PHARMACEUTICAL AND MEDICAL DEVICE:
Trial counsel for Johnson & Johnson in Texas Multi District Litigation involving opioid drugs.
Trial counsel for Ethicon, Inc. and Johnson & Johnson in federal and state products liability litigation cases involving pelvic mesh products.
Trial counsel for Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Johnson & Johnson in federal and state products liability litigation cases involving the prescription medication Risperdal.
Trial Counsel for AstraZeneca in state Medicaid fraud litigation involving marketing of antipsychotic medication.
BREACH OF CONTRACT:
Lead trial counsel for Baylor University in state litigation involving breach of fiduciary duty/breach of contract.
Lead trial counsel for Lower Colorado River Authority in various state court litigation matters involving Wholesale Power Agreements throughout Central Texas.
54 Broadcasting, Inc. v. LIN Television (Civil Action No. 1:08-CV-30) — Successful defense of a breach of contract case alleging the wrongful assignment of F.C.C. television license. Jury found the assignment valid.
CLASS ACTION:
Sandoval v. Western Union (Cause No. 98C2407; Luis Pelayo and Oscar Perales v. Western Union Financial Services, Inc.; In the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Chicago Division)) – McConnico was one of the lead Plaintiff counsel in a national class action alleging Western Union overcharged persons wire transferring money from the United States to Mexico. The settlement for the class was valued at more than $275,000,000.00.
LEGAL MALPRACTICE:
Catherman v. First State Bank of Smithville (796 S.W.2d 799) — Successful trial court and appellate rulings that federal and state Fair Debt Acts do not apply to Texas attorneys. Jury verdict in favor of defendant lawyer.
Gunn v. Minton (568 U.S. 310 (2105) — This case establishes the rule that state courts not federal courts have jurisdiction over legal malpractice cases arising out of patent litigation. This is the position McConnico, as the lead trial defense counsel, argued for and prevailed on at the trial level.
TECHNOLOGY:
B. Randall Jean, et al v. Thermo Electron Corporation, et al. (Case No. 99-0632) — Successful defense in a seven week arbitration involving microwave technology before AAA arbitration panel. There were 120 witnesses and 1600 exhibits. Arbitrators awarded what defense offered in settlement.
OIL AND GAS:
After an eight-day trial, a jury on April 25, 2019, provided a comprehensive victory for SDM’s client, a publicly traded oil and gas company, on all the claims at issue in the lawsuit. The jury determined that SDM’s client had not breached the applicable joint operating agreement, and also awarded SDM’s client $1.2 million in attorneys’ fees.
Langham v. Texaco (Case No. 8866; Elodie H. Langham v. Texaco, Inc.; In the 75th Judicial District Court of Chambers County, Texas) — Lead attorneys representing Lessor royalty owners against Lessee Texaco for drainage and underpayment of royalties. After extensive discovery, the case settled resulting in a significant payment to the Broussard Estate.
HECI v. AOP (Cause No. 88-1045; HECI v. AOP Freeman; In the 155th Judicial District Court of Fayette County, Texas) — Lead attorney representing HECI suing AOP, the operator of an adjoining lease, for damage to the oil and gas reservoir underlying both the HECI and AOP leases.
Republic Oil & Gas v. Mustang Drilling (Cause No. 6472; Republic Oil & Gas v. American; In the 229th Judicial District Court of Starr County, Texas) — Lead trial attorney for Lessee Republic Oil & Gas and Lessor Isabel Requenez against supplier of defective well casing resulting in the loss of an oil and gas well.
Hope v. Pickens (Cause No. 6453-A; Hope v. Pickens; In the 293rd Judicial District Court of Maverick County, Texas) — Lead trial attorney representing Lessors suing Lessee for failure to develop.
St. Paul Fire v. Petroplex, 2015 WL 5173035 (Tex. App. – Eastland 2015, writ denied) — McConnico was the lead trial attorney for Petroplex. In this well blow out case, Petroplex sued the provider of the blowout preventer which failed. The case settled during trial. Petroplex then sued St. Paul which denied coverage for the blowout. The trial court and court of appeals both ruled St. Paul owed coverage.
Steve has given over 150 Continuing Legal Education presentations.
Selected Reported Cases
Hall v. Pedernales Elec. Co-Op., Inc., 278 S.W.3d 536 (Tex. App.—Austin 2009, no pet.)
In Re Graham, 251 S.W.3d 844 (Tex. App.—Austin 2008, orig. proceeding)
Henderson v. Chambers, 208 S.W.3d 546 (Tex. App.—Austin 2006, no pet.)
