Partner Michelle Blair recently presented oral argument before a panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, along with partner Paul Smith. The team traveled to New Orleans to defend a summary judgment obtained on behalf of a chemical company sued for premises liability.

Partners Eileen O’Neill and Michelle Blair secured an appellate victory for a common carrier that had been sued for negligence when a passenger committed a crime after disembarking. The Eleventh Court of Appeals in Eastland affirmed summary judgment for the carrier, holding that common carriers do not have a duty to protect the general public from passengers and that there was an insufficient causal nexus between the carrier’s decision to remove its passenger and the crime committed by the passenger hours later. The opinion is Garrett v. Wal-Mart Stores Tex., LLC, No. 11-24-00058-CV, 2026 WL 842979 (Tex. App.—Eastland Mar. 26, 2026, no pet. h.).

Ware Jackson, along with family and friends, gathered for the portrait unveiling of Former Judge Eileen O’Neill in recognition of her distinguished service to the 190th District Court. Judge O’Neill was appointed to the 190th District Court of Harris County in 1991 at just 32 years old. Remarkably, she had already earned board certifications in Civil Trial Law and Civil Appellate Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, an achievement requiring a minimum of 10 jury verdicts and 10 appellate arguments. Since returning to private practice as a partner at Ware Jackson, Eileen has continued to make the courtroom her second home, handling hundreds of trials and appeals.