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Clayton E. Devin

Of Counsel

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214.651.3304

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cdevin@macdonalddevin.com

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Over the course of his career, Macdonald Devin co-founder Clayton Devin has provided clients with sound guidance and effective representation inside and outside the courtroom.

Overview

A trial lawyer with experience in commercial and personal injury disputes, Clayton has been recognized for his skill and professionalism in litigation matters. Board Certified in Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, he has appeared in state and federal courts in over 100 counties in Texas and Oklahoma, representing Fortune 500 Companies as well as individuals and closely held businesses.

His construction practice is focused on representation of general contractors, subcontractors and material providers seeking to minimize their exposures from contract disputes and defaults. Representing national and local trucking companies, Clayton helps them manage the catastrophic consequences that sometimes follow from the combination of large machines and human error. General counsel to a statewide medical specialty organization, Clayton’s health law practice focuses on assisting physician practice groups in navigating the intricate web of commercial and governmental relationships that encompass today’s medical practice.

Clayton is admitted to practice in all Texas state courts, as well as the U.S. District Court for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas

Practices

Business Litigation
Construction Litigation
Health Law
Premises Liability
Products Liability
Professional Liability
Toxic Tort and Environment
Transportation

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.
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.

Honors and Recognitions

Texas Trial Legend, Dallas Bar Association Tort and Insurance Practice Section, 2017
Selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list, published by Texas Monthly Magazine, Business Litigation, 2005–2023
Selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list, published by Texas Monthly Magazine, Business Litigation, Top 100, 2006
Selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list, published by Texas Monthly Magazine, Business Litigation, Top 100 DFW, 2006 and 2016–2017
AV Rated, a Martindale Peer Reviewed Rating

Professional Affiliations

American Board of Trial Advocates
Defense Research Institute
Dallas Bar Association
State Bar of Texas
Texas Association of Defense Counsel—President (2015–2016)
Trucking Industry Defense Association

Educational and 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