Biography
With over 23 years of experience, Scott has distinguished himself as an expert in the Texas land title insurance industry and as his clients’ “go-to” lawyer for the high stakes title and real estate disputes that require his steady hand and determination. As a trial lawyer and dedicated leader, Scott Wheatley has distinguished himself as both an advocate and trusted counselor for his clients. In the courtroom and the boardroom, he works tirelessly to advance and protect his clients’ interests and to find pragmatic solutions to the most vexing problems facing them today. Clients often turn to him as outside general counsel, seeking his advice on a wide range of business issues, contract negotiations, and sensible approaches for managing risk and avoiding litigation. Clients report Scott is both a good listener and counselor. Most of all, clients rely on him for his steady leadership, judgment, and experience to make and implement mission-critical decisions in litigation and corporate strategy.
Advocate
As an accomplished courtroom advocate, Scott is quick on his feet and composed, having served as lead counsel in jury trials and bench trials in federal and state courts across Texas. Clients are assured by his particular skill for rapidly adapting to fluid environments with the resolve necessary to achieve the client’s objectives. For Scott, this begins with the ethos of hard work, preparation, determination, and the willingness to think critically.
In high stakes land title, title insurance, real estate, private equity fund, corporate, and financial institution litigation, Scott is a go-to trial lawyer in Texas for Fortune 500 companies and individuals alike. He has tried and won significant jury trials involving land title disputes, real estate and bank fraud, partnership disputes, corporate control, joint ventures, and consumer claims. Scott has developed particular experience in real property and land title litigation as lead counsel in dozens of lawsuits for banks, property owners, and underwriters. Scott is no stranger in federal court, where he has successfully defended financial services institutions and companies in actions arising under federal law and in nationwide consumer class actions.
Leader
Scott has cultivated key relationships in the Fort Worth community and has personally invested time, dedication, and hard work counseling, serving, and leading mission-driven clients, institutions and not-for-profit organizations. Scott is recognized as a Master in the Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court, where he mentors young lawyers striving to uphold the highest ideals and ethics in the legal profession. As a former Chair of the Board and as Chair of the Personnel Committee of University Christian Church in Fort Worth, Scott worked tirelessly as a key leader to shape and implement sweeping change in the venerable institution’s structure, staffing, strategic plan, and vision while managing divergent stakeholder demands, operational realities, and conflict. As Chair of the Board of the Arts Council of Fort Worth, Scott has worked alongside the executive committee to guide the organization through a wholesale realignment in executive leadership and shifting political and governmental landscapes. In that role, he also has worked to develop and implement a long-range strategic plan for the Fort Worth Community Arts Center and a broad-based cultural plan for the arts in Fort Worth. In challenging circumstances, these institutions and the people they serve continue to count on Scott for his counsel, steady hand, and grit.
Additional Languages
Danish, Spanish
Education
B.A., summa cum laude, Texas Christian University
- Phi Beta Kappa
- TCU Student Body President
J.D., with honors, The University of Texas at Austin School of Law
- International and Comparative Law Study, Universidad Torcuato Di Tella School of Law, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1998
Immersive Language Studies:
- Spanish in Cuernavaca, Mexico, 1997, and Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1998
- German in Prien-am-Chiemsee, Germany, 1995
- Danish in Søndersø, Denmark, 1990-1991
Bar Admissions
Texas
Court Admissions
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
United States District Court for the Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas