For more than 45 years, Bickerstaff has represented clients in state and federal courts throughout Texas, making litigation a cornerstone of the firm’s practice.
Litigation on behalf of clients is at the core of our experience as a law firm. Whether we are appearing before the United States Supreme Court or a municipal court, and whether the controversy concerns a private business contract or a high-profile public issue, we have the litigation knowledge and skills to resolve the case efficiently and successfully.
We have served as lead counsel in extensive litigation of landmark cases in areas as diverse as government contracts, voting rights, county jail overcrowding, and water rights. Our cases have resulted in the successful recovery of, as well as the successful defense against, claims of hundreds of millions of dollars. Condemnation, constitutional and civil rights litigation, bond validation suits, voting rights and election litigation, employment litigation, and environmental litigation are among the substantive areas of our practice.
Many of our attorneys serve as general counsel and regulatory counsel to the same clients they represent in litigation. That longstanding relationship provides valuable knowledge of each client’s operations, governance, and objectives, bringing important context to every stage of a dispute.
Our representation includes:
Litigation Specific To Governmental Entities
Public Information Act and Open Meetings Act litigation; election contests and related litigation; litigation relating to competitive bidding and awarding of contracts; condemnation, water and wastewater service area disputes; and municipal prosecution and code enforcement litigation.
Constitutional and Civil Rights Litigation
Voting Rights Act litigation; civil rights and equal protection suits; takings and inverse condemnation suits; First Amendment claims; due process claims; state constitutional issues; and Section 1983 litigation.
Employment Litigation
Representation of employers in retaliation claims; Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) suits; Texas Whistleblower Act litigation; Title VII and Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) suits; and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) claims.
Construction and Real Estate Litigation
Breach of construction contract matters; wrongful foreclosure; landlord representation in suits involving commercial real estate leases; and public client representation in matters involving the purchase or sale of property.
General Civil Litigation
Contract litigation; libel, slander, and defamation, personal injury; appellate litigation; insurance defense; insurance coverage litigation; and insurance claims handling and bad faith litigation.
Bond Validation Litigation
Representation of governmental entities seeking to validate bond elections in the face of challenges to those elections from outside parties.
Appellate Litigation
Representing clients in appeals of district court cases and administrative appeals of agency decisions, including matters relating to water rights, condemnation, tax matters, the Texas Whistleblower Act, insurance claims, open records and open meetings, voting rights, and electric utility issues; and providing amicus submissions, lead counsel appellate representation, co-counsel appellate representation, consultation with trial counsel regarding dispositive motions, jury charges, and other areas of error preservation, moot court preparation for oral argument, and consultation on brief submissions.
