Chad W. Dunn

Chad Dunn consistently receives awards from legal publications for his extensive trial and litigation practice in Courts all over the country. From the United States Supreme Court, the Fifth Circuit, the Texas Supreme Court and virtually all trial and appellate courts below, Chad has the experience to prevail in the most difficult conditions and environments. He has handled complicated litigation in various states including Texas, Tennessee, the District of Columbia, New Mexico, North Carolina and Florida, and has tried numerous jury cases, trials to the bench and arbitrations.

As a fourth generation Houstonian, Chad was born and raised in Spring, Texas, where some of his ancestors were original settlers of the Spring area.

Chad graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and went on to earn his law degree from Houston Law School, formerly South Texas College of Law. He won numerous awards in law school for outstanding mock court presentations and was also published in law review and other publications.

Legal Experience:

Early in his career, Chad worked for the Houston firm of O’Quinn, Laminack & Pirtle, LLP, where he handled complicated and high value litigation of nearly every variety. Chad attended trials and hearings, and also participated in numerous appellate briefings including preparation of the merits briefs in the Texas Supreme Court Case of In Re Ken Thompson Frost.

After working for O'Quinn, Chad joined Scott Brazil’s firm to develop a trial and appellate practice, known today as Brazil & Dunn, LLP. Determined to pursue a meaningful career in law, Chad tried a jury trial in Harris County on his own after being permanently licensed for only three weeks. Over the next few years, he tried more than a dozen jury trials and additional bench trials in courts throughout the state. Thoroughly skilled as an attorney for both Defendants and Plaintiffs, Chad has successfully defended numerous clients and has obtained substantial verdicts on behalf of Plaintiffs. As a result of his extensive experience as a trial attorney, Chad not only earned a Board Certification in Personal Injury Trial Law, he was one of the youngest applicants to receive that honor.

Chad represents clients diligently, earning million-dollar plus verdicts in numerous cases, including, a million-dollar verdict against a major league baseball player for transmitting a sexual transmitted disease to the firm’s client. Chad was also a member of a trial team in a four-week arbitration in North Carolina that resulted in over a million-dollar recovery for their business client. Recently, Chad handled a complicated corporate derivative lawsuit taking more than six years and resulting in the recovery of important corporate assets by the firm’s business client. Chad has worked on complicated RICO and federal anti-trust cases. He has also tried and/or litigated numerous business, real estate, bankruptcy, personal injury, election and civil rights matters. Chad has also worked on difficult white collar criminal cases. In short, Chad has developed a reputation as a go-to lawyer for complicated, drawn out federal and state court litigation.

Chad has substantial experience handling appellate matters. He has argued at the Fifth Circuit, both before the full en banc court and before numerous three judge panels, more than a dozen times, including several cases that drew national media attention. At any given time, it is not uncommon for him to be handling appeals at the U.S. Supreme Court, the Texas Supreme Court, a federal circuit court and lower Texas Courts of Appeals. Chad was approved very early in his career to sit for the Board Certification exam of Appeals.

Government bodies have hired Chad to defend them in complicated and drawn out civil rights litigation and appeals.

Chad is widely considered an expert in voter apportionment and redistricting of districts for political offices, as well as civil rights cases in general. He has lectured to audiences all over the country.

Having honed his skills as a trial and appellate attorney, there is virtually no type of significant court dispute Chad has not handled.

Chad is licensed to practice law in Texas, the District of Columbia, and Florida and has his bar application is pending final approval in North Carolina.

Political and Voting Rights Experience:

Chad has handled numerous trial and appellate matters related to voting and civil rights.

Prior to practicing law, Chad worked for State Representative Dawnna Dukes (Austin) and then State Senator Rodney G. Ellis (Houston). Prior to that, Chad was a policy intern for U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (Texas).

In 2003, Chad was appointed as General Counsel to the Texas Democratic Party. For over a decade, Chad has represented the Party in dozens of matters including regulatory, election, real estate, civil rights, redistricting and general litigation. In 2006, arguing before the Federal Court in Austin and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Chad successfully led a trial and appellate team that prevented a prominent U.S. Congressman from unlawfully handpicking his successor. He also led the team that successfully defended a Motion for Stay presented to the United States Supreme Court. More recently, Chad has handled legal matters pertaining to the historic 2008 and 2012 presidential elections.

Chad has also pursued Voting Rights and redistricting cases against Dallas County and Harris County, winning his clients favorable results.

Chad is presently handling legal matters to ensure fair voter procedures and to ensure fair apportionment of voting districts.

Media Experience:

Often complicated and important litigation involve intense media coverage. Chad has been interviewed by FOX, MSNBC and numerous other television and radio outlets participating in media interviews monthly, and sometimes daily. Chad has been quoted is some of the largest circulation print and web media including, the New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, and numerous other national medial outlets. He has been a quotes source in the Houston Chronicle, the Miami Herald as well as other local publications throughout Texas. Chad has the experience to leverage media attention for his client’s benefit.

 

Awards and Recognition:

  • Named one of the top ten lawyers under the age of 40 in Texas Lawyer magazine.

  • Awarded Super Lawyer
    by Texas Monthly Magazine 
    2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016

  • Awarded Rising Star Lawyer
    by Texas Monthly Magazine
    2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011

  • Named Lawyer on the Fast Track
    by H Texas Magazine
    2005 and 2006

  • Recognized as Top Rated Professional
    by H Texas Magazine
    2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011

Licensed to Practice:

  • all courts throughout Texas

  • all Federal Courts in Texas including the United States District Court for the Southern, Western, Northern, and Eastern Districts of Texas

  • all courts throughout District of Columbia

  • all courts throughout Florida

  • all Federal Courts in Florida including the United States District Court for the Southern, Middle, Northern Districts of Florida

  • United States District Court for the District of Columbia

  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth, 10th, 11th and D.C. Circuits

  • United States Supreme Court

  • Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Chad has published legal materials and lectured on topics on his own and with other lawyers. He is a frequent lecturer on civil and voting rights matters.

List of Selected Reported Cases

In re Brown, Court of Appeals of Texas, San Antonio. July 14, 2008. 2008 WL 2725833. Suit to determine eligibility of a candidate to seek election to the Court of Appeals.

In re Lakewood Forest Fund, Inc., Court of Appeals of Texas, Houston (14th Dist.). October 20, 2005. 2005 WL 2674971. Suit concerning deed restrictions and a homeowner's right to repair own property.

Texas State University-San Marcos v. Bonnin, Supreme Court of Texas. June 25, 2010. 314 S.W.3d 912. Suit to recover for the drowning death of a university student trapped in an undertow and hidden caverns on a waterway held by the State.

DOE v. DOE, United States District Court, N.D. Texas, Dallas Division. August 12, 2008. 2008 WL 3874693, 2008 WL 5422871 and 2009 WL 306173. Suit for collection of damages for transmission of sexual disease.

Miller v. Gibraltar Sav. Ass'n, United States District Court, S.D. Texas, Galveston Division. July 22, 2005. 2005 WL 1719702. Suit concerning the collection of penalties owed homeowners for failing to deliver a timely deed.

Kucinich v. Richie, United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. March 24, 2009. 563 F.3d 161. Suit to determine the extent to which the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protected a political party's requirement to execute an oath to seek the party's nomination.

Lulac of Texas v. State of Texas, United States District Court, W.D. Texas, San Antonio Division. August 24, 2009. 651 F.Supp.2d 700 and 318 Fed.Appx. 261. Suit concerning the scope of the Voting Rights Act.

In re Cullar, Court of Appeals of Texas, Dallas. August 19, 2010. 320 S.W.3d 560. Suit to determine the residency of a candidate who sought election to the Texas Senate.

In re Sharp, Supreme Court of Texas. January 27, 2006. 186 S.W.3d 556. Suit to determine eligibility of candidate to seek election as a Court of Appeals Justice in light of alleged errors on ballot application.

Sartin v. Serum Products, LLC., United States District Court, N.D. Texas, Dallas Division. March 25, 2008. 2008 WL 782645. Suit for damages alleged to be owed company salesman.

Brimer v. Maxwell, Court of Appeals of Texas, Dallas. October 06, 2008. 265 S.W.3d 926. Suit to determine eligibility of nominee for election to Texas Senate.

In re Wilson, United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Texas, Houston Division. November 27, 2006. 355 B.R. 600. Suit concerning the ownership and operation of baseball training business.

Jackson v. Carlson. Court of Appeals of Texas, Austin. March 12, 2009. 2009 WL 638848. Suit concerning ownership of family ranch.

Sachtleben v. Bennett. Court of Appeals of Texas, Houston (14th Dist.). August 12, 2010. 2010 WL 3168395. Suit concerning eligibility of incumbent Justice of the Pease for election when the candidate's ballot application lacked the requisite number of petition signatures.

Texas State University--San Marcos v. Bonnin, Court of Appeals of Texas, Austin. December 18, 2008. 315 S.W.3d 58. Suit for wrongful death of a student who drowned on campus.

Richie v. Benkiser, United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. August 03, 2006 459 F.3d 582. Suit to determine whether a member of Congress was ineligible for re-election and therefore could be replace on the ballot by party leaders.

In re Angelini, Supreme Court of Texas. February 24, 2006. 186 S.W.3d 558. Suit to determine if an error in a ballot application was fatal to a person's a candidacy.