Breach of Contract Claims

• Dallas Sports Group, LLC, Radical Arena, Ltd. v. DSE Hockey Club, L.P., Texas Business Court, 1st Division
  Read coverage from The Texas Lawbook: “Mavs Hire Jackson Walker in Stars Lawsuit,” October 28, 2025
• Stannard et al v. National Indoor RV Centers, LLC, Eastern District of Texas
• Triple Helix Healthcare v. Texas State Clinical, Dallas County, Texas
• Diversified Pure Chem v. Clean Harbors Environmental Services, Northern District of Texas

Officer, Director, and Shareholder Lawsuits

• Barricade Therapeutics v. Perabo, Dallas County, Texas
• Live Oak Rail Road v. Howard Midstream Energy Partners, Bexar County, Texas
• Lenois v. Camac Energy et al, Delaware Chancery Court
• Balfe v. Glenn Beck; Mercury Radio Arts v. Balfe, Dallas County, Texas
• Vianet Group v. Tap Acquisition, Northern District of Texas

Energy Representation

• Erin Energy Corporation v. Public Investment Corporation Ltd, New York
• WFW Family LP v. Dinero Energy Corporation
• Trinity Royalty Partners v. Bold Energy et al, Midland County, Texas
• FLST, Ltd et al v. Explorer Pipeline Company, Eastern District of Texas

Corporate Governance and Fiduciary Duty Lawsuits

Chris is at the forefront of corporate governance disputes, including shareholder litigation, entity control disputes, and challenges to M&A and other strategic transactions.  He has successfully litigated plaintiff and defense-side derivative and class actions, takeover battles, books and records demands, founder disputes, and disputes between stockholders.

Chris has experience representing officers and directors not only in the Business Court of Texas, but also in other common jurisdictions for business disputes, including Nevada and Delaware. Chris has particular experience in Delaware, having appeared and argued in the Delaware Chancery Court in several cases in recent years.  For example, Chris recently served as lead trial counsel in a multibillion-dollar governance battle involving data-center developers, leading the litigation in the Business Court of Texas and simultaneously defending companion proceedings in the Delaware Court of Chancery.

Chris has successfully handled a multitude of corporate governance disputes, including:

• Breach of Fiduciary Duty
• Shareholder and Investor Claims, including derivative lawsuits
• Claims on behalf of directors and controlling shareholders
• Majority/Minority shareholder disputes
• Founder disputes
• Disputes arising out of limited liability company, limited partnership, and investor agreements
• Disputes related to changes in control
• Prosecuting and defending books and records demands
• M&A related litigation
• Representing special committees of outside directors
• Bankruptcy Adversary Proceedings

Recent corporate governance and fiduciary representation includes:

• Thorburn vs. Pro Line Products, Business Court of Texas (2025)
• Quantum Loophole v. TPG RE III Volt Holdings, Business Court of Texas (2024)
• TPG RE III Volt Holdings, v. Quantum Loophole, Delaware Chancery Court (2024)
• Lenois v. Camac Energy et al, Delaware Chancery Court (2021)
• Classic Truck Sales v. Morrow, Dallas County, Texas (2021)
• E Squared Tech v. Garg, Dallas County, Texas (2020)
• Live Oak Rail Road v. Howard Midstream Energy Partners, Bexar County, Texas (2018)
• Balfe v. Glenn Beck; Mercury Radio Arts v. Balfe, Dallas County, Texas (2017)

Financial Institution Representation

Chris’ deep understanding of the matters important to financial institutions has made him the go-to counselor for many of Jackson Walker’s financial services clients. Chris represents a diverse range of financial institutions, including several national banks (3 of the top 10 largest banks in the United States), trust companies, community banks, and credit unions.

Chris has helped financial institutions resolve a variety of legal claims and disputes, including:

• Contract Disputes
• Lender Liability Suits
• Claims Involving Agented Loans
• Trust and Estate Fiduciary Claims

Corporate Investigations

Chris is the leader of the firm’s Special Investigations practice. He has been a lead special independent investigator multiple times on corporate and accounting issues, with particular focus on examining corporate director and officer fiduciary duties. Chris has worked closely with chief legal officers, corporate boards and committees to scope and complete the investigations. Chris has produced voluminous detailed reports or summary presentations of findings, as required by the circumstances.

• The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.), Commercial Litigation, 2024-2026
• Texas Rising Star, Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2018-2024
• Named to “Up-and-Coming 100: 2022 Texas Rising Stars” list, Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2022-2024
• “Best Lawyers in Dallas,” D Magazine, 2019-2020
• “Best Lawyers Under 40,” D Magazine, 2021

A thought leader on corporate governance and fiduciary duties, Chris frequently writes and speaks on developments in fiduciary duty jurisprudence.  He is the publisher of TexasBusinessCourts.com, authoring regular analysis of the Business Court of Texas.

• Author, “The Biz Court Digest: Texas, One Year In,” Law360 (October 2025)
• Author, “Texas Business Courts Poised for Growth,” Texas Business Courts (July 2025)
• Author, “Texas Business Court Denies Severance in Multi-LLC Dispute—Signals Broad View of Jurisdiction,” Texas Business Courts (July 2025)
• Author, “Texas Business Court Asserts Jurisdiction in $95 Million Texas Lottery Dispute,” Texas Business Courts (July 2025)
• Author, “Texas Business Court Upholds Exculpation Clause—Limits Fiduciary Duty Exposure,” Texas Business Courts (June 2025)
• Author, “Business Court of Texas Rebuffs Member’s Duty Claim, Reaffirms Freedom of Contract in LLC Agreement,” Texas Business Courts (May 2025)
• Author, “Business Court of Texas Clarifies “Qualified Transaction” Jurisdiction,” Texas Business Courts (May 2025)
• Author, “Texas Business Court Upholds Fiduciary Duty Waivers and Clarifies Limits on Partnership Agreement Provisions,” Texas Business Courts (April 2025)
• Author, “Texas Supreme Court Clarifies Fiduciary Duties Between Business Partners,” Jackson Walker Insights (April 2025)
• Author, “Texas Supreme Court Clarifies Limits on Business Fiduciary Duties,” Jackson Walker Insights (February 2025)
• Author, “The Business Court of Texas Issues Key Opinions on Jurisdiction,” Texas Business Courts (January 2025)
• Author, “Texas Supreme Court Reaffirms Personal Liability for Corporate Officers and Directors in Fraud Cases,” Jackson Walker Insights (July 2024)
• Co-Author, “Texas Legislature Creates the Business Court of Texas and Companion Court of Appeals,” Jackson Walker Insights (June 2023)

• North Texas Food Bank, Advisory Council Member, 2018-2025
  • Taste! At The Star, Host Committee Member
• Cedars Union Arts Incubator, Board of Directors, 2020-2024

More Client Results

Jackson Walker Congratulates 2026 Texas Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

Jackson Walker is pleased to announce that Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers has named 74 attorneys to the Texas Super Lawyers list and 56 attorneys to the Texas Rising Stars list for 2026.

Attorney News • February 26, 2026

Texas Business Court Clarifies Pleading Standards for Responsible Third Parties

By Chris Bankler

This opinion is a useful guide for trial lawyers litigating responsible third party (RTP) designations under Chapter 33. Judge Whitehill draws an important distinction between liability and responsibility, clarifies the meaning of “harm” in § 33.011(6), and explains what a motion must plead to satisfy Texas’s notice-pleading standard.

Insights • February 24, 2026

Texas Business Court Rejects LLC Membership Claim, Finds Oral Partnership Indefinite, and Bars Claims on Limitations

By Chris Bankler

In a Rule 166 opinion, Judge Andrea K. Bouressa resolved core business-law issues as a matter of law: LLC membership under the Texas Business Organizations Code, definiteness of an alleged oral partnership, and limitations on fraud and unjust-enrichment claims. The Court entered partial judgment before trial.

Insights • February 24, 2026

Texas Business Court Enforces Punitive-Damages Waiver and Clarifies Post-Resignation Trustee Duties

By Chris Bankler

In Preston Hollow Capital, LLC v. Truist Bank, Cause No. 25-BC01B-0030, the Texas Business Court issued a detailed opinion addressing three recurring issues in sophisticated financing disputes: (1) whether the parties’ contract that barred punitive damages was enforceable, (2) whether such a waiver in one transaction document applies across a multi-document financing, and (3) what fiduciary duties—if any—survive a trustee’s resignation.

Insights • January 21, 2026

Texas Supreme Court Reinforces Limits on Individual Shareholder Claims

By Chris Bankler

The Texas Supreme Court issued a significant clarification on when shareholders may sue individually rather than derivatively for breach of fiduciary duty. In its opinion issued on November 14, 2025, in In re UMTH General Services, L.P., the Texas Supreme Court resoundingly rejected efforts by shareholders to transform fiduciary duties owed to the company into individual shareholder claims for breach of fiduciary duty.

Insights • November 18, 2025

Texas Business Court Rejects Delaware-Style Veil Piercing, Enforces Texas’ Statutory Standard

By Chris Bankler

The Texas Business Court continues to show it will enforce statutory limits on entity liability and scrutinize early pleadings under Rule 91a. Judge Brian Stagner’s opinion in Lensabl hits three issues that frequently arise: (1) veil piercing, (2) attempts to impose personal contract liability on an owner, and (3) fraud based on pre-closing representations.

Insights • November 11, 2025

Texas: One Year In | Law360

For Law360’s Expert Analysis series, Chris Bankler focuses on what makes the Texas Business Court unique after its first 12 months.

When the Texas Legislature enacted H.B. 19 in 2023, it did more than create a new court — it attempted to reimagine how business disputes are resolved in America’s fastest-growing economy. The Texas Business Court was born from a recognition that commercial litigation in the state had become both fragmented and often unpredictable. This court was designed to fix that problem, offering speed, consistency and expertise for complex business cases while staying true to Texas’ core legal values: contractual freedom and the right to a jury trial.

Insights • October 29, 2025

Texas Business Court Tightens the Discovery Rule: Inquiry Notice Starts the Clock in Fraud Cases

By Chris Bankler

The Texas Business Court is quickly establishing itself as a venue where commercial sophistication is both expected and enforced. In Riverside Strategic Capital Fund I v. CLG Investments, Judge Bill Whitehill granted summary judgment for the defendants and held that Riverside’s fraud claims were time-barred.

Insights • October 21, 2025

‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Features 350 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2026 Edition, Including 10 “Lawyers of the Year” and 106 “Ones to Watch”

The Best Lawyers in America, a widely regarded guide to legal excellence, has recognized 350 Jackson Walker attorneys across 87 specialty practice areas in its 2026 edition, including 10 Lawyers of the Year and 106 Ones to Watch.

Attorney News • August 21, 2025

Texas Business Court Denies Severance in Multi-LLC Dispute—Signals Broad View of Jurisdiction

By Chris Bankler

In a recent decision out of the Texas Business Court’s Eleventh Division—Kassam v. Dosani, Cause No. 24-BC11A-0021—the court refused to let defendants fracture a complex business dispute into smaller pieces. A strong reaffirmation that the Texas Business Court has jurisdiction over multi-entity, high-stakes internal business disputes and will resist procedural tactics aimed at evading that jurisdiction.

Insights • July 14, 2025

Texas Business Courts Poised for Growth: New Texas Legislation Means More Corporate Cases Will Be Resolved in Specialized Texas Business Courts

By Chris Bankler

The Texas Legislature has refined the structure and jurisdiction of the Texas Business Court through amendments signed by Governor Abbott on June 21, 2025. The changes aim to broaden the court’s authority, streamline complex proceedings, and ensure judges have ample tools to handle high-stakes commercial disputes.

Insights • July 2, 2025

Texas Business Court Asserts Jurisdiction in $95 Million Texas Lottery Dispute

By Chris Bankler

A recent decision from the Texas Business Court, Reed v. Rook TX, LP, centers on a dramatic claim: Jerry Reed, who “won a $7.5 million Lotto Texas jackpot in May 2023,” alleges that “his winnings would have been $95 million greater if Rook and other defendants had not illegally manipulated the system to enable Rook to claim the $95 million jackpot in April 2023.”

Insights • July 1, 2025

Texas Business Court Upholds Exculpation Clause—Limits Fiduciary Duty Exposure

By Chris Bankler

In its May 22, 2025, memorandum opinion, the Business Court of Texas dismissed all claims against Christopher Doyle (PEC’s CEO) and certain Blackstone-affiliated entities. The Court held that § 13.9 of the Third Amended Partnership Agreement (“TAPA”) unambiguously barred liability claims for these parties.

Insights • June 9, 2025

Business Court of Texas Rebuffs Member’s Duty Claim, Reaffirms Freedom of Contract in LLC Agreement

By Chris Bankler

A recent decision from the Business Court of Texas, Eighth Division (Fort Worth), underscores that an LLC’s company agreement can effectively eliminate fiduciary duties between its members and managers.

Insights • May 21, 2025

Business Court of Texas Clarifies “Qualified Transaction” Jurisdiction

By Chris Bankler

A recent Texas Business Court decision clarified that a “qualified transaction” under Chapter 25A is measured based on the aggregate value of consideration at the time of the transaction, including anticipated interest on demand notes if alleged in good faith. The court also held that the amount in controversy includes both principal and interest due at the time of filing, not just principal alone.

Insights • May 19, 2025

Texas Supreme Court Clarifies Fiduciary Duties Between Business Partners

By Chris Bankler

The Texas Supreme Court has provided clarity on the fiduciary duties between business partners, particularly in the context of limited partnerships. The case, Bertucci v. Watkins, involved a dispute between two business partners, Anthony R. Bertucci and Eugene L. Watkins, who were engaged in developing low-income housing projects through various entities they co-owned.

Insights • April 10, 2025

Texas Business Court Upholds Fiduciary Duty Waivers and Clarifies Limits on Partnership Agreement Provisions

By Chris Bankler

Only six months into a complicated partnership dispute, the Business Court of Texas, 1st Division, issued a thorough summary judgment opinion and order in the case of Primexx Energy Opportunity Fund, LP v. Primexx Energy Corporation, et al.

Insights • April 4, 2025

Texas Supreme Court Clarifies Limits on Business Fiduciary Duties

By Chris Bankler

On February 21, 2025, the Supreme Court of Texas delivered a significant ruling in the case of Pitts v. Rivas, addressing the issue of fiduciary duties within professional relationships. The Court concluded that no fiduciary duty existed between the parties involved, emphasizing the absence of such duties in the accountant-client context under the specific facts of the case.

Insights • February 27, 2025

The Business Court of Texas Issues Key Opinions on Jurisdiction

By Chris Bankler

The Business Court of Texas, established on September 1, 2024, has issued its first round of major opinions. These rulings, authored by judges across its divisions, largely address jurisdictional questions stemming from the Business Court’s enabling legislation.

Insights • January 9, 2025

‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Features 306 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2025 Edition, Including 9 “Lawyers of the Year” and 75 “Ones to Watch”

The Best Lawyers in America has recognized 306 Jackson Walker attorneys across 81 specialty practice areas in its 2025 edition, including 9 Lawyers of the Year and 75 Ones to Watch. In this year’s guide, Jackson Walker saw the largest number of attorneys in the areas of Commercial Litigation (75 attorneys) and Real Estate Law (55 attorneys) and the addition of 27 attorneys as Best Lawyers.

Attorney News • August 15, 2024

Texas Supreme Court Reaffirms Personal Liability for Corporate Officers and Directors in Fraud Cases

By Chris Bankler

On June 28, 2024, the Supreme Court of Texas issued a ruling clarifying the personal liability of individuals acting in a corporate capacity. The case, Keyes v. Weller, addressed whether individuals can be held personally liable for fraudulent acts committed as corporate agents, even when those individuals own an interest in the company.

Insights • July 11, 2024

Five Jackson Walker Attorneys Named to Texas Rising Stars “Up-and-Coming 100” List

The “Up-and-Coming 100” list recognizes outstanding attorneys who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement, and selection is based on who received the highest point totals during the patented multiphase process used to identify the “Texas Rising Stars” of 2024.

Attorney News • March 21, 2024

Jackson Walker Congratulates 2024 Texas Rising Stars

Each year, Super Lawyers recognizes only 5% of Texas attorneys who either are 40 years of age or younger or have been in practice for 10 years or less as “Rising Stars.”

Attorney News • March 21, 2024

‘The Best Lawyers in America’ Honors 287 Jackson Walker Attorneys in 2024 Edition, Including 12 “Lawyers of the Year” and 80 “Ones to Watch”

The Best Lawyers in America has recognized 287 Jackson Walker attorneys across 5 offices and 82 specialty practice areas in its 2024 edition, including 12 Lawyers of the Year and 80 Ones to Watch. In this year’s guide, Jackson Walker saw the largest number of attorneys in the areas of Commercial Litigation (66 attorneys) and Real Estate Law (60 attorneys) and the addition of 35 attorneys as Best Lawyers.

Attorney News • August 17, 2023

Texas Legislature Creates the Business Court of Texas and Companion Court of Appeals

In new legislation signed on June 9, 2023, by Governor Abbott, Texas has revamped its Court system for resolving business disputes with the creation of new trial and appellate courts with judges to be appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate. The new law will be effective September 1, 2023, but will apply only to actions commenced on or after September 1, 2024.

By Chris Bankler and Byron Egan

Insights • June 9, 2023

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