Charles L. "Chip" Babcock (born 23 June 1949)[1] is an American attorney with the Texas-based law firm Jackson Walker L.L.P. He is best known for serving as lead litigator for Oprah Winfrey in several cases, including a 1998 lawsuit regarding an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show about mad cow disease. He is a graduate of Brown University and the Boston University School of Law.
Charles L. "Chip" Babcock | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 23 June 1949 Brooklyn, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | AB Brown University 1971 JD Boston University 1976 |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Employer | Jackson Walker LLP |
| Known for | Serving as lead litigator for Oprah Winfrey |
Education
editBabcock attended Brown University where he earned an AB in 1971. He went on to earn a JD from the Boston University School of Law in 1976.[2] While at Boston University, Babcock served as the executive editor of the Boston University Law Review.[3] He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1977.[2]
Professional career
editEarly career
editIn college, Babcock was the sports director for Brown University radio station WBRU.[2] He then worked as a sports writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer.[1] Following his completion of law school in 1976, Babcock spent two years working for Judge Robert William Porter in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.[4]
Jackson Walker L.L.P.
editAfter his time with Judge Porter, Babcock joined the Texas-based law firm Jackson Walker L.L.P.[5] Early in Babcock’s career at Jackson Walker, he helped establish a precedent, allowing reporters to protect confidential sources as part of their First Amendment privileges when he defended a reporter in the 1980 case Miller v. Transamerican Press Inc.[6]
In 1998, Babcock served as the lead attorney for Oprah Winfrey, successfully defending her when she was sued by a group of cattlemen from Amarillo, Texas who believed that an episode of her show about mad cow disease violated the False Disparagement of Perishable Food Products Act.[7][8] Babcock also represented Oprah in 2002.[9] Following his initial work with Oprah, Babcock successfully defended Amway in a 1999 civil lawsuit filed by Procter & Gamble alleging that Amway violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.[10][9]
From 2003 to 2009, Babcock represented the Providence, Rhode Island–based television station WPRI and their videographer, when they were sued for wrongful death and injury after allegedly obstructing exits during a Rhode Island nightclub fire.[11] Babcock also represented The Dallas Morning News in a 2004 defamation lawsuit initiated by restaurant mogul Phil Romano.[12]
In 2007, Babcock’s representation of Texas Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht received complaints from the advocacy group Texas Watch, who alleged that Jackson Walker had given Hecht a discount on legal fees which constituted an illegal campaign donation.[13] The Texas Ethics Commission found the discount to be a campaign contribution and fined Judge Hecht $29,000.[14]
In 2012, Babcock served as a lead council for Celanese Corporation and successfully defended the corporation in a lawsuit initiated by Southern Chemical Corporation who sought $1.1 billion in fraud damages and $92 million for breach of contract.[15] The following year Babcock represented Peteski Productions Inc. when they sued Gawker Media for copyright infringement, alleging that their website Deadspin published video from the Dr. Phil Show before it aired.[16]
Other notable clients Babcock has represented include Judge Sharon Keller,[17] Diane Sawyer, Warren Buffett, Bill O’Reilly, George W. Bush,[18] and Google, who Babcock is representing in an appeal to a 2012 expunction order issued by a Galveston County District Court.[19]
Awards and honors
editIn September 1999 Babcock was appointed the chairman of the Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee.[20] In addition, Babcock is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the Litigation Counsel of America.[3][21] He has been named a Texas Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers magazine from 2003 to 2013, and was listed in D Magazine as one of the Best Lawyers in Dallas in 2009, 2011, and 2012.[22][23] Babcock was also listed as one of America's Leading Lawyers for Business by Chambers & Partners and profiled by Texas Lawyer Magazine as one of the 25 Greatest Texas Lawyers of the Past Quarter-Century.[24][9]
References
edit- ^ a b Miles Smith (8 May 2014). "A Lawyer for Dr. Phil, Oprah and the First Amendment". Highland Lakes Newspapers. Archived from the original on 13 June 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
- ^ a b c "Charles L. Babcock Esq". iatl.net. International Academy of Trial Lawyers. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
- ^ a b "Charles Babcock ('76) selected as one of Best Lawyers in America for 2009". bu.edu. Boston University School of Law Alumni News. 4 April 2009. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
- ^ "Babcock, Charles L. Information". hispanicconsumerprotection.com. Hispanic Consumer Protection. Archived from the original on 13 June 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- ^ "Charles L. Babcock". jw.com. Jackson Walker L.L.P. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
- ^ Steven T. Taylor (April 2006). "Jackson Walker's Chip Babcock Seems to Merit His Ubiquity" (PDF). Of Council. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
- ^ Scott Parks (26 February 1998). "Jury begins deliberations in Oprah's trial Verdict awaited in beef industry lawsuit against talk show host". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
- ^ Mary Alice Robbins (19 March 2010). "Chip Babcock to defend Oprah in late-March defamation suit in Philly". Tex Parte Blog. Texas Lawyer. Archived from the original on 25 February 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
- ^ a b c "The 25 Greatest: Charles L. "Chip" Babcock". Texas Lawyer. 28 June 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
- ^ Jim Vertuno (13 April 2004). "P&G still pursuing Amway over rumor". Deseret News. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
- ^ Susan Seligson (20 February 2013). "Hell, 10 Years Later". BU Today. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
- ^ John Browning (27 May 2007). "A matter of opinion". Dallas Business Journal. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
- ^ Mary Alice Robbins (30 June 2007). "Complaints Filed Over Discounted Fees for Texas Justice Caught in Miers Nomination". Texas Lawyer. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
- ^ Jim Vertuno (2 November 2012). "2 top Texas judges on ballot fighting ethics fines". The Statesman. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
- ^ Mary Alice Robbins (19 August 2013). "Jackson Walker's Success Impresses 2013 Litigation Departments of the Year". Texas Lawyer. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
- ^ Mary Alice Robbins (8 May 2013). "Chip Babcock Represents Dr. Phil in Copyright-Infringement Suit". Texas Lawyer. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
- ^ Paul J Weber (21 August 2009). "Trial Concludes For Judge Who Denied Appeal on Death Row". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 28 March 2015. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
- ^ Sam Wood (17 March 2010). "Winfrey may come to Phila. to face suit". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on 4 August 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
- ^ Jeremy Heallen (9 April 2014). "Google Says Court Can't Scrub Case From Internet". Law 360. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
- ^ Dorsaneo, William (2013). The History of Civil Procedure. Baylor Law Review. p. 806.
- ^ "Laurels". Texas Bar Journal. 77 (6). State Bar of Texas: 570. 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
- ^ "Charles L. Babcock". superlawyers.com. Thomson Reuters. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
- ^ "Charles Babcock". dmagazine.com. D Magazine. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
- ^ "Charles Babcock". chambersandpartners.com. Chambers & Partners. Archived from the original on 4 August 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.