Karen C. Burgess
Partner
(512) 473-2257
(512) 478-4409 (fax)
kburgess@taylordunham.com
Honors & Distinctions
- AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
- Board Certified in Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
- Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation
- Recognized in Texas Monthly as one of the Texas Rising Stars, 2004, 2008, an honor bestowed on less than 2.5% of lawyers in Texas.
Education
1996 University of Texas School of Law, Austin, Texas
Doctor of Jurisprudence, Order of the Barristers
1992 Rice University, Houston, Texas
Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Spanish and Policy Studies
1990 Universidad Católica, Valparaiso, Chile
Studied Latin American History and Policy
Representative Engagements
Represented global, Austin-based software company in trade secret litigation against its primary competitor; confidential settlement reached two-weeks prior to trial.
Settled software trade secret misappropriation dispute during week-long temporary injunction hearing.
Represented biomedical engineer in partnership dispute regarding medical device patents and royalties; confidential settlement reached at arbitration final hearing.
Successfully defended publicly-traded company against $20 million claim and jury awarded fees in our client’s favor.
Represented plaintiff in international contract dispute case against the second largest telephone company in Mexico and achieved a $35.6 million judgment after jury trial.
Represented plaintiff in premises liability case; after verdict for plaintiff, judgment entered in the amount of $9.0 million.
Represented management buyout group in contract and fraud case; following hearing on the merits, arbitration panel awarded our client $2.5 million.
Class counsel for 60,000 policyholders; trial court certified the class on July 1, 2003.
Represented class of 5,000 software purchasers; trial court certified class; certification order affirmed on appeal, see Henry Schein, Inc. v. Stromboe, 28 S.W.3d 196 (Tex. App.-Austin, pet. granted); reversed by Texas Supreme Court, Schein v. Stromboe, 102 S.W.3d 675, 46 Tex. Sup. Ct. J. 103 (Tex. Oct 31, 2002).
Defended elevator service company in a $1.2 million breach of warranty/DTPA claim; achieved a judgment for the defense.
Successfully defended British company in special appearance in Texas court; case dismissed.
Represented corporate general counsel in securing value of stock options promised in technology company; confidential settlement entered one week before trial.
Represented plaintiff in case of tortious interference with patients; after verdict, court entered judgment in favor of our client in the amount of $1,491,593.35.
Defended insurance company in action by former agent; confidential settlement reached after one week of trial.
Obtained injunction to enforce noncompetition agreement and anti-rolling provision against insurance agent after contested, evidentiary hearing.
Defeated non-compete in evidentiary temporary injunction hearing.
Defended software company in breach of contract action by distributor; settled favorably during trial.
Represented owner of museum quality furniture damaged by movers, obtained judgment after a bench trial, and settled with the movers’ insurance companies.
Represented corporate general counsel in securing value of stock options promised in technology company; confidential settlement entered one week before trial.
Defended semiconductor design firm in sex discrimination case; defense verdict and take-nothing judgment entered.
Court Admissions
- Licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas, 1996
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Professional Affiliations
- Travis County Women Lawyers Association, Board Member
- Austin Bar Association
- State Bar of Texas
- Austin Young Lawyers Association
Foreign Language
- Spanish
Community
- Austin Children’s Museum Posse Member
- Manos de Cristo
- Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church Elder