Aaron J. Burke has successfully represented clients involved in high-stakes litigation across Texas, in more than 20 states, and internationally. Aaron guest lectures at Baylor Law School, and serves as a trial, consultant, and monitoring counsel for individuals and a variety of companies involved in pre-suit matters and litigation throughout the United States. His practice focuses on product liability matters as well as representing attorneys and CPAs in cases involving alleged professional negligence and malpractice. Aaron also handles a broad field of commercial and other business litigation matters, including business disparagement, insurance disputes, non-solicitation, non-compete, trade secret, breach of contract, and tortious interference with contract cases. And Aaron helps companies and insurers with complex insurance disputes in pre-suit matters and litigation.
Aaron's peers and clients have recognized his exceptional practice on a number of occasions. He has been named a Texas Rising Star each year since 2016 by Super Lawyers®, a Thomson Reuters publication. Selection to this list is a distinction limited to 2.5% of all lawyers in Texas. He has also been honored as a "Best Lawyer Under 40" by D Magazine and as one of the "Best Lawyers in Dallas" by D Magazine.
Published Works
• "Confusion Now Hath Made His Masterpiece! But When Does the Removal Countdown Begin? A Discussion on the Fifth Circuit's Recent Fraudulent Joinder Decisions and Their Potential to Trap the Unwary Litigator," 63 Baylor L. Rev. 237 (2011)
Representative Cases
• Minshall v. Hartman Equine Reproduction Center, United States District Court for Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division
• Smith v. Endeavor Energy & EKO Gas Gathering, Denton, Denton County, Texas
Honors
• Alumni, DAYL Leadership Class, 2012 - 2013
• Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
• Fellow, DAYL Foundation
• Honored as a “Best Lawyer Under 40” by D Magazine
• One of the "Best Lawyers in Dallas" by D Magazine
• Named a Texas Rising Star each year since 2016 by Super Lawyers®, a Thomson Reuters publication
Classes & Seminars
• 'Two Cases that Changed the Nation, Turning Points in 20th Century America." SAGU ThoughtHub Guest Speaker
• Guest Lecturer, Baylor Law School, Intro to Oil and Gas
• Guest Lecturer, Southwestern Assemblies of God University, ThoughtHub
Representative Clients
• Fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and tortious interference with contract case, Austin, Travis County, Texas. Obtained non-suit of all claims against clients after filing Motion to Dismiss under Texas anti-SLAPP statute. Plaintiff alleged damages in excess of $1 million.
• Strict products liability, manufacturing and failure to warn, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. Obtained summary judgment on behalf of vape dealer for alleged explosion of lithium ion battery that caused second and third degree burns to plaintiff.
• Non-compete, non-solicitation, tortious interference, and misappropriation of trade secrets case, Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas. After full-day evidentiary hearing, obtained denial of temporary injunction and dissolution of temporary restraining order sought by Plaintiff to enjoin client landscaping company from soliciting or doing business with any of Plaintiff's many hundreds of alleged customers.
• Non-compete, non-solicitation, tortious interference, and sexual harassment case, Houston, Harris County, Texas. Plaintiff demanded more than $900,000 in damages, settled at mediation, without any compensation to Plaintiff.
• Product liability death case, Houston, Harris County, Texas. Reached settlement of less than $5,000 on behalf of a dealer of industrial trailers alleged to have caused Plaintiff’s death by electrocution.
• Minshall v. Hartman Equine Reproduction Center, United States District Court for Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division. Obtained a verdict on behalf of the owners of a diseased American Quarter Horse, in suit against stallion owners and stallion station/breeding facility, after a significant settlement with stallion owners. Settlement with stallion owners and publicity from trial brought significant changes in the American Quarter Horse and cutting horse industries, including greater transparency regarding testing results for the genetic skin disease known as HERDA that affects a significant portion of the population of American Quarter Horses, especially those from competitive cutting horse pedigrees.
• Products death case, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Won summary judgment against subrogation claim brought by life insurance company on behalf of decedent's widow. Subrogation carrier refused to lower settlement demand from $290,000, the full amount of its purported damages, at mediation. Summary judgment granted against all claims by subrogation carrier after hearing only one week after mediation, fully disposing of insurance carrier’s $290,000 claim.
• Smith v. Endeavor Energy & EKO Gas Gathering, Denton, Denton County, Texas. Obtained partial summary judgment limiting plaintiff to purported change in fair market value damages, obtained ruling striking plaintiff's appraisal expert's opinions entirely.
• Oil rig death case, Midland County, Texas. Obtained summary judgment for a major oil exploration and production company on all plaintiffs' claims in a wrongful death lawsuit arising from an accident on an oil & gas drilling rig. Plaintiffs' appealed. Successfully briefed and defended appeal of case to Eastland Court of Appeals and ultimately before the Texas Supreme Court, which affirmed trial court's summary judgment.
• Overseas government contractor case, United States District Court for Eastern District of Texas, Texarkana Division. Obtained summary judgment on behalf of international government contractor based on alleged traumatic brain injury suffered by plaintiff in Marine-vehicle outfitting/upgrading facility in Kuwait. Plaintiff claimed more than $1 million in damages.
• Pipeline explosion case, Austin, Travis County, Texas. Obtained dismissal with prejudice on behalf of a subsurface utility engineering company. Plaintiff claimed more than $1 million in damages from significant burns.
Past Lists
• 2020 Texas Super Lawyers list
• 2019 Texas Super Lawyers list
• 2018 Texas Super Lawyers list
• 2017 Texas Super Lawyers list
• 2016 Texas Super Lawyers list
Professional Associations
• Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA), Chair, 2018 to 2019
• TYLA, Director, 2013 to 2016
• William "Mac" Taylor Jr., American Inn of Court, Associate Member
• Dallas Bar Association
• DAYL Law Student Assistance Committee, Co-Chair, 2013 to 2016
• State Bar of Texas Court Rules Committee, Member, 2018 to 2019
