George H. Rau III

George H. Rau III, a Brazoria County, Texas native, is an experienced litigator specializing in commercial litigation and complex tort cases, starting his career at Vinson & Elkins in Houston after graduating from Notre Dame Law School in 2002, where he was an editor on the Notre Dame Law Review, and later moving his practice to WTH in 2011 after working at Hogan Lovells and clerking for U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey. He is admitted to practice in Texas state courts, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and multiple U.S. District Courts in Texas, but is not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

George H. Rau III

Partner

BIOGRAPHY

George H. Rau III is a litigator with extensive experience in commercial litigation and complex tort cases. A native of Brazoria County, Texas, George graduated from Notre Dame in 1995. He worked as a congressional staffer and newspaper reporter in Washington, D.C. for four years before returning to Notre Dame for law school, where he served as an editor on the Notre Dame Law Review.

He graduated in 2002 and returned to Texas to practice. George started his litigation career in the Houston offices of Vinson & Elkins. Beginning in 2006, he served as a judicial clerk to U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey, of the Southern District of Texas. He returned to private practice in 2007 at the Houston offices of Hogan Lovells (formerly Hogan & Hartson) and then on to Watt Beckworth Thompson & Henneman LLP in May of 2011.  In January 2017, George partnered with Matt Henneman in founding Henneman Rau LLP.

Mr. Rau is admitted to practice in the following courts:

    • Texas State Courts
    • United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
    • United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
    • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
    • United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
    • United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas

Mr. Rau is not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
  •  2002- J.D., Notre Dame
  • 1995 – B.A. in Philosophy and Economics, Notre Dame

In law school, Mr. Rau was an Articles Editor on the Notre Dame Law Review and served as a Teaching Assistant in the First Year Legal Writing Program.

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

Business Litigation

Contracts

Senior associate on team defending major international software manufacturing and technology firm in royalty dispute brought by software developer featuring fraud and breach of contracts claims. Liability issues required in-depth analysis of client’s accounting, order-fulfillment, and royalty management systems and controls. This case is still pending.

Trade Secret

Senior associate in defense of clean-coal technology concern against bet-the-company claims of trade secret theft asserted by major international competitor. After more than a year of contentious litigation in Harrison County, Texas, the court agreed with our arguments that the case should be stayed in favor of arbitration on eve of trial.

Non-Competition & Non-Recruitment

Senior associate prosecuting claims for trade secret theft and breach of contract on behalf of oil and gas auction house against former officer. Argued and won temporary restraining order preventing defendant from further violations of non-recruitment clause. Case settled on confidential terms.

Senior associate prosecuting claims for violations of non-compete on behalf of major manufacturer of fluoropolymer products against former senior engineer. Court granted our motion for temporary injunction from the bench after week-long mini-trial.

Tort Litigation

Part of team defending major airframe manufacturer against product liability claims asserted by families of November 2001 air disaster in Belle Harbor, New York. Consolidated cases settled on confidential terms in 2008.

Senior associate on team defending major off-shore driller in AAA arbitration against gross negligence claims brought by spar owner arising out of total loss of derrick equipment set during Hurricane Ike. Case settled on confidential terms.

SPEECHES & ARTICLES

In 2009, Mr. Rau delivered CLE presentations on discovery of electronically stored information to two regional meetings of Texas state judges sponsored by the Texas Center for the Judiciary.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS
  • American Bar Association
  • Federal Bar Association
  • Texas Bar Association
  • Houston Bar Association
INTEREST
  • Mr. Rau is a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church, the Notre Dame Club of Houston, and Thunderbird Hunting Club.

George H. Rau III

Tel: (713) 955-6030
Email: grau@hrklaw.com