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Tom Kirkendall has been a leading expert in complex business litigation matters in the Houston, Texas area for the past 30 years.
Born and raised in Iowa City, Iowa, Mr. Kirkendall is the fourth of ten children in the family of the late Dr. & Mrs. Walter M. Kirkendall. Dr. Kirkendall was a long-time Professor of Medicine at the University of Iowa College of Medicine when he decided to move his large family to Houston in 1972 to become the first Chairman of the Department of Medicine at the then new medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston's famous Texas Medical Center. Mr. Kirkendall moved to Houston in 1972 with his family, and worked his way through college and law school. He received a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, in 1975 from the University of Houston, where he studied under the extraordinary political theory professor, the late Dr. Ross Lence. Mr. Kirkendall received a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1979 from the University of Houston Law Center, where he studied evidence and criminal law under the legendary late Professor Newell Blakely and business law under the well-renowned Professor Raymond T. Nimmer.
After working for one of Houston's oldest downtown law firms while in law school and for two years immediately after law school, Mr. Kirkendall at the age of 28 was one of the founding partners in 1981 of the downtown Houston "business litigation boutique" law firm that bore his name and became prominent over the next 20 years in complex business litigation matters in Houston and throughout Texas. After serving as one of the principal lawyers and the managing partner of that firm for 20 years, Mr. Kirkendall established his solo practice in 2000 in which he concentrates on (i) personalized representation of clients in complex business litigation matters (more information on the nature of Mr. Kirkendall's practice can be reviewed here); (ii) utilization of technology applications in such litigation, and (iii) providing specialized "gatekeeper services" for large business clients and individuals in the coordination and management of complex business litigation and corporate reorganization matters.
Mr. Kirkendall has represented a wide variety of clients in complex business litigation and reorganizations in state and federal courts throughout Texas and the United States. Mr. Kirkendall's practice has involved trials and appeals in such diverse litigation areas as corporate reorganization and bankruptcy, anti-trust, securities and business fraud, real estate, construction, oil and gas, insurance disputes, civil rights, First Amendment issues, defense of civil and criminal contempt matters, and defense of individuals in NCAA Infractions Committee hearings. Mr. Kirkendall maintains an "AV" rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Legal Directory, which is the highest rating of that service.
Mr. Kirkendall has been an author and lecturer for the State Bar of Texas Advanced Bankruptcy Seminar and the Houston Bar Association in various areas of business litigation and corporate reorganization law. Mr. Kirkendall has also lectured on a variety of business litigation topics for continuing education classes for private companies and citizen groups. Mr. Kirkendall is admitted to practice before all Texas state courts, the United States District Courts for the Southern and Northern Districts of Texas, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the following:
Mr. Kirkendall also maintains the Houston's Clear Thinkers weblog, which has been addressing issues of interest to the Houston legal, business, and medical communities since February, 2004. Through his blog writings, Mr. Kirkendall has become a leading advocate against the increasing use of the prosecutorial power of government to regulate reasonable corporate and business risk-taking.
Mr. Kirkendall has been married to Susan Schearer Kirkendall for 25 years, and they reside with their four college-age children in The Woodlands, Texas, which is a suburban community 30 miles north of downtown Houston. This Houston metropolitan area map shows the location of The Woodlands in relation to downtown Houston and the rest of the Houston metro area.
An abbreviated version for printing purposes of Mr. Kirkendall's background information can be downloaded here in PDF format.
Mr. Kirkendall provides references to prospective clients upon request. Please contact Mr. Kirkendall by phone or email for information regarding references.
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