Robert Chadwick

Partner

Dallas, TX | Houston, TX
D 469.895.3003
bob.chadwick@fmglaw.com

Education

  • J.D., Cum Laude, University of Georgia
  • B.A., Emory University
  • Mediator Certification, Northwestern University
Overview

Robert Chadwick is a Partner at Freeman Mathis & Gary's Dallas office and Co-Chair of the firm's ERISA practice team. He is also Co-Chair of the firm's Midwest Employment team and Chair of the firm's Workplace Health and Safety team. Mr. Chadwick has almost 40 years of experience in a variety of areas that entail him representing companies, fiduciaries and directors and officers in the areas of labor and employment, workplace safety and health (OSHA), ERISA investigations and litigation, D&O disputes and other miscellaneous professional liability matters. He is Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (1990-Present). His skill set includes drafting policies and agreements, counseling as to compliance and risk management, and providing legal representation in negotiations, claim resolution, investigations, litigation, class actions and appeals.  

As a part of his D&O practice, Mr. Chadwick defends corporations, limited liability companies, and officers and directors of various legal entities in business disputes, including claims for unfair business practices, breach of fiduciary duty, misappropriation of trade secrets, interference with contractual relations, tortious interference with business relations, and breach of contract. 

His writings, quotations and accomplishments have been featured on television and in international publications, such as the Wall Street Journal and the World Intellectual Property Organization's SME Newsletter, national publications, such as the National Law Journal, Bloomberg Law, Insurance Journal, National Underwriter Magazine, Journal of American Law, PLUS Journal, Professional Liability Defense Quarterly, and Benefits Law Journal, and local publications, such as Texas Lawyer and Dallas Bar Headnotes. He has contributed to Bloomberg BNA publications Employment Discrimination Law and Fair Labor Standards Act. 

Mr. Chadwick is an Assistant Chancellor for the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas. He is also mediator and is currently an arbitrator with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). He is an active member of the Addison Rotary Club. He was President of the Club from 2018-2019, and President of the Addison Rotary Foundation from 2008-2010. He is the Founder and Chair of the Labor and Employment Section of the Collin County Bar Association.

Bar Admissions

Georgia

Oklahoma

Texas

U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Oklahoma

U.S. District Court, Northern District of Oklahoma

U.S. District Court, Western District of Oklahoma

U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Northern, Southern & Western Districts of Texas

U.S. Supreme Court

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

Publications & Engagements
Representative Cases & Clients
  • Defeated union’s attempt to represent employees at 500-employee manufacturing facility in Illinois by twice obtaining dismissal of the petitions for election and winning election.
  • Case-determinative sanction and sanctions award of $114,777.50 (collected in full) for frivolous suit. Johnson ex rel. Johnson v. Chesnutt, 225 S.W.3d 737 (Tex.App. – Dallas 2007, pet denied).
  • Successful representation of multiple employers as to OSHA citations arising from employee fatalities.
  • Favorable verdict in federal jury trial of FLSA collective action, Milburn, et al. v. Earth Grains Baking Companies, Inc., 2001 WL 34031367 (W.D. Okla. Feb. 26, 2001).
  • Summary judgment in favor of employer in FLSA collective action alleging exemption misclassification. Mondeck v. LineQuest, LLC, 2021 WL 5230856 (W.D.Tex. Aug. 28, 2021)
  • Landmark verdict and appeal as to professional liability of clergy. Sanders v. Baucum, 929 F.Supp. 1028 (N.D.Tex. 1996), aff’d, 134 F.3d 331 (5th Cir. 1998), cert. denied, 525 U.S. 868 (1998).
  • Labor & Employment Rights Code for Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas.
Affiliations
  • Collin County Bar Association (Labor & Employment Section Chair: 2023-present)
  • American Bar Foundation
  • Claims & Litigation Management Alliance
  • Professional Liability Underwriting Society (Texas Chapter Chair: 2008- 2009; Co-Chair – Chapter Development Committee: 2012-2015)
  • Professional Liability Defense Federation (EPLI Chair: 2019-2020; Board of Directors: 2020-Present)
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Texas Association of Business
  • Dallas Bar Association
Client Successes
Awards and Recognition
  • Texas Super Lawyer” (2003, 2011-2023), Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers Rating Service.
  • Rating of 5.0 out of 5.0 (AV Preeminent) by Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™.
  • “Texas Top Rated Lawyers” (2001-2023) by Martindale-Hubbell.
Classes/Seminars Taught
  • The NLRA for Non-Unionized Workplaces: Everything That You’re Missing,” FMG Webinar co-presented with Justin Boron, Oct. 26, 2023
  • OSHA Enforcement Alert: New Guidance and New Risks”, Natl. Bus. Inst. Webinar, May 9, 2023
  • “#MeToo, COVID, Data Breaches, Wokeness & Cancel Culture, Oh My! The Increasingly Treacherous D&O Road”, PLDF Annual Meeting, Sept. 15, 2022
  • Lawyers Professional Liability Insurance Overview, Dallas Chapter CPCU All Industry Day, Aug. 25, 2022
  • “Covid Vaccines in the Workplace: The Latest Developments”, Natl. Bus. Inst. (“NBI”) Webinar, Jan. 25, 2022
  • Workplace Accidents: Navigating OSHA Investigations“, Natl. Bus. Inst. (“NBI”) Webinar, Nov. 19, 2021
  • “Texas Sexual Harassment Law, Sexual Orientation and Individual Liability” (with Robin Foret)Dallas Bar Association, Nov. 15, 2021 (Dallas)
  • “New Fault Lines For Labor & Employment Claims in the Post-Trump Era”, CLM Focus Conf.- Management Liability, Oct. 19, 2021 (Chicago)
  • OSHA NEP: What You Need To Know”, NBI Webinar, June 2, 2021
  • “Jury Trials in the Post-truth Era”, PLDF Webinar, April 15, 2021
  • “The Supreme Court is Poised to Take a Right Turn: What Does This Mean For Professional Liability?”, Univ. of Texas School of Law Webinar, Feb. 3, 2021
  • New Battle Lines for Employment Claims”, PLDF Webinar, Nov. 13, 2020
  • “Human Resource Law From Start to Finish”, NBI Webinar, Nov. 2, 2020
  • “COVID 19 & The Impact on Wage & Hour Claims”, PLUS Webinar, July 23, 2020
  • EuroTech Talks: Do You Know Your Cyberplay?”, French-American and Swedish-American Chambers of Commerce, Jan. 23, 2020 (Dallas
  • “Discrimination Beneath the Surface: Unconscious Bias & Dog Whistle Bias in the Workplace”, TAB/Texas SHRM Employment Relations Symposium, July 18, 2019 (San Antonio); Brazos Valley SHRM Business Seminar, Sept. 10, 2019 (Bryan)
  • “Joint Employment Liability”, Wage & Hour ExecuSummit, Nov. 27, 2018 (Uncasville, Ct)
  • Sexual Harassment in the #MeToo Era“, Dallas CPCU Society, Aug. 28, 2018 (Dallas)
  • Cybersecurity: Preventing Disruption to You Business“, ExponentHR, Apr. 5, 2018
  • “OSHA Record-Keeping and Documentation: How to Stay in Compliance”, NBI Video Webinar, Dec. 20, 2017 (Eau Claire, Wisc.)
  • Advanced Employment Law“, NBI, Nov. 15, 2017
  • Active Shooter Risks for Businesses and Employers in Texas“, CLM Education Event, Oct. 20, 2016; Collin County Bar Assoc., Sept. 15, 2017
  • Joined at the Hip? New Legal Challenges for Staffing and Franchise Relationships“, TAB/Texas SHRM Employment Relations Symposium, July 21, 2016 (San Antonio)
  • Employee Benefits Defined Contribution Plans Update“, ABA Taxation/RPTE 2015 Joint Fall CLE Meeting, Sept. 18, 2015 (Chicago)
  • OSHA Compliance Strategies for Health Care Organizations“, North Tex. Health Care Compliance Professionals Assoc., Sept. 14, 2014
  • How to Survive a Surprise OSHA Inspection“, TAB/Texas SHRM Employment Relations Symposium, July 18, 2013 (San Antonio)
  • Impact of the Economy on Employment Claims, Professional Liability Attorney Network, Feb. 13, 2013 (Scottsdale)