Philip Werner has tried more than 125 jury trials in state and federal courts in cases involving commercial law, toxic tort, breach of contract, products liability, insurance claims on behalf of insureds, oil and gas, real estate property disputes, wrongful termination.

According to the National Law Journal, Philip has secured Top 10 verdicts nationally on both the defense and plaintiff side. In 2015, with co-lead counsel David Ayers, he secured the largest jury award on record in a legal malpractice case. It also ranked sixth among all reported verdicts nationally that year. Also with co-lead counsel David Ayers, Philip won a settlement in 2012 in one of the largest shareholder oppression cases ever filed.

Philip has extensive experience in litigating fiduciary duty claims for both plaintiffs and defendants, including both professional malpractice and corporate fiduciary disputes. He also represents Fortune 100 companies and individuals in litigation involving contract disputes, Policyholder claims against insurers, property damage claims stemming from large industrial accidents, cancer claims, products liability claims, real estate disputes, and allegations of wrongful termination.

He is an associate member of the American Board of Trial Advocates.  He holds a rating of AV Preeminent from Martindale-Hubbell.

He obtained his J.D. in 1976 from the University of Texas and began his practice that same year with Mills, Shirley, Eckel & Bassett, L.L.P. in Galveston, Texas, the state’s oldest existing law firm. His practice was concentrated in litigation, but also included various banking, oil and gas and transactional matters. After leaving Mills, Shirley in 1992, he joined Patricia Kerrigan to form what became Werner, Kerrigan & Ayers, L.L.P. (and later Werner Ayers, L.L.P.), a litigation firm.

Philip was born in Texas, raised in Costa Rica, and after serving as a sergeant in the United States Army in The Republic of Vietnam, returned to Texas where he received his undergraduate degree cum laude from North Texas State University in 1972.

Education

Representative Experience