J. B. (Trey) Henderson III

Partner

Doyle, Restrepo, Harvin & Robbins, L.L.P.

440 Louisiana Suite 2300

Houston, Texas 77002

Phone: 713-228-5100

Fax: 713-228-6138

E-mail: thenderson@drhrlaw.com

Download vCard

Practice Description

Mr. Henderson has extensive litigation experience, including jury trials and arbitrations, in the following areas:

• Business and commercial litigation
• Trucking litigation
• Contractual disputes
• Covenants not to compete
• Defamation, libel, and slander
• Probate litigation
• Fiduciary duties
• Insurance bad faith and coverage
• Leasing disputes
• Property damage
• Securities sales practices and regulations
• Trade secrets
• Texas Dram Shop Act
• Fraud
• Negligence
• Small business representation
• Mortgages
• Employment
• Construction

Representative Matters

Mr. Henderson has tried cases in Texas state courts, federal courts, and before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. He has argued before Texas appellate courts and the Texas Supreme Court. Representative clients and cases include the following:

• For a trucking company: Successful trial defense of a trucking company accused of being vicariously liable for the alleged negligent driver’s conduct. After a four-day trial, the jury returned a unanimous verdict that the driver was not in the course-and-scope of the company. The Court entered a take-nothing judgment in favor of the company.
• For a group of vendors: Obtained a judgment on behalf of a group of oil field workers and vendors relating to their work on a rig. The judgment was affirmed by the Texas Court of Appeals.
• For a broker: Successful trial defense of a wrongfully terminated broker accused by a major brokerage firm of ignoring a purported money-laundering scheme and breaching his promissory note for $807,270.88. The broker pursued counterclaims which included defamation, breach of contract, and sought expungement of his U-5. After a four-day FINRA arbitration, the Panel found for the broker, dismissed the firm’s note claim in its entirety, and ordered that the U-5 be expunged based on the defamatory nature of the information.
• For a forensic accountant: Successful trial defense of a forensic accountant accused of fraudulently billing his client and committing malpractice. That accountant counterclaimed for unpaid fees of $364,502.41 for professional services. Mr. Henderson obtained a summary judgment at trial court on the malpractice claims. After a weeklong trial, the jury found for the accountant and awarded him 100 percent of his unpaid fees, interest, and attorney fees.
• For a gas cylinder company: Co-counsel for successful trial recovery in breach of contract action.
• For a national insurance carrier: Managed a docket of first-party insurance cases involving claims for coverage and bad faith relating to Hurricane Katrina.
• For a national brokerage firm: Successfully obtained an arbitration award against a broker who breached her contractual obligations with the firm.
• For a national insurance carrier: Successful trial defense from claims by the plaintiff for breach of contract for underinsured motorist coverage — jury verdict for the defense.
• For a national brokerage firm: Successful defense against charges of corporate raiding and theft of trade secrets and confidential information. The plaintiff sought damages in excess of $5 million. After a six-day arbitration, the Panel rejected all of the plaintiff’s claims.
• For a national insurance carrier: Defended a docket of first-party insurance cases involving coverage for mold and water-related events.
• For a national customs brokerage firm: Successful defense against claims of misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of fiduciary duties.
• For a cable television marketing company: Successful defense against claims of misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of covenants not to compete.
• For a pipeline company: Successfully obtained favorable settlement for claims relating to a dispute over coverage for property loss due to storm damage.
• For a national insurance carrier: Managed first-party insurance cases involving coverage and bad faith relating to Hurricane Ike.
• For a PVC pipe company: Obtained a favorable settlement for claims related to lost profits and property damage.
• For an energy company: Defended claims including tortious interference and breach of fiduciary duty relating to a partnership dispute. Mr. Henderson obtained a summary judgment at the trial court dismissing all claims and successfully argued the case before the Texas 1st Court of Appeals.
• For a recruiting company: Defended claims relating to breach of fiduciary duty, covenants not to compete, and trade secrets.
• For a national pizza restaurant company: Successfully defended several cases relating to lease disputes.
• For commercial providers: Represented individuals and businesses charged with violations of the Texas Dram Shop Act.
• For an energy company: Obtained favorable settlement relating to a leasing dispute.

Additionally, as a former legislative assistant to a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1997-1999 and as a former counsel to a United States House of Representatives subcommittee from 1999-2001, Mr. Henderson has extensive experience dealing with state and federal legislative bodies and administrative entities.

Mr. Henderson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with special honors from the University of Texas at Austin and a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from South Texas College of Law, where he was an intramural mock trial winner and a member of ATLA and National Mock Trial Teams. He is licensed and admitted to practice before the courts of the state of Texas and the United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, and Northern District of Texas.

Activities and Affiliations

• Member, State Bar of Texas
• Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
• Member, Houston Bar Association
• Former Director, Kiwanis Club of Houston
• Secretary, Kiwanis Foundation
• 2011 Vice President, SIRE — Houston’s Therapeutic Equestrian Centers (provides therapeutic horseback riding to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities)

Prior Employment

• 1997-1999, Legislative Assistant, U.S. House of Representatives
• 1999-2001, Minority Counsel, Subcommittee on Management, Information, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives Government Reform Committee