J. Chad Arnette

BIOGRAPHY

For more than 25 years, Chad Arnette has litigated, tried and served as lead appellate counsel in commercial cases throughout Texas and beyond.  Mr. Arnette has successfully tried cases involving claims for breach of contract, fraud, oil and gas (including well and pipeline ruptures), post-closing M&A disputes, derivative actions for shareholder oppression and breach of fiduciary duties, antitrust, natural gas processing plant construction defects, and many other complex matters.  Chad has also extensively litigated constitutional claims, and recently won a significant First Amendment case before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.  

EXPERIENCE AND HIGHLIGHTS

• Obtained $2.9 million arbitration award in San Antonio along with significant additional recovery for the Seller Plaintiffs in a post-closing dispute following the sale of a vacation rental management company
• Won jury verdict in Dallas for Plaintiff midstream oil and gas company in case against manufacturers of defective pipe that resulted in a pipeline rupture
• Won First Amendment case before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of a large municipality
• Represented major online travel company in administrative trials and court throughout the State of California, including in San Francisco, Anaheim, and San Diego, culminating in the reversal of tens of millions of dollars in tax assessments against client by the California Supreme Court 
• Won case for Defendant health care company and its partners in a $65 million derivative suit alleging fraud, tortious interference and other claims
• Won summary judgment for Defendant financial advisor and general partner in case by minority shareholder for breach of fiduciary duties and other claims 
• Obtained high seven-figure settlement for large E&P company in litigation against OCTG manufacturer and suppliers following the failure of five Delaware basin oil wells due to defective production casing
• Won a $50 million trial involving a lignite mine in Central Texas
• In a trademark infringement case in the Southern District of New York, obtained injunctive relief prohibiting the sale of infringing products and requiring the recall and destruction of all infringing products sold
• Won arbitration in Houston in a case involving claims between two E&P companies for indemnity in connection with legacy operator litigation in Louisiana
• Obtained 12(b)(6) dismissal of the United States Anti-Doping Agency and Travis Tygart in a defamation lawsuit brought by track and field coach Jon Drummond
• Won summary judgment for Dallas-based midstream company in lawsuit over the construction of a natural gas processing plant. 
• Won arbitration for large municipality in connection with claims by a former police officer that he was wrongly discharged
• Represented big four accounting firm in multiple cases involving claims for professional malpractice
• Obtained multi-million-dollar judgment for a real estate developer in a case involving developments in Arizona and Texas
• Won summary judgment for Dallas-based midstream company in a dispute with a contractor over the construction of a pipeline in West Virginia
• Obtained full recovery for E&P company in litigation against OCTG manufacturers and suppliers whose defective products resulted in the complete loss of a Delaware basin well
• Won a week-long arbitration on behalf of Plaintiff supplier who asserted breach of contract and other claims against a Dallas-based luxury retailer
• Won arbitration in Chicago for a Japanese electronics manufacturer in case involving malpractice by tax professionals
• Won defamation case for Defendant health care company in a case filed by a certified registered nurse anesthetist who was terminated following allegations of drug use
• Won summary judgment in numerous cases alleging breach of non-competes
• Obtained summary judgment for the City of Arlington in a case filed by a restaurant/bar trade association challenging the constitutionality of Arlington’s smoke-free ordinance
• Represented distributor of electronic components in antitrust litigation against Japanese suppliers, resulting in millions of dollars in settlement for the client
• Obtained full recovery for midstream company in connection with the rupture of its pipeline and resulting fire due to a contractor’s defective work
• Obtained 12(b)(6) dismissal in a takings lawsuit brought by a real estate developer against the City of Arlington, Texas. Affirmed on appeal
• Obtained a favorable settlement for the Plaintiff package manufacturer in a trade secret case against a large video game retailer
• Obtained dismissal with prejudice of a tax suit brought by the County of St. Louis, Missouri against numerous online travel companies.  Affirmed by the Missouri Supreme Court
• Obtained multi-million-dollar settlement for the Plaintiff in an insurance dispute relating to a fire at a commercial building
• Successfully brought antitrust claims against a large demographic data provider, resulting in a favorable settlement for a consumer analytics company
• Successfully defended numerous law firms and accounting firms in professional malpractice cases
• Defended large health care servicing company in numerous antitrust lawsuits

AFFILIATIONS

• Dallas Bar Association
• Tarrant County Bar Association
• Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, Former Greeting Committee Member
• Make-a-Wish Foundation, Regional Advisory Board, Former Member
• Quail Coalition, Cross Timbers Chapter, Former Board Member
• Quail Unlimited, Cross Timbers Chapter, Former Board Member

HONORS

• Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2013-2024
  • Business Litigation
• Best Lawyers in America®, U.S. News & World Report, 2018-2025
  • Litigation – Antitrust
  • Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Top Attorney, 360 West magazine, 2017-2024
  • Antitrust Law
  • Professional Malpractice Non-Medical Defense
  • Products Liability Law
  • Civil Law | Litigation
  • Commercial Litigation
• Top Attorney, Fort Worth Magazine, 2012-2019, 2021-2024
  • Antitrust Law
  • Civil Law | Litigation
• Best Lawyers® Employment Law Issue, 2021, 2022
  • Labor & Employment – Litigation
• Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star, Thomson Reuters, 2008-2013
  • Business Litigation
• 40 Under 40 honoree, Fort Worth Business Press, 2012
• American Bar Association, Professional Liability Litigation Alert Editor, 2005-2007

EDUCATION

• Southern Methodist University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1999
  • SMU Law Review
  • Phi Delta Phi
  • Dean’s List
• University of London, Maria Assumption Center
• The University of Mississippi, B.P.A., magna cum laude, 1996

ADMISSIONS

• State Bar of Texas
• United States Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Arkansas