Raised in small town Texas and educated in business, Cleve is a Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer who has an affinity for risk takers who plan big, dare big and sometimes find themselves in big trouble - whether the risk taker is a principal of a $50 million business, or in-house counsel for a publicly traded company who seeks innovative, efficient approaches to legal disputes. Having responded to on-the-scene negative media coverage and also to internal fraud affecting the viability of a $40 million company, Cleve is experienced in crisis management and frequently assumes the role of in-house counsel to advise his companies on matters affecting all aspects of their business survival -both in the courthouse and in the court of public opinion.

"Gunfighters don't charge by the bullet."

Read Cleve's current "Business Issues with a Legal Slant," at his blog www.TiltingTheScales.com

Board Certifications

Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Representative Experience

Attorney at Law - Board Certified Civil Trial Law, Litigation Solutions

Represented multiple "bad banks" in the "workout" and collection of over $1 billion in loans and rehabilitation of their "toxic assets," including bankruptcy and state court receiverships
Obtained receivership to secure the assets and, subsequently, secured favorable plan of reorganization in bankruptcy court to navigate the sale of Angel Fire Ski Resort on behalf of the largest secured creditor
Represented joint venture partner in the first Texas Chapter 9 municipal utility district bankruptcy, and successfully defended $35 million deceptive trade practices claims by the municipal utility district homeowners
Successfully defended a corporate officer and director against allegations in federal court complaint of insider bond trading manipulation, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud
Secured a sequestration order and recovered a bulldozer for a large equipment distributor and lessor
Successfully defended former black male employee's claim that company discriminated against him by hiring white male rather than promoting the former employee
Secured permanent injunction against former employees and competing business in theft of computer data and company trade secrets, by securing the mirrored image of the hard drive containing the hijacked data

Counselor at Law - Non-Litigation Solutions

Navigating manufacturing company through embezzlement by key employee, accusations of criminal complicity by management, and bank threatening to terminate its lending relationship triggering bankruptcy of the company
Orchestrating response of developer and planned community to adverse television coverage reporting that the community's waste water treatment plant was operating over its available capacity
Implementing Manufacturing Services Agreement enabling manufacturing company to collect its accounts receivable before litigation and to manage its inventory "turn"
Orchestrating homeowners approval of a bond issue resolving a lawsuit and averting bankruptcy of a special utility district serving the homeowners and their neighborhood
Working out agreements with secured debtors and guarantors for payment of loans secured by real estate including chain sandwich shop properties, office buildings, car lots, strip and retail shopping centers
Assisting due diligence efforts in sale of manufacturing company with history of bankruptcy and embezzlement claims
Managing the options of a utility provider and a real estate developer for resolution of a dispute over relocation of utilities currently in a city street which the city intends to abandon to the developer
Negotiating enforcement terms of various non-compete agreements for both employers and employees
Securing zoning and land use protections for a residential lot developer negatively impacted by the issuance of a Type 1 municipal landfill permit on adjacent property

Professional Activities, Memberships & Affiliations

Admitted to practice before U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas.
State Bar of Texas, admitted 1978;
AV Rated Attorney - Highest Rating in Legal Ability & Ethical Standards
Member Sections - Litigation, Real Estate, Collaborative Law and Technology
Dallas Bar Association Dallas (Chairman, Fee Disputes Subcommittee, 1984-86) and American Bar Associations; Dallas Association of Young Lawyers (Director, 1985)

Community Involvement, Memberships & Affiliations

Born in Burnet, Texas
Rotary Club of Park Cities, Director 2006 to date
La Fiesta de Las Seis Banderas, Director 2005 to date
Labors for Neighbors, Inc., co-founder and director (2005 to date), a Texas non-profit corporation assisting Southeast Texas hurricane victims
Project Transformation, an urban day camp for inner city youth - Director and Vice Chairman (2001 - 2007)
Highland Park United Methodist Church, Youth and Adult Sunday School teacher, Bible Study leader
Theatre Three - Board of Directors, Chair (1990 - 1992)
Leadership Dallas 1992
Scottish Rite 32* Mason
Dallas Young Texas Exes

Honors

AV Preeminent^® rated (the highest possible Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating designation)
Rotary Club of Park Cities - Paul Harris Fellow
Rotary Club of Park Cities - Club Service Award 2007