Robert Burford

Practice Areas

Commercial Litigation

Business Litigation

Fiduciary Duty Claims

Securities Fraud

Mergers & Acquisitions

Directors' and Officers' Liability

Legal Malpractice

Oil & Gas Law

Partnership Disputes

Intellectual Property Disputes

Trade Secret Theft

Healthcare Law

Complex Contract Disputes

Career

Nationally recognized as one of the best business and commercial litigators in the country, Robert R. Burford brings to his practice extensive legal knowledge, zealous but professional advocacy skills, and a talent for seeing the nuances as well as the big picture of each matter. Clients rely on Robert to resolve complex, high-stakes business disputes of nearly every variety. They include litigation involving fiduciary duties, securities fraud, mergers and acquisitions, director’s and officers’ liability, legal malpractice, oil and gas matters, partnership disputes, intellectual property disputes, theft of trade secrets, healthcare-related matters, and complex contractual disputes. He represents plaintiffs and defendants, giving him a well-rounded strategic perspective.

What sets Robert apart from many other lawyers is a confluence of litigation, financial wisdom, and talent. Before becoming a lawyer, he worked as a public accountant for two Big Eight accounting firms and then practiced tax law for his first three years after law school. This experience in essentially conducting forensic examinations of books and records enables him to understand the details and metrics of financial statements and what underlies those documents. Simply put, he knows where to look and exactly what he’s looking at. A client told the Chambers & Partners that Robert’s business knowledge was a significant advantage in his case.

While his finance background distinguishes Robert, he draws on many attributes. He fully recognizes how commercial cases can be phenomenally complex, often involving millions of documents. Consequently, he applies his capacity to compile the key facts into a compelling case and present it concisely to the judge or arbitrator. “Every lawsuit has its own reality,” as he says, “and you have to tell your client’s story in a limited amount of time. So it’s got to be tight but also engaging.” Robert has earned a reputation for offering a condensed background of the case with key visuals and clear, understandable language—tailored in such a way to suit each judge’s preferred manner of presentation.

In addition to his Chambers USA ranking for his expertise in General Commercial Litigation (2022-24), Robert has been widely recognized by his peers and the media. He was recognized by TopVerdict for winning one of the Top 20 jury verdicts in Texas in 2023, as a 2024 Benchmark Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation, by The Best Lawyers in America© for Commercial Litigation, 2020-2024, and Texas Super Lawyers, published by Thomson Reuters (2004-2023).

Robert began his career as a commercial litigator in 1989 with Gibbs & Bruns, LLP, one of the nation’s most highly recognized boutique firms. He became a partner with the firm in 1993 and served as its managing partner or co-managing partner for many years. He left Gibbs & Bruns in 2009 to start his own firm, where he was named to Benchmark Litigation’s “Litigation Stars” list for three successive years. In 2015, Robert formed Burford Perry with longtime friend Brent Perry.

Professional Memberships

Houston Bar Association

Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow

Work Highlights

Lead counsel for Laura Yosowitz, whose Greenlet LLC ownership was devalued by Martin Kay's asset transfer to a new company. Pursuing a derivative action, Burford Perry transformed the dispute into a nine-figure lawsuit. After a compelling trial, the jury found Kay liable for $138 million in damages, confirming Yosowitz's ownership. The judge awarded her $54 million in damages and $2 million in attorneys' fees. Laura Elizabeth Yosowitz, et al. v. Martin Lee Kay, et al.

Lead counsel for Muhammad Salim, who funded a Houston imaging center chain until halted profit distributions left him shut out. Opting for arbitration during the pandemic, the firm exposed self-dealing fees and pursued derivative claims. Lead counsel in a nine-day online arbitration awarding Salim $7.4 million, resulting in a complete buyout as a one-third owner. Muhammad Salim, et al. v. Fuad Cochinwala, et al.

Defended Tellurian's former general counsel against a $500 million breach claim by Cheniere Energy. Aligned with Tellurian, the legal team played a key role in trial court proceedings, leading to Cheniere dismissing all of its claims without settlement. Parallax Enterprises LLC v. Cheniere Energy, Inc., v. Tellurian, Inc., et al.

Defended corporate executive against a $700 million Ponzi scheme claim, disproving accusations through cross-examination. The jury rejected the claim, resulting in a 3% judgment. In a post-judgment settlement, the firm secured the complete release of the CEO's partner during the appeal. H. Thomas Moran, et al. v. Brian Pardo, et al.

Lead counsel in a series of securities claims against a startup called Panton. The firm's clients lost their entire investment in a tech-driven roofing claims company. Revealing the company's sole asset was its insurance policy, the firm shifted the case to a Texas Securities Act claim to stay within coverage and eventually collect the entire policy. Exposing fraud during the CEO’s deposition, we settled through mediations, ensuring a return of investments and maximizing insurance funds for clients.

Represented Vinson & Elkins attorney D. Bobbitt Noel in a fraud and breach of fiduciary duty case against billionaire Trevor Rees-Jones, Chief Energy and Devon Energy. Noel alleged an old friend, Rees-Jones, cheated him when he bought out Noel’s stake in a highly successful shale gas company, Chief Energy. After a several-week trial and a favorable jury verdict, the trial court awarded a $196 million judgment for Noel. D. Bobbit Noel Jr. v Chief Energy and Devon Energy Holding, L.L.C., et al.

Obtained a summary judgment for his client, ConocoPhillips, in a $500 million breach of contract, fraud, and negligent misrepresentation action. The case involved the sale of pipelines and gas processing facilities in West Texas. The Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court victory, and the Texas Supreme Court denied further review. WTG Gas Processing, L.P. v ConocoPhillips Company, et al.

Represented the Houston Police Officer’s Pension System in seeking police officers pension benefits from the City of Houston. The case settled out of Court with the City of Houston agreeing to pay more than $3 billion to police fund pension obligations. Houston Police Officers Pension System v. City of Houston

Obtained pretrial dismissal of a multimillion-dollar securities claim against Azurix, Ken Lay, Jeff Skilling, and Rebecca Marks. The suit involved a securities fraud action brought by Azurix shareholders in the company’s IPO. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the win for Azurix, Lay, Skilling and Marks during the midst of the Enron scandal. In re: Azurix Securities Litigation

Awards