims
Toxic Tort Claims
