Attorney Profile

Michael C. Wright

Michael Wright is a Dallas transportation, business, and energy lawyer. He has focused his practice on litigation since beginning his legal career in 1989. His litigation practice includes commercial litigation, personal injury, including catastrophic injury, and industry related litigation involving transportation and energy. He has experience in all phases of litigation, including jury and nonjury trials, arbitrations, and appeals in both state and federal courts.

A majority of Mr. Wright’s practice centers around the transportation industry. This practice area is integral to nearly every business enterprise, and its scope and complexity continue to expand. Mr. Wright assists business clients in meeting their goals by understanding their transportation challenges and opportunities. He represents rail, motor carrier, freight forwarding, and other logistics companies, and assists clients with preparing contracts, structuring transactions, and litigating disputes. Mr. Wright has experience with Carmack Amendment litigation, DOT, and Surface Transportation Board matters. He also has experience in surface freight disputes, freight loss and damage litigation, commercial driver issues, and general regulatory compliance. Mr. Wright also frequently assists clients with emergency response actions involving catastrophic injury, fatal accidents, and environmental release incidents arising out of rail or motor carrier accidents.

Mr. Wright is a member of the Texas State Bar, the Dallas Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute, and the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel. He is a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and a sustaining life fellow of the Dallas Bar Foundation. Mr. Wright is AV® Preeminent ™ rated by Martindale-Hubbell, and is routinely selected to the Texas Super Lawyers lists by Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters service.

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Representative Matters

Currently serves as counsel to several national motor carriers as litigation counsel in Texas for personal injury, business dispute, and cargo claim litigation.

Currently serves as counsel for freight forwarders as counsel for business structure transactions, cargo claims, and general business litigation.

Currently serves as counsel for regional short line railroads in business structure transactions and general business litigation.

Successfully represented a short line railroad in litigation against a municipality in federal court and Fifth Circuit where municipality attempted to impose local zoning and miscellaneous regulations to construction of rail related facilities.
Successfully represents Texas Non-Subscribers in litigation and arbitration with employee injury and employment claims.

ASSOCIATIONS

  • Texas State Bar
  • Dallas Bar Association
  • Defense Research Institute
  • National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel
  • Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • Dallas Bar Foundation, Sustaining Life Fellow

Education

  • J.D., Baylor University School of Law, 1989
  • B.S., Louisiana State University, 1986

ADMISSIONS & HONORS

  • State Bar Admissions
    • Texas and Arkansas
  • Federal Court Admissions
    • Northern District of Texas
    • Eastern District of Texas
    • Southern District of Texas
    • Western District of Texas
    • Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

honors

  • AV® Preeminent ™ rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Texas Super Lawyer, 2005-2007, 2011-2012, and 2016-2023 by Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters service.
  • Best Lawyers – Transportation 2023

Noteworthy Accomplishments

  • Texas Central Business Lines Corp. v. U.S. Polyco, Inc., 2022 WL 2977477 (Tex.App. – Waco July 27, 2022, pet. filed).
  • BNSF Railway Co. v. Panhandle Northern Railroad LLC, 946 F.3d 705 (5th Cir. 2020).
  • In re Freightquote.com, 2019 WL 995791 (Tex.App. – Dallas March 1, 2019).
  • Manufacturer’s Transportation, Inc. v. Breeze Transport, LLC, 2016 WL 8925335 (E.D. Tex., April 7, 2016).
  • Klein v. Silversea Cruises, Ltd., 2015 WL 181777 (N.D. Tex., Jan. 14, 2015).
  • Del Mor Logistics, LLC v. GB Carriers, LLC, 2014 WL 12580441 (W.D. Tex., July 7, 2014).
  • Eagle Suspensions, Inc. v. Hellman Worldwide Logistics, Inc., 2014 WL 1407635 (N.D. Tex., April 11, 2014).
  • Cline v. Carnival Corp., 2014 WL 550738 (N.D. Tex., Feb. 12, 2014).
  • Texas Central Business Lines Corp. v. City of Midlothian, 669 F.3d 525 (5th Cir. 2012).
  • Overseas Carriers, Inc. v. Team Ocean Services-Dallas, Inc., 2011 WL 3875369 (S.D.Tex., August 31, 2011).
  • Federal Insurance Co. v. Everest National Insurance Co., 257 S.W.3d 771 (Tex.App.-Dallas 2008, pet. denied).
  • F.T.C. v. Think All Pub. L.L.C., 564 F.Supp.2d 663 (E.D.Tex. 2008).
  • Leyva v. J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc., 2008 WL 4068160 (S.D. Tex. 2008).
  • Cruise v. Monington, 558 F.Supp.2d 707 (E.D.Tex. 2007).
  • Harris v. J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc., 423 F.Supp.2d 595 (E.D. Tex. 2005).
  • Powell v. Vavro, McDonald, and Associates, L.L.C., 136 S.W.3d 762 (Tex.App.-Dallas 2004, no pet.).
  • Youngblood v. U.S. Silica Company, 130 S.W.3d 461 (Tex.App.-Texarkana 2004, pet. denied).
  • Johnson v. Union Pacific R. Co., 2003 WL 25676463 (E.D. Tex. 2003).
  • Wiggins v. Union Pacific R. Co., 2003 WL 25720982 (E.D. Tex. 2003).
  • Southern Pacific Transp. Co. v. Voluntary Purchasing Groups, Inc., 252 B.R. 373 (E.D.Tex. 2000).
  • Cedar Crest Funeral Home, Inc. v. Lashley, 889 S.W.2d 325 (Tex.App.-Dallas 1993, no pet.).