Rathwell & Wallison has successfully represented clients across Texas and Louisiana on a comprehensive range of investigation, trial, and appellate matters. The firm has prosecuted and defended complex civil, insurance defense, and commercial litigation matters on behalf of corporations, insurers, and individuals.

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.

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