Veteran Litigator Orrin Harrison Joins Dallas' Gruber Hurst Johansen Hail Shank

DALLAS, Jan. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Orrin L. Harrison III, a prominent and longtime leader in the Texas legal community, has joined the Dallas litigation firm Gruber Hurst Johansen Hail Shank as a partner.

During nearly 40 years of practice, Mr. Harrison has focused on complex business litigation in matters involving energy and utilities, securities, antitrust and corporate governance. He has served as the principal outside litigation counsel in trial and appellate courts for major national and international companies, including Central and South West Corporation, Fina Oil Company, and Waddell & Reed Financial Services.  For the past eight years, Chambers USA has listed him in its prestigious Tier 1 ranking as a securities litigator.

Mr. Harrison most recently was co-head of the national litigation practice group of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, where he was a partner since 2003. Prior to joining Akin Gump, he was a partner with Vinson & Elkins, where he was a member of the firm's practice management committee and led the Dallas office's litigation section.

"Orrin's experience and counsel will be tremendous assets for our firm and clients as we increasingly engage in corporate disputes with high financial stakes and substantial business implications," says firm founder Mike Gruber. "Orrin's reputation for communication and aggressive advocacy at the negotiating table and in the courtroom make him a great fit, and we're very pleased he agreed to make this move."

Mr. Harrison has served as president of the Dallas Bar Association and the Dallas Chapter of American Board of Trial Advocates, a trustee of the Dallas Bar Foundation, and a director of the State Bar of Texas. He also served as vice-chairman of the State Bar Commission on Lawyer Discipline, which oversees the lawyer grievance process in Texas.

In civic affairs, Mr. Harrison is a recipient of the Torch of Conscience Award from the American Jewish Congress. He has served on the board of directors for the United Way of Greater Dallas; North Texas Business Council for the Arts; and Dallas County Heritage Society. He is a frequent lecturer for legal education programs on arbitration, securities regulation, accounting litigation, and corporate investigations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

Mr. Harrison earned his law degree with honors in 1974 from the Southern Methodist University School of Law, where he was a member of Order of the Coif and Order of the Barristers. He received his undergraduate degree with honors in 1971 from the University of the South, where he currently serves as trustee.

Gruber Hurst Johansen Hail Shank LLP focuses on the business needs of its clients in trying complex commercial litigation in courtrooms across Texas. The firm's experience includes matters involving securities, financial services, bankruptcy, employment, intellectual property, technology, products liability and other commercial cases. Clients include leading companies – large and small – and individuals in the fields of private equity, real estate, manufacturing, professional services, energy and retail.

For more information on Mr. Harrison, please contact Barry Pound at 800-559-4534 or [email protected].

SOURCE Gruber Hurst Johansen Hail Shank LLP