Clayton E. Devin has appeared in state and federal courts in over one hundred counties in Texas and Oklahoma. Representing Fortune 500 Companies as well as individuals and closely held businesses, he has handled commercial and personal injury disputes. His construction practice includes both trial work and representation of commercial sureties seeking to minimize their exposures resulting from contract disputes and defaults.
He has represented national and local trucking companies, dealing with the catastrophic consequences that sometimes follow from the combination of large machines and human error.
Clayton's health law practice is directed towards assisting physician practice groups in navigating the intricate web of commercial and governmental relationships in today's medical practice. He acts as general counsel to a statewide medical specialty organization.
Representative Experience
- Obtained defense verdict in Parker County for a publicly-traded oilfield service company in a dispute with owner/operator of a Barnett Shale saltwater injection well seeking damages exceeding $7.7 million More...
- Successfully defended a golf club designer and importer in a products liability case involving the death of a 12-year-old boy in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The plaintiffs sued the manufacturer, the designer and importer of the golf club. The jury exonerated the designer and importer, finding that the golf club was not defective.
- Defended a manufacturer of an electrical component alleged to have caused a fire that destroyed a building and its contents. Settlement negotiations failed, but a jury found no product defect.
- Represented a national warehouse / trucking firm in a dispute with a customer involving claims of theft and loss of computer equipment which the customer valued at over $3,000,000. Substituting as counsel after the case had been pending for a year, our team discovered flaws and discrepancies in the claimant's records and found support for our client's position in shipping documents. The case settled for less than five percent of the original claim.
- In a case filed against a large upscale retailer by an individual who claimed to have sustained neurological injuries as a result of an electric shock caused by faulty wiring in a store display, developed medical evidence to contradict testimony of a nationally-recognized expert hired by the plaintiff. The claimant's last demand before trial was $7,000,000, including a life care plan. The jury awarded less than $150,000.
- A multi-fatality accident in a construction zone resulted in claims against a highway contractor and a trucking company. While representing the contractor, developed evidence that successfully shifted liability to the trucking company. The case settled for over $17,000,000, with the contractor paying less than five percent of the total.
- Defended a national trucking company in a seven-vehicle series of collisions in a highway construction zone that included the total destruction of two tractor trailers. The claimants alleged a variety of serious injuries, including a closed head injury. After extensive discovery, negotiated a settlement of all claims against the trucking company for less than $100,000 and obtained partial reimbursement for the client's truck from other parties.
Professional Affiliations
Honors and Recognitions
Texas Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012
Super Lawyers Business Edition, Business Litigation, 2011 and 2012
Corporate Counsel, Business Litigation, 2008 - 2010
Texas Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, Top 100, 2006
Texas Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, Top 100 DFW, 2006
Education/Professional Background
Board Certified, Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
University of Texas, Juris Doctor, 1974
Texas Tech University, Bachelor of Business Administration, with honors, 1971
Admitted to Practice
Texas, 1974
U.S. District Courts: Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
