Former Federal Judge Barbara Lynn Joins Dallas Litigation Firm

Distinguished jurist will focus on high-stakes litigation, strategic advisory work for Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Barbara M.G. Lynn, a trailblazing federal judge who served as the first female Chief Judge for the Northern District of Texas, has announced a strategic transition from the federal bench to private practice.

After stepping down as Senior Judge for the Northern District in June, effective Sept. 1, she is joining the Dallas-based litigation firm of Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann LLP. The firm of more than 40 attorneys was founded in 2003 by Judge Lynn’s husband, Mike Lynn, and has built an impressive record of success in a wide range of high-profile commercial litigation.

In her new role, Judge Lynn will apply her experience on the bench, willingness to innovate, and commitment to mentoring young attorneys to support the firm and its clients. That work will include corporate and governmental investigations, trial consulting, as well as mediations and arbitrations.

“I intend to be available to consult on the resolution of trial matters as well as trial strategy for our firm and as counsel for other firms,” says Judge Lynn. “I also look forward to counseling and developing our younger attorneys, whether for a specific case or about their goals and ambitions within the profession.”

Appointed to the bench by President Clinton in 1999, Judge Lynn has been called “one of the five best federal judges in the country” by Fifth Circuit Judge Patrick Higginbotham. During her 25-year tenure, she presided over some of the most controversial and important trials in the region, with written opinions that have shaped national precedent. Those rulings include the 2011 ruling in Halliburton Co. v. Erica P. John Fund, which resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court reversing the Fifth Circuit, citing her analysis.

“Judge Lynn’s reputation for integrity, wisdom, and mentorship is unmatched,” says Chris Schwegmann, the firm’s managing partner. “Her commitment to empowering the next generation of lawyers is something we deeply admire, and we look forward to learning from her, being challenged by her insights, and growing together as a firm. Having Judge Lynn with us is an honor, and we are excited for the future.”

Named by The National Law Journal as one of the 50 most influential women attorneys in the nation, Judge Lynn has served as chair of the American Bar Association’s Section of Litigation and has been honored for her work by Southern Methodist University, the Dallas Women Lawyers Association, the International Women’s Forum, and the State Bar of Texas, among others.

“Judge Barbara Lynn is one of the most distinguished and beloved judges in the federal judiciary,” says Sarah S. Vance, Senior U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “Her extraordinary contributions to the work of the judiciary, the rule of law, and the betterment of the legal profession have been recognized with honors and awards time and again over the course of her stellar judicial career. Judge Lynn’s retirement is a great loss to the judiciary, but she will no doubt continue to serve the profession she loves for years to come.”

Judge Lynn earned her undergraduate degree as part of the first fully co-educational class of the University of Virginia and graduated first in her class from the SMU School of Law in 1976. Judge Lynn began her career as the first female associate and later the first female partner at the Dallas firm of Carrington Coleman, a position she held before joining the federal bench.

About Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann LLP

Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann is a nationally recognized commercial litigation firm and has been ranked among the top five commercial litigation firms in Texas by the highly respected Chambers USA Guide to the Legal Profession for the past three years. The firm has received accolades from The Best Lawyers in America, Texas Super Lawyers, Benchmark Litigation, D Magazine, and Texas Lawyer, and has been awarded "Defense Win of the Year" in the U.S. by The National Law Journal, the only firm to receive that recognition twice.