John W. Davidson Shareholder
About
John Davidson maintains a full-time active practice in transactional matters, litigation and administrative law, primarily in public utilities. Before joining the firm, Mr. Davidson served as an Assistant City Attorney for utilities in Dallas and was the first full-time City Attorney for Abilene.
His transactional practice involves the full spectrum of acquisitions; sales; contract interpretation, negotiations, drafting and contract dispute settlements; opinions; drafting governance documents and legislative bills; legal input for debt financing issuances; and advice and consultation about all of the foregoing. His litigation experience embraces business and tort litigation, including anti-trust, breach of contract, enforcement proceedings, personal injury and property damage, eminent domain, aviation and professional negligence. His administrative law and legislative practice before state regulatory agencies and the FERC include rulemaking, rate and service area proceedings, dispute resolutions, enforcement proceedings, drafting legislative bills and legislative oversight during legislative sessions.
Experience
- Acquired land and right-of-way for One Main Place and Griffin Parkway in downtown Dallas.
- Settled through eminent domain $25 million in suits for damages resulting from sewer seepage from City of Abilene wastewater plant onto farms in three different counties.
- Established right of City of San Antonio to require developers to install utility infrastructure at developers’ expense in new subdivisions and to prohibit developers from establishing private water well utilities in City’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.
- Obtained $28 million settlement for San Antonio Water System for damages caused by breakage of 116,000 polybutylene water mains.
- Obtained a no negligence jury verdict representing a pilot who flew aircraft into a mountain killing himself and three passengers.
- Arranged for natural gas connection to new Brownsville generation unit during period of state imposed gas curtailment and successfully defended connection before the Texas Railroad Commission.
- Instigated and settled an anti-trust claim for Brownsville, $88 million present value, including right to expand electric service area.
- Lead negotiator for Cities of San Marcos and Kerrville to purchase their electric systems from the Lower Colorado River Authority and for Rogers Cablevision to sell its system assets in the City of San Antonio.
- Lead counsel to establish through litigation color red as a service mark.
- Drafted key opinion resulting in SEC approval and successful sale of $4 billion corporate asset.
Education & Admissions
Education
J.D., The University of Texas School of Law, 1954
B.A, The University of Texas at Austin, 1953
Air University, Judge Advocate General School, 1954
J.D., The University of Texas School of Law, 1954
B.A, The University of Texas at Austin, 1953
Air University, Judge Advocate General School, 1954
Court Admissions
U.S. Court of Military Appeals, U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas, U.S. Court of Claims, U.S. Tax Court, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th and 11th Circuits and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Professional Affiliations
- San Antonio and American Bar Associations (A-V rated, Martindale & Hubbell)
- American Public Power Association
- Texas Association of Defense Counsel
- Texas City Attorneys Association
- Texas Public Power Association
