Michael L. Scanes
My work as a trial attorney is more than a career or a means to earn a living. It is my calling. It is fulfilling to seek and advocate the truth and help clients pursue fair results and solutions.

Mike Scanes is senior partner of Scanes, Routh & James, LLP, which he co-founded. Known as a fearless and conscientious trial lawyer, Mike has more than 25 years of experience in helping clients successfully navigate difficult situations. He has handled and tried a wide variety of civil cases, including complex business and commercial disputes, challenging employment cases, and wrongful death and personal injury cases. Always prepared for a challenge, Mike devotes his energy to helping clients vindicate and protect their rights. He is board certified in both personal injury trial law and civil trial law and has been twice recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly magazine for his excellent legal services.

Representative Experience

Represented hundreds of clients in personal injury cases. Examples include representation of a family and estate of a man killed in a high speed truck collision; representation of the parents of infants who drowned at a residential day care; numerous other premise liability cases; representation of a minor child who was sexually assaulted by her boss at work; numerous other sexual assault cases; etc.

Represented hundreds of clients in business and commercial litigation. Examples include representation of a small town that was defrauded to the point of insolvency by a Fortune 500 company; representation of numerous clients in company and partnership splits, breakups, and other disputes; representation of numerous clients in disputes between manufacturers and distributors; representation of numerous clients in cases involving claims for breach of contract, tortious interference, fraud, and the wrongful taking and/or use of trade secrets and proprietary information; etc.

Represented numerous individuals whose employment was wrongfully terminated by their employers. Examples include representation of a manager who was shot and injured on the job and whose employment was later terminated in retaliation for filing a worker's compensation claim; representation of numerous other clients whose employment was wrongfully terminated in retaliation for filing worker's compensation claims; representation of numerous clients who have been sexually harassed on the job and/or were retaliated against for reporting or complaining of sexual harassment; representation of numerous clients whose employment was wrongfully terminated because of their race, age, gender, or disability; etc.

Represented numerous clients in real estate litigation. Examples include representation of homeowners against a real estate developer on claims for breach of contract, deceptive trade practices, and for building homes within a flood plain; representation of various clients in boundary disputes; representation of various clients in cases involving the sale or lease of real estate involving claims of misrepresentation, deceptive trade practices, breach of contract, and fraud, etc.

Representation of various clients in will contests, trust disputes, and disputes between the heirs and/or beneficiaries of estates.