Having worked closely with Texas Counsel, I can also attest that they are among the finest class action attorneys I have been privileged to know during my two decades of experience in this field of law. They not only possess excellent analytical and rhetorical skills, but – more importantly – displayed remarkable qualities of judgment, imagination and persistence.
~ Jan. 20, 2009 Declaration of Professor Geoffrey Miller (Stuyvesant P. Comfort Professor of Law, New York University, New York, NY) In Support of Texas Counsel’s Motion for an Award of Attorneys’ Fees and Expenses, In re Trans Union Corp. Privacy Litigation, Case 1:00-cv-04729, MDL Docket No. 1350, N.D. Ill., Eastern Div., Dkt. No. 570-5, ¶ 34.
. . . I deeply appreciate the quality and timeliness of the motion and briefing work you did in this case. I have been doing this work for almost 35 years and have worked with and against a lot of lawyers around the country. I don’t believe that any of them did a better job than you did in this case. It was a pleasure to work with you on this. Thank you very much.
~Ken Lewis, Bush Lewis, PLLC
Mike [is] one of the best trial lawyers that I [have] ever worked with . . .your work up of the Rebel Oil case and Mike’s presentation at the mediation crushed the other side.
~Randall Jones, Harrison, Kemp & Jones, LLP, Las Vegas, Nevada
Thanks – I can’t remember a better tag team that I have seen other than you and [R]icardo.
~ Walt Bratic, CRA International
You guys did a TERRIFIC job – it is always a joy to see the best at work.
~Steve Malouf, Law Offices of Stephen F. Malouf, P.C.
In a significant victory for evacuees, FEMA was ordered today to reimburse Gulf Coast evacuees for the full amount of fair market rent, including utilities. Congratulations to all involved in the case, particularly the lead pro-bono firm, Caddell & Chapman. Thanks.
~Craig Castellanet, The Public Interest Law Project, San Francisco, California
. . . Judge Hittner granted a preliminary injunction in Watson v. FEMA. A significant accomplishment for the attorneys at Caddell & Chapman, Texas Appleseed, Public Interest Law Project, and National Center for Law and Economic Justice (and other participating cheerleaders.)
~Robert R. Johnson, Assistant City Attorney, Houston, Texas
Extraordinary work. I can’t recall a time when reading a complaint brought tears to my eyes, but you have so eloquently conveyed the plight of these evacuees I felt like I was reliving the disasters. Thank you so much for taking on this massive project.
~Sue Sere, Lone Star Legal, Austin, Texas
You all continue to do terrific work under constant time pressures. I want to say, again, that the firm’s handling of the trial was exceptional. Win or lose, plaintiffs have had terrific representation. The Caddell & Chapman attorneys have done an outstanding job of litigating two mini-trial[s] against FEMA so far and work with others exceptionally well.
~Steven Ronfeldt, The Public Interest Law Project San Francisco, California
The Guardian has served as counsel in a number of fire cases. There is often a general consensus as to the cause and origin of a fire. In this case, however there was not a consensus and cause and origin were vigorously disputed. Accordingly, numerous experts were retained and extensive testing was performed by plaintiffs’ experts including two full scale burn tests. The Guardian has reviewed the detailed documentation of expenses provided by plaintiffs’ counsel and is of the opinion that the expenses incurred were reasonable and necessary given the complexity of the case, the issues in dispute, and the Daubert requirements of testing and peer review. Indeed, plaintiffs’ counsel should be commended for their courage in risking such large sums of money in the face of a highly uncertain outcome. As a result of their courage, a tragically burned child will have the financial resources to, in some measure, help her overcome the obstacles she will inevitably face.
~J. Scott McLain, Guardian Ad Litem, Reed, McLain & Guerrero, LLP
The two of you did an outstanding job on this case, and my hat is off to you.
~ Richard A. Sayles, Sayles | Werbner
You guys really have some top notch attorneys over there and it has been a real pleasure working with them on this brief in Equifax-great work product!!! Mike you did a brilliant job with the choice of law argument-it was concise, clear and right. Cynthia, the briefing [is] the best ever!! Thanks for letting me work with two great lawyers.
~Mitch Toups, Weller, Green, Toups and Terrell, L.L.P. Beaumont, Texas
Great, great work on the memo. It is truly outstanding and I salute all who worked on it.
~ English McCutchen , McCutchen Blanton Johnson & Barnette Columbia, South Carolina
It’s been a pleasure working with you on the Morales case. You and your firm did a fine job with a very difficult case.
~Clay Lewis Jenkins, Jenkins & Jenkins
[Mike Caddell] is the – by common acquiescence, if nothing else, the — the head presiding officer. Because Mike has always been the — sort of the leader of the — of the CPRC board, and although he’s one of the plaintiffs’ lawyers, he’s been — he’s shown good leadership skills and — and — that he’s won the respect of the corporate members of the board and they defer to him. He’s got the energy and the interest. He considers this his settlement, and to some large measure it is. It’s his baby and he’s proud of it, and he wants to make sure that it works and it works correctly. And since he’s willing to do that, everybody’s – and he’s so very good at it, everybody’s willing to let him do it.~John W. (Don) Barrett, Deposition excerpts, January 12, 2005
Thank you for the great work by John [Scofield] and [Michael] Caddell for exhibiting great energy, top notch work, good humor under stress, and the finest in pro bono commitment.
~Marc Cohan
Most every time I speak with someone associated with the Equifax hearing (such as Len Bennett or this new expert, Evan Hendricks), they talk about what an impressive job [Mike Caddell] did at the hearing. Last week, Len mentioned that he wants to find a way to continue to work with the firm on FCRA class action work. Similarly, Evan just noted that he would like to keep you involved in FCRA-related cases.
~John B. Scofield, Jr. , Caddell & Chapman
I certainly appreciate the timely responses from Caddell & Chapman on our referrals…. I am doing everything within my power to steer my hard work into the one firm that reciprocates in the same manner. I cannot say enough for my trust and confidence in Caddell & Chapman, and I can honestly say that you turn over every existing rock in an attempt to assist clients.
~ Cesar Perez, McAllen, Texas
It really has been great working with both of you on such a high professional level…. I feel that we have been able to complement each other and our accomplishments speak for themselves.
Ezequiel Reyna, Jr., Law Offices of Ezequiel Reyna, Jr., L.L.P., McAllen, Texas
Thank you for the local counsel check which I received a few days ago. It was a pleasure and an honor working with top rate attorneys that prepare and try their cases in such a professional manner.
~Joaquin L. Rodriguez, Joaquin L. Rodriguez and Associates, Eagle Pass, Texas
Cynthia – I continue to be amazed at how quickly you always put out the best briefing I have seen — another fantastic job. [The National Law Journal] should have listed you the number one attorney in any age bracket male or female. Great job!!! Also, Mike did a brilliant job last week on the trial setting hearing and severance issues.
~Mitch Toups, Weller, Green, Toups and Terrell, L.L.P., Beaumont, Texas
The recognition you received is well deserved and I know that you will continue to succeed in representing families such as the ones involved in the Rodriguez v. Salant case. I have been keeping up with your cases, not only with defeats but more importantly with your victories in some very difficult cases. Mike and you make an excellent team and I would be proud to try any case with both of you.
~Claudio Heredia, Knickerbocker, Heredia, Jasso and Stewart, P.C.
With respect to a separate and personal matter, I wish to express my gratitude and satisfaction for this experience, which I should confess has been very enriching, because I did not have certain knowledge of the organized competence, honesty and efficiency of the American legal firms in this matter. I reiterate that I recognize your legal capacities, financial and human, which I extend to Cynthia B. Chapman and Cesar Perez. It has been a pleasing experience and consider this humble office an extension of your firm in Venezuela.
~Hugo Albarran Acosta
Mexican bus accident : I was delighted to read of your recent settlement in the Valley, and equally pleased by the positive press coverage you and this settlement received. Missing, necessarily, from this coverage was formal recognition that this was not for you or your firm simply another lucrative bit of business. I have shared several times my certainty that your involvement was in large part informed by a compelling sense of doing the right thing, of mitigating — at least in part — this enormous and unnecessary tragedy. To all the wannabe trial lawyers who would now claim that “but for a few lucky breaks, there go I,” there is a simple and adequate reply: Bull. Few of us are willing to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in a case that could easily be barred on procedural or technical grounds. Few of us are willing to uproot our lives for months on end to some of the less idyllic parts of North America. And few of us would take the trouble to go across the border and console, repeatedly, and after the fee agreements had been signed, the grieving families. In short only those who do not know or will not acknowledge the enormous talent, experience, resources, and passion you and your colleagues invested to bring this result now begrudge this great result. So, again, Mike, congratulations on another job well done, on another bit of lawyering which has made history, on a result that made some amends, and has made the greedy and foolish jealous. All of these are appropriate and worthwhile fruits of your efforts.
~Wm. B. Emmons, Emmons and Jackson, P.C., Houston, Texas
Congratulations on your excellent settlement in the case of the fourteen Mexican workers killed in the bus crash . . . This is the only way that any control will be exercised over the maquiladoras. Keep up the good work.
~James C. Harrington, Director Texas Civil Rights Project, Austin, Texas
I was very impressed by your Eagle Pass victory in the Salant Corp. case. Again, you have proven your talent for combining excellent trial skills with the ability to resolve incredibly complex legal issues.
~Jeffrey W. Chambers, Puls and Chambers, L.L.P., Ft. Worth, Texas
I was thrilled to see The Texas Lawyer’s recognition of you [Michael Caddell] as the “Impact Player of the Year”…. Keep up the good work. You make us all proud.
~ Arthur Bryant, Executive Director, Public Justice, Washington, DC
Congratulations on [Cynthia Chapman’s] inclusion in the National Law Journal’s list of “America’s Top 50 Women Litigators. Sometimes it’s so hard to juggle all the balls in the air, especially when you are trying to maintain a law practice, a marriage and raise a child. What an acknowledgement and one that you obviously have worked very hard to achieve.
~Sallee S. Smyth, Short and Jenkins, L.L.P.
It was great to see [Cynthia Chapman] listed as one of America’s Top 50 Women Litigators by The National Law Journal. Congratulations! We are proud to have you with us!
~Arthur Bryant, Executive Director, Public Justice, Washington, DC
After sitting as District Judge in over 100 District courts from El Paso to Houston, Eagle Pass, Laredo, Uvalde, Hondo, San Antonio, Rio Grande Valley, Gulf Coast areas, Dallas, Sherman, Tyler and many more, I became familiar with judging lawyers in addition to judging cases of all matter of content. I say judging lawyers not as a judge but with all respect and humility, sizing them up as far as ability, integrity, and above all effectiveness in the trial of cases, from Capital cases in Houston to multi party litigations involving serious injuries to persons using defective products to handling complex business type litigation involving some of the state’s most famous lawyers and litigants. In 1998 I happened to walk into Federal Court in McAllen and was immediately spellbound by the caliber of the lawyers presenting a case involving a Hispanic businessman represented by none other than Michael Caddell and Cynthia Chapman. A year later I had the privilege of sitting at counsel table with these same lawyers in probably the most significant case involving venue in Texas of a Mexican bus crash case. The evidence proceeded on the venue issues and survived the most rigorous opposition by famous defense lawyers from all over the state. This case was of such transcendence that it was assisted by an ex-Supreme Court of Texas Justice of Hispanic descent and other big guns hired by the defense. The prosecution of this case was nothing short of magnificent and barring none a superbly presented case by Mike and Cynthia like none other that I had witnessed or had the privilege of presiding over during my entire judicial tenure of seventeen years. That case remains the most significant meting out of justice in the history of Maverick County in my opinion. The case received world wide notoriety and stands as a symbol of how the underdog can have legal representations that even the most affluent person cannot afford. For that result and many others that Mike and Cynthia have handled and won I would never hesitate to recommend them to any client that asked my advice as to who the best lawyer or lawyers are in our state or any other state for that matter.
~Benjamin A. Martinez, Retired District Judge, Eagle Pass, Texas