J. Hamilton Rial

Professional Experience

For three decades, Hamilton Rial has achieved favorable results for clients in his primary practice areas of business litigation, commercial transactions, and aviation law. Hamilton is Board Certified in the areas of commercial and consumer law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and for several years has been named by Thomson Reuters to Super Lawyers (limited to 5% of Texas attorneys) (2013-present). After graduating from the SMU School of Law in 1986, where he served as Notes and Comments Editor of the Journal of Air Law & Commerce, Mr. Rial joined prominent Texas law firm Locke Lord, and in 1992 moved to the Austin office of international law firm Jones Day. Hamilton has broad experience representing Fortune 500 companies in complex commercial lawsuits and arbitrations, and enjoys acting as “outside general counsel” to emerging and established businesses by helping them plan and grow. Hamilton has tried lawsuits, handled appeals, and closed transactions throughout Texas and in many other states. Hamilton also regularly represents small- and medium-sized businesses.

Areas of Concentration
  • Business Transactions
  • Aviation Litigation and Transactions
  • Complex Business Disputes and Torts
  • Arbitration and Mediation
  • Partnership and Fiduciary Litigation
  • Construction Law
  • Trade Secrets and Noncompetition Agreements
  • Insurance Disputes and Consumer Law
  • Representation of Professionals
  • Deceptive Trade Practices and Warranty Law
  • Real Estate Litigation
Publications
  • Development of Equitable Estoppel as a Basis for Compelling Nonsignatories to Arbitrate – A Bridge Too Far? 21 Review of Litigation 593 (2002)
  • Enforcing Arbitration Against Nonsignatories, 65 Tex. Bar J. 802 (2002)
Bar Affiliations and Admissions
  • State Bar of Texas (Chairman, Court Rules Committee, 2007-2008; Member, Court Rules Committee, 2003-2007; Chairman, Arbitration Subcommittee, Court Administration Task Force, 2007-2008)
  • Austin Bar Association (Chairman, Judicial Affairs Committee, 2000-2002)
  • Admitted to practice, Texas Supreme Court (1986); U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal and Fifth Circuits; U.S. Court of Federal Claims; U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas
Published Cases
  • In re: Bradle, 83 S.W. 3d 923 (Tex. App. – Austin, 2002); Synergy Center, Ltd. v. Lone Star Franchising, Inc., 63 S.W.3d, 561 (Tex. App. – Austin, 2001); Horseshoe Bay Resort Sales Co. v. Lake Lyndon B. Johnson Improvement Corp., 53 S.W.3d 799 (Tex. App. – Austin, 2001); Howard v. United States, 31 Fed. Cl. 297 (1994); Peterson v. NCNB Texas National Bank, 838 S.W.2d 263 (Tex. App. – Dallas, 1992)
Community Service
  • Mr. Rial has served on the YMCA of Austin Southwest and Metropolitan Board of Directors for over 20 years, served as its Chairman of the Board from 2007-2009, and presently sits on its Executive Committee