PRACTICE DESCRIPTION

Mr. Bufe handles civil litigation in Federal and State Courts; in Arbitration; and before various Regulatory Agencies. Throughout his career he has handled over 100 bench trials (including Arbitration); over 25 jury trials; and over 25 appeals of various civil actions. Being Board Certified in Labor and Employment law since 1983, much of his litigation experience has involved employment disputes. He has also handled complex commercial matters, including trials before the US Bankruptcy Court where he served as a Chapter 7 Trustee in the Eastern District of Texas from 1986 to 1990. He also regularly particpates in Federal Court litigation involving intellectual property disputes. A representative sample of his litigation experience is listed below.

PROFESSIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Highest rating from Martindale-Hubbell®, AV for superb legal skill and integrity

J.D., Georgetown University Law Center, Washington D.C., 1975

B.S., Michigan State University (James Madison College), magna cum laude
     Phi Beta Kappa, 1972

LICENSED AND ADMITTED TO PRACTICE

• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth, Ninth, DC, and Federal Circuits
• U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Western, Northern, and Southern Districts of Texas
• Supreme Court of Texas and all Texas State Courts

AFFILIATIONS AND ACTIVITIES

• American Bar Association
• State Bar of Texas
• Smith County Bar Association
• Sections for Labor and Employment Law (ABA and Texas)
• ABA Sections of Litigation and Intellectual Property
• Member, Rules Committee, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas, effective June 2011; and prior Member, 2002-2004
• Former President, All Saints Episcopal School Board of Trustees
• Habitat for Humanity - Board Member
• Texas Bar Foundation - Fellow
• Smith County Bar Foundation - Charter Fellow; Former Board President, 2009-2010
• Former President, Tyler Tennis & Swim Club
• Former Treasurer, Vestry of Christ Episcopal Church, Tyler, Texas
• Former Chairman, Tyler Chapter Texas Association of Business, 1998-2000
• Board Certified Labor and Employment Law in 1983 by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and Recertified in 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, and 2008

SPEAKING AND WRITING

Mr. Bufe is a frequent author and speaker on employment law topics, most recently writing the chapter entitled "Vicarious Liability" for the Texas Association of Business Employment Law Handbook.  He is also a regular contributor to the monthly publication Solving Personnel Problems in Texas. Mr. Bufe also presents employment relations training for employers.

PERSONAL

Born and raised in Wyandotte, Michigan, Mr. Bufe married the former Cathey Cason Oge in 1979. They have three adult children, Cason, Claire and Gretchen.

SAMPLE CASES

Employment

Pryor v. Trane Co.; 138 F.3d 1024 (5th Cir., 1998) (Disability Discrimination; Jury Trial/Appeal)

Fields v. Hallsville Independent School Dist.; 906 F.2d 1017 (5th Cir., 1990) (Race Discrimination; Summary Judgment/Appeal)

Johnson v. Department of Treasury, IRS; 700 F.2d 971 (5th Cir., 1983) (Privacy Act; Summary Judgment/Appeal)

National Treasury Employees Union v. Reagan; 663 F.2d 239 (D.C. Cir., 1981) (Hiring Freeze; TRO; Summary Judgment/Appeal)

National Treasury Employees Union v. Reagan; 509 F. Supp. 1337 (D.C., 1981) (Class Action; Summary Judgment)

NTEU v. FLRA; 672 F.2d 732 (9th Cir., 1982) (Negotiability Dispute)

Nibali v. United States; 589 F.2d 514 (Ct. Cl., 1978) (Court of Claims; Trial/Appeal)

Mackey v. U.P. Enterprises; 935 S.W.2d 446 (Tx. Ct. Civ. App.--Tyler, 1996) (Sex Discrimination; Jury Trial/Appeal)

Marx v. Louisiana Pacific Corp.; CA No. 9:02cv283 (U.S. Dist. Ct.-2003) (Disability Discrimination; Summary Judgment Granted)

Carlton Taylor v. T.C. Manufacturing, Inc.; No. 6:00cv358 (U.S. Dist. Ct.-2001) (Race Discrimination; Summary Judgment Granted)

Landrum v. Titus County Hospital District; (USDC E. D. Tex., 1995) (Jury Trial ADA Discrimination)

Tammy Payne v. DRG Texas, LP, et al.; CA No. 6:01cv375 (5th Cir., 2002) (Pregnancy Discrimination; Summary Judgment Granted/appeal)

Sanders v. Johnson; Case No. 91-1868-A/E, (County Court At Law No. 2, Smith County, Texas, 1992) (Sexual Harassment; Summary Judgment Granted)

Kathy Huff v. The Trane Company; (U.S. Dist. Ct. 1996) (Disability Discrimination; Jury Trial)

Gill v. Louisiana Pacific Corp.; (U.S. Dist Ct Eastern District of TX-2003) (Sex Discrimination; Summary Judgment Granted).

Carol Cook v. Walmart Stores, Inc.; (Dist. Ct., Anderson County, Texas, 2002) (Worker Comp Retaliation, Jury Trial/2002)

Horn v. U.P. Enterprises, Inc.; 7th Judicial District Court, Smith County, Texas (Sexual Harassment/Retaliation; Jury Trial, 1998)

Hollon v. Louisiana Pacific Corporation; U.S. DC No. 9:04cv183 (Disability Discrimination; Summary Judgment Granted) (2005)

Tymrak v. North American Coal Corporation; Cause No. 294143 (County Court At Law No. 5, Bexar County, Texas, 2005) (Worker Compensation Retaliation Summary Judgment Granted)

Rowley v. AME Laboratories; Cause No. 47,045-A (County Court At Law No. 2, Smith County, Texas) (Commission Contract; Bench Trial/Appeal, 2005)

Graham v. Louisiana Pacific Corp.; Case No. 1:04:CV650; (USDC Eastern Dist. Of Texas, 2005) (wrongful termination)

National Treasury Employees Union v. United States Merit Systems Protection Bd.; No. 82-1206, 743 F.2d 895 (D. C. Cir. 1984)

Devine v. Pastore; 732 F.2d 213 (D. C. Cir. 1984)

National Treasury Employees Union v. Federal Labor Relations Authority; 712 F.2d 669 (D. C. Cir. 1983)

National Treasury Employees Union v. Federal Labor Relations Authority; 701 F.2d 781 (9th Cir. 1983)

National Treasury Employees Union v. Kurtz; 600 F.2d 984 (D. C. Cir. 1979)

Menefee v. Louisiana Pacific Corp.; Civil Action No. 9:06cv49 (USDC E. D. Tx., 2006) (Race Discrimination Summary Judgment granted)

Verrault v. United States; 216 Ct. Cl. 386 (1978) (Wrongful Termination)

Byrnes v. United States; 213 Ct. Cl. 675 (1977) (Wrongful Termination)
Commercial Law

Slover v. Boral Henderson Clay Products, Inc.; 714 F. Supp. 825 (U.S. Dist. Ct. Eastern Dist. of Tx., 1989) (Erisa Claim; Bench Trial)

Ivy & Noel v. Rissinger, et al.; (U.S. Dist. Ct., Eastern Dist. of Tx. 2001) (First Amendment Retaliation; Jury Trial)

Broughton v. La Gloria Oil and Gas Company; (7th Judicial Dist. Ct., Smith County, Texas) (Wrongful Termination, Libel/Slander; Summary Judgment Granted); and Arbitration Trial (wrongful termination) (2004)

La Gloria Oil and Gas Co. v. Blackman; (7th Judicial Dist. Ct., Smith County, Texas, 2005) (Enforcement of Commercial Guaranty; Summary Judgment Granted)

Texas Bank and Trust v. Crown Central, LLC; No. 2005-769 (County Court At Law, Gregg County, Texas) (Breach of Contract)

Network Enhanced Telecom, LLP v. WEHCO Video, Inc.; CA No. 2:05cv00055 (U.S. Dist. Ct. E. D. Tx., 2005) (Breach of Contract)

LeTourneau, Inc. v. ETOX, Inc.; No. 2005-185-A (Dist. Ct. Gregg County, Tx. 2005) (Breach of Contract Fraud)

Kardell v. Alltel Corp.; (U.S. Dist. Ct. Eastern District of Texas 2004) (Sarbanes Oxley compliance)

Allen v. Tyler Holding Company; Case No. 2:05cv531 (U.S. Dist. Ct. Eastern Dist. of Tx., 2006) (negligence personal injury)

Intellectual Property

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation v. Lenovo (United States), Inc., et al.; Case No. 6:09-cv-399 (USDC E. D. Tx., 2009)

Wi-Lan, Inc. v. Acer, Inc., et al.; Case No. 2:07-cv-473 (USDC E. D. Tx., 2007)

Bedrock Computer Technologies, LLC v. Google, Inc., et al.; Case No. 6:09-cv-269 (USDC E. D. Tx., 2009)

Alcatel-Lucent USA v. Amazon, et al.; Case No. 6:09-cv-422 (USDC E. D. Tx., 2009)

Dogleg Right Partners, LP, et al. v. Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.; CA No. 2:07-cv-533 (USDC E. D. Tx., 2007)

Intel v. CSIRO; C.A. No. 6:06-cv-551 (U.S. Dist. Ct., E. D. Tx. 2007)

Orion, IP v. Hyundai Motor America; C.A. No. 6:05-cv-322 (U.S. Dist. Ct., E. D. Tx. 2007)

Orion, IP v. Costco, et al; C.A. No. 6:07-cv-106 (U.S. Dist. Ct., E. D. Tx. 2007)

Microunity v. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.; C.A. No. 2:06-cv-486 (U.S. Dist. Ct., E. D. Tx. 2007)

OPTi, Inc. v. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.; C.A. 2:06 cv-477 (U.S. Dist. Ct., E. D. Tx. 2007)

Peer Communications v. eBay, Inc. et al.; C.A. No. 6:06-cv-370 (U.S. Dist. Ct., E. D. Tx. 2007)

Logan v. Hormel Foods Corp. and Walmart Stores, Inc.; Case No. 6:04-cv-211 (U.S. Dist. Ct., E. D. Tx., 2004) (Motion To Transfer Venue granted)

AmberWave Systems Corp. v. Intel Corp.; 233 FRD 416 (USDC E. D. Tx., 2005) (Motion To Transfer Venue granted)

AmberWave Systems Corp. v. Intel Corp.; Case No. 9:06cv157 (USDC E. D. Tx., 2006) (Motion To Transfer Venue granted)

Konami Corp. v. Roxor Games, Inc. et al.; Cause No. 2:05cv173 (U.S. Dist. Ct., Eastern Dist. of Texas, 2005)

Mitchell v. Intel Corp.; Cause No. 2:04cv450 (U.S. Dist. Ct., Eastern Dist. of Texas, 2005)

Energy Transfer Group, LLC v. Retro Compression, LLC, et al.; Case No. 2004-300 (Dist. Ct., Rusk County, Texas, 2005)

Mediatek, Inc. v. Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. and Sanyo North America, Inc.; CA No. 6:05cv323 (U.S. Dist. Ct., Eastern Dist. of Texas, 2005)

Bankruptcy

Cash Am. Pawn, L.P. v. Murphy; 209 B.R. 419 (1997) (Bankruptcy Ct.; Summary Judgment and Appeal)

In re Longhorn Oil & Gas Co.; 64 B.R. 263 (Houston, 1986) (Bankruptcy Court Trial)

In re Your Pump of Texas, Inc.; U.S. Bankruptcy Court, E. D. Tx. (Trial and appeal claim objection to secured status) (2004); appeal to USDC E. D. Tx. 6:04cv506 (2006 U.S.Dist. LEXIS 29683)

Continental Utility v. Haviland Telephone Co., No. 02-06243 (Bankruptcy Court-2005) (Breach of Construction Contract, and related insu/appeal)

In re: Charles Sides; U.S. BR Ct, Eastern District of Texas; (Dischargeability trial-1986)