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Jon Mureen is the managing partner of the Dallas office. He is a first-chair trial lawyer for sophisticated business disputes, marked by his ability to grasp the most complex issues, as well as communicate them simply and persuasively to a jury or judge. Clients call on Jon to take their highest-stakes cases to trial.
“Jon is highly intelligent, tenacious, and always calm under pressure,” says Denis Boulle, CEO of De Boulle Diamond & Jewelry. “And perhaps most important, the jury absolutely loved him!”
After graduating from Virginia Law and completing his judicial clerkship, Jon worked closely with three fellows in the American College of Trial Lawyers who taught him to try complex commercial lawsuits. Today, he has well over 100 days of first- and second-chair trial experience from about fifteen trials or equivalent evidentiary hearings. He enjoys both the stand-up and intellectual sides of practice—i.e., the legal analysis, factual development, clear writing, witness preparation and courtroom presence all needed to present complex issues simply and persuasively to a judge or jury.
Jon has particular experience in corporate shareholder, partnership and governance contests, fraud and fiduciary duty cases and bankruptcy litigation. In his most recent trial (2024), he first-chaired the claims of minority shareholders against a controller for breach of fiduciary duty in a cash-out merger, in Delaware Chancery Court. Over the course of his nearly two decades of practice, he has led trial teams and obtained good outcomes for clients in a variety of other settings.
Whatever the issue, clients know Jon will take ownership, find the path to victory and get there quickly and efficiently. While this sometimes means a negotiated settlement, his philosophy is that the most favorable settlements usually come through superior trial preparation.
“Jon is a smart and savvy litigator who gets great results and gives excellent counsel,” says Carolyn Vaughn, President of VES Survey International. “He is someone I can trust with anything.”
Jon began his career with a clerkship for the Honorable Sidney A. Fitzwater, Chief Judge of the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
Corporate Governance
- Prevailed at trial in Delaware Chancery Court against plaintiff-shareholder’s claim to take over board and CEO position; won affirmance on appeal to Delaware Supreme Court. Klaassen v. Allegro Dev. Corp., 106 A.3d 1035 (Del. 2014).
- Led the prosecution of minority member’s claims for termination of limited liability company, breach of fiduciary duty and trademark infringement against majority member, including several preliminary injunction hearings, ultimately resulting in confidential settlement agreement the week before federal jury trial. Nerium SkinCare v. Nerium Int’l, C.A. No. 3:16-CV-1217 (N.D. Tex. 2018).
- Defended general partner against audit by limited partnership and claims for mismanagement and breach of fiduciary duty resulting in confidential resolution before arbitration.
- First-chaired trial of claims in Delaware Chancery Court on behalf of minority stockholders against controllers arising from cash-out merger. Manti Holdings et al. v. The Carlyle Group Inc. et al., C.A. No. 2020-0657-SG (Del. Ch.) (result pending).
Bankruptcy
- Lead trial counsel for debtor in several contested and adversary matters ultimately resulting in confirmed plan. In re Hartshorne Mining, LLC, Case No. 20-04012 (W.D. Ky. 2021).
- Lead investigating attorney for committee of unsecured creditors. In re BJ Services, LLC, No. 4:2020-BK-33627 (Bankr. S.D. Tex. 2020).
- Successfully moved for immediate dismissal of bankruptcy case to allow creditor to continue to pursue litigation claims against the debtor. In re NM Ventures, LLC, Case No. 16-11109 (Bankr. W.D. Tex. 2016).
- Won summary judgment for defendant against eight-figure fraudulent transfer action by trustee. Permian Cruse Transport, LP v. Matador Resources Company, Adv. No. 21-03022-hdh (Bankr. N.D. Tex. 2021).
Energy
- Obtained complete defense verdict as the first-chair trial lawyer for operator after a jury trial on plaintiffs’ multimillion-dollar claims arising from alleged misplacement of wells. Stevens v. Matador Production Company, No. D-503-CV-2019-017 (N.M. 5th Judicial District Court, 2021).
- Defended operator against litigation by royalty owners concerning deductions for post-production expenses (resulting in confidential settlement). Gates Mineral Company et al. v. BP America Production Company et al., No. 2018CVI001219D1 (Tex. 49th Judicial Dist. 2018).
- Trial and appellate counsel for oil and gas operator in dispute focused on construction of force majeure clause. MRC Permian Co. v. Point Energy Partners Permian LLC, 624 S.W.3d 643 (Tex. App. 2021)
Commercial and Other
- Prevailed in jury trial on behalf of luxury retail client in bet-the-company trademark and contract dispute in federal court (co-lead). Boulle v. De Boulle Diamond & Jewelry, C.A. No. 3:12-CV01462 (N.D. Tex. 2015).
- Winning first-chair trial counsel for plaintiff energy services company in commercial dispute with supplier.
- Litigation counsel for major soft drink manufacturer in high-profile trademark and franchising dispute with bottling company, resulting in settlement and termination of the relationship. Dr Pepper vs. Dr Pepper in Court – WSJ.
- Trial counsel for defendant in three-month federal public corruption jury trial; obtained judgment of acquittal on major count. United States v. Hill, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 150378 (N.D. Tex. March 19, 2010).
- Defended against nationwide product liability litigation, including multidistrict litigation, statewide class actions and individual lawsuits in both federal and state courts.
Education
- University of Virginia, J.D., (With Distinction), 2007
- University of Texas at Austin, B.S., (Highest Honors), 2003
Admissions
- Texas
Courts
- U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Western, Northern and Southern Districts of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit
Memberships & Affiliations
- Christian Legal Society
Clerk Experience
- U.S. Dist. Ct., N. Dist. of Texas
The Honorable Sidney A. Fitzwater, Chief Judge
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Publications
- Co-author, “Heritage Prevails: The Texas Supreme Court's Royalty Calculation Jurisprudence After Burlington,” Oil, Gas & Energy Resources Law, December 2019.
- Co-author, “Operator Beware: Your New Mexico Contract May Not Mean What it Says,” The Energy Law Advisor, April 2019.
- Co-author, “The Process of a Typical Commercial Case,” International Bar Association Litigation Guide, July 1, 2013.
- Co-author, “The Honest Services Fraud Statute: A View from Dallas City Hall Corruption Case,” Federal Bar Association Newsletter, May/June 2010.
Presentations and Speaking Engagements
- Presenter, "Post-Production Royalty Deductions", 24th Annual Permian Basin Oil & Gas Law Seminar, Midland, 2022
- Presenter, “Does Your New Mexico Contract Mean What it Says?” CLE for ExxonMobil in-house legal department, Houston, September 2019.
- Speaker, “Taking and Defending Depositions,” CLE for Baker Botts trial lawyers, Dallas, November 2013.
- Presenter, “Civil Remedies for Victims: An Alternative Means of Justice and Compensation,” Texas Summit on Trafficking and Exploitation of Children, Dallas, February 2010.