Michael Caddell has practiced law since 1979. He has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in litigation matters, including product liability, class actions and commercial matters, franchising issues, trade secrets, toxic torts, and insurance. He has represented such clients as the Arochem Bankruptcy Trustee, Sohio/BP, Conoco, Union Texas Petroleum, GenCorp (General Tire Corporation), Tetco, Inc., and Britestarr, Inc. Since 1989, he has represented plaintiffs in obtaining verdicts and settlements valued at more than $3.0 billion.
Mr. Caddell graduated from the University of Virginia Law School in 1979. He practiced first at the law firm of Bracewell and Patterson (now Bracewell & Giuliani), and then started his own law firm, now Caddell & Chapman, in 1985. He received a B.A. degree with Distinction from the University of Virginia in 1976, majoring in English and Government.
Law Dragon “Top 500 Plaintiffs” Lawyers in the United States 2007
Texas “Super Lawyer” by Texas Monthly, a Thomson Reuters business, in 2003-2022.
H Texas “Top Lawyers” and “Best Lawyers” 2005-2008
Texas Lawyer’s 1999 Texas Lawyer of the Year
Board Certified in Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Appeared as counsel of record in cases throughout Texas and in Alabama , Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, and has tried more than 40 cases to verdict, judgment, or arbitration award.
Director of the Trial Lawyers for Public Justice Foundation (1991 -1998)
Recipient of the TLP J Foundation’s Public Interest Achievement Award for his work as lead counsel in Cox, et al v. Shell, et al. (1997)
University of Virginia School of Law Board of Trustees (1996-2008)
Featured in Texas Justice, The Legacy of Historic Courthouses, for recognizable and striking accomplishments in Texas
Guest on American Airlines’ prestigious “Special Tribute to America ‘s Best Lawyers,” which highlights the most powerful lawyers who are responsible for successful victories in all practice areas of the law
Member in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, which membership includes the top trial lawyers in America
Areas of Practice
- Class Action
- Commercial Matters
- Litigation
- Product Liability
- Franchising Issues
- Trade Secrets
- Toxic Torts
- Insurance
Certified Legal Specialties
- Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Bar Admissions
- California
- Texas
- U.S. District Court District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court Central District of California
- U.S. District Court Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court Southern District of California
- U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
- U.S. District Court Western District of Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois
Education
- University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville, Virginia
- University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
- Major: English and Government
Published Works
- Tort Causes of Action Against Lenders, State Bar of Texas Business Torts Seminar, 2009
- Issues Particular to Consumer Finance Class-Action Settlements, The Review of Banking & Financial Services 25(9), 2009
- Effective Approaches to Class Action Settlements, 14th Annual Consumer Financial Services Litigation Institute, 443-456, 2009
- The Hearsay Rule and Its Exceptions, HBA, Serialized Evidence Institute, 1981
- Unfair Competition, Trade Secrets and Commercial Disparagement, Texas Association of Defense Counsel, 1983
- Federal Preemption of Local Noise Control, 18 Virginia Journal of International Law 569, Spring, 1978
Honors and Awards
- Named among the Top 100 Attorneys in Texas by Super Lawyers, a Texas Monthly magazine, Thomson Reuters business, 2010 – 2011
- Named among Houston’s Top Lawyers by H Texas magazine, 2010
- Named among the 500 Leading Plaintiffs’ Lawyers in America by Lawdragon magazine, 2007
- “Super Lawyer” by Texas Monthly magazine, a Thomson Reuters business, 2003 – 2012
- Named among Houston’s 200 Best Lawyers by H Texas magazine, 2005
- Named one of Houston’s Top Lawyers for the People by H Texas magazine, 2005 – 2007
- Named one of Houston’s Top Lawyers by H Texas magazine, 2006 – 2007
- Texas Lawyers magazine 1999 Texas Lawyer of Year
- Recipient of the TLPJ Foundation’s Public Interest Achievement Award for his work as lead counsel in Cox, et al v. Shell, et al.
Professional Associations and Memberships
- State Bar of Texas, Member
- State Bar of California, Member
- American Bar Association, Member
- American Association for Justice, Member
- Houston Bar Association, Member
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Member
- Trial Lawyers for Public Justice Foundation, Director, 1991 – 1998
- University of Virginia School of Law, Board of Trustees, 1998 – 2008
- National Trial Lawyers Association, Top 100 Trial Lawyers, 2011 – Present
- The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, Fellow
