Avery Sheppard, Margaret Bryant, and Jordan Parker secured a complete defense verdict for their client after a week-long jury trial in the 96^th Judicial District Court of Tarrant County, Texas. The plaintiffs alleged that construction activities undertaken by Ware Jackson’s client, a residential real estate developer, altered the flow of surface and subsurface water on their neighboring property. They sued for violations of the Texas Water Code, trespass, intentional nuisance, negligence, and gross negligence, and sought millions of dollars for alleged damage to structures, loss of property value, mental anguish, and punitive damages.  After a week-long trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Ware Jackson’s client, finding that the plaintiffs were 100% negligent and suffered no damages.

A federal district court has granted summary judgment and dismissed a premises liability claim that sought over $10 million from a chemical manufacturer represented by Ware Jackson. The court held the plaintiff was injured because of decisions made by his employer, over which Ware Jackson’s client did not exercise control, and that the client had no knowledge of any dangerous condition on its premises. The court also granted Ware Jackson’s motion to exclude the plaintiff’s expert as unqualified to opine on the premises owner’s knowledge. The litigation team included Paul Smith, Michelle Blair, Margaret Bryant, and Simone Dawson.

Ware Jackson is pleased to announce that eight of its lawyers have been included in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers based on professional expertise.

These are the attorneys recognized as the 2026 Best Lawyers in America:

Don Jackson

• Arbitration, Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law, Energy Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Environmental, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs

Timothy Lee

• Appellate Practice

Paul Smith

• Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants

Dennis Barrow

• Litigation – Construction, Commercial Litigation

Eileen O’Neill

• Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Management

Tyler Henkel

• Litigation – Construction

Margaret Bryant

• Appellate Practice, Litigation – Construction

Ferguson McNeill

• Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction