Rusty O’Kane is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Civil Appellate Law and is a trial and appellate lawyer in the Litigation section of Wick Phillips. He represents clients in complex commercial disputes across Texas and nationwide, regularly handling matters from pre-suit strategy through trial, post-trial proceedings, and appeal.

Rusty’s practice focuses on high-stakes business litigation, including contract disputes, partnership and shareholder disputes, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, restrictive covenants and non-compete agreements, trade secret misappropriation, franchise and distribution disputes, and other business torts. He also has substantial experience litigating disputes involving private equity investments, Dental Service Organizations and dentist-related matters, corporate control issues, professional practices, and closely held businesses. In addition, Rusty frequently handles Texas Anti-SLAPP matters, landlord-tenant disputes, and a wide range of commercial conflicts involving operational and ownership issues.

Rusty regularly represents clients seeking or defending emergency injunctive relief and has significant experience navigating expedited litigation where business operations, ownership interests, or critical assets are at risk. He has tried multiple cases to verdict, handled contested injunction hearings, and argued complex dispositive motions in courts across Texas.

In addition to his trial work, Rusty is frequently engaged as appellate counsel—both to continue representing his own clients on appeal and to partner with trial lawyers to provide strategic appellate guidance. Known for his ability to integrate trial strategy with appellate positioning from the outset of a case, he has briefed and argued appeals in Texas state and federal courts, including courts of appeals and the Texas Supreme Court, as well as in arbitration proceedings requiring sophisticated appellate-level analysis. Rusty represents a broad range of clients from entrepreneurs and closely held businesses to financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies in disputes involving significant financial exposure and business risk. His matters often involve parallel proceedings across trial courts, arbitration forums, and appellate courts, and he works closely with clients to develop litigation strategies that align with their overall business objectives. He routinely guides clients through the full lifecycle of a dispute, including pre-lawsuit resolution, trial, post-judgment enforcement, and appeal.

Prior to joining Wick Phillips, Rusty served as a law clerk to the Honorable Lawrence M. Reifurth on the Intermediate Court of Appeals of Hawaii. He also practiced with a large Chicago-based law firm, where he was recognized as a Rising Star among his peers. After moving to Dallas, Rusty served on the Board of Directors for the Texas Young Lawyers Association, the public service arm of the State Bar of Texas. Outside the practice of law, he is an active member of the Dallas endurance sports community and competes in triathlons of varying distances.

  • The Best Lawyers in America® – Appellate Practice (2024-2026)
  • Texas Rising Star, Super Lawyers® – Appellate (2023-2024)
  • D Magazine’s Best Lawyers Under 40 (2023)
  • Board Certified, Civil Appellate Law - Texas Board of Legal Specialization (2022)
  • Illinois Rising Star, Super Lawyers® (2014)