Brent C. Perry( Partner )
2 Houston Center
909 Fannin St., Ste 2630
Houston, Texas 77010
Brent Perry has distinguished himself as a skilled commercial litigator over his 30-year career in a wide range of business litigation and appellate maters. In this time, he has used his wealth of experience to help clients resolve complex issues in securities, contracts, and insurance litigation.
As a trial lawyer, Brent Perry has obtained multimillion-dollar settlements and verdicts for plaintiffs and successfully defended significant claims against his clients. This year, he and his partner settled a series of related multimillion-dollar claims under the Texas Securities Act for defrauded investors. He is client-focused and gives serious attention to the documents and details that make or break a claim or defense in business litigation.
In 2015, after the Texas Supreme Court sharply limited shareholder oppression actions, he settled a minority shareholder’s suit against the majority owner of a construction services company for over $3 million, close to full value. In 2010, he obtained a $4.5 million verdict in a commission-based contract dispute against a major Korean shipbuilder and held the judgment on appeal.
He has handled appeals before at least half the appellate courts in Texas, the Texas Supreme Court, and two federal appellate courts. His successful results include published opinions affirming the $4.5 million judgment in Ikanco Inc. v. DSME and the $5.8 million jury verdict in Acadian Geophysical Services, Inc. v. Cameron. He understands that successful appeals begin with knowing and applying the law in the trial court.
Brent Perry has been selected to Texas Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters since 2018. He is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He won one of Verdict Search’s Top Texas Verdicts in 2010 and has earned an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell every year since 1999.
Brent earned his JD from The University of Chicago Law School in 1989 and served a one-year clerkship U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa in McAllen, Texas. He first practiced with Baker Botts, LLP in 1990 and then Bracewell, LLP in 1993. While an associate, he tried and won several cases, including an intra-family dispute over dividing a $10 million settlement.
Perry joined Zummo & Schirrmeister, LLP in 1997, became a partner at Zummo, Mitchell & Perry, LLP in 1998. In 2004, he established the Law Office of Brent C. Perry. In all three firms, he continued trying significant business disputes while developing a complimentary appellate practice. He became Board Certified in Civil Trial Law in 2010. In 2015, he joined longtime friend Robert R. Burford to establish Burford Perry LLP.
Mr. Perry’s representative matters include:
- Panton, Inc. Texas Securities Act Litigation. (2019)
- Successfully resolved Texas Securities Act claims for Chinese and Texas investors who lost their multimillion dollar investments in a Houston-based technology company.
- Redus v. University of the Incarnate Word (2019)
- Continuing representation of parents of college student who was fatally shot by private university peace officer in off-campus encounter.
- Appellate court affirmed trial court dismissal on special appearance of individual defendant in case involving $1 million promissory note. (2019)
- Trial court dismissed mandamus action against Texas limited liability company in claims arising from $100 million investment. (2019)
- Successfully resolved claims for chief financial officer of pipeline company related to contested ownership interest. (2019)
- Obtained dismissal of multimillion-dollar claims by ex-spouse against estate arising from decedent’s ownership in construction services company. Plaintiff paid client’s attorney’s fees after appeal to resolve case on remand. (2018)
- Trustee for Life Partners Holdings, Inc. v. Brian Pardo, et al (2017)
- Represented former CEO of publicly-held life settlements company in litigation brought by bankruptcy trustee. Limited damages in jury verdict to a fraction of the amount sought by the trustee at trial and reduced jury verdict by half in post-trial motions. Resolved case while on appeal.
- Obtained $1.4 million judgment for mortgage company against borrower who pocketed funds from Hurricane Ike insurance claim and failed to repair HUD-certified apartment project. (2015)
- Collins v. Martinez and CAROL Crane (2015)
- Prosecuted shareholder oppression and fiduciary duty claims for the minority owner of a construction services company. During the prosecution of the case, the Texas Supreme Court sharply limited shareholder oppression actions. Successfully settled for most of the claimed damages, in excess of $3 million, on day before trial.
- Ikanco Inc . v. DSME, 376 S.W. 3d 229 (2012)
- Obtained $4.5 million judgment for a Texas consulting firm against DSME, a Korean ship builder. Client assisted DSME in obtaining contracts worth almost $700 million to build LNG carriers. Judgment affirmed on appeal.
- University of the Incarnate Word v. Redus, 580 S.W.3d 184 (San Antonio 2018, pet. granted).
- Tran v. Hoang, 481 S.W.3d 313 (Houston [1st Dist.] 2015).
- Pei-Herng Hor and Ruling Meng v. Ching-Wu ‘Paul’ Chu, 699 F 3d 1331. (Fed. Cir. 2012)
- Robbins v. Reliance Insurance Co. 102 S.W.3d 739 (Corpus Christi 2003)
- Acadian Geophysical Services, Inc. v. Cameron, 119 S.W.3d 290 (Waco 2003)
- Allen v. W.A. Virnau & Sons, Inc., 28 S.W.3d 226 (Beaumont 2000)
- Chalifoux v. New Caney ISD, 976 F.Supp. 659 (S.D.Tex. 1997)
Bar Admissions
- State of Texas, 1989
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas, 1990
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1990
- U.S. Court of Appeals Federal Circuit, 2012
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, 2014
- U.S District Court for the Northern District of Texas, 2015
Education
- The University of Chicago Law School, Chicago, Illinois
- J.D. – 1989
- Baylor University, Waco, Texas
- B.A. in Economics with Honors – 1986
Honors and Awards:
- Texas Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2018-2022
- Top Texas Verdict, Texas Verdict Search, 2010
- AV Preeminent rating, Martindale-Hubbell, 1999-2020
Professional Associations
- Houston Bar Association, Board of Directors, 2012 -2014
- Chair Federal Practice Section, 2015
- The Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Inc. (President, Treasurer, Capital Campaign Co-Chair), 2001-2012
- Baylor University
- Board of Advocates for the College of Arts & Sciences, 2009 – Present
- National Campaign Steering Committee for Give Light Campaign, 2018 – Present
- Houston Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
- Chair of AIDS Outreach, 2012-2013
- Chair of Lawyers Against Waste, 2013-2014
- Texas Association of Civil Trial & Appellate Specialists, 2010 – Present
- The Texas Bar College
Past Employment Positions
- Law Office of Brent C. Perry, P.C., 2004-2015
- Zummo, Mitchell & Perry, LLP, Partner, 1997 – 2002
- Bracewell & Patterson (now Giuliani), Associate, 1993 – 1995
- Baker & Botts, LLP, Associate, 1990 – 1993
- Hon. Ricardo H. Hinojosa, S.D. Tex., Law Clerk, 1989 – 1990
