in Re: Kelly Brady

CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedDecember 16, 2015
Docket12-15-00307-CV
StatusPublished

This text of in Re: Kelly Brady (in Re: Kelly Brady) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
in Re: Kelly Brady, (Tex. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

ACCEPTED 12-15-00307-CV TWELFTH COURT OF APPEALS TYLER, TEXAS 12/16/2015 5:03:28 PM Pam Estes CLERK

IN THE TWELFTH DISTRICT COURT OF APPEALS TYLER, TEXAS FILED IN 12th COURT OF APPEALS TYLER, TEXAS 12/16/2015 5:03:28 PM In Re KELLY BRADY PAM ESTES Clerk

Original Proceeding From the th 114 Judicial District Court of Smith County, Texas

PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS

William S. Hommel, Jr. HOMMEL LAW FIRM 1404 Rice Road, Suite 200 Tyler, Texas 75703 State Bar No. 09934250

ATTORNEY FOR KELLY BRADY, RELATOR

ORAL ARGUMENT REQUESTED IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL

The following is a complete list of all parties, as well as the names and

addresses of all counsel.

PARTIES COUNSEL

Relator:

Kelly Brady William S. Hommel, Jr. 1172 Hunters Trail Hommel Law Firm Flint, TX 75762 1404 Rice Road, Suite 200 Tyler, Texas 75703

Respondent:

THE HON. CHRISTI KENNEDY None Smith County Courthouse 100 N. Broadway, Room 209 Tyler, Texas 75702

Real Party in Interest:

JKS Travel, Inc. dba Roger Anderson Travel Masters and Gillen & Anderson Sharon K. Howell 613 Shelley Park Plaza Tyler, Texas 75701 915 W. Southwest Loop 323 Tyler, TX 75701

ii TABLE OF CONTENTS

Index of Authorities ..................................................................................................iv

Statement of the Case................................................................................................. 1

Statement of Jurisdiction……………………………………………………………2

Issues Presented ......................................................................................................... 2

Statement of Facts ...................................................................................................... 2

Argument and Authorities.......................................................................................... 4

Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 8

Verification .............................................................................................................. 10

Certificate of Compliance…………………………………………………………11

Certificate of Service ............................................................................................... 11

Appendix

Trial Court’s Order Denying Motion to Disqualify ................................ Tab 1

Declaration of Kelly Brady……………………………………………...Tab 2

Emails between Gillen and Brady.……………………………………...Tab 3

iii INDEX OF AUTHORITIES

CASES

CSR Ltd. v. Link, 925 S.W.2d 591, 596 (Tex.1996)………………………………..8

In re Columbia Valley Healthcare Sys., L.P., 320 S.W.3d 819, 824 (Tex. 2010) (orig. proceeding)…………………………………………………………………………6

In re Epic Holdings, Inc., 985 S.W.2d 41 (Tex., 1998)…………………………….6

In re Gunn, No. 14-13-00566-CV, 2013 WL 5631241, *2 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] Oct. 15, 2013, orig. proceeding) (mem. op., per curiam)………….…..5

In re Louisiana Texas Healthcare Mgmt., L.L.C., 349 S.W.3d 688, 689 (Tex. App. 2011)………………………………………………………………………………..4

In re Mitcham, 133 S.W.3d 274, 276 (Tex. 2004) (per curiam) (orig. proceeding)..6

In re Nitla, 92 S.W.3d at 423……………………………………………………….4

In re Ruvalcaba, 2014 WL 5089388(Tex. App Houston [14th] 2014)…………………………………………………..……………7

In re Sanders, 153 S.W.3d 54, 57 (Tex. 2004)………………………………………4

In re Users Sys. Servs., Inc., 22 S.W.3d 331, 336 (Tex. 1999)……………………..5

National Medical Enterprises, Inc. v. Godbey, 924 S.W.2d 123, 133 (Tex.1996) (orig. proceeding)…………………………………………………………………...4

NCNB Texas Nat'l Bank v. Coker, 765 S.W.2d 398, 400 (Tex.1989)………………4 iv Spears v. Fourth Ct. App., 797 S.W.2d 654, 656 (Tex. 1990)………………………5

Walker v. Packer, 827 S.W.2d 833, 842 (Tex.1992)………………………………..4

STATUTES AND RULES

TEX. GOV’T CODE § 22.221(b)(1)……………………………………………….2

Tex. Disciplinary R. Prof. Conduct, R. 1.09 (1989)………………………………..5

v STATEMENT OF THE CASE

This case was filed by Kelly Brady (“Brady”), who worked for Defendant JKS

Travel, Inc. dba Travel Masters (“Travel Masters”) as a travel consultant from 2008

to March 13, 2015. Defendant, Sharon K. Howell is the President and CEO of Travel

Masters. Brady filed suit on August 27, 2015 seeking an accounting of her

commissions, breach of contract, a declaration that her non-complete was not

enforceable, for tortious interference and defamation. The case was assigned to the

Honorable Christi Kennedy in the 114th District Court in Smith County. After

learning the identity of defense counsel, Brady filed a motion to disqualify the firm

of Gillen & Anderson by reason of communications with James Gillen’s in

connection with his prior representation of Brady regarding the formation of the

business in which she has worked since her separation of employment from Travel

Masters. Brady claims she disclosed information to Gillen with are directly related

to her claims against Howell and Travel Masters. A hearing on the motion to

disqualify was held on November 6, 2015. On November 19, 2015, Judge Kennedy

denied the Motion and entered the attached Order. See Appendix, Tab 1.

Brady seeks relief from Judge Kennedy’s Order. Defense Counsel’s prior

representation of Brady constitutes a conflict of interest and also is a violation of

Rule 1.09 of the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct. Mandamus is

appropriate under the circumstances because Judge Kennedy abused her discretion 1 in denying Brady’s Motion and because Brady has no adequate remedy by appeal.

Brady respectfully requests that this Petition be granted and that the Court require

Judge Kennedy to vacate her prior order and disqualify Gillen & Anderson from its

representation of Defendants.

STATEMENT OF JURISDICTION

This Court has jurisdiction over this Petition under TEX. GOV’T CODE §

22.221(b)(1).

ISSUES PRESENTED

First, whether the trial court abused its discretion in failing to disqualify

defense counsel based upon its prior representation of Relator and the disclosure by

Relator to defense counsel of facts regarding the claims asserted against Defendant

in the underlying case.

STATEMENT OF FACTS

Relator is Kelly Brady; Defendants are JKS Travel, Inc. dba Travel Masters

and Sharon K. Howell; opposing counsel is Roger Anderson of Gillen & Anderson

of Tyler, Texas. Brady is a former employee of JKS Travel, Inc. dba Travel

Masters.

Relator sued Defendants for a declaratory judgment, for an accounting and for

tortious interference. The crux of Relator’s claims against Defendants relate to her

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

In Re Sanders
153 S.W.3d 54 (Texas Supreme Court, 2004)
In Re Columbia Valley Healthcare System, L.P.
320 S.W.3d 819 (Texas Supreme Court, 2010)
In Re Users System Services, Inc.
22 S.W.3d 331 (Texas Supreme Court, 1999)
CSR LTD. v. Link
925 S.W.2d 591 (Texas Supreme Court, 1996)
NCNB Texas National Bank v. Coker
765 S.W.2d 398 (Texas Supreme Court, 1989)
In Re Mitcham
133 S.W.3d 274 (Texas Supreme Court, 2004)
Spears v. Fourth Court of Appeals
797 S.W.2d 654 (Texas Supreme Court, 1990)
Walker v. Packer
827 S.W.2d 833 (Texas Supreme Court, 1992)
National Medical Enterprises, Inc. v. Godbey
924 S.W.2d 123 (Texas Supreme Court, 1996)
In Re Epic Holdings, Inc.
985 S.W.2d 41 (Texas Supreme Court, 1998)
In Re Louisiana Texas Healthcare Management, L.L.C.
349 S.W.3d 688 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2011)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
in Re: Kelly Brady, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-kelly-brady-texapp-2015.