John Michael Frick

John Michael Frick

Experienced North Texas Civil Trial and Appellate Attorney
  • Business Law, Appeals & Appellate, Construction Law ...
  • Texas
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Biography

John has been representing businesses and business people in the North Texas area for more than thirty years. He has tried numerous cases at various levels of the judicial system, including federal district court and state district court. He has presented appeals to the Supreme Court of Texas, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and ten of the fourteen intermediate courts of appeal in Texas. He has arbitrated cases before the American Arbitration Association and JAMS, Inc. In addition to his trial practice, John is a trained mediator and summary jury trial judge. As a result of displaying a high degree of skill, competence, and professionalism, he has earned an AV-Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

John received his law degree from SMU School of Law in 1988, where he served as an Associate Editor for the Southwestern Law Journal. While still in law school, he successfully presented an appeal to the Supreme Court of Texas through the school’s civil clinic program, resulting in a published opinion reversing the lower court. He also completed his first jury trial through the school’s clinic program.

After graduating from law school, John served a judicial clerkship as briefing attorney for the Honorable Gordon H. Rowe, Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals for the Fifth District of Texas at Dallas. There, John had the pleasure of working with future Supreme Court of Texas Justices Nathan Hecht, Craig Enoch, and James Baker.

As a seasoned trial lawyer, John continues to maintain a high level of practice. He has represented clients in cases reported in the Wall Street Journal and Dallas Morning News, as well as ones featured on local news broadcasts and the national news program, Nightline. His civil trial practice includes representation in both state and federal court and encompasses a wide range of areas.

Practice Areas
Business Law
Business Contracts, Business Formation, Business Litigation, Mergers & Acquisitions, Partnership & Shareholder Disputes
Appeals & Appellate
Civil Appeals, Federal Appeals
Construction Law
Construction Contracts, Construction Defects, Construction Liens, Construction Litigation
Arbitration & Mediation
Business - Arbitration/Mediation, Family - Arbitration/Mediation
Personal Injury
Construction Accidents, Premises Liability, Wrongful Death
Divorce
Contested Divorce, Property Division
Insurance Claims
Bad Faith Insurance, Business Insurance, Property Insurance
Additional Practice Areas
  • Civil Litigation
  • Contract Litigation
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Real Estate Litigation
  • Professional Liability
  • Trade Secrets & Misuse of Confidential & Proprietary Information Litigation
  • Non-Compete, Non-Solicitation, & Non-Disclosure Litigation
  • PEOs & Staff Leasing
Video Conferencing
  • Zoom
  • Microsoft Teams
  • WebEx
Fees
  • Credit Cards Accepted
    Visa & Mastercard Only
  • Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
    Provides 90-minute initial consultation for a flat fee of $500. Does not typically work on a contingency fee. Usually requires a retainer.
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Texas
State Bar of Texas
ID Number: 07455200
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5th Circuit
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Languages
  • English
Professional Experience
Partner
Reid, Dennis & Frick, PC
- Current
Member
Steptoe & Johnson, PLLC
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Partner
Bennett, Weston LaJone & Turner, P.C.
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Senior Attorney
Reid & Dennis, PC
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Solo Practitioner
Law Offices of John M. Frick
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Partner
Mills, Presby & Associates, L.L.P.
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Associate
Godwin & Carlton, P.C.
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Briefing Attorney
Court of Appeals, Fifth District of Texas at Dallas
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Education
SMU Dedman School of Law
Doctor of Jurisprudence/Juris Doctor (J.D.)
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Southern Methodist University
B.S. (1985) | Political Science
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Honors: Summa Cum Laude
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Southern Methodist University
B.A. (1985) | Psychology
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Honors: Summa Cum Laude
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Awards
AV-Preeminent
Martindale-Hubbell
For over 100 years, the Bar Register has been a unique guide to the legal community's most eminent professionals. It includes only those select law practices that have earned the highest rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory and have been designated by their colleagues as preeminent in their field. The 2022 Bar Register contains over 14,000 member listings out of more than 1.3 million attorneys in the United States.
Professional Associations
Texas State Bar  # 07455200
Member
- Current
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Certifications
Board-Certified, Civil Trial Law
Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Websites & Blogs
Website
Reid, Dennis & Frick, PC
Legal Answers
3541 Questions Answered
Q. Is it legal for TX landlords to make tenants responsible for "normal wear and tear" repairs?
A: I think you are correct that the lease by agreement between the parties has shifted what would normally be the landlord's responsibility for cleaning and "normal wear and tear" to you as the tenant.

There is no legal prohibition on the parties agreeing to do this.
Q. Being sued for not paying rent after unauthorized access and damage to my room.
A: The answer to your question depends on whether the "two tenants" are people you were sharing the premises with you under the lease (cotenants) or new people who rented the premises after you stopped living there.

When you sign a lease for one year, you commit yourself to paying rent for one year even if you choose not to live at the property for the full year. As the tenant, you are also responsible for protecting the property from damage (other than ordinary wear and tear) even if caused by your guests or cotenants. You may, however, have a valid claim against the two cotenants for the damage they caused and for any share of the rent they agreed to pay. In that instance, you should pay the landlord the rent and damages in accordance with your lease agreement, then sue your two cotenants for the damage they caused and for any share of the rent they agreed to pay.

If you surrendered the premises to the landlord after six months and the landlord relet the premises to two new tenants, you would not be responsible for damages that occurred after the new tenants took possession of the premises and you would only be responsible for rent if the landlord's lease with the two new tenants was for a lower amount of rent than you agreed to pay. In this instance, you should decline to pay for any damages caused after you surrendered the premises and raise the affirmative defense of "mitigation of damages" if the landlord sues you for rent for the period of time after the new tenants took possession of the premises.
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Q. Can I stay in the house if my husband moved out and can he turn off utilities before divorce in Texas?
A: Yes, you can stay in your marital residence even though he has moved out.

Yes, he can legally turn of utilities that are in his name before a divorce is filed.

Because you are also an owner of the home, you can turn the utilities back on in your name.

If you file for divorce, it is highly likely that divorce court has standing orders, or will issue an injunction, prohibiting either of you from turning off the utilities during the pendency of the divorce.

The utility company can, however, turn off the utilities if they are not paid for service. If you cannot afford to pay for the utilities, you will want to request temporary orders in your divorce case ordering your husband to pay the utility bills, or alternatively, to pay temporary support to you so that you can pay the utility bills.

Similarly, the mortgage company can foreclose on the home it the mortgage isn't paid. If you cannot afford to pay the mortgage, you will want to request temporary orders in your divorce case ordering your husband to pay the mortgage.
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Contact & Map
Reid, Dennis & Frick, PC
2600 Dallas Parkway, Suite 380
Frisco, TX 75034
US
Telephone: (214) 618-1400
Monday: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM (Today)
Wednesday: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
Notice: Located in Collin County, just north of the intersection of the Sam Rayburn Tollway and the Dallas North Tollway, near Dr Pepper Ballpark
Reid, Dennis & Frick, PC
2626 Cole Avenue, Suite 300
Dallas, TX 75204
US
Telephone: (972) 991-2626