Rich Villa

Partner

Phone: (512) 236-9903

Fax:  (512) 236-9904

Email: villa@slollp.com

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Rich Villa represents creditors in a variety of bankruptcy litigation matters, including claims objections, motions to lift stay to recover secured assets, objections to confirmation of both Chapter 11 and Chapter 13 plans of reorganization, avoidance litigation, such as preference actions and fraudulent transfer actions, assumption of executory contracts and unexpired leases, valuation proceedings, and various other adversary proceedings.

He also represents clients in other litigation matters, including business litigation, employment litigation, probate litigation, and commercial real estate leasing litigation in both state and federal courts and arbitration proceedings. He has represented clients and assisted with the representation of clients in jury trials, bench trials, arbitration proceedings, and mediations for various claims including contract claims, warranty claims, negligence claims, fraud claims, DTPA claims, misappropriation of funds claims, Will disputes, claims of breach of fiduciary duty, insurance claims, and other claims.

Previously, he practiced law at one of the largest law firms in the United States. He graduated from Boston College, with honors, and from Baylor University School of Law, with honors and first in his commencement class. In law school, he served as an Articles Editor and a Notes & Comments Editor of the Baylor Law Review. He has both co-authored and presented legal articles for Continuing Legal Education classes offered by the State Bar of Texas and has taught classes at the People’s Law School hosted by the Austin Bar Association, including co-authoring and presenting The Nuts and Bolts of Bankruptcy, Overview of Claims Process and Avoidance Litigation, State Bar of Texas, September 2009. Further, he has also authored a scholarly legal article that was published in the South Texas Law Review.

For 9 of the last 10 years, he has been recognized by Texas Monthly and the Law & Politics Magazine as a Texas Rising Star. In 2013, he was featured in the Texas Lawyer for its special edition of Legal Leaders on the Rise, in which it recognizes 25 attorneys under the age of 40 who are making their mark in the Texas legal community.

Admissions

• Texas 2004
• United States District Courts of Texas–Western, Southern, Northern, and Eastern

Education

• J.D., with honors, Baylor University School of Law, 2004
  • Highest Ranking Student in the Feb. 2004 Commencement Class
  • Articles Editor, Baylor Law Review
  • Order of Barristers
• B.A., with honors, Boston College, 2000.

Professional/Civic Activities

• American Bar Association
• Austin Bar Association
• Board Member, Texas State Board of Dental Examiners, 2016-present (Governor appointment)
• Chairperson, Austin Chamber of Commerce Membership Campaign, 2016
• Membership Relations Council, Austin Chamber of Commerce, 2015
• Board of Directors, Manos de Cristo, 2014-2016
• Strategic Planning Committee, Manos de Cristo, 2013
• Board of Directors, Caritas of Austin, 2006 – 2012
• Co-chair and Member, Grant Committee, Futuro Fund, 2011 and 2012
• Graduate of Austin’s CityWorks Academy, 2011
• Graduate of Leadership Austin (Emerge), 2007
• Host Committee for the Hispanic Scholarship Consortium, 2011
• Speaker & Volunteer at the 2008, 2009, and 2010 Hispanic Scholarship Consortium Leadership Development Seminar
• Presenter at the People’s Law School of the Austin Bar Association
• Top Walker for the American Heart Association, 2005
• Intern, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Manske, Waco, TX, 2003
• Pro Bono work with Volunteer Legal Services
• Judge mock trial exercises at the University of Texas School of Law

Recognition

• AV-rated with Martindale-Hubbell’s AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating
• Featured as one of 25 Legal Leaders on the Rise by Texas Lawyer in 2013.
• Recognized as a Texas Rising Star, 2008-2010, 2012-2017 (Texas Rising Star recognition is a Thomson Reuters service published in Texas Monthly)
• Recipient of the Judge Susan B. Covington Pro Bono Service Award, 2007

Publications and Speaking Engagements

• Co-speaker, State Bar of Texas, Adversary Proceedings in Bankruptcy, June 2014
• Speaker, Texas Advanced Paralegal Seminar, Adversary Proceedings in Bankruptcy, October 2014
• Co-Author & Speaker, State Bar of Texas, The Nuts and Bolts of Bankruptcy, Overview of Claims Process and Avoidance Litigation, September 2009.
• Medical Malpractice and Mental Incompetence: Tinkle-ing on the Two-Year Statute of Limitations, South Texas Law Review, Winter 2004.

Representative Experience

• Represented clients at confirmation hearings and adversary proceedings in bankruptcy court.
• Represented a client in a jury trial against claims by a general contractor for breach of contract.
• Assisted with the representation of a client in two jury trials in federal court involving claims of breach of warranty, breach of contract, and fraud.
• Represented a number of clients for various claims, including breach of contract, DTPA, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and retaliation claims.
• Represented businesses and individuals in litigation involving contractual disputes, non-compete agreements, and misappropriation of trade secrets.
• Assisted with the representation of clients in arbitration proceedings involving claims of breach of contract, misappropriation of funds, and other claims.
• Obtained summary judgments for cases involving promissory notes, equipment leases, and other claims.
• Obtained injunctive relief on behalf of a consumer against a vendor for claims of conversion, DTPA, and breach of contract.
• Represented clients at numerous mediations involving claims of negligence, breach of contract, DTPA, fraud, professional negligence, and invalid Wills, and stay violations.
• Represented charitable organizations in connection with disputes involving Wills and Trusts.
• Represented a client against claims of undue influence in connection with an inheritance.
• Drafted appellate briefs to both the Texas Supreme Court and the Third Court of Appeals in Austin, TX .
• Draft and negotiate commercial real property leases.
• Draft and negotiate various business documents.
• Provide on-site risk assessment of policies and procedures.