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The U.S. manufacturing industry never ceases to amaze—due both to its resiliency and its constant evolution. As the industry has grown more complex and high-tech so have the legal issues manufacturers face. Carrington Coleman’s Manufacturing Industry team understands and helps clients navigate all of the subtleties of this evolving and increasingly sophisticated space.

Manufacturing companies face a number of challenges—from those inherent in running any business to complex questions unique to the field. Whether small to middle-market businesses based in the Dallas Fort Worth area, or multinational corporations setting up operations here, manufacturers and distributors regularly turn to Carrington Coleman to guide them smoothly through it all.  

We provide the full range of transactional services for our manufacturing clients

We excel at handling our clients’ transactional business law needs. Manufacturers rely upon our experienced corporate counsel to skillfully draft and negotiate their supply, distribution, and other agreements with US and foreign counterparties. We bring sage counsel to deals ranging from real estate transactions to mergers and acquisitions on both the buy and sell side. In a world that relies increasingly on intellect and innovation, we ensure that our clients’ intellectual property is fully protected. And we regularly assist clients with employee relations and workplace policies. Every step of the way, we help our clients stay compliant with the evolving  rules and regulations.

We offer litigation services in the context of our clients’ businesses

When clients are facing IP infringements, workforce reductions, toxic tort claims, denials of insurance coverage, or other business-altering issues, we are often their first call. Our awareness of the transactional nuances in the manufacturing space lends a significant heft to our litigation strategy. And while we always fight passionately for our clients’ rights, we strive to do so in a way that does not unnecessarily damage business relationships or interrupt operations.

We’re craftsmen too, of relationships and trust

Once clients come to Carrington Coleman, they tend to stay awhile. In fact, many of our clients have been with us for decades, allowing us the honor of escorting them through all of their evolutionary phases. We are there at their founding, through financing and growth, and often while celebrating their sale. We work every day to earn this spot by our clients’ side by offering sophisticated legal services—and highly responsive personal service—at a significant value.

Product Distributor

Client Issue: Our client was sued for serious injuries allegedly sustained from products sold by our client. The client did not manufacturer the particular product, but sold the allegedly dangerous products to the plaintiff’s employer.  Our client did not believe there was coverage for defense of the lawsuit.

Approach: In addition to vigorously defending the lawsuit on the merits, we assisted the client in working out insurance coverage through its own insurer and invoking contractual coverage from manufacturers of the various products without damaging the invaluable business relationship between our client and these manufacturers.


Primary Contacts

Areas of Focus

Contracts

From supply chain to licensing or distribution agreements, the manufacturing space is extremely “contract heavy.” Let us lighten your load and help to ensure that you are fully protected—both up front and should disputes ever arise.

Export/import Issues

The export/import space is extremely complicated, both in terms of initially qualifying and then complying with all applications regulations. We stand ready to simplify it for you.

Insurance Coverage

We know what to look for in the underlying, often overlapping contracts and insurance policies, and consistently uncover or win coverage for our clients that they didn’t even know they had. Let us take a peek at your policy.

Intellectual Property

In the manufacturing space, your underlying intellectual property is often your most important asset. Our team can help you protect and defend it.

Labor and Employment

From basic employee and HR issues to executive level matters to union disputes, we work hard to ensure that our clients’ workplaces work effectively for them.

Litigation

Whatever the nature of your dispute—from personal injury to products liability and business disputes—you will find a thorough and zealous defense in Carrington Coleman.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Whether you are buying or the one being acquired, you need an experienced corporate deal team on your side—and you have one, in us.

Real Estate and Construction

When building or leasing your plants, warehouses and other spaces, our team can help you to ensure favorable terms and protections.

Significant Matters

  • Represented international plastics manufacturer in manufacturing and distribution agreements with US counterparties.
  • Successfully defended numerous products liability cases involving a variety of medical and industrial products.
  • Successfully defended toxic tort cases involving flow control and electrical products.
  • Successfully defended major oil company that was sued by individuals who were seriously injured in an explosion of an oil storage tank.
  • Represented multiple multinational semiconductor manufacturers in patent prosecution, trademark portfolio management, and offensive and defensive patent litigation matters.
  • Negotiated global supply agreement and multiple NDAs for maker of semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
  • Defended manufacturer of water infrastructure equipment in patent infringement and trade secret misappropriation case, resulting in dismissal with prejudice of a wide range of trade secret and breach of contract claims, invalidation of one patent before the USPTO’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board, and an extremely favorable settlement as to the single remaining patent claim.
  • Defended nanoparticle manufacturer in federal lawsuit involving inventorship, patent infringement, and breach of contract claims. Settled favorably.