Dallas Jury Delivers Win for King Consolidated in Employment Dispute

Celeste Yeager of Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP represented King Consolidated Inc. in a take-nothing verdict in a dispute over a former claim to a bonus. End Quote

Dallas, TX (1888PressRelease) September 12, 2012 - A Dallas County jury on Sept. 5 unanimously delivered a take-nothing verdict in favor of Dallas based oil and gas company King Consolidated Inc. in a dispute over a former employee's claim to a $250,000 bonus.

The jury in Judge Martin Lowy's 101st District Court ruled in favor of King Consolidated in Tim Register v. King Consolidated, No. 11-06355E. King Consolidated was represented by Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP partner Celeste R. Yeager and associate Jared G. Vitemb.

Mr. Register, the former president of King Consolidated, alleged that he was entitled to approximately $250,000 based on a pro-rata share of a bonus from money that came into the company after his employment was terminated. King Consolidated contended that it had paid Mr. Register everything he was owed according to the terms of his employment agreement, and the jury agreed.

"This case highlights the necessity of having certain strong, clear language in employment agreements," Ms. Yeager says. "Having such language can usually head off litigation in the first place, but if litigation does happen, it can make all the difference at trial."

King Consolidated specializes in acquiring and operating crude oil and natural gas reserves in the South Central region of the United States, including Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

Ms. Yeager is a partner in Gardere's Labor and Employment Practice Group and chairs the Firm's Immigration and Naturalization Practice. She also is a member of Gardere's Energy Industry Team and Chemical and Refining Industry Team. Ms. Yeager is Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and regularly represents employers nationally in all types of employment disputes, including class and collective actions before local, state, and federal administrative agencies and courts.

Earlier this year, Ms. Yeager successfully represented a client in overturning five citations issued by the Wyoming Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) related to oilfield safety. The judge's 53-page court opinion rescinded all citations against Ms. Yeager's client. Additional information may be viewed at http://www.gardere.com/showPub.asp?id=2009.

Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP, an Am Law 200 firm founded in 1909 and one of the Southwest's largest full-service law firms, has offices in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and Mexico City. Gardere provides legal services to private and public companies and individuals in areas of corporate, litigation, energy, tax, real estate, financial services, government affairs, hospitality, intellectual property, labor and employment, and environmental. For more information, contact Kristin Butler at 214.999.4843 or kbutler ( @ ) gardere dot com.

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