Jennifer Evans Morris
Partner
Business Litigation, Securities and Director and Officer Litigation, Major Construction, Real Estate Litigation
Phone: 214-855-3044
Direct Fax: 214-758-3744
Email: jmorris@ccsb.com
Download V-Card>>
Ms. Morris helps clients solve difficult and complex issues in a wide array of areas, with an emphasis on business litigation, including director and officer liability and large construction matters.
She has significant trial experience in both state and federal court and in arbitrations. Jennifer represents officers and directors of large companies in securities class actions and derivative lawsuits, breach of fiduciary duty lawsuits, and investigations and serves as special counsel for director and officer investigations. She also represents owners, specialty suppliers, and contractors in complex construction disputes involving delay claims, design and construction errors, cost overruns, and bid disputes. Jennifer was named a “Rising Star” in business litigation by the Texas Monthly in 2004 when the award was first introduced and has continued to receive that award every year since.
Jennifer is committed to her community and has provided leadership to a variety of organizations. Since 2002, she has served on the Board of Directors of Community Partners of Dallas, a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring safety and restoring dignity and hope to abused and neglected children. She is also on the board of the Dallas Women’s Foundation and recently completed a three year term on the Board of Directors of the State Bar of Texas.
Representative Matters
Director and Officer Litigation and Investigation
Lead counsel representing national investment advisor and securities broker-dealer in customer case involving auction rate securities.
Assisted in successful defense of securities broker-dealer in a multi-billion dollar RICO and commercial disparagement lawsuit in New Jersey state court. Case was dismissed on eve of trial.
Represented national banking firm in a two-week FINRA arbitration brought by former employee alleging wrongful termination and defamation.
Represented director and officer in federal securities fraud action and multiple state derivative actions involving breach of fiduciary duty and corporate waste allegations.
Successfully represented former CEO of one of the world’s leading industrial suppliers of pumps, valves, seals, automation and services to the power, oil, gas, chemical and other industries in a securities class action.
Lead counsel in successful representation of former director of major non-profit hospital in adversary proceeding brought by trustee alleging breach of fiduciary duty claims in connection with service on the hospital’s Board of Directors prior to bankruptcy.
Investigated former officers and directors of large telecom company on behalf of creditors’ committee after company filed Chapter 11.
Represented outside directors in high-profile option backdating derivative litigation in state and federal courts in Texas and Delaware.
Complex Commercial Litigation
Regularly represents national specialty supplier in a variety of litigation matters.
Represented Fortune 500 fiberoptics company in a one-week federal jury trial in connection with an asset purchase agreement dispute involving network monitoring technology.
Represented defendant in a two-week state court jury trial involving breach of an alleged real estate partnership claim and resulting in a successful defense verdict.
Assisted in representing law firm in a one-week state court jury trial involving unfair debt collection practices claims and resulting in a successful defense verdict.
Represented large public company in federal lawsuit involving breach of contract and misappropriation of trade secrets claims brought by former sales representative.
Represented governmental entity and its employees in federal and state lawsuits involving breach of covenant not-to-compete, misappropriation of trade secrets, and breach of fiduciary duty claims.
Represented large insurance company in class actions in 13 different states challenging insurance industry practices relating to the premiums for complex workers compensation insurance.
Construction
Represented a national specialty supplier against governmental entities and general contractors in a water treatment facility multi-million dollar construction dispute.
Lead counsel representing national specialty supplier in Harris and Bexar county lawsuits concerning breach of contract claims.
Obtained favorable result representing national specialty supplier in Maryland state court in connection with dispute concerning airport terminal construction and baggage handling system.
Represented large international client in defending over $80 million in claims brought under Mexican law by, among other parties, a Mexican governmental entity, arising from a gas turbine failure and involving protracted jurisdictional challenges and international discovery in three countries over several years.
Obtained favorable result representing national specialty supplier and contractor in subcontractor dispute involving revocation of bid post-award.
Obtained favorable result representing national specialty supplier and contractor in subcontractor dispute involving fire damage due to improper electrical wiring.
Represented luxury high-rise condominium owner in defamation claim against local real estate agent in connection with construction of condominium.
Education
Southern Methodist University
J.D., Order of the Coif,
magna cum laude, 1999
Managing Editor: SMU Law Review
Southern Methodist University
B.A., 1994
Associations/Affiliations
Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation
Member: American Bar Association Litigation Section and Forum Committee on the Construction Industry
Member: Dallas Bar Association Securities and Construction Sections
Speeches/Publications
Speaker, Preparing Witnesses for Deposition, 2012 UTCLE on Construction Law.
Panelist, Ethical Sand Traps and Water Hazards - Doing Business with Entities Facing Insolvency, 2012 Corporate Counsel Institute.
Panelist, Can You Keep A Secret?, 2012 SBOT Corporate Counsel Section CLE.
Frequent Panelist, The Justice James A. Baker Guide to the Basics of Law Practice, 2010-2011.
Monthly President’s Column, Texas Bar Journal, June 2010-May 2011.
Board of Editors, Texas Law Journal, June 2009- May 2010.
Keynote Speaker, Texas Weslyan School of Law Leadership Academy, August 2010.
Becoming the Go-To Lawyer, Commercial & Business Litigation, Vol. 11 No. 2, Spring 2010.
Panelist, Voting Rights Act, 1975: the Cases and the History of the Vote, 21st Century Chicano Activist Convention, 2009.
Panelist, What Every Young Lawyer Should Know About Discovery, 2009.
Co-author, Where We Are Now With Women and Minority Business Enterprise Programs, The Construction Lawyer, 2009.
Co-author of Presentation Materials for ABA Forum on the Construction Industry's Fall Meeting: Women, Minorities and Diversity in Construction: Local and National Trends and A Changed Landscape, 2008.
Course Director and Panelist, State Bar of Texas Crossroads - Mapping Out the Rest of Your Career, 2006.
Co-author, Examining Collectibility of the Underlying Trial (Within a Trial), ABA Litigation Section Committee on Com. & Bus. Litig. J., 2006.
Co-author, Professional Liability in the SMU Law Review's Texas Survey, 2007-2010.
Co-author, Civil Evidence in the SMU Law Review's Texas Survey, 2003-2006.
Co-author, Personal Torts in the SMU Law Review's Texas Survey, 2001-2002.
Community Involvement
2012-Present Board of Directors, Dallas Women’s Foundation
2003-Present Board of Trustees, Community Partners of Dallas
1999-Present Member, Attorneys Serving the Community
2007-2010 Barrister, Patrick E. Higginbotham American Inn of Court
Bar Involvement
2009-2012: Board of Directors, State Bar of Texas
2010-2011: Board of Trustees, Texas Bar Foundation
2009-2010: Board of Editors, Texas Bar Journal
2004-2012: Board of Directors, Texas Young Lawyers Association: 2006-2007: Co-author and Developer of Emmy award-winning film They Had a Dream Too – Young Leaders of the Civil Rights Movement; 2004-2008: committee co-chair of numerous committees, including Local Affiliates, Member Services and Outreach, Law-Focused Education, and Annual Meeting
2009-2010: President, Texas Young Lawyers Association
Awards and Achievements
2007 Nominee for American Bar Association Young Lawyer Division National Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year Award
2004-2012 Texas Lawyer Rising Star in Business Litigation
2005-2008 President's Award of Merit, Texas Young Lawyers Association
