18383 Preston Road, Suite 300

Dallas, Texas 75252

T    214-390-7702

F    214-989-4147

Blog: Texas Trade Secrets

“I started my career as a trial lawyer because it presents the opportunity to combine creativity and hard work to persuasively present a client’s story. Along the way, I learned that I am as interested in business as I am interested in law. This is why I represent clients both in court and in non-litigation matters involving business law. My work fulfills me when I am a business partner.

This firm’s purpose is to make clients happy they chose us. We try to do so in each representation by striving to achieve our clients’ business goals; giving clear and honest advice; and by melding hard work with an innovator’s spirit inside and outside of the courtroom.”

— Patrick Keating

On a day-to-day basis, Patrick Keating advises clients about business law, corporate governance and preparation of contracts.  For example, as general corporate counsel for Firm clients, Patrick advises boards of directors and corporate officers about potential business transactions, contracts, corporate restructuring, best practices and how to avoid litigation.

Once litigation erupts, Patrick draws upon his more than twenty-five years of experience in the courtroom to advance his clients’ interests as lead trial counsel.  Clients also retain Patrick to advise them about cases in which they are represented by other law firms (for example, when the clients’ insurer or indemnitor had the right to select trial counsel or where a client has a large docket of litigation).  In these situations, Patrick provides litigation management services by advising clients about litigation strategy and methods for reducing the cost of the litigation; and Patrick reduces the time his clients’ representatives must dedicate to lawsuits by serving as clients’ main point of contact with trial counsel.

Patrick focuses his litigation practice on (1) commercial litigation (for example, theft of trade secrets, breach of contract, and business tort cases) and (2) lawsuits between co-owners of businesses (typically breach of fiduciary duty cases).

For the first two decades of Patrick’s legal practice, he worked at and became a partner at one of the largest law firms in Texas — an international law firm with offices in fourteen cities.

The following few examples illustrate Patrick’s experience:

• Patrick provided litigation management services to clients named as defendants in multiple related lawsuits arising out of a shooting involving rival motorcycle clubs that occurred at the Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, Texas in 2015.  This was an incident that made national news headlines on every network. Patrick advises the clients regarding litigation strategy and serves as the clients’ liaison with their trial counsel.
• Patrick represented a large restaurant franchisee and its majority owners in multiple cases involving disputes between the business owners.
• Patrick serves as general corporate counsel for clients in mechanical insulation, plumbing and HVAC businesses. Patrick attends board of director meetings, prepares sales agreements and other contracts, and advises the clients regarding corporate restructuring and acquisitions.
• Patrick represented the plaintiff in a breach of contract case in the chemical industry.  After a three week jury trial, the court entered a judgement in excess of $3.9 million for the plaintiff. The defendant settled the judgment by paying $3,525,000.  Patrick’s client received $2,731,250 of  those funds with the remainder applied to attorney’s fees.
• Patrick worked in partnership with other law firms to represent a Fortune 500 company semiconductor manufacturer to prosecute a theft of trade secrets case against a Chinese competitor.
• Patrick represented multiple businesses in the sale and acquisition of businesses in both asset and stock transactions.

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

All United States District Courts in Texas

State Bar of Texas

J.D., University of Texas at Austin School of Law, 1995, with honors; Articles Editor, Texas Law Review, Volume 73

B.A., University of Texas at Austin, 1991, cum laude

Board of Directors, CASA of Collin County, Texas (2014 – 2022)

Chair of Board of Directors, CASA of Collin County, Texas (2019 – 2020)

Barrister, Patrick Higginbotham Inn of Court (2006-2009)