Becker, Elizabeth

Barry is a shareholder in the Litigation Section. For 40 years, Barry has handled all phases of trial work, and has represented clients in federal and state courts. He is Board Certified in both Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law and is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is a member of the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, the Defense Research Institute and the International Association of Defense Counsel. Additionally, Barry is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.

AREAS OF CONCENTRATION

Defense of Manufacturers and Energy Companies

Barry has successfully represented companies and individuals throughout West Texas and the Texas Gulf Coast area.  He has built a reputation for resolving cases which range from the routine to the novel, including (1) fatalities arising from the capsizing of a vessel adjacent to a production platform in the Gulf of Mexico, (2) the leopard mauling of a safari member in Tanzania, (3) the death of an oil company employee in Russia, (4) a business dispute involving the refined products terminal in New Haven, Connecticut, (5) the structural failures of drilling rig masts, production tubing, oil well casing, high pressure lines and valves in Texas, and many more.

Personal Injury

Barry represents clients in a wide variety of personal injury litigation matters. Midland's unique position in the oil-rich Permian Basin and Houston's proximity to the Gulf Coast have enabled Barry to try serious personal injury and death cases arising from oil industry accidents, chemical plant accidents,  and product failures. Since 1990, Barry has also defended a variety of fire and explosion cases involving compressor air starters, oil pipelines, propane pipelines, petroleum storage tanks, reactor catalyst vessels, gas compressors, water injection storage batteries, chlorine lines, electrical transformers, hydrocarbon tanker trucks, and refinery fractionator units.

General Civil Litigation

Although personal injury defense has been the primary focus of Barry's career, he also has a broad range of trials including matters relating to lender liability, securities fraud, oil and gas title and operating agreement disputes, contract disputes, and employment law claims.

EDUCATION

• B.S., U.S. Naval Academy, 1964 (U.S. Marine Corps officer, 1964-1968)
• J.D., University of Texas Law School, 1971

While in law school Barry was the Head Teaching Quizmaster, a member of the Moot Court Board, Consul, and the recipient of the Baker & Botts Award for "Outstanding Third Year Student."