Concentration

Litigation and appellate work involving intellectual property, professional liability, insurance and other commercial disputes

Summary

Joe Knight is the partner in charge of the Austin office. He focuses on civil litigation in both trial and appellate courts, including cases involving intellectual property professional liability, insurance and general business disputes. Among the clients he represents are technology companies, accounting firms, manufacturers, insurers and professional associations.

Mr. Knight began his legal career by serving as a briefing attorney for the Honorable Thomas R. Phillips, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas.

Representative Engagements

• Technology and insurance companies – patent cases on both sides of the docket
• National accounting firms – numerous matters in state court, federal court, and various regulatory bodies
• Insurance company – successful appeal of a $32 million judgment in a highly publicized mold case
• Major chemical company – successful Texas Supreme Court appeal limiting the landowner’s duty to an employee of an independent contractor

Publications, Speeches and Presentations

• “How to Get Instructions and Questions That Will Obtain Answers in Your Favor,” Advanced Civil Appellate Course, Boot Camp, State Bar of Texas, Austin, September 2007
• “How to Write Questions and Instructions to Get the Answers You Need,” The Jury Trial: Court’s Charge Strategies, University of Houston Law Foundation, Houston and Dallas, August 2006
• “What Goes to Arbitration and What Stays in Court,” State Bar of Texas, Judicial Section, Austin, September 2005
• “Legal Update on Mold and Insurance,” State Bar of Texas, Houston and Austin, March 2004
• “Evidentiary Issues in Black Mold Litigation,” Texas Center for the Judiciary, San Antonio, February 2003
• “Black Mold Litigation: Current Issues,” Advanced Personal Injury and Insurance Law Seminar, University of Houston Law Foundation, Houston and Dallas, June 2002
• “Trying the Mold Case: Defense Perspective,” State Bar of Texas Seminar, Dallas, Houston, and Corpus Christi, April 2002