Chris Raney has litigated business, commercial, insurance, and personal injury matters in Texas over the last 20 years. He has tried cases to Texas judges, juries, and arbitrators. He has drafted and argued dispositive motions, appellate briefs, and virtually every other type of brief, motion, or pleading in Texas state and federal courts. Chris takes a creative, aggressive approach to litigation to achieve the client’s strategic objectives in the courthouse or to avoid one altogether.

Chris serves as panel counsel to a number of insurers and is regularly called upon to defend their insureds’ interests in third-party claims under professional liability, commercial property, general liability, commercial auto, cyber liability and business owner’s policies.

In addition to defending insurers in first-party litigation, Chris also has an active insurance coverage practice where advises insurers on coverage issues involving liability and property policies.

Admissions

• Texas
• U.S. District Courts for Texas, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit

Memberships

• State Bar of Texas
• Houston Bar Association
• Houston Young Lawyers Association
• Federal Bar Association
• Houston Gator Club
• Jesuit Bar Association

Trial/Arbitration

• Served as member of trial team in defense of a medical device manufacturer against negligence claims that resulted in favorable verdict after a 7-day trial (Houston, 2019).
• Tried wrongful termination case to defense arbitration award (San Antonio, 2018).
• Tried commercial lease dispute to favorable verdict (Austin, 2016).
• Trial shareholder dispute to arbitration award (Houston, 2016).
• Tried products liability case to defense verdict in Houston federal court (Houston 2014).
• Tried commercial lease and construction case to jury verdict (Dallas, 2014).
• Tried multi-million dollar EBITDA earn-out dispute to arbitration award (Chicago, 2012).
• Tried numerous contract disputes to verdicts in Texas state courts (Houston, 2012, 2013).
• Tried two multi-million dollar arbitrations regarding real estate purchase contracts in a luxury high-rise condominium in Galveston, Texas to arbitration awards (Houston, 2009).
• Tried $1.75 million breach of contract case regarding the sale of a private jet to jury verdict (Oklahoma City, 2008).

Representative Experience

Commercial Litigation

• Defended businesses and individuals in disputes involving allegations of breach of contract, breach of warranty, misappropriation of trade secrets, covenants not to compete, non-solicitation covenants, fraud, tortious interference, business disparagement, defamation, securities violations, and other business torts.
• Advised businesses and individuals regarding drafting and negotiating restrictive covenants, including covenants not to compete, non-solicitation of customers and employees, and non-disclosure of confidential information covenants.
• Prosecuted and defended businesses and individuals in injunctive proceedings involving allegations of restrictive covenant violations, misappropriation of trade secrets, theft liability act, and other business torts.
• Prosecuted and defended clients under “anti-SLAPP” litigation under the Texas Citizens Participation Act.
• Defended real estate developers against claims for breach of contract, fraud, fraud by nondisclosure, title disputes, and other business torts.

Directors & Officers Litigation

• Represented directors and officers in direct and derivative litigation involving corporate governance, board of director composition, breach of fiduciary duty, self-dealing, interested transactions, usurpation of corporate opportunities, and other business torts.

General Liability Defense

• Defended property owners against claims for premises liability and negligence.
• Defended businesses against claims for personal injury, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death.
• Defended product and medical device manufacturers in product liability matters.

Professional Liability Defense

• Defended lawyers, accountants, insurance agents, architects, physicians, engineers, and other professionals against claims of professional negligence and malpractice.
• Defended lawyers before in grievances before the State Bar of Texas.

Insurance Litigation

• Defended insurers in lawsuits involving breach of contract, bad faith, and violations of the Texas Insurance Code.
• Defended property insurers in litigation involving hail, wind, fire, flood, and other perils.

Insurance Coverage

• Defended insurers in first-party litigation involving property, general liability, professional liability, employment practices liability, cyber-liability, and businessowners’ policies.
• Drafted coverage opinions on issues involving commercial property, general liability, professional liability, employment practices liability, cyber-liability, and businessowners’ policies.
• Counseled insurers on coverage determinations.