Dawn Estes

Taber Estes Thorne & Carr PLLC
3500 Maple Avenue, Suite 1100
Dallas, Texas 75219
Direct Dial: 214.599.4002
destes@taberestes.com
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Practice Areas

Commercial/Business Litigation
Electronic Discovery and Document Retention
Internet and Computer Technology
Personal Injury
Arbitration/Mediation/ADR

Practice Emphasis

For over 19 years, Dawn's practice has focused on trial work, representing a variety of clients - both big and small - in claims involving a wide range of litigation topics. Dawn serves as a court-appointed mediator, and she has been selected to serve on the American Arbitration Association's National Panel of Arbitrators.

Dawn has a proven ability to manage and resolve sophisticated disputes. She has tried cases in both state and federal courts throughout Texas. Dawn has experience and expertise in the following areas:

• Trade secret and proprietary information misappropriation
• Breach of contract and breach of warranty claims
• Asset securitizations relating to Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities
• Website development contracts
• Multi-level marketing distributorship disputes
• Employee theft and fraud
• Insurance bad faith disputes involving disability and life insurance policies
• Software and technology performance disputes
• Temporary restraining orders and temporary injunctions
• Product liability claims
• Negligence
• Breach of fiduciary duty claims
• Shareholder actions
• Tortious interference with contract
• Negligent misrepresentation and fraud claims
• Distributor agreements
• Slander
• Deceptive Trade Practice Act claims

Dawn has additional expertise in e-commerce, Internet and computer technology law, including issues of software performance, development disputes, domain name issues, cybersmear, Internet e-commerce ventures and website development issues.

Dawn has been selected by fellow members of the Texas Bar Association as a Texas Super Lawyer in Business Litigation in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007. She also has the distinction of being selected as one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Texas (by Law & Politics, as published in Texas Monthly).

Dawn also serves as an Adjunct Professor at SMU's Dedman School of Law.

Education

J.D., St. Mary's University School of Law (1989)

• Associate Editor, Law Journal

B.A., Southern Methodist University, cum laude (1986)

Prior Work Experience

Partner, Gardere Wynne Sewell, LLP, Dallas (1997-2007) Trial Section

Associate, Gardere & Wynne, Dallas (1989-97) Trial Section

Admissions

• State Bar of Texas
• Northern District of Texas
• Southern District of Texas
• Eastern District of Texas
• Western District of Texas

Affliliations

• Member, State Bar of Texas
• Member, State Bar Committee on Administration of Rules of Evidence
• Subcommittee Chair
• Member, Dallas Committee for a Qualified Judiciary
• Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
• Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
• Life Fellow, Dallas Bar Foundation
• Fellow, Dallas Young Lawyers Association (DYLA) Foundation
• Member, Leadership Dallas Alumni Association
• Sustaining Member, Association of Attorney Mediators
• Participant, Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program, North Texas Legal Services
• Adjunct Professor, SMU Dedman School of Law
• Recognized, Texas Super Lawyer, Law & Politics, as published in Texas Monthly (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007)
• Recognized, Top 50 Women Lawyers in Texas, Law & Politics, as published in Texas Monthly (2006)
• Recognized, Lawdragon 500 - New Stars New Worlds in 2006, Lawdragon Magazine
• Recognized, Best Lawyers Under 40, D Magazine (2002)

Community Activities

• Active Supporter, Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra
• Chair, Board of Directors (2006 - 2008)
• Past President
• Member, President's Advisory Council, Dallas Center for the Performing Arts
• Volunteer Mediator, Dispute Mediation Services, Dallas
• Graduate, Leadership Dallas, Class of 2001
• Sustaining Member, Lakewood Service League
• Former Board Member
• Member, Leadership Dallas Alumni Association
• Member, Northaven United Methodist Church
• Band Member, Second Hand Noise (all-lawyer band)

Publications and Speeches

Some of Ms. Estes' publications and speeches include:

Speeches

• Speaker, "Electronic Evidence and Discovery - The Law Governing Electronic Discovery" Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course, University of Houston Law Foundation CLE (Fall 2007)
• Speaker, "Electronic Evidence and Discovery - It's a Whole New World," Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course, University of Houston Law Foundation CLE (Summer 2007)
• Keynote Speaker, "Managing Legal and Business Risk in Today's Electronic World: Are You Ready?," ITEC Conference, Dallas, Texas
• Speaker and Panelist, "Practicing Law on the Internet: Privacy, Confidentiality, and Due Diligence Issues," Live National Satellite Broadcast, State Bar of Texas
• View More
• Speaker, "Dos and Don'ts of IT Contracts," IT and Internet Law Workshop
• Speaker, "How to Handle Spam," Dallas Bar Association Computer Law Section
• Speaker, "Managing Legal Risk," Computer and Technology Showcase, Plano Convention Center
• Speaker, "Privacy, Libel and Legal Intrigue in the Internet Age," The Association for Women in Communication
• Speaker, "Successful IT Contracts - How to Avoid Lawsuits When Acquiring IT," The Executive Toolbox, Live Broadcast, Clearview Communications
• Speaker, ITEC, "Litigation and Privacy Issues in Cyberspace," Dallas Convention Center
• Speaker, KRLD's Technology Law Brief
• Speaker, "Managing Intellectual Capital in an Electronic World," Edwin L. Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University
• Speaker, Texas Technology Showcase: The Internet on Trial, Dallas Convention Center
• Speaker, "From Bricks and Mortar to Click and Order," President's Forum of Houston, The Entrepreneurship Institute
• Speaker, "e-Commerce Survival Course," SMU School of Law
• Speaker, "Arbitration - Discovery Strategy and Impact on Litigation," State Bar of Texas, Advanced High Tech Litigation Seminar
• Speaker, "Devising Business Continuity Strategies," International Quality & Productivity Center
• Speaker, "Devising Year 2000 Business Contingency Strategies," Institute for International Research
• Speaker, "Managing Year 2000 Issues," Dallas County Council of Republican Women
• Speaker, "Managing Year 2000 Issues for You and Your Clients," Tarrant County Bar Association, 6th Annual Blackston
• Speaker, "Physicians on Trial: A Y2K Mock Trial Presentation," Dallas County Medical Society
• Speaker, "Managing the Millennium: Technology & The Year 2000 Crisis," Dallas Chamber of Commerce/American Electronics Association
• Speaker, "Year 2000: A Practical Approach," Fort Worth Republican Women's Caucus
• Speaker, "Year 2000 Problem: Computing the Legal Risks for Attorneys and Their Clients," State Bar of Texas
• Speaker, "Healthcare and the Year 2000 Crisis - What Must be Done Now," Co-Sponsored by Texas Health Resources and Rx2000
• Speaker, Year 2000 Awareness Seminar, Compass Bank
• Speaker, "Y2K: Legal Issues and Risk Management," Instrument Society of America Pipeliners Division
• Speaker, "Y2K: Managing the Millennium," Co-Sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers and Summit Global Partners
• Speaker, "Year 2000? Legal Issues, Overview and Potential Effects," Harbour Group International

Publications

• Author, "Electronic Evidence and Discovery - It's a Whole New World," Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course, University of Houston Law Foundation CLE (2007)
• Author, "Electronic Evidence and Discovery - The Law of Electronic Discovery," Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course, University of Houston Law Foundation CLE (2007)
• Author and Speaker, "Spam, Marketing and Pop-Up Ads," 16th Annual Computer and Technology Law Institute, University of Texas (May 29, 2003)
• Author, "Spam, Spam and More Spam," 5 No. 7 E-Commerce L. Rep. 5 (May 2003)
• View More
• Author, "Court Rules in Favor of Triggers," DFW TechBiz (April 9, 2001)
• Author, "Faites-vous Yahoo!?," Part 2, DFW TechBiz (February 26, 2001)
• Author, "Faites-vous Yahoo!?," DFW TechBiz (January 22, 2001)
• Author, "Don't Use Trademarked Names as Keywords in a Metatag," DFW TechBiz (December 4, 2000)
• Author, "Era of Spam May Be Drawing to a Close," DFW TechBiz, (October 16, 2000 - reprinted in Texas Lawyer, October 30, 2000)
• Author, "Evaluate Your (Stock) Options Closely," DFW TechBiz (September 18, 2000)

Other

• Interview, "Security and Protecting Sensitive Information," World Business Review (January 2003)
• Interview, Regarding Napster Appellate Decision, Channel 8 News (aired February 21, 2001, Dallas; March 2001, Houston)
• Panelist, "Cybercrime: Are You At Risk?," AIP Lecture Series, SMU Hart eCenter (reported in Dallas Morning News, March 15, 2001)
• Panelist, American Arbitration Association's National Roster of Arbitrators and Mediators
• View More
• Quoted, "Congress Set to Grind Up Spam," DFW TechBiz (July 16, 2001)
• Quoted, "Cyberslander," Electronic Business Today (March 7, 2001 - reprinted in Electronic Consumer Magazine)
• Course Director, "Helping Clients with e-Commerce," State Bar of Texas (March and April, 2001)
• Lecturer, Edwin L. Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University (legal technology issues)