Practice Areas: Business litigation, Personal injury, Business & corporate; view more
Licensed in Texas since: 1994
Education: The University of Texas School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2020 - 2023 Call today:
713-223-1550
Massey Law Firm PLLC
601 Sawyer StreetSuite 225
Houston, TX 77007 Visit website
Details
Dwaine M. Massey, founder of Massey Law Firm PLLC, represents clients throughout Southeast Texas. Having tried more than 25 cases to jury verdict in both state and federal courts as first chair, including one selected as a Verdict Search Top Verdict in 2012, Mr. Massey is an experienced trial lawyer. He has also arbitrated dozens of cases and has resolved countless others through summary judgment or settlement. His practice is focused on commercial litigation involving the prosecution and defense of contract disputes including partnership, construction and commercial real estate cases and business divorce suits as well as the prosecution of wrongful death and catastrophic personal injuries claims.
The Texas Board of Legal Specialization certified Mr. Massey as a Board-Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer. He is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, a Life Fellow of The Houston Young Lawyers Foundation, a Senior Life Fellow of the ABOTA (American Board to Trial Advocates) Foundation and a Fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation. And for his high ethical standards and long list of successful results, he holds the highest peer rating possible of AV Preeminent* from Martindale-Hubbell.
Mr. Massey is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and the Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists. He has served on numerous Houston Bar Association committees and ancillary organizations including its Professionalism Committee and Lawyer Referral Service Board. He currently serves as a member of the Texas Board of Law Examiners and the Texas Pattern Jury Charge Committee -- Business. He has been recently named a National Board Representative for the Houston chapter of ABOTA.
Mr. Massey attended The University of Texas at Austin on a full academic scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting and honors business with honors. Before law school, Mr. Massey passed all parts of the CPA examination in his first sitting and worked with PricewatershouseCoopers LLP. He then graduated with this Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law. After law school, Mr. Massey obtained a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. An active member of his community, he volunteers with the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program and with Lone Star Legal Aid.
His financial background makes him well-suited to handle the financial aspects of business and commercial litigation. His background enables him to decipher financial data, cut through complicated transactions, and analyze financial information in order to evaluate claims and prepare them for trial in an efficient, cost-effective manner. His keen understanding of financial information is extremely useful in fraud and other business tort cases as well.
* AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
Practice areas
Business litigation, Personal injury - general: plaintiff, Business/corporateFocus areas
Motor vehicle accidents, Wrongful death, Construction accident, Trucking accidents, Limited liability companies, Partnership, Contracts
- 60% Business litigation
- 30% Personal injury - general: plaintiff
- 10% Business/corporate
First Admitted: 1994, Texas
Professional Webpage: https://www.masseytrial.com/attorney/dwaine-massey/
- Life Member, Texas Exes
- Life Fellow, Houston Bar Foundation, Houston Bar Foundation
- Keeton Fellow, University of Texas at Austin, UT Law
- Senior Life Fellow, ABOTA Foundation, ABOTA Foundation
- Board Member, Texas Association of Civil and Trial Appellate Specialists, TACTAS
- Member, Texas Bar College
- Member, State Bar of Texas, Pattern Jury Charge Committee - Business, Consumer & Employment, June 2019 to present
- Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
- AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5, Martindale-Hubbell peer review rating
- Charter Life Fellow, Houston Young Lawyers Foundation
- Texas Super Lawyers, Business Litigation
- Member, American Board of Trial Advocates
- Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
- University of Texas, B.B.A., 1988 (in Accounting/Business Honors with honors) (Beta Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma Sigma)
- Dallas Theological Seminary, M.A., Biblical Studies
- University of Texas, J.D., 1994
- Past Director and Member, Houston Young Lawyers Association
- National Board Representative, Secretary/Treasurer (Houston Chapter) American Board of Trial Advocates
- Houston Bar Association (Chair and Council, Commercial and Consumer Law Section, 2005-2007)
- State Bar of Texas, Pattern Jury Charge Committee - Business, Consumer & Employment, June 2019 to present
- State Bar of Texas (Member, Professionalism Committee, 2007-2013)
- State Bar of Texas, Board of Law Examiners, August 2017 to present
- No. 2010-11480; Michael Rossum v. Protégé Development Corporation and Erica A. Murray, In the 164th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas Case Type: Breach of Construction Contract Role: Lead counsel Party Represented: Plaintiff/Counterclaim Defendant Opposing Counsel: Janeri Jael Rivero, The Rivero Law Firm Dispute: Client sued Protégé Development Corporation and Erica A. Murray for breach of contract and unjust enrichment. Defendants counterclaimed for breach of contract. Result: After a two day trial, the jury awarded a take-nothing verdict on Defendants’ counterclaim. Client prevailed on both claims and elected to accept the damages and attorney’s fees awarded on the contract claim.
- No. 2012-47308; Kirk Johnston v. Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Ray Cammack Shows, Inc. and Odyssey Foods, LLC; in the 11th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas Case Type: Personal Injury Role: Lead Counsel Party Represented: Defendants Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Ray Cammack Shows, Inc. and Odyssey Foods, LLC Opposing Counsel: Chuck Portz, Portz & Portz Dispute: Plaintiff sued Clients for injuries sustained in a rodeo carnival accident. Result: Clients Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and Ray Cammack Shows, Inc. were dismissed on summary judgment and the Plaintiff non-suited his claims against remaining client – Odyssey Foods, LLC – with prejudice the day before trial and, after demand, paid Client’s costs.
- No. 2008-32360; Steven Wayne Bowman As the personal Representative of the Estate of William C. Bowman v. Richard Sewing and Patricia Sewing, in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, 270th Judicial District Case Type: Partnership Dispute Role: Lead Counsel Party Represented: Plaintiff/Counterclaim Defendant Opposing Counsel: Latosha L. Payne, Joseph Scrieber, Tiffany Briscoe, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease Dispute: Client sued Richard Sewing for redemption of partnership interest. Sewing counterclaimed for breach of contract. Result: After a three day trial, jury awarded a take-nothing verdict on Sewing’s counterclaim and awarded Client attorney’s fees, in a judgment that was affirmed by a 2-1 decision of the Houston First Court of Appeals. While a petition for certiorari was pending before the Texas Supreme Court, the parties reached a confidential settlement.
- No. 2005-03251; Michelle P. Jackson, Individually and as Next Friend of Cordell J. Jackson v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., et al., in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, 269th Judicial District Case Type: Personal Injury Role: Lead Counsel Party Represented: Plaintiff Opposing Counsel: Kenneth Scott, Knight & Scott Dispute: Client sued Defendants for the severe injuries sustained by her then 14 year old son when Defendants negligently allowed him to operate a security cart on the premises. Result: Confidential settlement reached during mediation.
- No. 2009-59885; Tara M. Williams, Individually and as Personal Representative of the Estate of Anthony B. “Tony” Williams v. BAD-DAB, Inc., d/b/a The Spot Lounge & Bar, in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, 127th Judicial District Case Type: Personal Injury Role: Lead Counsel Party Represented: Defendant Opposing Counsel: Waverly R. Nolley, Waverly R. Nolley & Associates PC and S. Bruce Hiran, Monks, Monks, Monks & Hiran, PC Dispute: Plaintiff sued Client for wrongful death and survivor claims in a dram shop action. Result: Client awarded take-nothing summary judgment.
- No. 2012-34748; Juan Arriaga and Raymundo Aleman v. Southern Star Concrete, Inc. and Joseph C. Rossyion; in the 190th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas Case Type: Personal Injury Role: Lead Counsel Party Represented: Intervenor Raymundo Aleman Opposing Counsel: Fernando P. Arias, Fletcher, Farley, Shipman & Salinas, LLP Dispute: Client sued Defendants for injuries sustained in a tractor-trailer accident. Result: Confidential settlement reached during mediation.
- No. 2010-73730; Elvia Mendoza, individually, and as next friend of Candelaria Mendoza and Yeny Curiel, individually, and as next friend of Jacob Curiel v. Joel Garza, Patricia Garza and Christopher Garza; in the 80th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas Case Type: Personal Injury Role: Lead Counsel Party Represented: Intervenor Plaintiff Yeny Curiel, individually and as next friend of Jacob Curiel Opposing Counsel: David L. Merkley and Benjamin C. Miller, Germer Gertz, LLP Dispute: Client sued Joel and Patricia Garza for negligent entrustment and Christopher Garza for negligence and negligence per se arising out of an automobile-pedestrian accident in which the minor client sustained a fractured skull, an abdominal wall tear and a hip fracture, none of which required surgery. Result: After a six day trial, the court directed a verdict of negligence against Christopher Garza and a unanimous jury awarded Clients a verdict which made the Texas Lawyer’s list of the Top Verdicts in Texas for 2012 in the motor vehicle category. Aside from a post-verdict payment of the limits of the applicable insurance, the judgment remains in collection.
- Passed all parts of the CPA examination in initial sitting
- Graduate, National Institute of Trial Advocacy
- Pro Bono Partner, Lone Star Legal Aid
- Washington Heights Homeowners Association, President
- Volunteer Lawyer, Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program
- Delgado v. Methodist Hosp., 936 S.W.2d 479, 1996, Tex. App. - Houston [14th Dist.] 1996, no writ
- Efting v. Tokai Corp., 75 F.Supp.2d 1006, 1999, W.D. Mo.
- DeLeon v. Lloyd's London, Certain Underwriters, 259 F.3d 344, 2001, 5th Cir.(Tex.)
- Mayo v. Hartford Life Ins. Co., 220 F.Supp.2d 714, 2002, S.D.Tex.
- Sandwich Chef of Texas, Inc. v. Reliance Nat. Indem. Ins. Co, 319 F.3d 205, 2003, 5th Cir.(Tex.)
- Bolton v. City of Dallas, 472 F.3d 261, 2006, 5th Cir. (Tex.)
- Sewing v. Bowman, 371 S.W.2d 321, 2012, Tex. App. - Houston [1st Dist.] 2012, pet. dism'd
- , Meet Dwaine Massey, 2021
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Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2020 - 2023
