Shannon H. Ratliff

Austin Shareholder

Trial & Appellate
Phone: 512-493-9601
Email: 

Shannon has been a trial and appellate lawyer for more than fifty years. The focus of Shannon’s practice is primarily complex oil and gas, securities, and general commercial litigation. He also serves as a mediator and arbitrator. 

Shannon served as an assistant to Lyndon Baines Johnson in his roles as Senate majority leader, Vice President, and President. After law school, Shannon clerked at the United States Supreme Court for Justice Tom C. Clark.  Subsequently, Shannon returned to Texas and has been trying lawsuits ever since. During his career he has been the lead trial lawyer in numerous complex lawsuits and arbitration proceedings for Fortune 50, 100 and 500 companies, including nationwide class actions, qui tam actions, and multi-district litigation. He is an experienced appellate advocate as well who has successfully argued scores of cases before state and federal appellate courts.

Because of his 50-plus years litigating and settling large commercial cases, parties often engage Shannon to mediate disputes. These appointments have involved complex contractual disputes over hundreds of millions of dollars and concerning a variety of issues across many areas of law. Additionally, Shannon has served on numerous occasions as an arbitrator under both AAA and JAMS Rules. He has served as a party-appointed arbitrator as well as a neutral chair. 

Shannon has repeatedly been recognized as a Best Lawyer in America and a Texas Monthly Super Lawyer, including being named as a Top 50 Lawyer and a Bet the Company Trial Lawyer.

Bar Admissions:
  • Texas, 1964
  • Oklahoma, 2005
  • U.S. District Courts, Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas
  • U.S. District Courts, Eastern, Northern, and Western Districts of Oklahoma
  • U.S. Courts of Appeals, 5th, 6th, 9th, 10th and 11th Circuits
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • Law Clerk to the Honorable Tom C. Clark, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, 1964-1965
Education:
  • University of Texas School of Law
    LL.B. with honors, 1964
    Chancellors, Order of the Coif, Editor-in-Chief, Texas Law Review
  • University of Texas at Austin
    B.A., 1961
Professional Associations & Memberships:
  • Member, State Bar of Texas
  • Member, Austin Bar Association
  • Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
  • Fellow, American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
  • Life Fellow, Austin Bar Foundation
  • Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
  • Emeritus, Lloyd Lochridge American Inn of Court
Honors & Recognition:
  • Bet-the-Company Litigation Lawyer of the Year for Austin, The Best Lawyers, 2013
  • Go-To Lawyer Award for Energy Law, Texas Lawyer, 2012
  • Ronald D. Secrest Outstanding Trial Lawyer Award, Texas Bar Foundation, 2005
  • Outstanding Lifetime Achievement in Energy Litigation Award, Institute for Energy Law, 2005
  • Distinguished Lawyer Award, Austin Bar Association, 2005
  • Outstanding Alumnus Award, University of Texas Law Alumni Association, 2003
  • Distinguished Alumnus, University of Texas at Austin, 1996
  • Keeton Fellow Award, University of Texas School of Law, 2004

Austin Office

515 Congress Ave., Suite 1510

Midland Office

400 W. Illinois Avenue, 400 W. Illinois Avenue, Suite 1400