Background: Ernest is a trial attorney with extensive experience handling professional liability, legal malpractice, premises liability, employment, and construction litigation claims. Ernest joined Funderburk Funderburk Courtois as Of Counsel in 2019.

 

Representative Matters:

 

Defense verdict following jury trial in Galveston, Texas in case in which an elderly woman suffered over $1,500,000.00 in damages due to an allegedly dangerous retail premises.

 

Defense verdict following jury trial in claim alleging multiple employees sexually assaulted customer in restroom of restaurant/convenience store.

 

Defense decision in favor of employer in arbitration arising out of admittedly false allegations of theft made by the employer against retail manager.

 

Defense verdict in bench trial alleging $8,000,000.00 in damages for legal malpractice in handling an appeal.  Defense verdict in related jury trial for alleged legal malpractice at the jury trial of the same case.

 

Defense decision in arbitration arising out of race and gender discrimination in termination of retail manager.

 

Defense decision following jury trial in claim alleging worker’s compensation retaliation by employer.  

 

Pre-Trial Take Nothing Judgment in Cameron County, Texas of sexual harassment, retaliation, and defamation claims in case brought by management team of retail establishment.

​

​​Preparatory Education:  Preparatory  education, The University of Chicago (A.B. Economics, 1987); Legal Education.  The University of Houston Law Center (Juris Doctorate Magna Cum Laude, 1993).

 

Admissions: The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas, and in all Texas State Courts.

 

Prior Positions: 

 

Taylor, Taylor & Russell (Houston, Texas) – concentration on premises liability, employer liability, and construction litigation.

​

Glast, Phillips & Murray (Houston, Texas) – handling primarily employer liability, premises liability, and construction industry claims and litigation. 

​

Butler Binion (Houston, Texas) – engaged in legal malpractice/professional liability defense and construction litigation.  Became a partner at Butler Binion in 1999.

​

Wells & Henry (Houston, Texas) – focusing on defending Deceptive Trade Practices Act claims and Creditor’s Rights.