Arbitration Commercial Litigation Litigation - Labor and Employment
*Named the "Lawyer of the Year" in this practice area in the 2026 edition in Dallas/Fort Worth.
T. Dawn Estes
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2016 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
For over 25 years, Dawn's practice has focused on trial work, representing a variety of large and mid-sized corporate clients in claims involving a wide range of litigation topics. Dawn is an AV Preeminent® rated lawyer with a proven ability to manage and resolve sophisticated disputes. Dawn is comfortable in state and federal courts and arbitrations. Dawn serves as a court-appointed mediator, and she also serves on the American Arbitration Association's National Panel of Commercial and Employment Arbitrators.
Dawn has additional expertise in e-commerce, Internet and computer technology law, including issues of software performance, development disputes, domain name issues, cybersmear, Internet e-commerce ventures and website development issues.
Dawn has repeatedly been selected by Thomson Reuters and her peers among Texas Super Lawyers in Business Litigation in 2003-2023. She also has the distinction of being selected as one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Texas and one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Dallas/Fort Worth (by Thomson Reuters, as published in Texas Monthly), Best Lawyers in Dallas by D Magazine, and one of the Best Women Lawyers in Dallas by D Magazine. Dawn has also served as an Adjunct Professor at SMU's Dedman School of Law.
Practice Areas:
Commercial/Business Litigation
Electronic Discovery and Document Retention
Internet and Computer Technology
Personal Injury Defense
Arbitration/Mediation/ADR
Overview
- Saint Mary's University, J.D., graduated 1989
- Southern Methodist University, B.A., graduated 1986
- Texas, State Bar of Texas
- Oklahoma, State Bar of Oklahoma
- Association of Attorney Mediators - Member
- Attorneys Serving the Community - Member
- Dallas Bar Association - Member, Presidential Citation (2011, 2017), Board of Directors (2016-2017), Judiciary Committee Co-Chair (2012), Bench Bar Committee Co-Chair (2011)
- Dallas Bar Foundation - Life Fellow, Former Trustee
- Dallas Committee for a Qualified Judiciary - Member
- Dallas Women Lawyers Association - Advisory Board
- Dallas Women Lawyers Association, Mentoring Circle - Mentor
- Dallas Young Lawyers Association (DYLA) Foundation - Fellow
- Federal Bar Association - Member
- Higginbotham Inn of Court - Master, Executive Committee Member
- Litigation Counsel of America - Fellow
- State Bar Committee on Administration of Rules of Evidence (2008-2012) - Former Member
- State Bar Committee on Administration of Rules of Evidence (2008-2012) - Former Subcommittee Chair, Technology
- State Bar of Oklahoma - Member
- State Bar of Texas - Member
- Texas Bar Foundation - Fellow
- The University of Texas at Austin, Center for Women in Law - Circle of Leaders
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- Texas, State Bar of Texas
- Oklahoma, State Bar of Oklahoma
- Association of Attorney Mediators - Member
- Attorneys Serving the Community - Member
- Dallas Bar Association - Member, Presidential Citation (2011, 2017), Board of Directors (2016-2017), Judiciary Committee Co-Chair (2012), Bench Bar Committee Co-Chair (2011)
- Dallas Bar Foundation - Life Fellow, Former Trustee
- Dallas Committee for a Qualified Judiciary - Member
- Dallas Women Lawyers Association - Advisory Board
- Dallas Women Lawyers Association, Mentoring Circle - Mentor
- Dallas Young Lawyers Association (DYLA) Foundation - Fellow
- Federal Bar Association - Member
- Higginbotham Inn of Court - Master, Executive Committee Member
- Litigation Counsel of America - Fellow
- State Bar Committee on Administration of Rules of Evidence (2008-2012) - Former Member
- State Bar Committee on Administration of Rules of Evidence (2008-2012) - Former Subcommittee Chair, Technology
- State Bar of Oklahoma - Member
- State Bar of Texas - Member
- Texas Bar Foundation - Fellow
- The University of Texas at Austin, Center for Women in Law - Circle of Leaders
- Saint Mary's University, J.D., graduated 1989
- Southern Methodist University, B.A., graduated 1986
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Arbitration, Dallas/Fort Worth (2026)
- Arbitration, Dallas/Fort Worth (2024)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Arbitration
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation - Labor and Employment
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Mediation
Awards:
Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year, Arbitration, (2024, 2026)
- Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation and Arbitration, 2016-2026
Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators, 2023-2026
- D Magazine Best Lawyers in Dallas, 2010-2025
- Texas Super Lawyer, Thomson Reuters, 2003-2025
- Recognized Top 100: Dallas/Ft. Worth Super Lawyers , Thomson Reuters, as published in Texas Monthly, 2011-2013, 2015-2021, 2023-2025
- Recognized, Top 50: Women Texas Super Lawyers in Texas, Thomson Reuters, as published in Texas Monthly, 2006, 2011-2013, 2015-2021, 2023-2025
- Recognized, Top 100: Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, as published in Texas Monthly, 2015, 2017-2021, 2023-2025
Lawdragon 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers, 2023
- BTI Client Service A-Team, 2019
- Recognized, Texas Trial Legend, Tort & Insurance Practice Section, Dallas Bar Association, 2016
- Recognized, Outstanding Female Partner Award, Dallas Women Lawyers Association, 2016
- Recognized, Best Women Lawyers in Dallas in commercial litigation, as published in D Magazine, 2010
- Recognized, Best Lawyers Under 40, as published in D Magazine, 2002
- AV Preeminent - Martindale-Hubbell
News & Media
Insights
Additional Information
- Publications
- Texas Business Litigation, Chapter 23, E-Discovery, Androgue & Baker, editors (2019 ed.) – Author
- Partnering Effectively with Outside Counsel - State Bar of Texas 17th Annual Advanced In-House Counsel - 8/10/18 - Co-Author
- How Preparing for an Arbitration is Different Than Preparing for Trial – Including Discovery, State Bar of Texas, Texas Bar College, 19th Annual Summer School, Galveston, Texas – 07/2017 - Co-Author
- The Evolving Roles of In-House and Outside Counsel to Identify Sources of Information, Preserve Data, and Collect Documents in Coverage Litigation – DRI Program, Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium, New York, New York – 12/2017 – Co-Author
- How to Win at Arbitration in a Consumer Case - State Bar of Texas, 12th Annual Advanced Consumer & Commercial Law Course, Austin, Texas – 9/2016 – Co-Author
- Supporting Women is Good Business – Texas Lawyer – 10/2014 – Co-Author
- Speaking Engagements
- The Impact of Gender in Litigation, Negotiations, and Trial – Joint CLE, Dallas Women Lawyers Association and Dallas Trial Lawyers Association, Dallas, Texas – 03/2019 – Panelist
- The Evolving Roles of In-House and Outside Counsel to Identify Sources of Information, Preserve Data, and Collect Documents in Coverage Litigation – DRI Program, Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium, New York, New York – 12/2017 – Panelist
- How a Small Firm Can Make a Big Splash, My Firm Did and so Can You – Start Your Law Practice Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana – 11/2017 – Speaker
- Developing Cannonball Cross Examination Through The Adverse Deposition – UT Law, Winning at Deposition Skills and Strategy, Austin, Texas – 8/2017 – Speaker
- Civility and Ethics - Are They the Same Thing? “Incivility’s Top Ten!” – Northern District of Texas, Bench Bar Conference, Dallas, Texas – 1/2017 – Panelist
- Arbitration Trends: What's Happening Now! – Advanced Trial Strategies Course 2016 – 02/2016 – Speaker
- UT Law's Winning at Deposition – Skills and Strategy Conference – 09/2015 – Speaker
- How Do You Win In Arbitration? – State Bar College Summer School, Galveston, TX – 07/2015 – Speaker
- What Should I Do in Arbitration and What Do I Do If I Don't Like the Result? – Advanced Trial Strategies Course 2015 – 02/2015 – Speaker
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