John S. “Jack” Edwards, Jr. represents businesses, institutional clients, and individuals in complex commercial litigation, securities, ERISA, antitrust, and appellate matters in state and federal courts across the United States. His practice includes high-stakes disputes involving significant financial exposure, with particular experience in the financial services, transportation, energy, and technology sectors.

Jack has extensive experience in securities and investor litigation, representing investors in major securities class actions and other disputes involving publicly traded companies. He has also represented financial professionals in ERISA litigation and arbitrations involving deferred compensation and employee benefit plans and businesses in complex antitrust, contract, fraud, and other commercial disputes.

His current work includes representing Weskan Grain LLC and Colorado Pacific Railroad in significant federal antitrust litigation concerning competition and access to rail transportation; and investors in securities litigation involving RCI Hospitality Holdings.

Jack also has substantial appellate experience in complex commercial matters. He has handled appeals before federal and state appellate courts and has helped secure significant results for clients, including the reversal of a $93 million judgment. Over his career, he has helped obtain major recoveries for investors and financial professionals, including a $79 million ERISA class-action recovery for financial advisors and a $173.8 million securities settlement arising from the collapse of Cobalt International Energy.

Distinctions

• Texas Super Lawyer
• Texas Rising Star, Super Lawyers
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Peer Review Rating – An AV certification is a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank the individual to be at the highest level of professional excellence.
• Top Lawyer, Houstonian Magazine (2013, 2014)
• Roadrunner Award, Houston Volunteer Lawyers (2014)
• Special Recognition for Exceptional Pro Bono Representation, Houston Bar Foundation (2014)
• Harris County Bench-Bar Pro Bono Award - Individual (2013)
• Outstanding Subcommittee Chair, ABA Energy Litigation (2012-2013)

Court Admissions

• All Texas State Courts
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit

Representative Matters

Business Litigation

• Represents Weskan Grain LLC and Colorado Pacific Railroad in significant federal antitrust litigation challenging alleged anticompetitive conduct affecting rail transportation and access to competitive freight service.
• Represents investors in federal securities litigation against RCI Hospitality Holdings, Inc. and certain of its executives involving alleged materially false and misleading statements to investors.
• Represented dozens of financial advisors in numerous ERISA arbitrations and related federal litigation involving deferred compensation plans maintained by a major financial services firm.
• Represented investors in securities litigation involving Apache Corporation and its Alpine High oil and gas development, resulting in a $65 million settlement.
• Represented investors in securities litigation against Venator Materials PLC and certain of its officers and directors, resulting in a $19 million settlement.
• Settled for $79 million a federal class-action lawsuit against Wells Fargo & Company on behalf of its former financial advisors who were wrongfully forced to forfeit their deferred compensation when they left the company.
• Member of the legal team that recovered over $173.8 million for investors in the Cobalt International Energy, Inc. securities class action litigation.
• Member of the legal team that recovered $22.5 million for investors in the Conn’s, Inc. securities class action litigation.
• Prosecuted fraud and breach-of-contract claims against a military contractor.
• Represented an electrical utility in complex tort litigation arising from a wildfire against claims brought by subrogating insurance carriers and individuals.
• Represented an excess carrier in primary and subrogation litigation and recovered millions of dollars for the carrier client.
• Defended software companies in a multibillion-dollar civil action and corresponding federal criminal complaint.
• Defended an engine manufacturer against multimillion-dollar fraud claims in Texas trial and appellate courts.
• Defended a refining company in antitrust litigation brought by the Federal Trade Commission to block a merger.
• Represented an energy company in prosecuting federal preemption claims against a state.
• Represented a drilling fluids company in prosecuting theft-of-trade-secret claims.
• Represented an oil and gas company in prosecuting breach-of-contract claims.
• Represented a foreign defendant in successfully seeking dismissal for lack of personal jurisdiction.

Personal-Injury Litigation

• Defended a water-truck company against product-liability claims.
• Defended an oilfield services company against claims arising from the Gulf of Mexico’s deadliest offshore oil accident; case dismissed on forum non conveniens grounds.
• Defended an agricultural grower in thousands of toxic-tort claims brought throughout the United States, including in forum non conveniens reinstatement proceedings.
• Defended a chemicals company against benzene product-liability claims.
• Defended a pharmaceutical company against prescription-drug product-liability claims.

Appeals

• Obtained opinion from Texas appellate court affirming trial court’s order for an apex deposition of the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
• Defended a civil rights organization in appealing a libel judgment to the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking certiorari on a unique First Amendment Petition Clause issue.
• Defended an agricultural grower in mandamus appeals to the Texas Supreme Court seeking to reverse forum non conveniens reinstatement of thousands of toxic-tort claims brought by foreign plaintiffs.
• Defended an engine manufacturer against fraud claims in Texas state courts, including reversing an anti-suit injunction and overturning a $93 million judgment.
• Argued before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of financial advisors seeking to recover deferred compensation that was illegally forfeited.
• Defeated a petition for writ of mandamus seeking to block post-judgment discovery of judgment debtors’ assets.

Pro Bono

• Defended a civil rights organization in appealing a libel judgment to the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking certiorari on a unique First Amendment Petition Clause issue.
• Represented a client through the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program in obtaining a successful judgment in a landlord-tenant case after a two-day jury trial and later enforced the entire judgment in a fraudulent-transfer lawsuit.
• Served as a volunteer prosecutor in Missouri City Municipal Court, prosecuting dozens of misdemeanors in first-chair bench and jury trials.
• Appleseed Hurricane Katrina Project, Pro Bono Volunteer.
• Houston Bar Association Legal Lines, Volunteer.
• Volunteered at the Virginia Capital Representation Resource Center, representing death row inmates in their state and federal habeas corpus appeals.

Publications, Speeches, and Presentations

• "Litigation: Law and Practice (USA)," Chambers and Partners Global Practice Guides 2024
• "Why RIAs who left deferred comp on the table back at the wirehouse may yet make a claim for what might be, rightfully, their money," RIABiz (March 2021)
• "Force Majeure in a Pandemic," Ajamie LLP Website (April 2020)
• “Fraudulent Transfers: Tips, Tricks & Pitfalls Under Texas Law,” HBA CLE Presentation (March 2019)
• “Colorado High Court Affirms Award of Expert Fees in Water Case,” ABA Environmental & Energy Litigation Website (June 2017)
• “Too Much Tequila? How to Enforce an Invalid Mexican Arbitration Award in the United States,” HBA CLE Presentation (September 2017)
• “Ohio Supreme Court Deals Blow to Fracking Foes,” Ajamie LLP Hot Issues Blog (September 2016)
• “Department of Labor Issues Rule to Address Conflicts of Interest in Retirement Advice,” Ajamie LLP Hot Issues Blog (June 2016)
• “EPA Proposes New Methane Regulations,” ABA Energy Litigation Website (October 2015)
• “The In-House Attorney-Client Privilege: The Scope of the Privilege for Businesses and Law Firms,” HBA CLE Presentation (November 2014)
• “Texas High Court Rules Overriding Royalty Not Subject to Postproduction Expenses,” ABA Environment & Energy Litigation Website (August 2015)
• “New York High Court Says Municipalities May Ban Fracking,“ ABA Energy Litigation Website (July 2014)
• “Virginia Creates Rail-Safety Task Force Following Oil Spill,” ABA Energy Litigation Website (June 2014)
• “North Carolina Moves Closer to Issuing Fracking Permits,“ ABA Energy Litigation Website (June 2014)
• “DOT Issues Emergency Order to Trains Carrying Bakken Crude Oil,” ABA Energy Litigation Website (June 2014)
• “Colorado First to Regulate Methane Emissions from Oil & Gas Operations,“ ABA Energy Litigation Website (May 2014)
• “Texas High Court Rules for Energy Company in Accommodation-Doctrine Case,” ABA Energy Litigation Website (July 2013)
• “North Carolina Passes Fracking Legislation, Overrides Veto,” ABA Energy Litigation Website (July 2012)
• “Fracking Unlikely to Cause Earthquakes, Says NRC Study,” ABA Energy Litigation Website (July 2012)
• “Ohio Passes Fracking Legislation,” ABA Energy Litigation Website (June 2012)
• “Interior Department Proposes Fracking Regulations,” ABA Energy Litigation Website (May 2012)
• “Government Studies May Determine the Future of Fracking Regulation,” ABA Energy Litigation Journal (November 2011)
• “The Impact on Electronic Discovery of the December 1, 2006 Amendments of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,” Presentation (October 2006)
• “The Nuts and Bolts of Electronic Discovery: Litigating Under the December 1, 2006 Amendments of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,” Presentation (December 2006)

Memberships & Community

• Member, ABA Social Media Committee
• Member, Editorial Board, American Bar Association’s Environmental & Energy Litigation Committee
• Co-Chair,American Bar Association’s Environmental & Energy Litigation Social Media Subcommittee
• Member, American Bar Association Member, State Bar of Texas (Litigation and Appellate Sections)
• Member, Houston Bar Association Member, College of the State Bar of Texas

Other Attorney Experience

• Jones Day
• Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP