Managing Partner and Founder
Connell C. Hess
Contact
- 281-907-2507
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Connell's practice centers on helping businesses navigate their legal challenges. His clients have ranged from Fortune 500 companies to individuals and families, spanning industries including energy, healthcare, real estate, and manufacturing.
Connell began his career in Biglaw at one of the largest firms in the nation, Hunton Andrews Kurth. After several years in that capacity, he transitioned to a brief stint as a plaintiff's attorney at Arnold & Itkin, one of the most prominent plaintiff's firms in the country. After realizing that corporate matters were his primary interest, he returned to The Woodlands, where he worked for and was mentored by David Ward, one of Montgomery County's most respected trial attorneys.
Connell launched The Magnolia Law Group with the goal of serving business clients with reasonable, thoughtful, and efficient legal advice. His guiding philosophy is that this is often best accomplished by getting the case to trial — and trying it — as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Since founding The Magnolia Law Group, he and his team have gone up against — and worked alongside — some of the nation's leading law firms, including Norton Rose Fulbright, K&L Gates, Hunton Andrews Kurth, BakerHostetler, Bradley, and Winston & Strawn.
Connell studied at the University of Texas School of Law, one of the top law schools in the nation, where he was the submissions editor for The Review of Litigation. During law school, Connell worked as a judicial intern to the Honorable George C. Hanks of the Southern District of Texas. Before law school, Connell graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in finance and participated as a member of the BYU football team for four years.
Connell and his wife, Skye, are the proud parents of five children. When not practicing law or helping with kids at home, Connell can be found wakeboarding, golfing, doing CrossFit, playing basketball or football, smoking brisket, or coaching one of his kids' sports teams.
Selected relevant experience
S.D. Tex. · MDL 2179
Represented the defendant as a member of Texas trial teams in federal and state court actions stemming from the Deepwater Horizon incident.
Texas Business Court
Lead counsel for an oil and gas limited liability manager in a corporate governance dispute and related Harris County action.
Montgomery Cty. · 4-day jury trial
Represented restaurant sellers at trial over breach of a commercial property contract and asset purchase agreement.
Harris Cty. District Court
Represented the plaintiff in a failed merger dispute against a former PGA major champion and Ryder Cup captain.
Lease dispute · Trial
Represented a prominent restaurant and bar at trial against its landlord over an alleged breach of the lease agreement.
Harris Cty. · Derivative action
Lead counsel for primary investors in a derivative action for breaches of fiduciary duty and fraudulent actions.
S.D. Tex. · Discrimination
Represented a senior-level engineering executive in racial discrimination proceedings against a Fortune 500 company.
Corporate governance
Representation of numerous members and business owners in derivative actions arising from breaches of fiduciary duty and corporate governing documents.
Texas appellate courts · Fifth Circuit
Served as lead and co-counsel on numerous appeals in Texas state appellate courts and the Fifth Circuit.
M&A · Buy and sell side
Representation of numerous buyers and sellers in the negotiation, execution and closing of asset purchase and membership interest agreements.
State court · Oil and gas
Represented an oil and gas company against a subcontractor's claims for breach of contract and fraud, over cleanup work performed in connection with an oil spill.
Executive non-competes
Representation of numerous high-level executives in the negotiation, enforcement, and litigation of non-compete and other employment issues.
Private equity · Healthcare
Represented medical and dental practices in the private equity purchase of a medical group.
Federal court · Trade secrets
Represented a valve manufacturer in complex litigation alleging the theft of multimillion-dollar trade secrets.
International engineering firm
Represented an international engineering firm in various litigation and transactional matters nationwide.
Franchise · Multiple sectors
Representation of franchisees in purchase, exit and litigation matters, including in the entertainment, food service, and numerous other sectors.
Montgomery Cty. · Professional liability
Representation of a CPA in an alleged malpractice action filed in Montgomery County.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Magnolia and The Woodlands · Montgomery County, Texas
The other side brings a hundred lawyers.We bring the case.
The Magnolia Law Group tries business cases in Texas state and federal court, and has gone up against, and alongside, the largest firms in the country.
Consultations are no commitment and carry no obligation, by phone, in person, or by video conference.