About us / Our Attorneys

Lyle R. Rathwell

Lyle R. Rathwell Partner 25511 Budde Road, Suite 601 The Woodlands, TX 77380 281-296-8900 rathwell@woodlandslaw.com

Lyle's principal area of practice is civil litigation representing clients in matters involving catastrophic construction accidents, products liability, transportation, premises liability, maritime personal injury, engineering and construction contract disputes, insurance defense of bodily injury and fatality cases, and insurance coverage litigation.  He has represented both trial court and appellate clients in State and Federal Court.  Representative clients include domestic and international energy companies, oil and gas drilling companies and service contractors, trucking companies, construction entities, general contractors and subcontractors in commercial, industrial, and transportation industries, engineering firms, property owners and management companies, domestic and international insurance companies, and various clients in general corporate and commercial matters.

Representative Legal Matters

• Represents numerous drilling contractors, energy companies, vessel owners, product manufacturers, service contractors, and repair facilities in contract and personal injury litigation in State and Federal Court.

• Represents a major interstate flatbed motor carrier in bodily injury claims and commercial cargo disputes.

• Represents a major wind turbine manufacturer in litigation regarding the catastrophic collapse of a nacelle due to faulty construction workmanship.

• Represented an oil and gas operator in a complex contractual litigation matter involving the interpretation and application of the contractual indemnity obligation of a drilling contractor pursuant to the Texas Oilfield Anti-Indemnity Statute.  This case eventually was decided favorably for Lyle's client by the Texas Supreme Court.

• Represented an international insurance company in a subrogation matter over a construction defect in a refinery, which resulted in a recovery in excess of $20 million.

• Represented a Navigation District in litigation over a lease and boundary dispute involving issues of misuse, trespass and improper construction.

• Represented a construction and transportation company in a litigation matter over the collapse of a crane during a complex lift, resulting in serious bodily injury.

• Represented a trucking company in a serious personal injury (paralysis and closed head injury) case where through the use of accident reconstruction and biomechanical engineering resolved the case in terms favorable to the client.

• Represented engineering and construction clients in numerous cases involving OSHA accident investigations and the defense of the prosecution of citations by the U.S. Department of Labor.

• Represents numerous clients insured by domestic and surplus lines insurers in serious bodily injury and fatality cases.

• Represented several clients regarding the litigation of confidentiality, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements.

• Represents an international drilling contractor over claims of operations neglect resulting in a blowout causing reservoir and surface environmental damage.

• Represents an insurance carrier in direct action toxic tort litigation.

Memberships

• State Bar of Texas; Houston Bar Association; American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry; Maritime Law Association; Defense Research Institute; Texas Association of Defense Counsel.

Education and Professional Background

• Lakehead University, Thunderbay, Ontario
  
  Bachelor of Science with High Honors in Civil Engineering (1981)

• University of Calgary
  
  Masters of Engineering with Honors (1982)

• Engineer: Brown & Root, Inc. (1981-1986)

• University of Houston, J.D. Cum Laude (1988)
  
  While in law school, Lyle was a member of the Order of the Coif, Order of
  the Barons, and an editor of the Houston Law Review

• Admitted to Practice: Texas (1989)
  
  Texas Supreme Court; Federal District Court for the Southern, Northern,
  Western, and Eastern Districts of Texas, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

• Managing Shareholder
  
  Rathwell De Ford & Wallison

Special Interests

Lyle is an executive board member of Los Ninos International Adoption Center and has a special interest in the rights of adoptive children.  Lyle also enjoys a competitive round of golf, riding motorcycles, water sports, and travel.

Teresa L. De Ford

Teresa L. De Ford Partner 25511 Budde Road, Suite 601 The Woodlands, TX 77380 281-296-8900 deford@woodlandslaw.com

Teresa's principal area of practice is civil litigation representing clients in matters involving catastrophic construction accidents, products liability, transportation, premises liability, personal injury, contract disputes, and insurance defense of bodily injury and fatality cases. Teresa also handles employment litigation ranging from representing companies in EEOC disputes as well as drafting and litigating covenants not to compete and non-solicitation agreements. She has represented both trial court and appellate clients in State and Federal Court in both Texas and Louisiana.  Representative clients include domestic and international energy companies, oil and gas drilling companies and service contractors, trucking companies, construction entities, general contractors and subcontractors in commercial, industrial, and transportation industries, engineering firms, property owners and management companies, domestic and international insurance companies, internet and technology businesses, automobile repair businesses, and various clients in general corporate and commercial matters.

Representative Legal Matters

• Represents a major wind turbine manufacturer in litigation regarding the catastrophic collapse of a nacelle due to faulty construction workmanship.

• Handled numerous corporate buy/sell and franchise agreements.

• Represented a co-inventor of a drilling motor in litigation over ownership, joint technology, non-competition and patent infringement.

• Represented a Navigation District in litigation over a lease and boundary dispute involving issues of misuse, trespass and improper construction.

• Represents trucking companies in serious personal injury and fatality cases which through the use of accident reconstruction and biomechanical engineering have been resolved on terms favorable to the client.

• Represented engineering and construction clients in numerous cases involving OSHA accident investigations and the defense of the prosecution of citations by the U.S. Department of Labor.

• Represents numerous clients insured by domestic and surplus lines insurers in serious bodily injury and fatality cases.

• Represented several clients regarding the drafting and litigation of confidentiality, non-competition and non-solicitation agreements.

• Represents numerous drilling contractors, energy companies, vessel owners, product manufacturers, service contractors, and repair facilities in personal injury litigation in State and Federal Court.

• Represents an international drilling contractor over claims of operations neglect resulting in a blowout causing reservoir damage, property damage and surface environmental damage.

• Represents a major interstate flatbed motor carrier in bodily injury claims and commercial cargo disputes.

• Significant experience in handling litigation in Plaintiff friendly venues in South Texas, East Texas and Louisiana.

Memberships

• Teresa is a member of the State Bars of Texas and Louisiana, the Montgomery County Bar Association, and The Woodlands Bar Association. Teresa is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Montgomery County Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute, the Society of Professional Women in Petroleum and the 2008-2009 class of Leadership Montgomery County.

Education and Professional Background

• Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
  
  Bachelor of Arts, with honors, in Political Philosophy, 1990
  Phi Beta Kappa

• Intelligence Research Specialist: Drug Enforcement Administration, 1988-1994 Teresa worked as an Intelligence intern at DEA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. while in college. She later worked as an Intelligence Research Specialist at DEA Headquarters and in both the DEA San Francisco and Houston Field Divisions.

• University of Houston, J.D. Cum Laude, 1995
  
  While in law school, Teresa was a member of the Order of the Barons and an editor of the Houston Law Review

• Admitted to Practice Law: Texas 1995; Louisiana 2001
  
  Texas Supreme Court; Federal District Court for the Southern, Northern, Western, and Eastern Districts of Texas and Eastern and Western Districts of Louisiana; Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
  
  
• Thompson & Knight, P.C., Houston office
  
  Associate Attorney, 1995 -1999

• Rathwell & Nizialek, P.C.
  
  Shareholder, 2003- 2008
  

• Rathwell  De Ford & Wallison, PLLC
  
  Shareholder, 2008 to present

Special Interests

Teresa is a beginner golfer and enjoys travel, white water rafting and watching her 9 year old son play football.

Ed Wallison

Ed Wallison Partner 25511 Budde Road, Suite 601 The Woodlands, TX 77380 281-296-8900 wallison@woodlandslaw.com

Ed's principal area of practice is civil litigation involving business disputes and the defense of personal injury and medical malpractice claims. He is also a certified mediator with experience in a broad range of commercial and personal injury disputes.

A 1981 magna cum laude graduate of the University of Notre Dame School of Law, Ed's legal career began with service as a law clerk for Hon. John F. Kilkenny of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Portland, Oregon. Since returning to Texas in 1982, Ed's legal career has included over 11 years as an Executive Director/Managing Trial Attorney for United Services Automobile Association, where he was primarily responsible for the defense of all third party indemnity litigation in Houston and its surrounding counties.

He has also represented former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman in several business transactions and litigated matters.

A veteran of over 150 first chair commercial and personal injury jury trials, he is a member of the Houston and Montgomery County Bar Associations. He is admitted to practice before all Texas courts and the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas.

Representative Legal Matters

• Represented George Foreman incident to transactions involving the production and marketing of the George Foreman Lean, Mean Grilling Machine and related products.

• Represented a multi-state healthcare provider in litigation involving an elderly patient in one of its Texas facilities who was allegedly killed by fire ants.

• Represented several long-term care facilities in litigation alleging that neglect and abuse caused the death of elderly and disabled residents.

• Represented the excess carrier in one of the first lawsuits arising out of the death of a minor child as the result of the deployment of a passenger side airbag.

• Represented a nationwide operator of coin operated laundromats in numerous commercial lease disputes.

• Represented one of the nation's largest providers of physical therapy services in litigation involving the validity of the non-compete provisions of its employment contracts.

Personal

Ed, his wife Julie, and their three children live in Spring Texas, where Ed frequently volunteers as a youth basketball coach at the Cypress Creek YMCA.

R. Jason Holladay

R. Jason Holladay Associate 25511 Budde Road, Suite 601 The Woodlands, TX 77380 281-296-8900 holladay@woodlandslaw.com

Jason's principal area of practice is civil litigation representing clients in matters involving personal injury, transportation, premises liability, insurance coverage, and contract litigation. Representative clients include domestic and international energy companies, oil and gas drilling companies and service contractors, trucking companies, construction entities, domestic and international insurance companies, and various clients in general corporate and commercial matters.

Representative Legal Matters

• Represented a construction and transportation company in a litigation matter over a crane failure that occurred during a complex lift resulting in a fatality.

• Represented prominent international insurance company in a subrogation action resulting from a helicopter crash in the south Pacific.  The action resulted in recovery in excess of $3.5 million.

• Assisted oil well service provider in the recovery of $3.3 million in collateral funds its insurer, which was in receivership, held in excess of the amount permitted under contract.

• Represented client in complex contract dispute against national phone and data service provider.

• Represents a major interstate flatbed motor carrier in bodily injury claims and commercial cargo disputes.

• Represents numerous drilling contractors, vessel owners, service contractors, and repair facilities in personal injury litigation in State and Federal Court.

Memberships

• Jason is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Houston Bar Association, and the Woodlands Young Lawyers Association.

Education and Professional Background

• United States Navy (1993 - 1999)
  
  Jason managed the maintenance and repair of all shipboard navigational systems (navigational radar, sonar, and GPS) onboard the USS Abraham Lincoln from 1997 - 1999.  Jason also managed the maintenance and repair of the communications systems and radar systems used for air traffic control at the Naval Top Gun facility in Miramar, California from 1995 - 1997.  As part of Jason's training, he studied the physical sciences with an emphasis on high frequency radio/radar wave propagation and inner-component repair of both analog and digital radar and communication systems.

• University of North Texas, Denton, Texas Magna Cum Laude (2001)
  
  Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science
  While in college, Jason was a member of Golden Key and Alpha Chi National Honors Societies.

• University of Houston, J.D. (2005)
  
  While in law school, Jason was admitted to the Order of the Barristers and was a member of the Mock Trial Team.

• Admitted to Practice: Texas (2005)

Federal District Court for the Southern District of Texas

Rathwell De Ford & Wallison

• Associate Attorney (2005 - present)
  
  Rathwell De Ford & Wallison

Special Interests

Jason enjoys racquetball, running, and travel.

Jason R. Grill

Jason R. Grill Associate 25511 Budde Road, Suite 601 The Woodlands, TX 77380 281-296-8900 grill@woodlandslaw.com

Jason's principal area of practice is civil litigation defense representing clients in matters involving products liability, transportation, toxic tort liability (including silicosis claims), personal injury and wrongful death, professional malpractice, construction defects and premises liability.  Jason has represented clients at both the trial and appellate stages in State and Federal Court.  Jason's representative clients have included product manufacturers and distributors, attorneys and law firms, oil and gas drilling and service companies, trucking companies, doctors, various employers, land developers, homeowners' associations and banks.

Representative Legal Matters

• Represented various product manufacturers, general contractors, doctors, management companies, energy companies, restaurants and pest control companies in personal injury litigation in State and Federal Court.

• Represented numerous attorneys and law firms against allegations of professional negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.

• Served as National Coordinating Counsel for an equipment manufacturer and distributor in the silica litigation.

• Represented an oil and gas drilling company in a complex explosion case involving a burned and paralyzed plaintiff.

• Represented a land development corporation in a complex construct defect case surrounding alleged defects in the drainage system of a residential subdivision in which $10 million in damages were sought.

• Represented the manufacturer of a case packing machine that amputated the operator's arm in a products liability lawsuit in Federal Court where the use of expert testimony resolved the case in terms favorable to the client.

• Represented an employer against allegations of gross negligence lodged by an herbicide sprayer who developed and passed away from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma allegedly due to exposure to herbicide products.

• Represented an oil and gas service company in a serious personal injury case where the use of expert medical testimony regarding the viability of pain and suffering/mental anguish damages for a deceased plaintiff that initially survived a serious automobile accident resolved the case in terms favorable to the client.

Memberships

• Jason is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Houston Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute, the Texas Association of Defense Counsel and the Texas Aggie Bar Association

Education and Professional Background

• Texas A&M University 1994
  
  Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication, Magna Cum Laude

•  Baylor University, J.D. 1997
  
  While in law school, Jason was voted one of the top ten best advocates in the Strasburger & Price moot court competition

• Admitted to Practice: Texas 1997
  
  United States District Courts for the Western and Southern Districts of Texas as well as the Northern District of Florida

• Presenter of "Conflicts of Interests in Real Estate Transactions"  CLE regarding Real Estate Documents, Workouts and Closings; Sponsored by University of Houston Law Center, Dallas, Texas, March 2001

• Presenter of "Thapar v. Zezulka: Duty to Warn Clarified?" Texas and Oklahoma Psychological Associations' Joint Annual Convention, Dallas, Texas, September 2000

• Presenter of "Privileged Communication, Texas Sate Law, Federal Law and the Department of Defense: Texas Psychological Association Annual Convention," San Antonio, Texas, November 1999.