Kristen McDanald focuses her practice on insurance coverage from providing practical advice regarding managing extra-contractual risk exposure to representing carriers in active litigation. Kristen has first and second chair trial experience, in a variety of civil litigation matters, and also has appellate experience. She has taught evening classes on appellate advocacy for five years as an adjunct and is an active volunteer in the community. Prior to graduation, she interned at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office with a temporary law license and participated in more than 200 hearings. While pursuing a career in civil law, she was also sworn in to the Special Prosecution Unit of the Texas Attorney General’s Office and obtained Guardian ad Litem certification.
People
Kristen McDanald
Partner, Litigation
Notable Work
Appellate court upheld underlying trial verdict and award against Plaintiff counsel for sanctionable conduct.
Obtained judgment as a matter of law against plaintiff Royal Hospitality, a restaurant operator seeking contractual and extracontractual damages from insurance carriers due to alleged damages to scheduled properties due to Hurricane Harvey.
Represented Plaintiff Allied World in declaratory judgment suit against The Howard Hughes Corporation and The Woodlands Land Development Company, LP. Upon receipt of the dec action petition, purported insureds voluntarily dropped request for coverage in connection with related underlying Hurricane Harvey lawsuit, resulting in dismissal of insurance coverage declaratory judgment action as now moot.
Appellate court upheld district court's dismissal of matter for lack of subject matter jurisdiction in an attempted direct action lawsuit against insurance carrier.
Obtained minor settlement judgment, to settle and protect against further claims exposure against Helmerich & Payne, Inc. and Helmerich & Payne Int'l Drilling Co.
Obtained dismissal of a fuel-system defect suit against Suzuki Motor Corp. of Japan failed to directly serve the company in compliance with the Hague Convention requirements or to indirectly serve the company through an authorized subsidiary.
Obtained jury trial verdict in favor of defendants; personal injury plaintiffs who fell through wooden staircase during beer delivery to the hotel awarded $0 recovery.
Affiliations
- Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation
- State Bar of Texas
- American Bar Association
- Houston Bar Association
- Houston Young Lawyers Association
- Fellow of Houston Young Lawyers Foundation
- Texas Association of Defense Counsel
- Hermann Park Conservancy – Advisory Board Member
- Junior League of Houston
Honors and Distinctions
- The Best Lawyers in America, 2023-2024, Listed in Texas for Insurance Law
- Super Lawyers Magazine, 2016-2024, Listed in Texas as a "Rising Star" for Civil Litigation: Defense
- Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
- Houston Young Lawyers Foundation, Fellow
- Houstonia Magazine, 2018, Listed in "Top Lawyers in Houston" for Insurance
Related Professional Experience
- South Texas College of Law, Adjunct Professor of Appellate Advocacy, 2008-2013
Published Work and Lectures
- TADC Bi-Annual Report, Co-Author, Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Bi-Annual "Insurance Law Update," 2012 – Present
- CLE Co-Author and Lector, "Avoiding Bad Faith Claims Settlement Practices in Texas," 2015 – Present
- ABA Oil & Gas Committee Article, Author, "BP to Pay Largest Criminal Penalty in U.S. History," Spring 2015
- ABA Oil & Gas Committee Article, Author, "D.C. Circuit Reigns in the EPA," Fall 2014
- ABA Oil & Gas Committee Article, Author, "Supreme Court Upholds EPA's Transport Rule," Spring 2014