Jadd F. Masso

Jadd F. Masso is a trial and appellate litigator focusing on business disputes. After prevailing in two trials as a young attorney, Jadd represented his clients on appeal when his opponents sought to overturn the verdicts. He was successful in both appeals and found that he enjoyed the intellectual rigor of the appellate process. Since then, Jadd has served as lead counsel in more than 50 appeals in state and federal courts. He also works with the firm's litigation section by providing assistance with trial strategy, complex procedural matters, dispositive motions, jury charge issues, and preservation of error. Jadd's advocacy before the trial court frequently results in the elimination or reduction of claims submitted to the jury. If an appeal is necessary, Jadd's involvement at trial results in a seamless transition from trial to appeal.

Jadd is Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

EXPERIENCE

• Successful mandamus in the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of appeals relating to venue ruling in the Eastern District of Texas.
• Reversal in the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals of a district court ruling interpreting FDIC loss-share agreements with financial institutions to create partnership duties.
• Affirmance of jury verdict in favor of financial instituition in dispute with commercial real estate developer.
• Successful mandamus action to prevent disclosure of trade-secret information in litigation between product manufacturers.
• Reversal on interlocutory appeal of injunction against a financial institution in a $10 million real estate dispute with a developer involving claims of fraud and breach of contract.
• Reversal on appeal of judgment against a commercial landlord in dispute with a tenant. At trial after remand, obtained jury verdict in favor of our client.
• Reversal on appeal of trial court orders refusing to send cases to arbitration pursuant to contractual arbitration agreements.
• Dismissal of a Maryland-based manufacturer of computerized point-of-sale systems from a negligence and deceptive trade practices suit brought against it by a Texas-based restaurant chain. Affirmance of trial court victory on appeal.
• Representation of banks and other financial institutions in complex collection, fraud, and lender liability litigation.

Presentations

• Privilege Update: Preserving, Asserting, and Challenging Privilege, Dallas Bar Association (February 2018)
• Client Management, Dallas Bar Association (June 2017)
• Panelist, The Unstable Pro-Se Civil Litigant: Strategies for Ethically Dealing with the Difficult Unrepresented Plaintiff, American Bar Association - Judicial Division (July 2015)
• Moderator. Appeals and Ethics Panel, Dallas and Tarrant County Bar Associations Joint Appellate Seminar (October 2013)

Publications

• COMING SOON: Changes to Texas Supreme Court Jurisdiction, Strasburger Trial & Error Blog (July 2017)
• Co-author. Best Practices for Pleading and Proving Attorney's Fees, Dallas Bar Association Headnotes (July 2017)
• Developments: Pre-Suit Depositions to Investigate Potential Claims, Strasburger Trial & Error Blog (April 2017)
• Texas Legislative Outlook, Strasburger Trial & Error Blog (January 2017)
• Writing for 21st Century Judges, Dallas Bar Association Headnotes (May 2013)
• Mind the Gap: Expansion of Texas Governmental Immunity Between Takings and Tort. 36 St. Mary's L.J. 265 (2005)