Practice areas: White Collar Crimes, Health Care, Business Litigation; view more
Licensed in Texas since: 2001
Education: Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law
Languages spoken: English, French
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2014 - 2020 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2011 - 2014 Call today:
214-629-7141
Howell Defense, PLLC
8080 N Central ExpySuite 1700
Dallas, TX 75206 Visit website
A pillar of leadership within his legal community for his pristine, client-centric practice that spans nearly 25 years, Barrett R. Howell works relentlessly to give his clients the peace of mind they deserve in their litigious matters, emphasizing an unwavering work ethic and meticulous attention to detail. At the law office of Howell Defense, PLLC, in Dallas, Texas, he primarily handles matters spanning many legal fields, including corporate governance, white collar crimes, internal investigations, securities law and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act litigation.
Mr. Howell completed his undergraduate studies in 1998, graduating with his Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts degrees from Emory University. He went on to attend the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, where his academic interests were aligned toward securities enforcement. After receiving his Juris Doctor in 2001, he became licensed to practice law in Texas the same year.
A stalwart champion for his clients, Mr. Howell fights tooth and nail in his efforts to help leave their legal woes firmly in the past. He has defended a medical practice from accusations of health care fraud, mail fraud and tax fraud, represented a publicly-traded real estate investment fund in Department of Justice investigations, and defended a Fortune 500 company in a False Claims Act lawsuit, among many others. For his many contributions, he has been included in the Best Lawyers in Dallas list by D Magazine on numerous occasions, as well as recognition by The Best Lawyers in America for his work in commercial litigation.
Practice areas
Criminal Defense: White Collar, Health Care, Business LitigationFocus areas
Criminal Law - Federal, Health & Health Care Law, Non-Compete Agreements, Trade Secret, White Collar Crime
- 50% Criminal Defense: White Collar
- 30% Health Care
- 20% Business Litigation
First Admitted: 2001, Texas
Bar / Professional Activity
- State Bar of Texas, 2001
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Obtained a pre-discovery dismissal with prejudice on behalf of Hewlett-Packard Company in a qui tam federal false claims act case. In a decision issued by Chief Judge Lamberth in DDC, the court dismissed the complaint finding that the relator's claims were barred by the "first-to-file" provisions of the FCA. Chief Judge Lamberth also noted in the decision that a second motion for dismissal on res judicata grounds was moot but if forced to rule, he would have granted that motion as well. The case is U.S. ex rel. Brady Folliard v. Synnex Corp. et al., case number 1:07-cv-00719, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia., 2011
- Barrett successfully defended one of three owners of Trinity Clinical Laboratories (TCL), an independent, high-complexity genetic testing lab located in Lewisville, Texas. The government executed search and seizure warrants against TCL in September 2019 and identified its three owners as targets of a criminal healthcare fraud investigation. Barrett worked diligently to establish his client's innocence through countless meetings, presentations, and teleconferences with the government prosecutors and investigating agents. Ultimately Barrett's client was not charged. For more information, see: https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/laboratory-owners-and-executives-charged-in-health-care-kickback-scheme , 2024
- Barrett recently obtained a favorable outcome for the CEO of Tris Pharma, a New Jersey-based pharmaceutical manufacturing company. The Office of the Attorney General of Texas sued Tris, its CEO, and Pfizer, alleging violations of the Texas Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act (TMFPA). The State complained that the defendants caused one of Tris's pediatric ADHD medications to be added to the Texas Medicaid Formulary even though the product was allegedly adulterated due to non-compliance with Current Good Manufacturing Practices. Barrett filed, on behalf of the CEO, a special appearance and motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction. After oral argument, the trial court denied the CEO's special appearance. Barrett then filed an interlocutory to the recently created Texas Fifteenth Court of Appeals. After extensive briefing, the Fifteenth Court of Appeals held "the State has failed to meet its burden to sufficiently plead and provide evidence that [the CEO] is subject to personal jurisdiction in Texas for the State’s TMFPA claim." The Appellate Court reversed "the trial court’s order denying [the CEO's] verified special appearance and render[ed] judgment dismissing the State’s TMFPA claim against [the CEO] for lack of personal jurisdiction." https://search.txcourts.gov/Case.aspx?cn=15-24-00021-CV&coa=coa15, 2025
Videos
- Texas Lawyer senior reporter John Council talks with Barrett Howell of K&L Gates in Dallas about a case recently argued at the Texas Supreme Court involving the issue of perjury allegedly committed during a deposition., www.law.com/jsp/tx/PubArticleTX.jsp?id=1202473463975&slreturn=1&hbxlogin=1
Pro bono / Community Service
- Member of the Board of Trustees of Alcuin School
Honors
- Recognition by the Best Lawyers in America for His Work in Commercial Litigation
- Included in the Best Lawyers in Dallas List by D Magazine
Educational Background
- Emory University, B.B.A. (Finance) & B.A. (French), 1998
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Presenter at University of Texas School of Law 11th Annual Gas & Power Institute in Houston, Texas, Presenter, "Negotiating Ethics?", University of Texas School of Law 11th Annual Gas & Power Institute, Oil And Gas, 2012
- Article summarizing how in-counsel should initially respond to a government inquiry, Author, Do’s and Don’ts All In-House Counsel Should Know About Government Inquiries, State Bar of Texas Corporate Counsel Section Newsletter, Fall 2011, 2011
- Buried deep inside the two thousand plus pages of the recently enacted Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act is a short, yet sweeping provision that places a potential bounty on the head of every corporate executive: The SEC can now pay bounties of up to 30% of all monies collected to parties who provide key information in any type of enforcement action., Author, Whistleblower Complaints and Internal Investigations Likely to Rise with Heightened Emphasis on Corporate Bounty Hunters, TheCorporateCounsel.net, 2010
- Presentation titled, "Negotiating Ethics?" to the Business Law Section and the Corporate Counsel Section of the State Bar of Texas, Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Texas, June 23, 2011, Presenter, Business Law Section and the Corporate Counsel Section of the State Bar of Texas, Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Texas, June 23, 2011, State Bar of Texas, 2011
- On May 16, 2011 the U.S. Supreme Court prohibited whistleblowers from relying on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in support of claims filed under the Federal Civil False Claims Act (FCA). Schindler Elevator Corp. v. United States ex rel. Kirk, No. 10-188 (May 16, 2011). Reversing the Second Circuit, the Supreme Court held that information obtained under FOIA constitutes a “report” under the FCA’s public disclosure bar., Author, Supreme Court Expands FCA’s Public Disclosure Bar – Prohibits Relator’s Reliance on FOIA, 2011
- "Getting All Judgmental – Disclosure of Loss Contingencies Under ASC 450 (FAS 5),” Presentation to In-House Legal Departments, Presenter, Getting All Judgmental – Disclosure of Loss Contingencies Under ASC 450 (FAS 5), 2015
- “What to do When the Government Comes Knocking – Practical Tips for In-House Lawyers Responding to Government Investigations”; University of Texas School of Law Annual Corporate Counsel Institute, April 17, 2015
- Co-Founder of the University of Texas School of Law Government Enforcement Institute
Office location for Barrett R. Howell
8080 N Central Expy
Suite 1700
Dallas, TX 75206
Phone: 214-629-7141
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2014 - 2020
- Rising Stars: 2011 - 2014
