Brian Abramson PARTNER
Brian Abramson joined Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP in 2014 and was named Partner in 2022. He began his legal practice in 2005. He primarily handles cases involving mass torts and commercial litigation. He has significant experience handling complex commercial law cases, products liability claims, and class action lawsuits. He has also worked for commercial organizations handling debt restructuring and corporate reorganization.
Brian has an impressive portfolio of case results, and he uses this experience to ensure his clients receive the best outcomes possible. He has served as counsel to thousands of victims in a variety of mass tort litigation against national behemoths, including Uber and Lyft users who were sexually assaulted while using the rideshare services, individuals taking the prescription epileptic drug Depakote as well as those taking chemotherapy agent Taxotere. Brian is also representing thousands of property owners in inverse condemnation proceedings against the Army Corps of Engineers arising out of Hurricane Harvey flooding in Houston.
In addition to his extensive courtroom experience, Brian has also been published in a number of journals, including the American Bankruptcy Institute Journal, and the Norton Journal of Bankruptcy Law and Practice. He has written on subjects such as credit bidding, corporate restructuring, and fraud. In addition to having his expert opinion sought out by his peers, he was selected for inclusion in the Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars list in 2009, as well as the Texas Super Lawyers list from 2013 to 2015 and from 2020 to 2023.
Brian began his legal career after graduating from the University of Texas Law School, from which he graduated with high honors in 2005. Brian thrived as a law student at Texas, and during his time there, he worked on the Texas Law Review and was elected to join the Chancellor’s Society and the Order of the Coif. Brian is licensed to practice law in the state of Texas. He has been admitted to practice law in several federal courts, including the United States Court of Federal Claims, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the United States District Courts in the Western, Northern, Eastern, and Southern Districts of Texas.
While his work as an attorney keeps him busy, Brian is an active member of his community, serving as a Board Member at his local Jewish Community Center. He was the Vice-Chair of the 2024 Maccabi Games in Houston, the world’s largest Jewish youth sporting event, and is an Ambassador for Project Heal, which assists with eating disorder recovery. He is determined to give back to his community, putting the same energy into his personal work as he does his legal work, bringing impressive results on both ends.
Education
- University of Texas School of Law, Juris Doctorate, 2005
- Graduated with High Honors
- Chancellors Society—Chancellor-at-Large for Class of 2005
- Texas Law Review Interdisciplinary Note Award, Recipient
- Order of the Coif
- Presidential Scholarship Recipient
- Fall 2002
- Fall 2003
- Fall 2004
- University of Texas at Austin, Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance, 2002
- Graduated with High Honors
- Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society
- Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity
- Undergraduate Investment Fund
Practice Areas
- Mass Torts
- Commercial Litigation and Business Disputes
Bar Admissions
- Texas, 2005
Court Admissions
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- United States District Courts for the Northern District of Texas
- United States District Courts for the Southern District of Texas
- United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Texas
- United States District Courts for the Western Districts of Texas
- United States Court of Federal Claims
Professional Affiliations
- Houston Bar Foundation, Fellow
- American Bar Association
- American Association for Justice
- Houston Bar Association
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
Professional Awards & Honors
- Texas Super Lawyers; 2013 – 2015, 2020 – 2023
- Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2009
Representative Matters / Case Results
- Uber and Lyft Rideshare Litigation-Counsel to thousands of sexual assault victims in mass tort litigation against Uber and Lyft arising out of assaults occurring on rideshare platforms.
- Depakote-Counsel to over 150 individuals in mass tort litigation arising out of antiepileptic drug in state and federal courts. Participated in four trials, resulting in two verdicts for clients. Case was resolved in 2017 for substantial sum.
- Counsel to oil and gas company in international arbitration against foreign entities arising out of breach of agreement involving interest in acreage in Chad. Case resolved after 2-week arbitration for substantial sum.
- Counsel to thousands of plaintiffs in inverse condemnation proceedings against Army Corps of Engineers arising out of Harvey flooding in Houston.
- Taxotere-Counsel to hundreds of plaintiffs in mass tort litigation arising out of chemotherapy agent in federal court. Serving on expert witness and trial committees.
- Counsel to energy management services company in state court litigation in Harris County, Texas against Indonesian conglomerate and its subsidiaries. Case included claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and conspiracy arising out of the parties’ failed business relationship.
- Counsel to landman involving claims against joint venturer for breach of contract arising from failure to compensate client for securing certain mineral leases.
- Special litigation counsel to oil and gas company debtor in federal court case against investment bank brought in the Southern District of Texas. Case involved breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, aiding and abetting and conspiracy to commit breach of fiduciary duty claims.
- Special litigation counsel to chapter 7 trustee in bankruptcy filed in the Northern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court. Debtor oversaw real estate investment fund, and claims included fraud, conspiracy, breach of fiduciary, aiding and abetting, and fraudulent transfers against management company and its officers and directors arising out of the debtor’s failure.
- Represented an automotive refinance company in litigation against major U.S. bank involving claims of breach of contract, fraud, and underlying consumer regulatory violations (FCRA, ECOA) arising out of the parties’ relationship
- Represented Indenture Trustee in adversary proceeding against affiliate of debtor and its officers and directors in the District of Delaware Bankruptcy Court. Case involved claims of fraud, negligent misrepresentation, tortious interference with contract, and unjust enrichment arising out of defendant’s issuance of unsecured subordinated notes. The case was resolved with client receiving a substantial recovery as part of debtor’s plan of reorganization.
- Represented co-owners of luxury apartment complexes in Chapter 11 proceedings in the Southern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court, which resulted in confirmation of plan of reorganization paying all unsecured creditors in full.
- Debtors’ counsel to the owners of over 900 acres of land and golf course in Chapter 11 proceedings in the Southern District of Texas Bankruptcy Court.
- Counsel to the limited partner of an assisted living facility in its out-of-court efforts to remove the existing general partner, gain control over operations at the facility, and restructure the existing debt facility with the secured lender.
- Counsel for multi-national supplier of resins and coating applications in litigation involving claims for cost recovery and breach of warranty arising from alleged environmental contamination and contractual representations.
Publications
- “Hurdles Trustees Face in Asserting Fraudulent Transfer claims against Brokers in Short Sales,” ABI Journal February 2010, Co-Author
- “Credit Bidding as Agent for the Bank Group: Dealing with the Issue of Unanimity,” ABI Committee News, Volume 6 Number 5, September 2009, Co-Author
- “Revisiting the Propriety of Third-Party Releases of Nondebtors,” Norton Journal of Bankruptcy Law and Practice, 18 J. Bankr. L. & Prac. 4 Art. 6, 18 BKRLP 4 ART. 6, August 2009, Co-Author
- “Working Out of the Bankruptcy Mindset: Understanding the Advantages of Restructuring Out-of-Court in the Post-BAPCPA World,” presented to Tatum CFO Partners on July 28, 2009; to LECG on August 26, 2009, Co-Author
Community Involvement
- Athletics 2024 Maccabi Games in Houston, Vice-Chair
- Jewish Community Center, Board Member
- Jewish Federation, Executive Roundtable Committee
- Project Heal, Ambassador