Background

David’s second career, as a trial lawyer and intellectual property lawyer, follows a career in professional baseball that spanned five seasons. His journey as a minor-league catcher and coach in the Seattle Mariners, Oakland A’s, and Texas Rangers organizations has been chronicled by multiple publications, including Texas Lawyer and Baylor Law School’s Rocket Docket, which described his adventure as a member of New Zealand’s 2012 World Baseball Classic team.

David’s passion to compete and win has translated well into his legal pursuits. Since 2003, David has enjoyed litigating complex cases across multiple fields, including intellectual property, business, oil and gas, sports and entertainment, and consumer-related matters. More recently, he has advised clients and been a featured speaker on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) issues.

David’s courtroom experience, which includes numerous first-chair engagements, includes successful trials in both federal and state court, in Texas and outside of Texas. Since 2008, he has focused the vast majority of his time and efforts representing plaintiffs in high-stakes intellectual property litigation and complex commercial litigation. He was elected by his fellow IP lawyers to serve as Chair of the Tarrant County Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Section from 2009 to 2010.

David also handles appeals and has argued successfully before the Texas Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

David has been accorded the highest Peer Review Rating™ by Martindale-Hubbell®: AV Preeminent®.

Awards & Recognitions

Named a “Texas Super Lawyer” for the years 2011-2024. “Super Lawyers” is a Thomson-Reuters service printed in Texas Monthly.

Named a “Super Lawyer-Rising Star” for the years 2006-2009, 2011-2013. “Super Lawyer-Rising Stars” is a Thomson-Reuters service selected by peer review ratings.

Recognized as a Top Attorney by 360 West Magazine 2018 to present

Included on a list of “Top Attorneys” in 2013-2022, Fort Worth, Texas Magazine.

AV-Rated Martindale-Hubbell®: Preeminent™

Areas of Practice

Intellectual Property, including Patent, Trademark, Copyright, and Trade Secret litigation

Commercial Litigation, including Oil & Gas and Fiduciary litigation

Sports & Entertainment, including counseling clients on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) issues

Associations & Memberships

State Bar of Texas

Tarrant County Bar Association

Barrister, Eldon B. Mahon American Inn of Court

The Federalist Society (Treasurer, Fort Worth Lawyers Chapter)

Christ Chapel Bible Church

Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation

Publications & Presentations

A House Divided? The House v. NCAA Settlement and the State of NIL (Fort Worth City Club Speaker Series – Oct. 10, 2024)

WILD, WILD WE$T: Name, Image, and Likeness Issues and the Changing Landscape of “Amateur” Athletics (Fort Worth City Club Speaker Series – Mar. 9, 2023)

Guest Speaker: UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law -- Patent Litigation Seminar (Oct. 15, 2022)

How to Secure Injunctive Relief in Patent Cases. Advanced Patent Litigation Jul 19, 2019

Baseball & the Supreme Court: Indispensable & Inseparable Institutions (Fort Worth City Club Speaker Series -- Jan 11, 2018)

Status of Cybor Corp. v. FAS Technologies after Federal Circuit's en banc ruling in Lighting Ballast Control v. Universal Lighting (Texas Lawyer video series: Reversed and Remanded)

The DTPA's Professional Services Exemption: Let 'em be Doctors and Lawyers and Such (55 Baylor L. Rev. 783)

 

 

 

AVVO John Allen Chalk

Education

Baylor University School of Law (2003)

University of Arkansas-Fayetteville (1995)

Bar/Court Admissions

Texas Bar (2003)

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas

U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

U.S. Supreme Court

9/17/24

David Skeels selected to Super Lawyers list for 2024

David Skeels selected to Super Lawyers list for 2024. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more...
9/25/23

David Skeels selected to Super Lawyers list for 2023

David Skeels selected to Super Lawyers list for 2023. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more...
9/18/23

11 Attorneys selected to Super Lawyers list for 2023

Whitaker Chalk has 11 Attorneys selected to Super Lawyers list for 2023. Decker Cammack - Intellectual Property Litigation John Allen...
3/10/23

David Skeels spoke at City Club Series: WILD, WILD WE$T: Name, Image, and Likeness Issues

On March 9, 2023, David Skeels drew a large crowd to his presentation at the Fort Worth City Club Speaker...
9/21/22

David Skeels selected to Super Lawyers list for 2022

David Skeels selected to Super Lawyers list for 2022. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more...
11/4/20

David Skeels selected to Super Lawyers list for 2020

David Skeels selected to Super Lawyers list for 2020. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more...
10/2/20

David Skeels named Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation

David A. Skeels has been named a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, based on his professional achievements and his...
9/3/19

David A. Skeels named to 2019 Super Lawyers

Whitaker Chalk Swindle & Schwartz PLLC proudly announces David A. Skeels selected as a 2019 Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters...
7/8/19

David Skeels presented at the Advanced Patent Litigation Conference

David Skeels presented "How to Secure Injuctive Relief in Patent Cases" at the Advanced Patent Litigation Conference.
1/11/18

David Skeels spoke at the City Club Monthly Speakers Series

David Skeels was the presenter at the City Club Monthly Speakers Series on January 11th.  David's presentations was "Baseball &...
11/29/17

Whitaker Chalk Attorneys Selected as 2017 Super Lawyers

Whitaker Chalk Swindle & Schwartz PLLC proudly announces 13 of our attorneys have been selected as 2017 Super Lawyers by Thomson...
7/11/17

Whitaker Chalk proudly announces 29 of 36 attorneys selected as “2017 Top Attorneys”

Whitaker Chalk Swindle & Schwartz PLLC proudly announces 29 of our 36 attorneys have been selected as "2017 Top Attorneys in Tarrant...
9/26/16

13 of 34 Whitaker Chalk Attorneys Selected as 2016 Super Lawyers

Whitaker Chalk Swindle & Schwartz PLLC proudly announces 13 of our 34 attorneys have been selected as 2016 Super Lawyers...