Hal J. Wood

Experience

• Lead trial counsel in defending majority shareholder in claims in excess of $70 million for breach of representation and fraud arising from the sale of a business. Case resulted in favorable settlement after the commencement of the trial, and subsequent favorable rulings to enforce the terms of the settlement agreement.
• Lead trial counsel in defending former employees and new employer in a federal court trial on claims of breaches of restrictive covenants, breach of fiduciary duty, misappropriation of trade secrets and violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Case resulted in a judgment for defendants on all claims after a six-day trial. (Instant Technology, LLC v. Elizabeth DeFazio, et al., 2014 WL 1759184).
• Lead counsel for defendants in a staffing industry restrictive covenant case. Case favorably settled following the denial of the plaintiff’s motion for a temporary restraining order.
• Lead trial counsel in representing a shareholder of an accounting firm in connection with the breakup of the accounting firm. Judgment by the trial court successfully divided the firm’s assets in favor of client.
• Lead counsel in arbitration representing defendant in a claim by a consultant seeking a finder’s fee in relation to for the sale of a business. The representation resulted in an award in favor of the defendant after a 5-day arbitration hearing, and an award requiring the plaintiff to pay the client’s attorneys’ fees.
• Represented majority shareholder sibling owners of food seasoning and packaging company against other sibling shareholder relating to a dispute over the ownership and management of the company. Representation resulted in clients successfully obtaining ownership of entire company.
• Lead counsel for wholesale bakery in claims based on a restrictive covenant and claims of misappropriation of trade secrets related to the hiring of an employee from a competitor. The plaintiff dismissed the case after the court denied its motion for a temporary restraining order.
• Lead trial counsel for a legal finance company in an interpleader case filed in state court in Houston, Texas. The case was settled after trial by the client receiving funds that were the subject of the interpleader case.
• Lead trial counsel for a financing processor of vehicle service contracts. The plaintiff, who was an administrator of the vehicle service contracts, withdrew its request for a preliminary injunction during the preliminary injunction hearing and then the case settled just prior to the beginning of the trial.
• Lead counsel in an arbitration hearing for a medical doctor in claiming amounts due him from the medical practice after he left the practice. Arbitration hearing resulted in award in favor of client for all amounts he claimed were due him.
• Represented accountant in claims made by accounting firm for amounts it claimed were due because of the accountant’s departure from the firm. Prevailed on a motion for summary judgment.
• Lead trial counsel representing a futures trading firm on churning claims in jury trial in state court in Las Vegas, NV. Jury trial resulted in verdict in favor of client on all claims.
• Lead trial counsel for futures trading firm in a National Futures Association (NFA) arbitration hearing in claims made by customer relating to the closing out of positions in the customer’s account. The hearing resulted in a favorable ruling for the client.
• Lead trial counsel in federal court jury trial in Indianapolis, Indiana, in fraud and breach of contract claim resulting in successful defense of fraud claim brought by departed executive based on dispute over compensation package.
• Lead trial counsel in jury trial on behalf of landlord against departing national retail tenant. Trial resulted in judgment against former tenant for all amounts claimed by landlord for unpaid rent and other damages.