Source: https://www.rustyhardin.com/our-team/lara-hollingsworth/
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 12:50:14+00:00

Document:
Lara Hollingsworth is a seasoned appellate lawyer with a wealth of experience assisting individuals and corporations. She specializes in helping her clients strategically navigate legal and appellate issues starting from the time a case comes in the door, through trial, and eventually on appeal. Her skill at advocacy and mastery of the intricacies of complex legal and procedural issues have enabled her to produce substantial favorable results.
With a legal career of more than 20 years, Lara has assisted clients in a wide variety of complex commercial and civil litigation matters. Clients rely on Lara for strong strategic counsel and her ability to maximize the prospects of success at trial and on appeal.
Some of Lara’s more recent wins include representing Enterprise Property Co. in a commercial property dispute involving the former Houston Chronicle building in downtown Houston. She was instrumental in securing a significant judgment establishing her client’s property rights, which enabled it to move forward with planned development. She assisted Rice University in obtaining an opinion from the Texas Supreme Court confirming the immunity status of a university’s state-commissioned peace officers. Lara also represented four Baylor University regents during the high-profile lawsuits brought by two former Baylor employees, including former football coach Art Briles.
Lara is a native Houstonian and comes from a family of attorneys. She received her undergraduate degree from Baylor University and then attended Baylor Law School. After graduating second in her class at Baylor, she clerked for the late Judge Sam D. Johnson on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and also for the late Justice James A. Baker at the Texas Supreme Court. Lara began her career at Carrington Coleman in Dallas where she did both litigation and appellate work. When she and her husband moved to Houston, she worked with her family’s law firm Hudgins, Hudgins and Warrick, P.C., until Rusty Hardin made her an offer she could not refuse.
Lara is married to attorney Derek Hollingsworth and has three children. She is an active member of the community serving on various school and Spring Branch ISD committees focused on bettering public education. She can often be seen at the local elementary school, Valley Oaks, where she has helped lead several student-focused efforts. These include the school’s community outreach program focused on classroom equalization initiatives and providing emergency assistance to families, as well as sponsoring the student council, which focuses on educating students about civic leadership and responsibilities.
Represented three Baylor University regents in a lawsuit brought by dismissed and disgraced football coach Art Briles and a staffer. Developed legal strategy that involved filing a large answer in defending the suit by the fired staffer that set out facts that had not been made public. This decision not only had a legal impact in getting the suit dismissed, but the outcome also had a business and practical effect for the regents as they proceeded to move forward following the scandal. Handled the dismissal of the staffer’s suit pursuant to the Texas Citizen’s Participation Act and appeal of the dismissal. The court of appeals affirmed the trial court’s dismissal.
Represented Rice University in a lawsuit based on arrest by one of its state-commissioned peace officers. Filed a summary judgment in the trial court based on immunity, but it was denied. On appeal, successfully obtained an opinion from the Texas Supreme Court concluding that Rice University was entitled to seek interlocutory appellate review when immunity is denied. Secured a reversal on appeal of the trial court’s denial of summary judgment, resulting in the entire case being dismissed.
Represented baseball legend Roger Clemens in the litigation and appeal of a civil defamation suit against a former trainer. The seven-time Cy Young Award winner was named in a report on steroid abuse by baseball players based solely on accusations made by his former trainer, and Mr. Clemens strongly denied that. Handled the appeal of trial court’s granting of immunity to the former trainer and the dismissal for lack of jurisdiction.
Represented Block 58 Investors, LLC, in a commercial dispute involving the right to develop the property where the former Houston Chronicle building used to sit and the ability to construct an underground tunnel beneath it. Filed a motion for summary judgment that gave the client a term of certainty as to its development. Examined the agreement between the two parties and laid out for the court a strong basis for why the client had a right to develop the property. This effort resulted in the court granting declaration of rights that were valuable to the client in moving ahead with the development plan.
Represented Smith Energy Company in a commercial dispute against a former business associate for a variety of claims, including theft and breach of contract. The parties entered into oil and gas exploration agreements that required the former business associate to provide certain landman services that he subsequently failed to provide. The case involved two trips to the appellate courts. The first was a mandamus proceeding involving a challenge of the trial court’s refusal to transfer venue. The second was the appeal of the judgment where the theft and breach of contract findings were upheld. Negotiated a favorable settlement of the case while the matter was pending before the Texas Supreme Court.
Represented NCI Building Systems, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of metal construction components, in a fraud claim. The company’s former executive vice president had started a competing business in violation of his retirement agreement, taking more than 370,000 of NCI’s internal company documents without permission. After three weeks of complicated testimony, a jury found the former executive committed fraud, and the trial court awarded NCI a $2.2 million judgment. Provided critical trial support and jury charge work. Successfully maintained the judgment on appeal.
Shillinglaw v. Baylor Univ., 05-17-00498-CV, 2018 WL 3062451 (Tex. App.—Dallas June 21, 2018, pet. denied).
Hardwick v. Smith Energy Co., 500 S.W.3d 474 (Tex. App.—Amarillo 2016), review granted, judgment vacated, and remanded by agreement (Tex. Mar. 10, 2017).
William Marsh Rice Univ. v. Refaey, 495 S.W.3d 531 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2016, pet. denied).
William Marsh Rice Univ. v. Refaey, 459 S.W.3d 590 (Tex. 2015).
Ginn v. NCI Bldg. Sys., Inc., 472 S.W.3d 802 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2015, no pet.).
In re Hardwick, 426 S.W.3d 151 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2012, no pet.).
Clemens v. McNamee, 615 F.3d 374 (5th Cir. 2010).

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