Dallas firm recognized among top plaintiffs firms by National Law Journal
DALLAS – Trial law firm Lyons & Simmons, LLP, has been selected among the finalists for the National Law Journal’s 2021 Elite Trial Lawyers awards.
Finalists were selected in 25 categories from more than 200 submissions from the nation’s leading plaintiff's trial firms. These candidates demonstrated success on behalf of clients over the past 18 months and possessed a solid record of wins over the past five years, according to the NLJ editorial team.
“It is an exceptional honor to be counted among these pillars of the plaintiffs’ bar,” said Lyons & Simmons co-founder Michael Lyons. “But our finest achievement is not based on awards, but in being entrusted to represent those whose lives have been upended by the actions of others.”
Lyons & Simmons is one of five business torts finalists. The firm’s selection is based primarily on its work on behalf of former head football coach David Beaty in a high-profile contract dispute with the University of Kansas Athletics.
In his 2018 announcement of the dismissal of Coach Beaty, the Kansas athletic director emphasized that the termination was “without cause.” However, a month later, the school self-initiated an investigation into allegations of NCAA infractions involving the football team, changing the dismissal to “for cause” and refusing to pay the remainder of Coach Beaty’s contract.
“The minor infractions that were alleged were even more insignificant as details of a deeply troubled athletic department came to light in depositions and through discovery,” said co-founder Chris Simmons. Ultimately, Kansas Athletics chose to settle the dispute for $2.55 million rather than risk a protracted court fight.
In representing Coach Beaty, Lyons & Simmons created a roadmap for how to respond when a school is willing to weaponize NCAA violations to avoid financial obligations. The firm now represents more than a half-dozen college coaches in similar high-exposure contractual battles.
Lyons & Simmons work has earned recognition by Best Lawyers in America, Lawdragon 500, Texas Super Lawyers, D Magazine, andTexas Lawyer. In 2020, the firm was recognized by readers of Texas Lawyer magazine as the top personal injury law firm in Dallas.
About Lyons & Simmons LLP
Dallas-based Lyons & Simmons, LLP, is a trial boutique representing clients in wrongful death, personal injury, product liability, and complex “bet-the-company” business litigation matters across the country. To learn more, contact us for a free consultation.