Profile
David LeBas’ practice concentrates in the construction, agriculture, and banking industries. Mr. LeBas is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law. He handles commercial disputes, including trials, arbitrations and appeals, and transactions in his areas of concentration. Mr. LeBas is a recipient of the 2016 Excellence in Agricultural Law Award from the American Agricultural Law Association. He is a past president of the Amarillo Area Young Lawyers Association, a past director of the Texas Young Lawyers Association, a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, former chair of the State Bar’s Agricultural Law Committee, and a member of the Construction Specifications Institute.
Experience
Representative Matters
- Bonsmara Nat. Beef Co., LLC v. Hart of Tex. Cattle Feeders, LLC, 603 S.W.3d 385 (Tex. 2020)
- L & S Meats, LLC v. USA Feedyard, LP, 2020 Tex. App. LEXIS 590, 2020 WL 371726 (Tex. App.—Amarillo 2020, pet. denied).
- Morrison v. W. Builders of Amarillo, Inc., 555 F.3d 473 (5th Cir. 2009)
- Rogers v Ardella Veigel Inter Vivos Trust No. 2, 162 S.W. 3d 281 (Tex. App. Amarillo 2005)
- T.C. Petroleum, Inc. v. Canadian Natural Resources, Ltd. (2004)
- Haley v. GPM Gas Corp., 80 S.W. 3d 114 (Tex. App. Amarillo 2002)
- Continental Grain Co. v. Brandenburg, 587 N.W. 2d 196 (S.D.1998)
- Williams v. Gaines, 943 S.W.2d 185 (Tex. App. Amarillo 1997)
- Continental Grain Co. v. Heritage Bank, 548 N.W.2d 507 (S.D. 1996)
- Marklyn Controls Supply v.Pall Trinity Micro Corp. By and Through Pall Corp., 862 F. Supp. 140 (W.D. Tex. 1994)
- Texas Beef Cattle Co. v. Green, 860 S.W.2d 722 (Tex. App. Amarillo 1993)
- In re Boyd Elevator, Inc., 63 B.R. 689 (Bankr. N.D. Tex. 1986)
Recognition
Excellence in Agricultural Law Award, American Agricultural Law Association, 2016
Texas Super Lawyer, Thompson Reuters Legal, 2018 - 2019
Affiliations
Civic & Professional
Texas Young Lawyer Association (Director)
State Bar of Texas, Agricultural Law Committee (Chair)
Texas Bar Foundation (Life Fellow)
News & Insights
Publications
- The Livestock Dealer Trust Amendment To The Packers And Stockyards Act (State Bar of Texas, 14th Annual John Huffaker Agricultural Law Seminar, 2021)
- Texas Wildlife Management and Agricultural Tax Valuation, Top Ten Things An Agricultural Attorney Should Know, 2018 Edition
- The Packers and Stockyards Statutory Trust and the Unpaid Cattle Supplier (State Bar of Texas, 13th Annual John Huffaker Agricultural Law Course, Chapter 9)
- AG Law in the Field with Tiffany Lashmet, Texas Agricultural Liens
- Cattle Deals Gone Bad, presented by David LeBas to Judges attending the 32nd Annual Advanced Bankruptcy Seminar - State Bar of Oklahoma (December 2017)
- The Expanding Scope of the Sham Contract Statute (Construction Law Journal, Vol. 12, No. 2 (2016))
- National Editor, Construction Law Compendium: A State by State Analysis, ALFA International (2012 – 2016)
- Top Ten Things AG Lawyers Should Know (co-authored with John Huffaker), State Bar of Texas, 2014 - 2016
- Litigation and Arbitration of Mechanics’ Lien Claims (Lorman, 2014)
- Texas Agricultural Law and the Uniform Commercial Code (Texas A&M School of Law Agricultural Law Course 2014)
- The Train is Off the Tracks; Getting Arbitration Back to the Future (ALFA International Construction Law Seminar, 2014)
- Principles of Feedyard Lending and Marketing (co-authored with John Massouh) (Texas Cattle Feeders Association, 2013)
- Livestock Owner’s Liens (American Agricultural Law Journal June 2011)
- Common Legal Issues in the Texas Beef Cattle Industry (co-authored with John Huffaker) Texas Bar Journal, May 2010
- Where’s the Beef? Legal Foundations in Texas Cattle Marketing and Lending for 4th Annual Agricultural Law Conference (co-authored with John Huffaker), May 20-21, 2010
- Recovering Expert Witness Fees and Taxable Court Costs in State and Federal Court, State Bar of Texas 2010
- Conference on Strategies for Damages and Attorney Fees Litigation and Arbitration of Mechanics' Lien Claims, March 2009
- Marketing and Lending Problems in Cattle Wrecks, Farm, Ranch and Agri-Business Bankruptcy Institute, 2008
- Cattle Marketing and Lending, State Bar of Texas Agricultural Law Course, 2008
- Texas Cattle Law, Justice Court Judges Association of Texas Seminar, 2007
- Professional Liability Actions Against Design Professionals, 2006
- Current and Emerging Theories of Recovery for Breaches of Fiduciary Duties, Texas Bankers Association, 2005
- Livestock Law Update, Agricultural Law Seminar, State Bar of Texas, 2005
- OCIPs, Wrap-Ups and Workers’ Compensation, Annual Meeting of the Construction Law Section, State Bar of Texas, 2004
- Temporary Workers and Protection from Liability Under the Exclusive Remedy Provision of the Texas Worker’s Compensation Act, 16th Annual Construction Law Conference, State Bar of Texas, 2003
- Contractual and Involuntary Agricultural Liens, Agricultural Law Seminar, State Bar of Texas, 2003
- Perfection Rules Changed Under Revised Article 9, Texas Bankers Journal, 2001
- Lenders’ Laws and Liabilities: The New Uniform Commercial Code, Texas Cattle Feeders’ Association Seminar, 2001
- Creating and Protecting Agricultural Liens, Texas Association of Bank Counsel Annual Convention, 2000
- Risks to Lenders in the Use of Forward Contracts by Borrowers, Texas Tech Agricultural Lending School, 1999
- Creating and Protecting Agricultural Loans, Agricultural Law Seminar, State Bar of Texas, 1999
- Texas Livestock Law, Agricultural Law Seminar, State Bar of Texas, 1998
Certifications & Specialties
Certifications & Specialties
Board Certified in Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Representative Clients
American Bank of Commerce
Cactus Feeders, Inc.
Central Texas Highway Constructors, L.L.C.
Ferrovial Agroman
Friona Industries, L P
JBS USA Holdings, Inc.
Texas Cattle Feeders Association
Western Builders of Amarillo, Inc.
Zachry Construction Corporation
Capabilities
Admissions
- State Bar of Texas, 1982
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Education
University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 1982
- Law Review: American Journal of Criminal Law
University of Texas at Austin, B.A. in Economics & Government, 1979