Hal Houston

Hal Houston practices in the area of complex commercial litigation, focusing on litigating business torts, banking-related disputes, real property disputes, and railroad-related disputes on behalf of commercial lenders, businesses, and railroads in state and federal courts as well as administrative proceedings.

His experience includes all phases of litigation from pre-suit negotiation, through discovery and motion practice, including drafting dispositive motions and briefing, to handling trials and appeals, and appellate oral arguments. In 2015, Hal served as a law clerk for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Hal gained experience at a full-service business law firm located in Jacksonville prior to joining McGuireWoods. He also served as a legal intern for the Honorable Susan Black of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and for CSX Intermodal Terminals, Inc.

Hal earned his Juris Doctor at the University of Florida Levin College of Law where he was selected as a Florida Gubernatorial Fellow, Florida’s most prestigious fellowship for public service and leadership, and worked at the Florida Department of Management Services, Purchasing Division, on a project to standardize the Florida’s procurement processes for which he received the Prudential-Davis Productivity Award.

EXPERIENCE :

• Representation of several large lending and mortgage servicing institutions in consumer financial services litigation, including large complex cases involving mortgaged-backed securities and debt collection disputes.
• Representation of large banking institution as escalation counsel handling a variety of issues concerning mortgage servicing litigation and other high exposure issues.
• Representation of Class I railroad in a variety of complex litigation matters, including issues related to federal preemption, real estate litigation, administrative law disputes, and contract disputes.
• Representation of several sophisticated clients in a variety of real property litigation matters including commercial foreclosures, quiet title actions, land use, imminent domain, and easement disputes.

Education :

• University of Florida Levin College of Law, JD, cum laude, Dean’s List, 2012
• University of Florida, BSBA, Finance, cum laude, Dean’s List, 2007

Admissions :

• Florida
• U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida

Affiliations :

• Member, Young Lawyers Section, Jacksonville Bar Association
• Member, Federal Bar Association
• Pupil, The Chester Bedell Inn of Court, Jacksonville, Florida, 2010-2011
• Member, Florida Blue Key
• Board Member, Teach For America Jacksonville Alumni Board, 2015-Present