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Ellen A. Presby, an accomplished trial lawyer with more than two decades of litigation experience, serves as lead attorney for personal injury, products liability, sexual abuse, pharmaceutical injury cases and environmental exposure.  Her resume of civil trial work covers the gamut: she has handled cases involving business disputes, environmental clean-up, premises liability, personal injury, products liability, medical negligence, sexual abuse, deceptive trade practices, contract disputes, and employment law. She has extensive experience in all phases of litigation, including trial and appeal to state and federal courts.

Ellen was at the forefront of advocating for the rights of Fen-Phen victims and has represented thousands of Fen-Phen plaintiffs in related lawsuits.   She was named a member of the Seventh Amendment Liaison Committee in the Fen-Phen MDL litigation, which obtained $1.275 billion in excess funding for the Nationwide Class Settlement Agreement and administered the additional funding by the defendant to compensate Fen-Phen victims.

A frequent lecturer and speaker, Ellen has taught trial advocacy skills and litigation-specific continuing legal education courses through the Southern Methodist University School of Law, the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, the Dallas Bar Association, and other programs.  She is also the co-author of the book Texas Pretrial Practice, published in 2000 and updated annually. 

For her career accomplishments, Ellen was recognized as one of the top 50 female lawyers in Texas by Texas Monthly magazine and Law & Politics Media in 2004, and was listed as a Texas Super Lawyer by these publications since 2003.  She has also been named an Advocate by the National College of Advocacy's Achievement Recognition Program, through the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.  Among her many professional activities, she has served as Co-Chair of the State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee, the Executive Committee of the Dallas Chapter of American Board of Trial Advocates, the Boards of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and Public Justice Foundation. Ellen is also a member of the Leaders Forum of the American Association of Justice. She is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell Legal Directory, the publication's highest, and serves on the boards of several philanthropical organizations and educational institutions.

Education

  • Southern Methodist University School of Law (J.D. 1984)
  • University of California at Davis (B.A. 1981)

Bar and Court Admissions

  • Texas
  • United States Supreme Court
  • United States Courts of Appeals for the Third and Fifth Circuits
  • United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas

Professional Associations 

  • American Bar Association
  • American Association of Justice
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • American Society of Trial Consultants
  • Texas Board of Trial Advocates
  • Public Justice Foundation
  • American Inns of Court
  • Southwestern Legal Foundation
  • Texas Trial Lawyers Association
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association
  • Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
  • Academy of Trial Advocacy

Publications

  • Co-Author, TexasPre-Trial Practice (James Pub. 2000)

Presentations

  • "Issues of Funding Bankrupty Concerns," Lex-Nexis Wall Street Forum: Mass Torts Litigation, 2003.
  • "Fen-Phen Federal MDLs/State Courts," Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2004.
  • "Sanctions for Discovery Abuse," Advanced Civil Discovery Under the New Rules, University of Houston Law Foundation, 2000 - 2002.
  • "Summary Jury Trials," Texas State Bar Advanced Personal Injury Course, 1999.

Significant Trials

  • Hines v. Wyeth, No. BC 304491 Sup. Ct. Cal, Los Angeles County, Southeast Dist. (Norwalk, CA)
  • Grace Energy v. Kaneb Pipe Line, No. 97-05135-J, 191st Jud. Dist Ct., Dallas County, Texas
  • Martin v. Waco Hilton, Jud. Dist. Ct., McLennan County, Texas
  • Status Diamonds v. Lloyds of London, Jud. Dist. Ct., Dallas County, Texas
  • Pierce v. Norman, No. 348-141373-92 348th Dist. Ct., Tarrant County, Texas
  • Chacon v. Everett, No. 3-94-CV-2389-G, U.S. Dist. Court Texas (Northern Dist)
  • Interstate Adjusters v. Luce, No. 3-93-05691-C, 68th Jud. Dist. Ct., Dallas County, Texas
  • Harmon v. Central Bag, U.S. Dist. Ct. Texas (Northern Dist.)
  • Hood v. Sears, 116th Jud. Dist. Ct., Dallas County, Texas
  • Professional Manifest v. RCA, No. CA3-82-1697-R, U.S. Dist. Ct. TX (Northern Dist.)
  • Minor v. Sally Beauty Supply,No. 87-4442-B, 362nd Jud. Dist. Ct, Dallas County, Texas
  • Perrin v. Curtis, No. 86-6018-A, 14th Jud. Dist. Ct, Dallas County, Texas
  • Gregory v. Gravity, No. 83-726690B, 44th Jud. Dist. Ct, Dallas County, Texas
  • Small v. Jote, 160th Jud. Dist. Ct, Dallas County, Texas
  • Tucker v. JMB Realty, Jud. Dist. Ct, Collin County, Texas