+1 713 221 2346
lmurphy@skv.com
Garland "Land" Murphy loves finding the right answer for his clients. He has a knack for quickly identifying a dispute's key questions and then answering those questions efficiently. Land devotes to his clients the same dogged determination and attention to detail that allowed him to graduate as the valedictorian of his law school class and to receive the highest score on the February 2007 Texas bar exam. Land is dedicated to obtaining the same exceptional results for his clients from pre-suit dispute resolution through trial and to final appeal. And Land has obtained outstanding results for his clients through jury trials, arbitrations, administrative proceedings, and appeals, with substantial experience representing clients in the energy industry and handling disputes involving trade secrets and non-compete agreements.
In 2017, Land first-chaired a jury trial in Texas state court, securing a jury verdict and ultimate entry of a $6,500,000 final judgment for his real estate client in a case involving a breach of a settlement agreement and theft of real property. Land also reached favourable settlements in suits he filed on behalf of a large oil and gas client against working interest owners who failed to pay their share of expenses.
In 2016, Land successfully defended a financial advisor sued in Texas state court for defamation and business disparagement by a competitor after the advisor participated in a Texas attorney general's investigation into price-fixing and collusion in the municipal utility district bond refinancing market. The state court dismissed all claims and awarded attorney's fees and sanctions to Land's client, and the case settled on favorable terms shortly thereafter.
In 2015, Land obtained a summary judgment for a global energy concern that a $1,000,000 liquidated damages clause in an oil and gas lease was an unenforceable penalty. Plaintiff claimed he was owed $1,000,000 because of an alleged delay of roughly sixty days completing a well.
In past years, Land obtained a favorable settlement for a Fortune 10 company in a dispute over a well pad accident that caused an uncontrolled release. He obtained a final judgment in favor of a 50% owner of a trucking company after a jury trial on breach of fiduciary duty claims. He represented a small contractor over claims for compensation owed for its work constructing a pipeline across the Tigris River at the height of the Iraqi insurgency. He also briefed and argued an insurance coverage issue in an arbitration for a global accounting firm resulting in a seven-figure award. Land successfully defended a drill bit manufacturer against misappropriation of trade secrets claims brought by a much larger competitor. He also successfully represented a new artificial lift venture whose employees were accused of misappropriating their former employer's trade secrets. He briefed and argued an appeal to the Texas Court of Appeals that reversed a nearly $1 million judgment against his clients, a small E&P company and its owner. He briefed the same matter to the Texas Supreme Court, which reviewed the merits briefs and ultimately denied the plaintiff's petition for review.
Land received his B.A., summa cum laude, from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1997. Before attending law school, Land worked for several years in the information technology field and received his Certified Public Accountant license from the state of Arkansas in 1999. He received his J.D., summa cum laude, from Pepperdine University School of Law in 2005. While in law school, Land was a lead articles editor for the Pepperdine Law Review and was a member of the First Place moot court team for the 2003 National Criminal Procedure Tournament and a member of the National Champion team for the 2004 Robert F. Wagner National Labor & Employment Law Moot Court Competition. He was also recognized as a National Member of the Order of Barristers. Upon graduation from law school, Land served as law clerk to the Honorable Diarmuid F. O'Scannlain, United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit.
Last Updated 10th September 2017