Jaime DeWees is an associate at the firm’s Dallas office who focuses her practice on real estate and commercial litigation, labor and employment matters, and intellectual property.
As a resourceful and solution-oriented litigator, Jaime manages complex litigation, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings, from inception to resolution in state and federal forums. In real estate litigation, Jaime has tried cases for property owners, developers, builders, landlords, and tenants, in matters concerning real estate investment partnerships, enforcement of restrictive covenants and deed restrictions, easements, landlord-tenant disputes, eminent domain, boundary disputes, quiet title actions, and contract disputes involving real property. Her litigation experience also includes representing clients in complex commercial cases involving breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, misappropriation of trade secrets, securities enforcement and fraud, partnership and joint venture disputes, banking and finance matters, and intellectual property disputes.
In labor and employment matters, Jaime works with employers to develop strategies for fostering a safe and productive workplace for employees, compliance with a myriad of state, federal, and international employment laws, and risk mitigation. Jaime has experience counseling clients in matters involving labor unions and collective bargaining, safety and health compliance, wage and hour disputes, and enforcement of restrictive covenants. Her labor and employment practice also includes experience in drafting comprehensive employment agreements for officers, management, employees, and consultants, and investigating and responding to employee charges and complaints filed with state, federal, and local authorities.
Jaime also advises on trademarks, copyrights, and brand management, to clients across a broad range of industries, including artists and musicians, product designers and manufacturers, national retail, restaurant, and hospitality chains, and technology developers. She successfully prosecutes trademark applications and copyright registrations, and defends those intellectual property rights from infringement.
While in law school, Jaime served as an editor of the SMU Law Review. She also worked as a judicial intern for the Honorable Judge Martin J. Hoffman in the 68th Judicial District Court of Dallas County, and as a federal judicial extern for the Honorable Judge Renee Harris Toliver in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Since joining the firm, Jaime participates in the Dallas Women Lawyers’ Association mentoring circles, and serves as a Big Sister in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Beyond School Walls program.
Experience
- Second chair in a federal jury trial in the Central District of Illinois, involving breach of contract and fraud claims for the sale of commercial investment property; as the lead associate, Jaime conducted direct examination of 3 non-party witnesses; developed jury charge under Illinois law and argued at formal jury charge conference; trial resulted in unanimous jury verdict on all counts, including fraud, and a nearly $2M damages award
- Second chair in a state jury trial in Denton County, Texas, involving claims against defendant for filing a fraudulent deed and for trespass to try title; as the lead associate, Jaime prepared the jury charge under Texas law, drafted the plaintiff’s motion in limine and trial brief, and conducted direct examination on plaintiff’s attorneys’ fees; trial resulted in unanimous jury verdict on all counts, including fraud, recovery of possession of the real property, and a $250k damages award.
- Representing a state university as the landlord in a dispute with a tenant, in which the landlord recovered possession of property and back rent from tenant, and avoided litigation.
- Representing a multi-million dollar kiosk design and manufacturing client in a partnership dispute involving corporate governance issues and intellectual property rights, in which a creative settlement was reached at mediation without proceeding to trial.
- Representing a high-profile payment-systems technology developer in prosecuting and enforcing federal trademark rights, and in enforcing contractual rights in on-going relationship with payment-systems external hardware manufacturer.
- Representing a tile design and manufacturing company based in China with U.S. subsidiaries, in prosecuting and enforcing federal trademark rights, and advising on new trademarks for quarterly product lines
- Representing homeowners in a dispute with a custom home builder involving breach of warranty and DTPA claims, and successfully opposing a motion to compel arbitration.
- Representing a national trucking company in a dispute with an independent contractor, and successfully obtaining summary judgment for full value of lost freight plus attorneys’ fees.
- Representing medical billing company and its stakeholders in partnership dispute with investors, by obtaining protection of client’s trade secrets and defending securities fraud claims.
Publications
- “Medical photography: current technology, evolving issues, and legal perspectives”, in the International Journal of Clinical Practice, April 2015 (doi: 10.1111/ijcp.12627.); co-authored with Dr. Matt Harting, and attorneys Kevin M. Vela and Ray T. Khirallah
- “Special Issues in Proportionate Responsibility and RTP”, presented at the Advanced Personal Injury Law Course 2013 by the State Bar of Texas; co-authored with attorney Ray T. Khirallah
Associations
- Dallas Bar Association
- Dallas Association of Young Lawyers
- Dallas Women Lawyers’ Association Mentoring Circles
- Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) Dallas
Community
- DAYL Charity Ball Committee
- DAYL Law Student Assistance Committee
- Big Brothers Big Sisters