Mark A. Marshall is an experienced attorney with a diverse legal practice. Mr. Marshall routinely represents clients in real estate and commercial transactions, real estate litigation, business transactions, governmental and regulatory matters, and landowner easement disputes. Mr. Marshall has litigated complex civil matters including probate, guardianship, family, property partition, and partnership cases in courtrooms throughout the Hill Country and West Texas regions of Texas. Mr. Marshall has represented clients in numerous bench and jury trials in Justice, County, and Districts Courts of Texas.
Mr. Galovich has also served as the President of the Abilene Bar Association and the Big Country Criminal Defense Lawyer Association.
Wrongful Death
Mr. Longacre recently successfully defended the will of a deceased sister who left her estate, including a large ranch, to her surviving sister. He also recently settled a dispute on behalf of a client whose insurance company denied coverage for a loss, the denial of which would have cost the client his business. He regularly represents three major insurance companies and their insureds against personal injury and wrongful death claims.
Traffic Violations
Wagstaff LLP provides representation to individuals charged with criminal offenses ranging from minor traffic violations to federal drug conspiracy cases. The firm has attorneys licensed to practice in state courts and United States District Courts in the State of Texas.
Murder
In his first case, Judge Wagstaff represented a man from Comanche County who was accused of murder. While he lost this case, which resulted in the only hanging performed in Taylor County, he garnered a reputation throughout his career as one of the greatest civil lawyers in West Texas. Coombes, Charles E.
In connection with such representation, Mr. Grant also provides his clients with services ranging from business formation – including developing incorporation documents, bylaws and company agreements, employment policies, and shareholder agreements – to corporate reorganization, redemption, and transfer matters, including mergers and acquisitions, as well as services related to real property acquisition and financing transactions and landlord/tenant issues such as: development of leases, eviction proceedings, and asset protection.
Mergers and Acquisitions
In addition, Mr. Galovich also regularly assists clients with business formation, mergers and acquisitions, and employment law matters.
Business Formation
Mr. Moore represents both renewable energy and data center developers and landowners in connection with various aspects of renewable energy and data center development. Mr. Moore also represents many business and individual clients in banking, real estate, business formation, commercial transactions, purchase and sale and liability matters.
Business Disputes
David W. Thomas joined Wagstaff LLP in 2019 after graduating from Baylor University School of Law. Mr. Thomas’ practice consists primarily of representing individuals and businesses in a variety of criminal and civil litigation matters, including criminal defense and contract disputes. Such representation regularly includes investigating facts, drafting pleadings and motions, producing and analyzing discovery, settlement negotiations, and courtroom appearances.
Business Transactions
Benjamin E. Grant’s practice consists mainly of his work as a transactional lawyer. His primary areas of practice include: real property, energy and public utility law, and business transactions, representing various companies, real estate investors, energy developers, electric transmission companies, and telecommunication companies in Texas and New Mexico. In connection with such representation, Mr. Grant has assisted in various aspects of project development, including drafting and negotiating leases, easements, options for easements or to lease, and purchase and sale agreements, survey and title review, and curing title issues, including issues related to restrictive covenants and property owners’ associations. In connection with his representation of public utility companies, Mr. Grant has assisted clients in the sale and transfer of electric transmission infrastructure as well as the assignment and licensure of appurtenant real property interests and the acquisition of necessary easement, fee, and other real property interests through negotiation and, when necessary, eminent domain proceedings.
Limited Liability Companies
The firm’s practice includes the formation, representation, and counseling of corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies and partnerships, and other entities in a wide variety of business situations.
Intellectual Property
Wagstaff will process and investigate proper notices of alleged copyright or other intellectual property infringement related to material on its websites or servers and will respond appropriately, following the guidelines of the Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act and other applicable intellectual property laws. Under appropriate circumstances, Wagstaff will act expeditiously to remove or disable access to the material that is claimed to be infringing or claimed to be the subject of infringing activity. Wagstaff will, following appropriate investigation, terminate or disable access by repeat infringers. Claims of alleged copyright or other intellectual property infringement must be in writing and directed to Wagstaff’s designated agent.
Wagstaff LLP has experience in interpreting and applying state and federal statutes and case law in areas such as employment discrimination, affirmative action, sexual harassment, employee benefits, whistleblower litigation, wrongful discharge, employment contracts, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the Federal Employer’s Liability Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and special laws governing municipal and federal employment. Included in the firm’s representation of employers is the developing of policies and procedures and the training of management and supervisory staff with the objective of preventing employment law problems.
Employment Discrimination
Employment Contract
Mr. Moore enjoys working with entrepreneurs and local businesses; helping get their businesses started by registering trademarks, enforcing copyrights, filing corporate documents, and drafting and reviewing employment contracts.
Employment Litigation
The firm has represented several major corporations, including utilities and construction companies, in commercial litigation involving contract disputes, collection matters, libel and slander suits, employment claims, and other commercial disputes and claims.
Mr. Miller also practices civil and commercial litigation. His experience as a former law clerk for the 72nd District Court, Lubbock County, Texas, provided him with unique insight into civil procedure and the mechanics of the court system. During his time as a law clerk, Mr. Miller worked on a variety of high value and complex legal matters including business litigation, real estate litigation, and various tort claim issues.
Premises Liability
Construction Litigation
Real Estate Transactions
Eminent Domain
Wagstaff LLP has an extremely active practice in the area of condemnation/eminent domain on behalf of its electric utility and gas pipeline clients. The firm has extensive experience in project financing, particularly to the extent such financing relates to plant construction, operation, and maintenance, and has reviewed and provided legal opinions regarding various agreements and other transactional documents executed as part of financial closings for various projects. The firm has represented its energy clients in claims, litigation, arbitration, mediation, and regulatory matters related to their projects.
Wagstaff LLP has eleven attorneys, including attorneys who are Board Certified in Personal Injury, Civil Trial Law, and Commercial Real Estate, and attorneys licensed to practice in Texas, Oklahoma, and California. Wagstaff LLP is committed to providing its clients with integrity-based legal services of the highest quality, and its members dedicate much of their time investing in the Abilene community, the Big Country, and all of West Texas.
Medical Malpractice
The firm’s trial lawyers have experience in both the prosecution and defense of legal and medical malpractice claims. The firm has defended health care providers against claims asserted by their patients and has represented individuals against hospitals, nursing homes, and doctors in cases claiming that their misconduct caused harm to their patients. The firm has also represented attorneys in malpractice litigation as well as clients with claims against attorneys.
Mr. Grant also assists clients in estate planning matters, including drafting wills, trust documents, antenuptial and postnuptial agreements, power of attorney documents, and directives, with the goal of preparing these clients for the future to ensure that their wishes are accurately carried out and their assets are protected.
Wills
In addition to the preparation of wills and trusts, the firm offers advice on many matters pertaining to estate planning, estate and trust administration, guardianships, and contested matters in the probate courts. Such advice includes planning for charitable gifts and other dispositions of assets during lifetime and upon death.
Trusts
Wagstaff LLP’s attorneys provide services to its clients across a broad spectrum of legal issues. While a large portion of the firm’s work involves its representation of major electric utility companies and renewable energy generation developers and operators, Wagstaff LLP also represents clients in insurance defense, eminent domain proceedings, trusts and estates, banking and finance, civil litigation, business transactions, real estate law, business formation, and in employment, family, and criminal matters.
Wagstaff LLP represents both commercial clients and individuals in all proceedings and transactions that deal with real property, including purchase and sale contracts, construction, mortgages and foreclosures, leases, zoning, title examinations, quiet title actions, closings, and management.