Title: Member
David LeBas graduated from the University of Texas with a B.A. in 1979
and a J.D. in 1982. He is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law who received
the 2016 Excellence in Agricultural Law Award from the American Agricultural
Law Association. His practice is concentrated in the areas of agriculture,
construction and banking. He is a past president of the Amarillo Area
Young Lawyers Association, a past director of the Texas Young Lawyers
Association (Director 1988-1990), 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.
Areas of Practice
Agriculture
Construction
Commercial
Litigation
Certifications & Specialties
Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1992
Bar Admissions
Texas, 1982
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit
U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas
U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
Education
The University of Texas School of Law, Austin, Texas
J.D. – 1982
Law Review: American Journal of Criminal Law, 1981 – 1982
University of Texas, Austin, Texas
B.A. – 1979
Major: Economics
Major: Government
Published Works
- The Livestock Dealer Trust Amendment To The Packers And Stockyards Act
- 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
Representative Cases
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)
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
Honors and Awards
2016 Excellence in Agricultural Law Award, American Agricultural Law Association
Texas Bar Foundation (Life Fellow)
Texas Super Lawyer 2018 - 2019
Texas Young Lawyer Association (Director)
Texas State Bar Agricultural Law Committee (Chair)
Past Employment Positions
Gibson, Ochsner & Adkins, Partner, 1982 – 2003
Gwinn & Roby, Partner, 2003 – 2007