Biography | Garett A. Willig

Garett Willig focuses his practice on professional liability, product defect liability and general liability matters. After a successful career in health care and medical marketing, Garett worked for two Texas law firms where he gained experience in qui tam, family law and real estate cases, representing plaintiffs and defendants. Since joining Wilson Elser in 2009, Garett has extended his practice to high-exposure construction and product liability defect matters; defense of real estate, engineering and insurance professionals; and general liability matters for national and local clients. Garett is active in his community and is a volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America and YMCA youth sports.

Garett Willig focuses his practice on professional liability, product defect liability and general liability matters, as well as high-exposure construction and product liability defect matters; defense of real estate, engineering and insurance professionals; and general liability matters for national and local clients.

Garett has a breadth of real estate E&O defense experience managing and resolving claims on behalf of large national property management and brokerage firms as well as litigating disputes throughout the United States on behalf of real estate brokers, appraisers, title abstractors, home inspectors, insurance brokers, managing agents and broker-dealers. In addition to efficiently managing claims, he assists our real estate professionals in licensing and regulatory matters as well as navigating complex contractual issues, leases and agency agreements; performing due diligence related to acquisitions; helping to ensure fair housing and other applicable statutory and/or local code and regulatory compliance. Garett’s experience in the insurance and real estate industries results in spot-on analysis of liability and exposure and effective resolution strategies.

Education

South Texas College of Law (J.D., 2008)
University of Texas at Austin (B.A., 1998)
- honors list; Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society

Bar Admissions

Texas

Court Admissions

U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas

Professional Affiliations

Houston Bar Association
Texas Young Lawyers Association
American Bar Association

Press Releases

Wilson Elser Names 19 New Partners

January 18, 2022

Events

Garett Willig focuses his practice on professional liability, product defect liability and general liability matters. After a successful career in health care and medical marketing, Garett worked for two Texas law firms where he gained experience in qui tam, family law and real estate cases, representing plaintiffs and defendants. Since joining Wilson Elser in 2009, Garett has extended his practice to high-exposure construction and product liability defect matters; defense of real estate, engineering and insurance professionals; and general liability matters for national and local clients. Garett is active in his community and is a volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America and YMCA youth sports.

Garett Willig focuses his practice on professional liability, product defect liability and general liability matters, as well as high-exposure construction and product liability defect matters; defense of real estate, engineering and insurance professionals; and general liability matters for national and local clients.

Garett has a breadth of real estate E&O defense experience managing and resolving claims on behalf of large national property management and brokerage firms as well as litigating disputes throughout the United States on behalf of real estate brokers, appraisers, title abstractors, home inspectors, insurance brokers, managing agents and broker-dealers. In addition to efficiently managing claims, he assists our real estate professionals in licensing and regulatory matters as well as navigating complex contractual issues, leases and agency agreements; performing due diligence related to acquisitions; helping to ensure fair housing and other applicable statutory and/or local code and regulatory compliance. Garett’s experience in the insurance and real estate industries results in spot-on analysis of liability and exposure and effective resolution strategies.

Beres and Willig Prevail on Motion for Summary Disposition for Restaurant in Premises Liability Case

Katherine Beres (Of Counsel-Detroit, MI) and Garett Willig (Partner-Houston, TX) succeeded on a motion for summary disposition in the St. Clair County Circuit Court, St. Clair, Michigan, in a premises liability case against Wilson Elser’s restaurant client. The plaintiff allegedly tripped and fell on a crack in the exterior yellow curb near the restaurant entrance, claiming the restaurant failed to maintain the premises in a reasonably safe condition. However, Katherine and Garett's explanation in support of their motion for summary disposition demonstrated that the crack in the yellow-painted curb was not a dangerous condition and did not pose an unreasonable risk of harm to the plaintiff or anyone else. The court concurred, granting Wilson Elser’s motion and dismissing the case.

Katherine M. Beres and Garett A. Willig

Marconi and Willig Successfully Defend International Hospitality Group in Wrongful Death Case

Michael Marconi (Of Counsel-Dallas, TX) and Garett Willig (Partner-Houston, TX) secured a unanimous defense verdict on behalf of Wilson Elser’s client, an international hospitality group encompassing restaurants, hotels and gaming, in a premises liability/wrongful death case tried in the 68th Judicial District Court of Dallas County, Texas. The plaintiffs claimed the decedent tripped over an allegedly defective concrete wheel stop in our client’s parking lot, suffered a massive head injury from the fall, and died days later after he was transferred to hospice care. Less than a week before trial, the parties went to mediation and the plaintiffs never came off their demand for $15 million to settle the case. At trial, the plaintiffs presented expert testimony that wheel stops pose an unreasonably dangerous trip hazard; that safer alternatives exist; that the wheel stop in question was particularly dangerous because a piece of rebar was exposed and because it was not painted to contrast with the parking lot floor. Michael, as lead counsel, presented expert testimony that wheel stops are very common and not unreasonably dangerous; that the restaurant group’s parking lot complied with all the applicable ADA and municipal code requirements; and that the exposed rebar was insignificant. Our client’s corporate representative testified that there was no history of wheel stop accidents at the restaurant group’s parking lots prior to the accident at issue. The jury returned a 12-0 defense verdict less than two hours after commencing deliberations.

Michael Marconi and Garett A. Willig