Jonathan Spigel

Jonathan M. Spigel is a Shareholder and member of the Cowles Thompson Tort Litigation Practice Group.  Jonathan’s practice consists primarily of general insurance defense litigation, including transportation, product liability and premises liability defense.  His clients include a variety of national trucking companies, product manufacturers and retailers, international national hotel chains, and retail stores and restaurants.

• Obtained voluntary dismissals, summary judgments, and favorable settlements on commercial, employment, food poisoning, negligent security, premises and products liability suits brought against national hospitality, restaurant, retail-related businesses, and product manufacturers and retailers.
• Obtained Summary Judgments and favorable settlements for national trucking companies in wide variety of trucking accident cases.
• Obtained voluntary dismissals, summary judgments, favorable settlements, and successful trial results for local attorneys defended in a wide variety of legal malpractice suits.
• Obtained voluntary dismissal for international hotel chain accused of various intentional and negligent acts associated with the removal of an unruly patron.
• Obtained voluntary dismissal for cigarette lighter distributor sued in multiple death case involving minors, where one minor allegedly started apartment fire with cigarette lighter.
• Obtained summary judgment for gasoline tanker trailer manufacturer and lessor in products liability suit brought after gasoline tanker trailer rolled over, caught fire, exploded, and resulted in the burn death of tanker trailer driver.
• Obtained summary judgment for trailer hitch manufacturer in multiple death SUV/travel trailer rollover accident.
• Obtained favorable settlement for owner of bucket truck/”cherry picker” that allegedly malfunctioned, pinning cable employee against wires, injuring his back and requiring multiple surgeries.
• Successfully represented international hotel chain in age discrimination suit.
• Obtained summary judgment for international hotel chain in retaliatory discharge (workers’ compensation) suit.

• “Texas Supreme Court Weighs in on Police Shootings (in the Private University Context),” author, Cowles Thompson Business and Legal Update, April 2021
• “Limitations on Responsible Third-Party Practice – Dallas Court of Appeals Affirms Trial Court’s Order Striking RTP Designation,” author, Cowles Thompson Business and Legal Update, October 2020
• “The Wheels on the City Bus Go ‘Round and ‘Round and Its Operator Still Owes a Higher Duty of Care, Per the Texas Supreme Court,” author, Cowles Thompson Business and Legal Update, July 2020
• “Eight (Corners) is Enough – Texas Supreme Court Says So – When It Comes to an Insurer’s Duty to Defend,” author, Cowles Thompson Business and Legal Update, March 2020
• “Exemplary Damages – Revisiting the Damages Cap Calculation,” author, Cowles Thompson Business and Legal Update, September 2019
• “Contracts – A New Spin on the ‘Battle of the Forms’ Conundrum,” author, Cowles Thompson Business and Legal Update, April 2019
• “Texas Supreme Court Addresses Evidentiary Challenges and Rulings in the Summary Judgment Context,” author, Cowles Thompson Business and Legal Update, August 2018
• “Texas Supreme Court Weighs in on the Admissibility of Surveillance Video,” author, Cowles Thompson Business and Legal Update, May 2018
• “Hospitality Liability for Human Trafficking,” author, Cowles Thompson Business and Legal Update, February 2018
• “Negligent Entrustment,” author, Cowles Thompson Business and Legal Update, October 2017
• “Protections for Political Speech – Playing the Defamation Card,” author, Cowles Thompson Business and Legal Update, May 2016
• “To Carry or Not to Carry – Texas Gun Law Update,” author, Cowles Thompson Business and Legal Update, July 2015

• J.D., St. Mary’s University School of Law, 1989
  • Editor, St. Mary’s Law Journal
• B.B.A., Finance, University of Texas at Austin, 1986

• State Bar of Texas, 1989
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas

• State Bar of Texas
• Dallas Bar Association

• AV Peer Review (Pre-eminent), rated by Martindale Hubbell
• 2018:  Jonathan Spigel was nominated and approved for membership in the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC).  Membership is by nomination-only into the private organization of insurance lawyers and executives from around the world.  Founded in 1920, the IADC takes a leadership role in many areas of legal reform and professional development.

Insurance Litigation

Employment Law

Hospitality Law

Premises Liability

Product Liability

Professional Liability

Tort Litigation

Transportation & Trucking Law