901 Main Street
Suite 4000
Dallas TX 75202
TEL: (214) 749-4212
FAX: (214) 760-8994
rurquhar@zellelaw.com
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Practice Areas
- Subrogation
- Commercial Litigation
- Bad Faith and Extra-Contractual Liability
- Breach of Contract
- Engineering and Construction
- Insurance
- Property Insurance
Bar and Court Admissions
- State Court: Texas, New York, Oklahoma, Washington, Colorado
- U.S. Court of Appeals: Federal and Fifth Circuits
- U.S. District Court: Eastern, Southern, Western, and Northern Districts of Texas; Northern and Western Districts of Oklahoma; Western District of Washington; Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of New York
Education
- Southern Methodist University, Master of Liberal Studies, 2022
- Southern Methodist University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1994; Associate Editor, International Lawyer
- University of Alaska, Anchorage, M.S., Engineering Management, 1985
- Texas A & M University, B.S., Mechanical Engineering, magna cum laude, 1978
Past Professional Experience
- Oil & Gas Projects, Inc., President, 1991-1993
- Maple Gas Corporation, Vice President of Operations & Engineering, 1990-1991
- Atlantic Richfield Corporation, Sr. Project Engineer, 1978-1990
Richard G. Urquhart, P.E.
Richard (Dick) Urquhart is a seasoned litigator specializing in catastrophe coverage, builder’s risk coverage, business interruption and subrogation. Prior to practicing law, Dick worked as an engineer in the energy industry, and he has been a licensed professional engineer for more than 40 years. This background offers his clients a unique perspective on their complex major losses. When refineries, chemical plants, power plants, pipelines or industrial facilities experience an explosion, fire or other major disaster, one of the first calls insurers often make is to Dick.
Dick represents domestic and international clients and routinely provides advice to international insurance markets. He is a frequent lecturer for insurance clients in the U.S. and Europe. Dick is Senior Counsel in Zelle's Dallas office, and holds law licenses in Texas, Oklahoma, New York, Washington, and Colorado state courts, and is admitted to many federal courts throughout the U.S. Above all, Dick is a trial lawyer who successfully litigates and arbitrates high dollar disputes for his clients.
Representative Matters
Insurance Coverage
Represented market of insurers in a $285 million arbitration arising out of corrosion occurring at a newly-built Texas refinery. Arbitration panel awarded no recovery in favor of insurers.
Represented insurer in trial of Hurricane Harvey case involving damage to a manufacturing facility in Houston. Jury found no breach by insurer on all damage categories.
Represented manufacturer and insurers in subrogation litigation involving warehouse roof collapse that damaged $35 million worth of inventory in Fort Worth, Texas.
Represented Texas chemical manufacturer in recovery litigation involving $16 million chemical plant fire.
Represented chemical manufacturer and insurers in recovery litigation involving $40 million in damages resulting from multiple compressor failures at a Texas petrochemical plant.
Represented chemical manufacturer and insurers in litigation involving a steam turbine failure and resulting fire at a petrochemical plant in Texas.
Represented steel manufacturer and insurers in recovery litigation involving a propane tank Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion (BLEVE) at a steel foundry in Tacoma, Washington.
Represented insurers in $300 million coverage arbitration arising out of petrochemical facility fire on the Gulf Coast.
Represented insurer in recovery litigation involving fire of a $45 million personal residence in Dallas, Texas.
Represented local agency and insurers in recovery litigation involving compressed natural gas (CNG) explosion at refueling facilities in Tacoma, Washington.
Represented market of insurers in litigation involving $80 million coverage claim arising out of a fire at an Oklahoma refinery.
Represented market of insurers in coverage dispute involving $400 million claim for damage incurred from strike at international gold and copper mining operation in Southeast Asia.
Represented market of insurers in coverage dispute involving multiple turbine failures at petrochemical facility in Texas.
Represented market of insurers in coverage dispute involving determination of scope and reasonable time frame to make refinery repairs after major fire.
Represented market of insurers in coverage dispute involving determination of scope and reasonable time frame to make chemical plant repairs after major fire.
Represented market of insurers in coverage dispute involving damage and business interruption at power generation plant in California.
Represented market of insurers on multiple coverage disputes arising from Hurricane Ike at several East Coast power generation locations.
Articles, Publications, and Patents
"Onshore Energy Series - Adjusting and Legal Issues," Lloyd's Market Association Masterclass, 2015, co-presenter
Educational Presentation to Client Groups:
- "Insuring Deferred Maintenance"
- "Subrogation of Property Claims"
- "Bad Faith in U.S. Courts"
- "U.S. Law and Jurisdiction"
Professional Affiliations
- Registered Professional Engineer, Texas, 1982-Present
- Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 1994-Present
- American Bar Association
- Texas Bar Association
- New York Bar Association
- Oklahoma Bar Association
- Washington State Bar Association
- Colorado State Bar Association
- Dallas Bar Association
