Practice Areas: General Litigation, Business Litigation, Class Action & Mass Torts; view more
Licensed in Texas since: 2003
Education: University of Virginia School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2023 - 2024 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2013 - 2015 Details
As partner at Ajamie LLP, John S. (Jack) Edwards, Jr., focuses his practice on appellate law and general litigation. Representing those in Houston, Texas, he is experience in a large number of civil matters in both federal and state courts throughout the United States. These include contracts, antitrust, ERISA, fraud, copyright, securities, product liability, insurance coverage, wrongful death, toxic tort and trade secrets.
Houstonian Magazine named Mr. Edwards a Top Lawyer for two years, and the Houston Volunteer Lawyers gave him the Roadrunner Award. The Houston Bar Foundation gave him Special Recognition for Exceptional Pro Bono Representation and the Harris County Bench-Bar gave him the Individual Pro Bono Award in 2013.
Mr. Edwards is admitted to practice in the state of Texas, He is also admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas.
After graduating from Princeton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Mr. Edwards attended the University of Virginia School of Law and graduated with his Juris Doctor in 2003. He is a member of the Houston Bar Association, the Texas Bar College and the American Bar Association. For his high ethical standards and long list of successful results, he holds the highest peer rating possible of AV Preeminent* from Martindale-Hubbell.
* 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
General Litigation, Business Litigation, Class Action/Mass Torts: PlaintiffFocus areas
Litigation
- 30% General Litigation
- 40% Business Litigation
- 30% Class Action/Mass Torts: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 2003, Texas
Professional Webpage: https://www.ajamie.com/lawyers/john-s-jack-edwards-jr/
- Member, ABA Social Media Committee
- Member, Houston Bar Association
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- Texas
- Member, College of the State Bar of Texas (2006-15)
- Member, State Bar of Texas Pro Bono College, 2013
- Member, Editorial Board, American Bar Association’s Energy Litigation Journal (2011-12)
- Member, Houston Bar Association (2003-15)
- Co-Chair, American Bar Association’s Energy Litigation Website Subcommittee, 2012
- Member, State Bar of Texas (Litigation and Appellate Sections) (2011-12)
- Volunteer, Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program (2005-15)
- Member, American Bar Association (2011-15)
- On behalf of pro bono client, Jack obtained a $55,000 judgment in a landlord-tenant dispute following a 2-day jury trial in Harris County District Court in 2009
- Appleseed Hurricane Katrina Project, Pro Bono Volunteer
- Volunteered at the Virginia Capital Representation Resource Center
- Houston Bar Association, Legal Lines, Volunteer
- In 2009, Jack defended a civil rights organization in appealing a libel judgment to the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking certiorari on a unique First Amendment Petition Clause issue. http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/08-1122_pet.pdf
- In 2009, Jack successfully represented a client through the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program in obtaining a successful award in a landlord-tenant case after a two-day jury trial.
- In 2009, Jack volunteered as a prosecutor in Missouri City Municipal Court, where he successfully prosecuted dozens of misdemeanors in bench and jury trials
- 2012-2013, ABA Outstanding Subcommittee Chair Award, American Bar Association, Section of Litigation
- Texas Rising Star, 2013, 2014, 2015, Super Lawyers
- Jack Edwards and his firm, Ajamie LLP, received special recognition from the Houston Volunteer Lawyers for exceptional pro bono representation on a complex, time-consuming case that took more than five years to complete. http://tinyurl.com/kly4tvwhttp://www.hba.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/HBF-Awards-2014-00032085.pdf, Special Recognition from HVL for Exceptional Pro Bono Representation, Houston Bar Foundation, 2014
- Top Attorneys - Texas' Outstanding Young Lawyers, Texas Monthly, 2013
- http://www.hba.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/may_june14.pdf http://issuu.com/leosur/docs/thl_mayjune14/13?e=0/8476057, Harris County Bench Bar Pro Bono Award - 2013 Individual Winner, Houston Bar Association, 2014
- Top Lawyer, Houstonia Magazine, 2014
- "AV Preeminent is a significant rating accomplishment - a testament to the fact that a lawyer's peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence." http://www.martindale.com/Products_and_Services/Peer_Review_Ratings.aspx, Peer Review Rating AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell, 2012
- Top Lawyer, Houstonia Magazine, 2013
- Awarded for taking on the longest-running Houston Volunteer Lawyers case (2008-2014).http://www.makejusticehappen.org/news/escape-relax-raffle-success, Roadrunner Award, Houston Volunteer Lawyers, 2014
- Princeton University, A.B., Economics, 1998
- “DOT Issues Emergency Order to Trains Carrying Bakken Crude Oil,” ABA Energy Litigation Website (June 2014)
- “The Nuts and Bolts of Electronic Discovery: Litigating Under the December 1, 2006 Amendments of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,” Presentation (December 2006)
- “The Impact on Electronic Discovery of the December 1, 2006 Amendments of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,” Presentation (October 2006)
- “Texas High Court Rules for Energy Company in Accommodation-Doctrine Case,” ABA Energy Litigation Website (July 2013)
- “Colorado First to Regulate Methane Emissions from Oil & Gas Operations,“ ABA Energy Litigation Website (May 2014)
- “Texas High Court Rules Overriding Royalty Not Subject to Postproduction Expenses,” ABA Environment & Energy Litigation Website (August 2015)
- “North Carolina Moves Closer to Issuing Fracking Permits,“ ABA Energy Litigation Website (June 2014)
- “Virginia Creates Rail-Safety Task Force Following Oil Spill,” ABA Energy Litigation Website (June 2014)
- “New York High Court Says Municipalities May Ban Fracking,“ ABA Energy Litigation Website (July 2014)
- “The In-House Attorney-Client Privilege: The Scope of the Privilege for Businesses and Law Firms,” HBA CLE Presentation (November 2014)
- “Ohio Supreme Court Deals Blow to Fracking Foes,” Ajamie LLP Hot Issues Blog (September 2016)
- “EPA Proposes New Methane Regulations,” ABA Energy Litigation Website (October 2015)
- “Department of Labor Issues Rule to Address Conflicts of Interest in Retirement Advice,” Ajamie LLP Hot Issues Blog (June 2016)
- “Too Much Tequila? How to Enforce an Invalid Mexican Arbitration Award in the United States,” HBA CLE Presentation (September 2017)
- To frack or not to frack? That is the question most often asked about the hydraulic fracturing—also called fracking—of natural gas. Fracking is described as an energy game changer that may allow access to a Saudi Arabia of natural gas here in the United States. It has already lowered natural gas prices and created thousands of jobs in the last several years alone, and it offers the potential to provide economic, environmental, and national-security benefits for many years to come. Concerns that fracking may cause environmental and health problems, however, have led to moratoriums in two states, tighter regulations in others, and governmental studies into its safety. Don’t look now, but the initial results of recent studies are promising: Fracking, it appears, is safe when done properly. The question then is not whether to frack, but twofold: (1) how can fracking be done safely, and (2) who ensures that this occurs—federal or state officials?, Co-Author, Government Studies May Determine the Future of Fracking Regulation, American Bar Association's Energy Litigation Journal, 2011
- “Colorado High Court Affirms Award of Expert Fees in Water Case,” ABA Environmental & Energy Litigation Website (June 2017)
- “Fraudulent Transfers: Tips, Tricks & Pitfalls Under Texas Law,” HBA CLE Presentation (March 2019)
- The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on Friday issued proposed regulations for the hydraulic fracturing—also called fracking—of oil and natural gas on federal and Indian lands. The proposed regulations largely follow the recommendations of the influential report issued last year by the Department of Energy’s Shale Gas Production Subcommittee. See Government Studies May Determine the Future of Fracking Regulation, Nov. 21, 2011. In a press release, Secretary Salazar stated that “it is critical that the public have full confidence that the right safety and environmental protections are in place. The proposed rule will modernize our management of well stimulation activities—including hydraulic fracturing—to make sure that fracturing operations conducted on public and Indian lands follow common-sense industry best practices.” Interior Releases Draft Rule Requiring Public Disclosure of Chemicals Used in Hydraulic Fracturing on Public and Indian Lands, May 4, 2012, Author, “Interior Department Proposes Fracking Regulations, ABA Energy Litigation Website, 2012
- Ohio recently passed fracking legislation that will go into effect in September 2012. Ohio is home to both the Marcellus and Utica shales and has experienced a natural-gas boom in recent years thanks to fracking. The legislation, which is contained in Senate Bill 315, seeks to modernize existing law by addressing the unique concerns of fracking, Author, "Ohio Passes Fracking Legislation, ABA Energy Litigation Website, 2012
- Fracking is unlikely to cause earthquakes, according to a recent study by the National Research Council (NRC). Induced Seismicity Potential in Energy Technologies, National Research Council, June 15, 2012. The study was commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), after Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) requested in 2010 that the DOE use the NRC to study the potential for seismicity induced by energy development, Author, Fracking Unlikely to Cause Earthquakes, Says NRC Study, ABA Energy Litigation Website, 2012
- The North Carolina legislature on July 2, 2012, overrode the governor’s veto to pass the state’s first fracking legislation. Senate Bill 820 was originally passed by the Republican legislature on June 21, but vetoed by Governor Beverly Perdue, a Democrat, on July 1. She said she supported fracking, but that the legislation contained insufficient environmental safeguards. Aided by an accidental vote in the House of Representatives, however, the Senate and House were able to muster the required three-fifths majorities to override her veto, Author, North Carolina Passes Fracking Legislation, Overrides Veto, ABA Energy Litigation Website, 2012
Office location for John S. (Jack) Edwards, Jr.
711 Louisiana St
Suite 2150
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: 832-450-3963
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2023 - 2024
- Rising Stars: 2013 - 2015
