Tom Van Arsdel

Tom Van Arsdel is a persuasive, compelling, and determined litigator. His significant courtroom experience has earned him the reputation of an advocate who gets results. Tom’s broad-based practice includes litigation and counseling in intellectual property, business torts, employment and complex commercial disputes. He has represented clients from a full range of industries, including sports and entertainment, software, banking, energy, manufacturing and trading.

Tom has handled significant copyright, trademark, and contract disputes for entertainment clients, including serving as lead trial and appellate counsel for Fox Television and the producers of American Idol in a trademark infringement and breach of contract matter.

He is highly skilled and experienced at all phases of complex business litigation, handling every aspect of the litigation process including first-chair trial experience and state and federal appeals. He has tried many cases to jury verdicts in both the state and federal courts, and has argued appeals before the Fifth Circuit, the Supreme Court of Texas and the state courts of appeals.

Representative Experience

• Lead trial counsel in a commercial dispute for an international drilling equipment dealer.  The +$1.5 million verdict amount was recognized by American Lawyer Media's Texas Lawyer Newspaper as one of the “Top Verdicts in 2020” 
• Lead trial and appellate counsel for Fox Television and the producers of American Idol in a trademark infringement and breach of contract action
• Lead trial counsel in a federal trademark infringement lawsuit on behalf of a foundation equipment manufacturer
• Lead trial counsel in a federal trademark infringement and cybersquatting lawsuit on behalf of a major real estate development company
• Lead trial counsel in a federal copyright infringement case on behalf of a textbook publisher
• Lead counsel in a trade secret and breach of contact matter on behalf of a wholesale energy trading company
• Lead counsel in numerous patent infringement matters on behalf of an oilfield services company
• Trial counsel for national bank in a five-week lender-liability jury trial
• Arbitration counsel for major credit card processing company in a non-compete clause dispute
• Lead trial counsel for a software development company in a commission dispute
• Lead counsel for an equity investment fund in a suit claiming $2 billion in damages

Supreme Court of Texas Webcast featuring Tom Van Arsdel

Watch Shareholder Tom Van Arsdel present an oral argument before the Supreme Court of Texas. (Cause No. 06-1084, Bison Building Materials Ltd. v. Lloyd K. Aldridge, argued on January 16, 2008)