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Mary Goodrich Nix

Mary is a nationally recognized trial lawyer, and handles complex commercial, employment, franchise, non-compete, and trade secret litigation. Mary has tried a number of cases to verdict, and has also succeeded in representing clients in arbitrations, injunction hearings, and in managing resolutions short of trial. Her litigation work involves a variety of industries and both publicly traded and privately held companies.

Mary is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She has extensive courtroom experience, including multiple jury trials, bench trials and injunction evidentiary hearings. She has arbitrated numerous cases throughout Texas and in other parts of the country. Mary is frequently called upon to assist companies when key employees move between competitors. In her work related to confidential information and trade secret protection, she advocates for clients who need urgent assistance to protect their confidential information, trade secrets and other intellectual property assets.

Mary has worked successfully with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and several other federal, state and local government agencies when a client is the subject of a complaint.

Frequent matters she handles include breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of restrictive covenants, tortious interference claims, Title VII claims, gender/race and other protected characteristics discrimination, sexual harassment, and claims relating to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and Equal Pay Act (EPA), among others.

  • University of Houston Law Center, J.D.
  • Baylor University, B.B.A.
  • Obtained TRO and temporary injunction; later obtained order of contempt for violation of the TRO against several employees in the title industry; matter was litigated in Collin County District Court
  • Litigated fraud and negligent misrepresentation claims on behalf of a national bank against an accounting firm relative to allegations that the firm's misrepresentations were made to induce the bank to approve a multi-million commercial loan
  • Obtained temporary injunction (TI) order in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas against a former employee in the real estate industry based on a breach of a restrictive covenant contained in a click-wrap agreement related to a grant of restricted stock units (RSUs); the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the court's TI Order (Order No. 19-20864, issued April 27, 2020)
  • Obtained temporary restraining order (TRO) and TI order in Denton County, Texas, against a former employee and competitor in the waste hauling and recycling industry based on breach of fiduciary duty, breach of employment agreement and tortious interference claims
  • Obtained TRO and TI order in Collin County, Texas, against a former employee in the educational lending industry based on breach of fiduciary duty, breach of employment agreement and tortious interference claims
  • Obtained TI order in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas against a former employee in the residential real estate industry based on a breach of a restrictive covenant contained in a click-wrap agreement related to a grant of restricted stock units (RSUs)
  • Obtained an $11 million jury verdict in Dallas County, Texas, on behalf of an entrepreneur in the hotel drapery manufacturing industry based on a breach of a non-circumvent agreement
  • Obtained a TI order in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against former executives and a competitor in the building fastener industry based on claims alleging misappropriation of trade secrets and violations of non-compete agreements
  • Obtained a TI order in a Tarrant County, Texas, court against a former employee and competitor in the software industry based on a breach of restrictive covenants in an employment agreement and tortious interference claims against the new employer
  • Obtained a TI order in Joplin, Missouri, on behalf of a barbecue restaurant franchisor in a non-compete and theft of trade secrets and trade dress case against a competitor who literally copied every aspect of the client's successful multistate business
  • Obtained a ruling denying a request for injunctive relief in a Florida state court where the opposing business was attempting to a non-compete agreement against a healthcare corporate client
  • Obtained multiple TROs in a variety of Texas court venues on behalf of corporate clients in non-compete and trade secret theft disputes
  • Obtained a full defense jury verdict in Dallas County in a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit in the construction equipment industry
  • Obtained a jury verdict on behalf of a client in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in an age discrimination claim
  • Obtained a summary judgment on behalf of a client in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in a gender discrimination claim in the hospitality industry
  • Defending a well-known nonprofit company in response to allegations of race, color, and gender discrimination
  • Obtained early dismissal on the pleadings of Title VII claims asserted against a client in the hospitality industry in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
  • Defended well-known car title lending company in a race discrimination claim; ongoing matter
  • Defended prominent Dallas law firms in gender discrimination claims
  • Obtained summary judgment on all Title VII claims asserted against an oil and gas services company in a Corpus Christi, Texas, state court
  • Represented, as part of a team, a prominent oil and gas company in the largest on-land well blowout in OSHA matters; complete dismissal of OSHA citation
  • Won jury verdict in the U.S. District Court for Northern District of Texas for a woman in an age discrimination and intentional infliction lawsuit that resulted in large jury verdict publicized throughout the world (press reports translated into multiple languages)
  • Defended a prominent credit company in an FLSA class action litigation
  • Defended a leading cross-media advertising company in ADEA litigation
  • Tried and defended a large equipment seller in sexual harassment and intentional infliction claims in two lawsuits in Dallas County
  • Served as part of multi-attorney team defending a large national retailer in an FLSA class action lawsuit based in California
  • Defended a food manufacturer in age, national origin and gender discrimination claims
  • Frequently defend companies by preparing position statements and negotiating with the EEOC
  • Frequently manage DOL audits related to wage and hour claims and working conditions
  • Frequently represent companies in negotiations and litigation involving former executives and other employees in employment contract and related disputes
  • Assist multiple high-profile and highly paid executives in negotiating contracts with publicly traded and privately held companies, including negotiating stock options and equity agreements
  • Litigated employment contract disputes in several industries including aviation, retail, restaurant, fast food, hotel, real estate, healthcare, medical services, elder care, personnel, recruiting and more
  • Frequently prepare employment and trade secret protection guidance, policies and procedures
  • Received full defense verdict on an $8 million claim in a jury trial in Collin County, Texas, when representing a title insurance company in a mortgage fraud claim; affirmed on appeal
  • Represented a large Fortune 100 oilfield services company in a case involving the largest well blowout on land in the U.S.
  • Represented a large Fortune 100 oilfield services company in a case involving deaths from oilfield blowouts in Texas
  • Successful defense of a liquid waste company in allegations brought by a city
  • Successful defense of a solid waste company in allegations brought by a city
  • Defended an internet-based tutoring company in franchise and sales tax claims brought by the Texas Comptroller
  • Defended a hospitality management company in claims by Texas Workforce Commission related to alleged "common paymaster" issues
  • Assist financial lending institutions in evaluating claims and analyzing risk related to open litigation and claims against current or potential borrowers and portfolio companies
  • Represented a franchisor in the real estate industry in a dispute related to territorial encroachment by one franchisee against another in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
  • Represented an association of franchisees of a restaurant industry franchisor in a dispute over marketing and gift card fees in Arapahoe County, Colorado
  • Represented a franchisor and one of its franchisees in the real estate industry in a dispute venued in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas against the franchisee's former employee alleging breach of non-disclosures, non-compete and non-solicit agreements; obtained injunction barring employee from competing and soliciting for full term of the agreements and from disclosing information
  • Represented two franchisees and the owners in a dispute asserting fraud and breach of franchise agreement against a franchisor in the home healthcare industry; arbitration award in favor of client
  • Successfully defended a franchisee of a weight loss franchise against the franchisor in a dispute asserting fraud and breach of franchise agreement
  • Obtained dismissal from Collin County court on an employment claim based on vicarious liability and respondeat superior filed against a multinational real estate franchisor
  • Draft franchise agreements and assist with required disclosures to franchisees
     
  • Litigation Labor & Employment Star, Benchmark, 2023
  • 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers, Lawdragon, 2022-2024
  • Client Service All-Star, The BTI Consulting Group, Inc., 2020
  • The Best Lawyers in America guide, Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2020- 2024
  • "Texas Super Lawyer," by Super Lawyers, 2012-2023
  • Best Mentor Award, Texas Lawyer Professional Excellence Awards , 2018
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated
  • Top 40 Under 40 Business Leaders in Dallas, Dallas Business Journal, 2009
  • Outstanding Young Texan, Texas Junior Chamber of Commerce, 2009
  • Outstanding Young Dallasite, Dallas Junior Chamber of Commerce, 2008
  • Best Lawyers in Dallas: Labor & Employment Law, D Magazine, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2016, 2024
  • Top Lawyer Under 40 in Commercial Litigation, D Magazine, 2006
  • Top 10 Young Professionals to Watch in Dallas, 2006
  • Rising Star, Texas Super Lawyers magazine, 2004
  • Ascend, Board Member, 2024-Present
  • Dallas Roundtable, Board Member and Chair of Philanthropy, 2024
  • National Charity League, Silver Star Chapter, Grade Level Advisor - Class of 2027, 2024-2025 School Year
  • The Sedona Conference, Working Group 12 (Trade Secrets), Member 2018-Present, Steering Committee 2022-2024
  • American Bar Association, Forum on Franchising
  • Attorneys Serving the Community
  • Chief, Member
  • College of the State Bar of Texas
  • State Bar of Texas Foundation, Fellow
  • Dallas Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • Dallas Bar Association, former Board Member, 2004-2006; Franchise and Distribution Section, Vice Chair, 2016
  • Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, President, 2005
  • Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Foundation, Chair, 2004
  • Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Foundation, Sustaining Life Founding Fellows, 2002-Present
  • Dallas Women Lawyers Association, Board Member, 2002; Current Member
  • Mac Taylor Inn of Court, Master
  • Patrick E. Higginbotham American Inn of Court, former Associate and Barrister
  • DallasHR, Current Member
  • Society for Human Resource Management, Current Member
  • Highland Park Presbyterian Church, Deacon 2010-2020, Current Member
  • The Lamplighter School Parents Association, President Advisor, 2019-2020; President, 2018-2019; Board of Trustees, 2018-2019
  • The Hockaday School Parents' Association, Volunteer, 2019-2023
  • Highland Park ISD, Volunteer, 2023-present
     
  • Tricks and Traps of the ADA, North Texas SHRM, July 2023
  • Protecting Trade Secrets in Litigation About Them, The Sedona Conference Working Group 12 Inaugural Meeting, November 2018
  • Hiring Competitors' Employees and Protecting the Company When Competitors Hire Yours, Dallas Bar Association, November 2016
  • Navigating the Open Carry Law, Houston West Chamber of Commerce 2016 Employment Law Update, November 2016
  • Labor and Employment Law Breakfast Briefing, March 2016
  • Navigating the Open Carry Law in Texas, Webinar, January 2016
  • Legal Issues in the Texas Hospitality Industry: Litigating Over Core Agreements, TexasBarCLE Program, November 2015

  • State Bar of Texas
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas