R. Wayne Gordon • Partner

Experience

Wayne Gordon has been practicing law at Touchstone Bernays for over 38 years and is managing partner of the firm. He has successfully tried numerous cases to jury verdict in both State and Federal courts throughout Texas. Wayne is licensed in all State and Federal Courts in Texas and the United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, in New Orleans. He handles a wide variety of cases, most of which involve the potential for large damages. Wayne has continuously been selected by Texas Monthly Magazine as a Texas Super Lawyer since 2005, and as a D Magazine Best Lawyer in 2013.

Areas of Practice

Personal Injury – Primarily Defense
Medical Malpractice – Primarily Defense
Employer Liability – Primarily Defense
Product Liability – Primarily Defense
Construction Defect – Primarily Defense
Business and Commercial Litigation
First Party Bad Faith, DTPA, and Insurance Code Violations – Primarily Defense

Recent Litigation Accomplishments

Defense jury verdict for beverage distributor in death case arising out of highway accident.
Large settlement recovery for retail grocery store against wholesale distributor arising out of botulism outbreak – settlement occurred after four weeks of trial.
Defendant jury verdict for electrical subcontractor – Plaintiff, an employee of another subcontractor, alleged brain injury as a result of electrical shock and fall from ladder on construction job.
Defense jury verdict for boat manufacturer – Plaintiffs, family members of drowning victim, alleged product liability wrongful death suit as a result of boat overturning.
Defense jury verdict for owners of commercial building – Plaintiff alleged personal injuries as a result of elevator malfunction.
Defense jury verdict for fire alarm and sprinkler system company – Plaintiffs, owners of a commercial business, alleged negligent design and installation of fire alarm and sprinkler system, resulting in fire loss to building and economic loss to company.
Defense award for general contractor in binding arbitration proceeding filed by owners of commercial building and business alleging various construction defects resulting in water leaks and mold development.
Summary judgment for general contractor based on contract language in total fire loss claim filed by owners of building.
Summary judgment for land developer, based on contract language, in claim made by home builder and owner alleging slope failure.
Summary judgment for landlord in premises liability case – accident happened inside leased space.
Obtained dismissal of a dirt subcontractor in a large dollar construction defect arbitration proceeding.
Obtained summary judgment at trial court level and upheld on appeal on behalf of an elected official accused by plaintiff of business disparagement and defamation.
Summary judgment for dirt subcontractor in large construction defect case.
Summary judgment for health club on negligence case involving alleged failure to use AED device resulting in brain damage to plaintiff after heart attack.
Summary judgment for Texas Department of Transportation contractor in negligence case involving failure to keep right of way mowed and maintained allegedly resulting in fatality auto crash.
Summary judgment for developer in premises liability large damage personal injury case.

Representative Clients

American Safety Insurance Company
Bitco Insurance Company
National Claim Services
CUNA Mutual Insurance Company
Hanover Insurance Company
Martin, Sprocket & Gear, Inc. – Ft. Worth
Service Lloyds Group
Philadelphia Insurance Company
Hillwood Development

Professional Affiliations

Defense Research Institute (DRI); Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC); Texas Association of Defense Counsel; Dallas Association of Defense Counsel; Dallas Bar Association; State Bar of Texas; Member – Committee for a Qualified Judiciary.

Education

Baylor University School of Law, J.D., Cum Laude 1979, Waco, TX; Editor-in-Chief, Baylor Law Review, 1978 – 1979. Baylor University, B.A. 1977; Major: Business. Fraternal Associations: Phi Gamma Delta, Phi Alpha Delta.

Personal Information

In his spare time, Wayne enjoys golfing, fishing, being active in his church, and spending time with his family.  He and his wife Dixie live in Rockwall, Texas, and have successfully raised three grown, financially independent children.  Wayne is a Deacon at First Baptist Church, Rockwall, Texas.

Honors and Awards

Selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers by peers 2005 – 2021.