Patrick W. Mizell
Texas Tower
845 Texas Avenue
Suite 4700
Houston, Texas 77002
Pat is an accomplished trial lawyer, representing clients on both sides in commercial litigation (jury trials, bench trials, and arbitration) and the defense side of multi-district tort litigation. He is one of a handful of lawyers in Texas who is a member of all four of the prominent national trial lawyer organizations: he is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and the International Society of Barristers. Clients note that Pat “is an excellent lawyer [and] he’s very comfortable in court,” and “is a great trial lawyer with a strong state and national reputation.” (Chambers USA 2023).
Experience Highlights
Lead counsel for the utilities and select banks in the Winter Storm Uri multi-district litigation
Lead counsel for a large independent oil and gas producer in the defense of climate change litigation in California and Delaware
(U.S.); (5th Cir.); (W.D. Tex.) – Obtained summary judgment defending the State Bar of Texas against a First Amendment mandatory bar challenge; on appeal, the Fifth Circuit vacated and granted partial summary judgment and a preliminary injunction to the three plaintiffs, but upheld the vast majority of the Bar’s challenged initiatives as constitutional; the U.S. Supreme Court denied our opponents’ cert petition
(S.D. Tex.) — Represented an aviation company in a suit brought by its former maintenance service provider in a breach of contract case; in a bench trial, we successfully defeated plaintiffs’ claims and prevailed on a counterclaim, winning a million dollars (net) on the counterclaim
Represented the preeminent cancer center in the country in an arbitration brought against it by its district energy provider; the case involved claims for breach of contract and counterclaims involving board governance and rate-making issues; after a week-long arbitration, the panel denied our opponent’s breach of contract claims and granted judgment in our client’s favor, resulting in approximately US$30 million of savings for the cancer center over the life of the contract
(Tex. Dist. − Harris Cnty.) — Represented an energy services company as plaintiff in a one week bench trial; successfully rescinded a warrant agreement based on mutual and unilateral mistake; the warrants at issue were valued at approximately $40 million
(Tex. Dist. – Harris Cnty.) — Obtained dismissal of $400 million alleged fraud claims brought by spouse of executive against international energy trading company, based on personal jurisdiction and mandatory forum selection
(S.D. Tex. − Houston) — Obtained dismissal of $8 million dollar alleged fraud claims against Canadian company and family based on personal jurisdiction
(Tex. Dist. − Harris Cnty.) — Obtained a $17 million (net) dollar verdict in district court in Harris County, Texas, for a commercial landlord in a six-week jury trial of a breach of lease case; the verdict included a full award of attorneys’ fees
(N.Y. Sup. − Commercial Div.) — Obtained a complete defense verdict against a $90 million claim brought by a joint venture partner against a hedge fund for breach of contract; the jury trial lasted four weeks, and after the win, the trial court awarded full attorneys’ fees to V&E’s client
(Tex. Dist. − Harris Cnty.) — Obtained a complete defense summary judgment against defamation claims brought by a physician against a nonprofit children’s hospital; the trial court awarded sanctions to V&E’s nonprofit client of approximately $725,000, one of the largest sanctions awards in Texas jurisprudence
(Tex. Dist. − Harris Cnty.) — Obtained a bench trial finding and judgment upholding an earnest money contract and requiring specific performance in a commercial real estate transaction regarding a multimillion dollar property on Washington Avenue in Houston, Texas; the bench trial was in district court in Harris County, Texas
(W.D. Tex. – Midland) — Obtained a complete defense jury verdict on liability and damages in federal court in Midland, Texas, for a major pharmaceutical company in its first federal trial involving alleged heart valve damage from the use of diet drugs; the victory represented the first and only liability win in Texas for the manufacturer, who was beset by thousands of claims across the country
(Tex. Dist. − Harris Cnty.) — Obtained a $19 million (net) verdict and judgment for the primary investor in a construction equipment company against the former executive, for fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract relating to artificial inflation of earnings
(Tex. Dist. − Harris Cnty.) — Successfully defended an investment bank in litigation against a corporate executive for malfeasance in connection with a $130 million bond issue to executive’s company
Credentials
- University of Houston Law Center, J.D., 1989 (Order of the Barristers)
- Southern Methodist University, B.A., 1986
- Judge: 129th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas, 1995–2002
- Chambers USA, Litigation: General Commercial (Houston), 2021–2024
- Legal 500 U.S., Energy Litigation: Oil & Gas, 2019; General Commercial Disputes, 2020 and 2022
- Selected to the 500 Leading Litigators in America, Lawdragon, 2023−2025
- The Best Lawyers in America© (BL Rankings, LLC), Commercial Litigation (Houston), 2005−2006, 2008−2025
- Selected to the Texas Super Lawyers list, Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), 2006–2024
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- Fellow, International Academy of Trial Lawyers (limited to 500 US attorneys)
- Member: American Board of Trial Advocates
- Member: International Society of Barristers
- Commissioner: Texas Ethics Commission, 2018 to present
- Commissioner: Texas Judicial Compensation Commission, 2007 to 2018
- Life Fellow: State Bar of Texas Foundation; Houston Bar Foundation Member
- Texas
- Southern, Northern, Eastern, Western Districts of Texas
- Fifth Circuit
- Rankings & AwardsSeptember 19, 2024
- Rankings & AwardsSeptember 12, 2024
- Rankings & AwardsJune 6, 2024
- Rankings & AwardsSeptember 18, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsSeptember 11, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsAugust 21, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsJune 1, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsMarch 29, 2023
- Rankings & AwardsOctober 4, 2022
- Deals & CasesSeptember 16, 2022
- Deals & CasesAugust 19, 2022
- Rankings & AwardsAugust 18, 2022
- Rankings & AwardsJune 16, 2022
- Rankings & AwardsJune 1, 2022
- InsightMay 23, 2022
V&E Litigation Update
- Rankings & AwardsMarch 29, 2022
- Speaker for trial practice at continuing legal education seminars across Texas