The attorneys at John Raley & Associates, PLLC have decades of legal expertise that span a wide variety of topics. Their clients have ranged from small companies to Fortune 500 Companies, and private individuals to public celebrities.  In courtrooms, mediations and before administrative panels, John Raley and Kelly Raley, separately and together, have successfully handled cases involving torts (including personal injury, fraud, and theft of trade secrets), contracts (business, real estate and personal), intellectual property (patents, copyrights and trade secrets), professional liability (legal and medical), public nuisance codes, Constitutional rights, school law, election law, fair housing law, occupational law, nonprofit corporation law, insurance law, and construction litigation. 

 John has handled hundreds of lawsuits as lead counsel in civil litigation. Many of these cases received winning rulings pre-trial, and many others were settled favorably - often during one of over 150 mediations handled by John.   John has first-chair trial experience in nearly 40 jury trials, some lasting weeks, including eight where over $30,000,000 was at issue. John’s plaintiff’s commercial cases have resulted in verdicts, judgments, and settlements exceeding $200,000,000 on behalf of his clients.  He has also defended to a zero verdict and/or final judgment after trial several high damage claims lawsuits, including a brain damage/medical malpractice case where over $50,000,000 was claimed, a securities fraud case where over $70,000,000 was claimed, and a patent infringement case where over $100,000,000 was originally claimed. 

Complex Commercial Litigation

John handled the following jury trials as first-chair trial counsel:

• 2021 – Representation of the plaintiff/counter-defendant in Federal Court in Texarkana in a case involving claims of breach of contract and fraud. Defendant sought over $8,000,000 in its counterclaims, which were the focus of the trial.  Following a 7-day jury trial, a final judgment was entered, based on the jury verdict, dismissing defendant’s counterclaims in their entirety.

• 2018 - Representation of the defendant in Federal Court in Marshall, Texas on a case involving patent infringement where several million dollars were claimed.  The case was settled after four days of jury trial. 

• 2017 - Representation of the defendant/counter-plaintiff in a case in Federal Court in Houston involving alleged breach of contract and false advertising in which over $30,000,000 was at issue regarding the various claims. Following a 6-day trial, the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff on false advertising and a verdict for the defendant (client) on plaintiff’s co-branding claims and on defendant’s counterclaims.  The case settled very favorably for the client post-verdict.

• 2014 - Representation of the plaintiff/counter-defendant in a theft of trade secrets trial in state court in Midland, Texas where over $30,000,000 was at issue in the various claims. Following a 10-day trial, the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, finding that the defendant stole trade secrets and the plaintiff did not steal trade secrets. 

• 2012 - Representation of the defendant in a 3-member panel Arbitration involving a claim for fraud, legal malpractice, and breach of fiduciary duty.  Several million dollars were claimed as damages.  After 5 days of evidence presentation, the award of the panel dismissed the plaintiff’s claims entirely and awarded attorney’s fees to the defense. 

• 2012 - Representation of the defendant in a Harris County case involving alleged fraud and breach of fiduciary duty. Over $1,000,000 was claimed as damages. After a 10-day trial, the jury returned a verdict for the defense, including an award of attorney’s fees payable to the defense. 

• 2011 - Representation of the plaintiff in Denver Federal Court in a bench trial on a patent infringement matter. Following a four-day trial, the judge awarded all damages sought by the plaintiff of over $4,000,000.

• 2010 - Representation of a defendant in Houston Federal Court in a patent infringement case in which the plaintiff’s counsel (head of litigation of a major Houston Law firm) publicly announced that his client was claiming “Nine Figures.” Despite this claim, plaintiffs sought approximately $14,000,000 at the end of the two-week trial.  The jury verdict was split.  The case was later dismissed with prejudice after the Court recognized that the plaintiff’s counsel intentionally misrepresented evidence during the trial. The plaintiff settled by foregoing all claims and paying defense attorney’s fees. 

• 2010 - Representation of the defendant in Houston Federal Court regarding a claimed breach of contract on an $8,200,000 real estate deal. A mistrial was declared following jury deliberations. Eventually, the case was dismissed by the Court on John’s motion, and the plaintiff was required to pay the defendant’s attorney’s fees. This order was upheld by the Fifth Circuit U.S Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court.

• 2009 - Representation of the plaintiff in a legal malpractice action in San Antonio Federal Court pertaining to a major law firm’s handling of a patent prosecution matter. The case lasted nearly four weeks. The jury returned a verdict of over $72,600,000 – one of the highest verdicts in Texas that year.

• 2008 - Representation of the plaintiff in a two-week patent infringement case in Denver Federal Court resulting in a jury verdict of over $14,300,000 - the highest verdict in Colorado that year.

• 2001 - Defense of a major corporation in the retrial of the above-described securities fraud case with a claim of over $70,000,000. After a 14-day jury trial, the jury returned a verdict for less than 1/20 of the plaintiff’s claim.  This verdict was reversed and rendered on appeal, and the plaintiff received zero.

• 2000 - Defense of a major corporation in a two-week securities fraud case in Harris County where over $70,000,000 was claimed. Following an 11-day trial, a mistrial was declared during jury deliberation.  

Professional Liability and Personal Injury Litigation

John handled the following jury trials as first-chair trial counsel:

• 2014 - Representation of a plaintiff in an assault and battery case in Houston Federal Court. After an 8-day trial, the jury returned a verdict of assault but found it was justified by self-defense.

• 2009 - Representation of the plaintiff in a legal malpractice action in San Antonio Federal Court pertaining to a major law firm’s handling of a patent prosecution matter. The case lasted nearly four weeks. The jury returned a verdict of $72,600,000 - one of the top verdicts in Texas that year.

• 2008 - Representation of the defendant lawyer in a Collin County legal malpractice case involving alleged failure to properly handle an underlying plaintiff’s lawsuit. Prior to the lawsuit filed, the defendant admitted to the plaintiff that he “dropped the ball” regarding expert designation.  The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, but the trial court granted the defense a judgment notwithstanding the verdict. The defense judgment was affirmed on appeal.

• 2007 - Representation of the defendant lawyer in a Dallas County legal malpractice case involving the handling of an underlying case. After an 8-day trial, the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff for less than claimed, and the case settled on appeal.

• 2007 - Representation of the defendant in a Harris County personal injury lawsuit claiming that the defendant “rear-ended” plaintiff’s vehicle, causing alleged personal injury. John proved during cross-examination of the plaintiff that she had filed three identical lawsuits over the years and lied about them under oath - and that it was indeed her scam to slow down until the car behind her was close to her and then suddenly mash her brakes to cause a collision.  At a break during cross examination, the plaintiff agreed to an immediate dismissal of the case with prejudice.

• 2005 - Representation of the defendant hospital in a Hidalgo County medical malpractice suit claiming that the manner of a baby’s delivery resulted in the child being paralyzed and brain damaged. Over $40,000,000 was claimed in damages. After an 11-day trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff for substantially less than claimed. The case was settled on appeal.

• 2002 - Representation of several defendant physicians in a Harris County medical malpractice lawsuit alleging that negligent care caused a mother to die during childbirth. Several million dollars were claimed as damages. After an 8-day jury trial, the jury returned a verdict of no liability in favor of the defendant.

• 2002 - Representation of the defendant neurosurgeon in a Harris County medical malpractice lawsuit alleging post-surgical complications and spine damage. After a 4-day trial, the jury deliberated less than 5 minutes in returning a verdict of no liability in favor of the defendant.

• 1999 - Representation of a department store in a Pontotoc County, Oklahoma premises liability lawsuit in which it was alleged that a dangerous condition in the store caused the wife of the retired high school football coach to fall and break her hip. After a 4-day trial, the jury returned a verdict of no liability in favor of the defendant.

• 1999 - Representation of multiple defendant physicians in a Harris County medical malpractice lawsuit alleging that negligent care caused brain damage to a child. Over $50,000,000 was claimed in damages. After a 17-day trial, and 3 days of jury deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of no liability in favor of the defendants.

• 1997 - Representation of a convenience store in an Orange County dram/shop double fatality case in which it was alleged that the sale of beer to a drunk man caused an accident that killed two off-duty police officers. Over $60,000,000 was claimed in damages.  After a 19-day jury trial, the case settled with a “high/low” arrangement the day before jury verdict, saving millions of dollars for the client.

• 1997 - Representation of the defendant surgeon in a Harris County medical malpractice lawsuit alleging post-operative complications. After a 4-day trial, the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff in less than the amount previously offered to settle the case.

• 1996 - Representation of the defendant College of Medicine in a Harris County medical malpractice lawsuit alleging a cardiovascular physician’s care led to an unnecessary leg amputation. After a 3-day trial, the jury returned a verdict of no liability in favor of the defendant.

• 1994 - Representation of the defendant dietician in a Harris County medical malpractice lawsuit alleging that a post-hospitalization dietary protocol caused a patient’s death. Several million dollars were claimed in damages. After a 6-day trial, the jury returned a verdict of no liability in favor of the defendant.

• 1993 - Representation of the defendant psychiatric hospital in a Harris County medical malpractice lawsuit alleging that failure to properly supervise juvenile patients led to an unwanted pregnancy. Following a 4-day trial, the jury returned a verdict of no liability in favor of the defendant.

• 1992 - Representation of the defendant physician in a Nueces County medical malpractice lawsuit pertaining to alleged medication complications.  The case was dismissed by the judge on the first day of trial, and judgment was entered for the defendant.

• 1989 - Representation of the defendant cardiology group in Harris County medical malpractice lawsuit claiming that negligent care caused paralysis. Over $1,000,000 was claimed as damages.  After a 6-day trial, the jury returned a verdict of no liability in favor of the defendant.

• 1989 - Representation of the defendant railroad in a Harris County personal injury action filed by a railroad employee alleging catastrophic back injury. Over $1,000,000 was claimed in damages.  John proved during the 5-day trial that the injury was a minor strain and that the alleged injury should be valued at no more than $5,000. This is the precise verdict the jury rendered.

• 1988 - Representation of the defendant in a Galveston County case alleging toxic chemical inhalation by an industrial worker. After a 5-day trial, the jury returned a verdict for the defendant, finding no toxic inhalation and no consequent injury.