Charles M. Gearing

Charles M. (“Charlie”) Gearing is a North Texas native and trial lawyer who has spent his career representing plaintiffs and defendants in complex civil litigation across Texas. Charlie’s practice encompasses a wide range of disputes, including claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, claims under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (“DTPA”), cases involving non-competition and non-solicitation covenants, and payer disputes. He also has advised clients on compliance with federal statutes such as the Occupational Safety and Health Act (“OSHA”), the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”).

Charlie honed his litigation skills at premier Texas law firms, including Haynes and Boone, LLP, and Figari + Davenport, LLP, before joining Weaver Johnston & Nelson in 2021. Over the course of his career, Charlie has represented Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and individuals in a diverse range of litigation matters. He has significant experience handling temporary restraining orders (“TRO”) and injunctive relief proceedings, non-competition disputes, debt collection litigation, employment disputes, health, life, and disability insurance disputes, commercial landlord-tenant disputes, trucking accident and injury litigation, personal injury litigation, and software development disputes in state and federal courts nationwide. Charlie’s extensive injunctive practice includes pursuing, defending, and resolving a wide variety of disputes where injunctive relief is sought either to maintain the status quo or to mandate that a party take or refrain from some action. He also regularly enforces contracts for clients ranging from small businesses and high-net-worth individuals to multinational banks and financial institutions.

Early in his career, Charlie served as a federal law clerk to the Honorable Brian S. Miller in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas after earning his law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School. His commitment to public service is evident through his extensive pro bono work and community involvement. Charlie has led efforts to provide legal services to Texans who cannot afford representation, protect victims of domestic violence, and support various charitable and non-profit causes, including ensuring animal welfare and assisting individuals experiencing homelessness. He was awarded the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers’ (DAYL) Young Lawyer Pro Bono Service Award in 2013. He is proud to continue his pro bono work at WJN, serving a wide range of clients, including Minnie’s Food Pantry in Plano, where he provides ongoing legal support to help the good folks at Minnie’s combat food insecurity.

In 2019, Charlie served as President of the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers (DAYL), representing nearly 3,000 attorneys in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He also chaired the DAYL Foundation in 2017, which provides grants to legal non-profits and scholarships to law students with a passion for community service. Charlie continues to actively support the Dallas Bar Association’s LegalLine and Pro Bono Activities Committees. Charlie’s community involvement continues today as he proudly serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for Operation Kindness, one of North Texas’ leading animal rescue organizations. 

Charlie and his wife, Rachael, Senior Counsel at Weaver Johnston & Nelson, are proud East Dallas residents deeply engaged in civic and community initiatives, including the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance’s annual Point-in-Time Homelessness Count. He and Rachael are proud parents to their daughter Amy Ruth, and the family routinely rescues cats and dogs, including multiple double merle Great Danes. A proud Duke University alumnus, Charlie passionately supports his Blue Devils and Dallas’ professional sports teams.

Charlie routinely speaks publicly and provides presentations about different aspects of his practice and WJN’s expertise, and has recently provided insight to audiences regarding North Texas physician non-compete agreements, best practices for physicians in responding to subpoenas, and compliance with state and federal fair debt collection practices statutes and regulations. Please contact Charlie if you would like to have him speak to your group or practice!