William J. Jackson

Bill Jackson has significant experience in a wide array of civil litigation matters, with particular emphasis on environmental, commercial, and transportation-related cases.

Environmental Litigation:  Bill Jackson has represented plaintiffs and defendants in a broad range of environmental and natural resource damages matters across the country.  Jackson's experience includes significant property damage, remediation and natural resource damages claims asserted under various federal and state statutory and common law theories of recovery.  Likewise, he has represented clients before state and federal environmental agencies, coordinating litigation, contested cases, and related administrative proceedings.  Jacksons' representative experiences include:

• Representing transportation-sector clients in significant natural resource damages and remediation matters involving the Portland Harbor and Clark Fork River Superfund Sites.
• Serving as Special Counsel to the State of New Jersey in pursuing remediation costs, economic damages, and natural resource damages associated with the dioxin contamination of the Passaic River and Newark Bay.
• Serving as co-national counsel for a major railroad in its system-wide effort to recover environmental remediation costs and property damages.
• Representing the Port of Houston Authority in pursuing claims against a neighboring pesticides plant for releasing hazardous materials into the Port's property, submerged lands and waterways.  The Port obtained a non-confidential settlement valued at $100 million.
• Representing the Port of Texas City in asserting claims against various pipeline operators for contamination of the Port's property and the adjacent waters of Galveston Bay.  The Port obtained a complete, multi-million dollar recovery through six confidential settlements.

Commercial Litigation:  Bill Jackson has extensive experience in representing plaintiffs and defendants in a variety of commercial litigation matters, including suits involving partnership and corporate formation issues, alter ego and de facto merger issues, civil-RICO, ERISA, breach of fiduciary duty,  fraud and negligent misrepresentation, tortious interference, and breach of contract and indemnity matters.  Representative experiences include:

• Representing various petrochemical and pipeline companies in litigation related to reserves, royalty disputes, pipeline failures, contract and indemnity matters, and take-or-pay disputes.
• Representing various public and private condemning authorities in condemnation matters.
• Representing foreign banks and corporations as both plaintiffs and defendants in civil-RICO and related federal bank fraud litigation.
• Representing architects and engineers in various commercial and construction litigation matters, including the successful defense of a $100 million design and delay claim.
• Representing health maintenance organizations, employers and employee benefit plans in various ERISA benefits and fiduciary-related litigation matters.
• Representing a general partner in a series of proxy battles and related federal litigation in Texas and California for control of thirty limited partnerships with national land holdings.

• Bill Jackson is licensed to practice in all Texas state courts, the United States District Courts for the Southern, Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas, the Eastern & Western Districts of Arkansas, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Jackson is also admitted pro hac vice in a wide variety of state and federal courts where he has active litigation matters pending.
• Prior to founding Jackson Gilmour & Dobbs, PC, Bill Jackson was a partner at Connelly Baker Wotring & Jackson, LLP and at Mayor, Day, Caldwell & Keeton, LLP. He began his legal career as an associate with Mayer Brown, LLP.
• Jackson received his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center in 1992. At the University of Houston Law Center, Jackson was awarded the Harold Sellers Scholarship as the top student in his first-year section and received the American Jurisprudence Award. He also served as an Associate Editor of the Houston Law Review, was a member of Phi Delta Phi Honorary Legal Fraternity, and various student organizations.
• Jackson received his Bachelors of Arts in Government from the University of Texas at Austin in 1989. While at the University of Texas, he was a member of the Silver Spur Honorary Service Organization, served as President and Treasurer of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, and was a member of the University of Texas’ IFC Presidents Council.

Bill Jackson is a member of various industry organizations and a regular presenter at programs of significance to his clients. Jackson is an active member of the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel, the American Association of Port Authorities, the Gulf Ports of the Americas Association, and the Texas Ports Association. His recent presentations include:

• Environmental Issues Facing Ports, AAPA Port Administration & Legal Issues Seminar (April 2009).
• Environmental Issues Impacting the Transportation Sector, Texas Department of Transportation’s Ports & Waterways Conference (September 2007).
• Strategies to Avoid and Allocate Environmental Liabilities, GPAA Spring Meeting (May 2007).
• Natural Resource Damage Litigation, AAPA NRD Litigation Workshop (June 2006).
• Ecological Risk Assessment and Sediment Remediation Issues in Litigation, Ports 2004 Conference (June 2004).

Bill Jackson has been actively involved in a variety of professional organizations throughout his career, including:

• University of Houston Law Alumni Association (Board of Directors, Various Committee Chairs).
• Houston Bar Association (Board of Directors & Environmental Section Director).
• Houston Young Lawyers Association (President, Treasurer, Board of Directors, Various Committee Chairs).
• Houston Young Lawyers Foundation (Chair, Treasurer, Board of Trustees, Various Committee Chairs).
• Texas Young Lawyers Association (Board of Directors, Various Committee Chairs).
• Environmental and Energy Law Policy Journal, University of Houston Law Center (Advisory Board).

Bill Jackson is actively involved in a wide variety of civic and community organizations, especially those focused on issues impacting quality of life, the environment and children, including:

• Leadership Houston (Class XXIII).
• Justice for Children (National Board of Directors and Treasurer).
• Galveston Bay Foundation.
• Trees for Houston.
• Bayou Preservation Association.

• Center for Houston’s Future. Accepted for Business/Civic Executive Leadership Forum.
• Repeatedly recognized as one of “Houston’s Top Lawyers” by Houston and H-Texas Magazines.
• Repeatedly named a “Rising Star” by Texas Super Lawyers.
• Recipient of ABA First Place, Service to the Public Award.
• Life Fellow of the Texas, Houston, and HYLF Bar Foundations.