Elizabeth M. Branning
Civil Litigator
Plano,TX
Summary
Dedicated legal professional offering expertise in complex commercial litigation. Proven success in building trusting rapport with clients and offering sound legal advice in clear and universal terms. Hardworking and dedicated to client advocacy. Thorough team contributor with strong organizational capabilities. Experienced in handling numerous projects at once while ensuring accuracy. Effective at prioritizing tasks and meeting deadlines.
Overview
2025
2025
years of professional experience
Work History
OF COUNSEL
JB Schwartz, PLLC.
8 2017 - Current
- Fully manage diverse litigation docket including complex commercial litigation, products liability, consumer litigation, business disparagement, defamation, and labor and employment law matters (including discrimination claims); actively obtain and defend against TROs arising from business disputes in large and closely-held corporations
- Multiple first-chair bench trials in comprehensive family law practice (family violence protective orders, modification, and enforcement, and SAPCR trials), including representation of closely held corporations as intervening parties in divorce; handle multi-million-dollar estates, including work with forensic accountants and valuation experts
- Extensive practice in both state and federal courts, including obtaining $9000 sanction award against opposing counsel for abuse of federal process in Northern District of Texas
- Handle arbitrations for clients before AAA and JAMS; draft and negotiate contracts for clients related to arbitration of disputes
- Outside general counsel for large and small corporations—draft contracts, employment agreements, non-competition agreements, NDA’s, sales contracts, licensing agreements, and employment manuals; respond to inquiries from state and federal agencies on behalf of corporate clients; counsel clients on regulatory and compliance issues as well as risk-management; handle lease negotiations and real estate disputes for corporate clients
Contract Attorney
The Law Offices of Matthew Bobo, P.L.L.C.
07.2016 - 08.2017
- Prepare complex briefings in a bold, energetic litigative culture focused on trying a diverse array of cases before juries, from personal injury suits to intricate breach of contract and intellectual property disputes
PARTNER
Cunningham Swaim, L.L.P.
01.2015 - 01.2016
- One of 6 founding partners of the law firm
- Regularly prepared corporate clients’ employees for sensitive depositions and assisted clients with investigations surrounding lawsuits and potential claims against the companies
- Lead counsel for multiple products liability cases against baby seat manufacturer, pending in United States district court in Texas, Louisiana, Indiana, Utah, Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Kansas
- Successful repeat victories over summary judgment, Daubert and evidentiary challenges; negotiated multi-million-dollar settlement on behalf of multiple families
- Oversee U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission product recall involving international manufacturer of juvenile products
- Managed litigation for multiple corporate clients, including overseeing an expansive civil litigation docket for Celanese Corporation; defended personal injury claims and prosecuted commercial matters on behalf of Celanese; worked directly with the client’s employees to manage extensive electronic discovery collection and production in high-stakes personal injury case; able to budget and control litigation expenses with client-focused initiatives
- Lead counsel for high-profile products liability case against Honda and Takata related to defective airbags
- Achieved successful client outcomes by identifying and addressing their unique needs and goals.
OF Counsel
Rose Walker, L.L.P.
01.2006 - 01.2015
- Led a national products liability docket involving product liability claims against international juvenile products manufacturer; served as lead counsel in cases pending in federal courts in 8 different states; obtained seven-figure settlements for clients
- Managed broad docket of cases involving commercial lawsuits, intellectual property, breach of contract, theft of trade secrets, employment discrimination, non-compete litigation, and aviation litigation
- Litigated in both courtroom and in arbitration forums
- Stepped into personnel director role and mentored and supervised junior associates
- Notable accomplishments include:
- L-3 Communications Integrated Systems LP v. Lockheed Martin Corp: Drafted briefs that resulted in new trial, over-turning a $37 million verdict, based on finding that Lockheed Martin had hidden evidence in the case
- Yelton v. PHI, Inc., et al: Obtained record-setting $577,206.00 discovery sanction against Sikorsky for hiding evidence
- Raytheon v. FLIR: counsel in multi-million-dollar theft of trade secrets case
ASSOCIATE
Brown McCarroll L.L.P. (now Husch Blackwell)
01.1999 - 01.2006
- Served as national trial counsel in products liability cases for Evenflo and Newell Rubbermaid; oversaw all aspects of cases pending in federal courts across the United States—products liability lawsuits involving vehicle crashworthiness, design and manufacturing defects, and consumer litigation involving failure to warn/marketing defects; responsible for preparing and overseeing litigation budgets; formulating case strategy, overseeing discovery on complex cases and preparing and presenting corporate witnesses for depositions
- Advise corporate clients on notices of proposed rulemaking for National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) related to regulatory changes affecting car seats
- Outside counsel team member responsible for advising Evenflo regarding consumer product recall of Joyride car seat
- Advise large automobile dealership on issues associated with Lemon Law, consumer finance, and consumer fraud litigation
- Co-founded a Trial Experience Program wherein associates bolstered oral advocacy and trial preparation by represented indigent defendants in criminal assault trials in Dallas County
Education
Doctor of Jurisprudence -
The George Washington University Law School
05.2024 - 05.1998
Bachelor of Arts - Economics, English
Southern Methodist University
05.2001 - 05.1995
Skills
Legal Drafting
Legal Research
Written Advocacy
Oral advocacy
Civil Law
Case Management
Litigation
Client Counseling
Court Admissions
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
Community Service
Junior League of Dallas, sustainer, 2003
Speeches and Publications
- Two Privileges Every Practitioner Should Know About, State Bar of Texas, 37th Annual Advanced Evidence and Discovery 2024, Jon-Bernard Schwartz
- Plaintiff’s Sharing Provisions in Protective Orders, DRI Products Liability Conference, 2006
- Product Recalls as Subsequent Remedial Measures, DRI Products Liability Conference, 2004
Timeline
Doctor of Jurisprudence -
The George Washington University Law School
05.2024 - 05.1998
Contract Attorney
The Law Offices of Matthew Bobo, P.L.L.C.
07.2016 - 08.2017
PARTNER
Cunningham Swaim, L.L.P.
01.2015 - 01.2016
OF Counsel
Rose Walker, L.L.P.
01.2006 - 01.2015
Bachelor of Arts - Economics, English
Southern Methodist University
05.2001 - 05.1995
ASSOCIATE
Brown McCarroll L.L.P. (now Husch Blackwell)
01.1999 - 01.2006
OF COUNSEL
JB Schwartz, PLLC.
8 2017 - Current
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