Carrie approaches her practice with a unique perspective borne of experience in many areas of commercial litigation, insurance defense, and insurance coverage disputes and interpretation.  She has extensive experience in bad faith litigation, first-party litigation (both contractual and extra-contractual), third-party litigation, coverage litigation, coverage opinions and policy interpretation, as well as Dram Shop liability.   

 

Carrie has the exceptional ability to work together with the client to identify the client’s goal in the litigation and to formulate creative and ingenious strategies to accomplish those goals.  Carrie’s creativity is not limited to the courtroom. With her insurance clients, she has the ability to identify various policy provisions and applicable interpretations that come into play in coverage disputes and coverage denial.  Clients have come to rely on her skill and experience in addressing potential liabilities both before litigation and after.  Carrie recognizes the cost of litigation and has extensive experience with electronic discovery, or ESI, and advises her clients on current and best practices.  Her background also includes all areas of commercial litigation including contractual disputes, fiduciary duty, securities fraud, and shareholder derivative class actions.  Carrie is a frequent speaker and author in all areas of insurance coverage and commercial litigation.

 

Carrie is originally from Austin.  She is involved in Rainbow Days, Inc., a nonprofit organization focused on breaking the cycles of abuse, dysfunction, homelessness, and poverty for children in adversity.  Her passion is in equipping children with the life skills they need to be successful.  She and her husband have two daughters, Caroline and Elizabeth. 

 

Admitted

Texas, 2004
U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
  

Education

J.D., magna cum laude, Baylor University School of Law, 2004
B.S., summa cum laude, Texas Tech University, 1994
 

Presentations/Publications

Sexual Misconduct Claims, 25th Annual Insurance Symposium, April 6, 2018

Cyber Liability, 24th Annual Insurance Symposium, April 7, 2017

Chapter Co-Author, "Business Statutes Corporations," Fiduciary Litigation 2008, (State Bar of Texas 2008). 
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Honors

Selected to Texas Rising Stars - Business Litigation/Securities Litigation by Thomson Reuters, 2010
 

Affiliations

Collin County Bar Association, Member
Collin County Women Lawyer's Association
Dallas Bar Association, Member
Dallas Young Lawyer Association Leadership Class, Member
Golden Corridor Republican Women’s Association, Board Member
Rainbow Days, Inc., Board Member

 

Representative Matters

• Represented insurance carrier in high-stakes subrogation matter with coverage issues including disputed status of additional insureds, questions regarding cancellation of policies, and application of certain CGL exclusions.

• Represented large educational institution in the application of specific exclusions to both Commercial General Liability policies and Errors & Omissions Policies

• Represented multiple insurance carriers in defense of bad faith allegations, post-Brainard

• Represented policy holder in dispositive motion practice and argument in federal court regarding defective work exclusion in a Builder's Risk policy.

• Represented local establishment in Dram Shop case, including the successful grant of a motion for summary judgment and argument to the Dallas Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that resulted in affirmation of the motion for summary judgment.

• Represented local establishment in Dram Shop matter, resulting in favorable settlement.

• Represented high-net-worth individual against suit for breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and violation of the Texas Securities Act related to redemption of membership interest in oil and gas limited liability company, including trial preparation and multiple appeals.

• Represented former officers and directors of NASDAQ-listed telecommunications company in class action lawsuit alleging violation of federal securities laws, including interlocutory appeal to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacating class certification order.

• Represented NASDAQ-listed software company specializing in voice automation software in class action lawsuit alleging violation of federal securities laws.

• Represented national skin care manufacturer in business litigation involving breach of contract, business torts, and other claims.

• Trial of dispute involving breach of contract, DTPA, and fraud.

• Represented subcontractor in dispute arising out of construction of a food processing facility.

• Represented client in dispute involving breach of construction contract and related issues.

• Represented automotive brake manufacturers in national asbestos litigation.