John B. Schorsch, Jr.
Shareholder
John B. Schorsch, Jr. is a shareholder in the firm and provides legal services and counsel to high wealth individuals, businesses, and financial institutions, in Texas and throughout the Southwest. Mr. Schorsch’s practice focus reflects a diverse mix of complex family and fiduciary issues, commercial disputes, personal injury and defense litigation.
Experience
Mr. Schorsch has significant bench and jury experience trying financially complex and high conflict family Law cases; business and banking disputes; emergent and injunctive relief; and catastrophic injury and defense issues.
He has represented a varied cross section of industries, including professional athletes, banks, restaurants, food distributers, REITS, construction, financial services, oil and gas exploration and transportation, musical publishing, municipal construction and medical services. His experience includes several state and federal appeals, numerous jury and bench trials, arbitrations, and temporary and permanent injunction hearings. Mr. Schorsch has previously served in a general counsel capacity to multiple entities in the entertainment, environmental, construction and oil & gas industries. He has served on the Dallas Bar Association Fee Dispute Committee and has written and lectured on various practice techniques and emerging topics.
Bar Admissions
- Texas Bar, 1985
- U.S. Court of Appeals, D. C. Circuit, 1991
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit, 1989
- U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, Western and Southern Districts of Texas, 1985-1994
- United States Supreme Court, 2015
Professional Associations
- American Bar Association
- State Bar of Texas
- Dallas Bar Association
- Annette Stewart Inns of Court
Honors & Recognition
- Member of Inns of Court-Annette Stewart Inns of Court
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review rated since 1996
- D Magazine Best of Dallas Lawyers (Peer Selected) –Best of Family Law 2014 and 2015
- National Institute of Trial Advocacy 1988
- The Order of Barristers -National Order of Barristers -Emory University 1984
- Lewis V. Powell Award Best Oralist-National Moot Court Competition 1984
Education
Emory University School of Law, Atlanta, Georgia
Juris Doctor degree, 1985
Memberships: Emory University School of Law-Moot Court Society, National Order of the Barristers
The American University, Washington, D.C.
Bachelor of Arts, with honors, 1982
Major: Administration Justice
Case Summaries & publications
Representative Appellate Cases
Lulirama v. Axcess Broadcast Services, Inc., 128 F3rd 872 (5th Cir 1997).
Affirmed Plaintiff’s verdict for recovery of damages and Declaration of Copyrights.
Ex Parte Hightower, 877 SW2d 17 (Tex. App. -Dallas, 1994, writ dismissed).
Affirmation of contempt as means to compel payment of necessaries including amicus fees.
Pierson & Ross v. SMS Financial III, L.L.C. 959 SW2d 343 (Tex. App.-Texarkana, 1998, no pet.).
Affirmed jury verdict for full recovery of all loan deficiencies, enforcement of personal guarantees and award of all attorney’s fees.
RequipCo., Inc. v. Am-Tex Tank & Equipment, Inc., 738 SW2d 299 (Tex. App.- Houston [14th Dist.], 1987 writ ref'd.).
Court clarified the permissible manner and timing by which summary judgment record may be perfected.
Reynolds v. Reynolds, 2002 Tex. App., Lexis 5422, (Tex. App.-Austin, 2002, no pet.).
Court affirmed Domestication and enforcement of foreign divorce judgment.
IN RE H.D.V. 11-0064 (Tex. 2011).
Court denied mandamus seeking to declare that spousal support award prohibited by terms of a prenuptial agreement.
Representative Texas State Court and Federal Court Trials
Williams vs. Colorado Concrete Company,
Catastrophic injury claim successfully tried to jury. Plaintiff lost his leg in an industrial accident.
T. Miller vs. JD Miller et al.
Partnership dispute successfully tried to bench. Defense verdict and take nothing judgment on all claims of breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract,) and award of Defendants attorney fees.
Orenstein and MSM v. Mandel
Adversary proceeding enforcing state court receivership orders. Judgment for recovery of Receiver’s and Special Counsel’s fees.
Shamoun & Klatsky P.C. vs. Law Offices Joseph Ashmore
Breach of contract claims successfully tried to jury. A Plaintiff’s verdict for full recovery of all damages, attorney fees and costs and a take nothing verdict on all counter claims.
Gillmore et al vs. Gulf Health Care Center
Personal Injury claims against a nursing home. Successfully tried to jury. A take nothing judgment on all claims.
SMS Financial III, L.L.C vs. Pierson and Ross
Commercial deficiencies and personal guarantees successfully tried to jury. A plaintiffs verdict entered for 100% of all deficiencies, enforcement of guarantees, attorney fees and, a take nothing judgment on all counterclaims.
Jones et al vs. Chinwah et al.
Plaintiff sued a recording artist to enforce license, management and publishing agreements. Successful bench trial resulting in Plaintiffs verdict enforcing all 3 contracts, a recovery of all royalties, attorney fees and an entry of a take nothing judgment on all counterclaims.
Griffin vs. Argos et al.
Defendant sought to reinterpret a series of written drilling agreements. Case tried to a jury with mitigation of damages for Defendant.
Miller & La Bare II Inc. vs. Sierer
Plaintiff successfully tried ownership dispute of entity to bench Plaintiff was declared the sole owner of corporation and all intellectual property. Plaintiff awarded a money judgment and permanent injunction.
DARR Equipment Co. v. Jimmy Chatham & Jimmy Chatham Dozier Services, Inc.
Plaintiff sued to enforce holdover and penalty provisions in heavy equipment leases. Case successfully tried for Defendant to jury resulting in a take nothing judgment for Defendant.
