Biography

Admitted to the State Bar of Texas, 1997
Admitted to the State Bar of Oklahoma, 2015
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 2008
United States District Courts for the Northern (2000), Southern (2005), Eastern (2004) and Western (2000) Districts of Texas
United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, 2015
United States District Court for the District of Colorado, 2021

Mr. Jones' practice focuses primarily on civil trial work with an emphasis on catastrophic personal injury and property damage cases. During his 27 years of practice, Mr. Jones has investigated and defended through trial dozens of trucking, construction and oilfield accidents, premises and product liability claims, railroad grade-crossing collisions, and numerous fires and explosions resulting in the loss of life and property. Mr. Jones serves as Texas and Oklahoma counsel for a national chain of highway travel centers and for a national supplier of fuel and lubricants representing them in litigation across both states involving trucking accidents, oilfield accidents, and premises liability claims.

Mr. Jones has also represented numerous companies and individuals in a variety of commercial and business disputes. He has represented banks in foreclosure proceedings (both judicial and non-judicial), real estate investors in financial disputes, builders and general contractors in construction defect claims, owners of commercial and residential real estate in tenant disputes and business owners in breach of contract and collection cases. Mr. Jones has also represented railroads in personal injury cases across the state, with an emphasis on grade crossing accidents and pedestrian/trespasser claims.

Mr. Jones recently served as an adjunct instructor at Texas Christian University (2011 to 2019), teaching undergraduate courses focusing on domestic and international criminal justice topics as well as the structure and function of the American court system.

Before joining Canterbury, PC, Mr. Jones was a partner with the Wolf Law Firm in Southlake, Texas for six years. Mr. Jones also practiced law for nine years with Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons, L.L.P. in Dallas, first as an associate and then as a partner. Following his graduation from law school, Mr. Jones served one year as the Briefing Attorney to the Honorable Tim Taft, Justice, First Court of Appeals, Texas. In 2007, Mr. Jones was named a Texas Rising Star by Texas Monthly Magazine.​

Areas of Practice

• Commercial Litigation

• Construction Law

• Personal Injury Defense

• Trucking Litigation

Education

• University of Texas (B.A. 1991)

• South Texas College of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1997)

• Dean's List (four semesters)

• Order of Barristers

• Phi Delta Phi Award (Payment Systems)

• Corpus Juris Secundum Award (Property Law)

• Moot Court Team

Professional Organizations

• State Bar of Texas

• State Bar of Oklahoma

• Dallas Bar Association

• Tarrant County Bar Association

• Bar Association for the Fifth Federal Circuit

• National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel

Recent Speaking Engagements

"Litigation Issues and Risks Regarding Short-Haul Drivers and Chameleon Carriers."  Delivered at the 2019 Prosecuting and Defending Truck and Auto Collision Cases course sponsored by the Litigation Section of the State Bar of Texas. Click here for a copy of Mr. Jones' seminar paper.

Reported Cases

• Wrenn v. G.A.T.X. Logistics, 73 S.W.3d 489 (Tex. App.--Fort Worth 2002, no pet.) (affirming, in part, summary judgment granted to employer for injuries to temporary worker caused by alleged intentional assault by employee) (M. Jones--trial and appellate counsel).

• Rahlfs v. Wittke, Inc., 2004 Lexis 11207 (N.D. Tex. 2004) (granting summary judgment to vehicle distributor on Plaintiff's failure to warn claim (M. Jones--trial counsel).

• Elmo v. Southern Foods Group, L.P., 2006 Lexis 34418 (N.D. Tex. 2006) (granting motion to dismiss and motion for partial summary judgment in favor of non-subscribing employer on Plaintiff's claims for wrongful denial of COBRA benefits) (M. Jones--trial counsel).

• Sillas v. National Railroad Passenger Corporation a/k/a Amtrak, 2008 WL 755256 (N.D. Texas 2008) (holding that "exceptional circumstances" exception did not alleviate need for Amtrak to obtain consent of all defendants to removal, even though one Plaintiff group was named as defendants by another Plaintiff group and would not agree to removal) (M. Jones--co-trial counsel).

• In re: Classic Openings, Inc., 318 S.W.3d 428 (Tex. App.--Dallas 2010, no pet.) (orig. proceeding) (reversing trial court order that Plaintiff's claims were not covered by the Residential Construction Liability Act) (M. Jones--trial and appellate counsel).

• Ranolls v. Dewling, 2016 WL 7743498 (E.D. Texas 2016) (holding that travel center owed no duty to Plaintiff who was killed as a result of a collision with a truck exiting the travel center's property) (M. Jones--trial counsel).

• Luster v. City of Dallas, et al., 2018 WL 3654770 (N.D. Texas 2018) (holding that off-duty police officer working as a security guard who witnessed a crime immediately became an on-duty officer and that the travel center could not be held liable for negligent hiring, retention, or supervision as a matter of law).

• In re Wood Group PSN Inc., 2018 WL 4760139 (Tex. App.--San Antonio 2018, orig. proceeding) (reversing trial court's denial of motion to dismiss on behalf of oilfield service companies alleged to have damaged road owned by county) (M. Jones—trial counsel for Thomas Petroleum; Brian Miller and Tim McMurtrie of Royston Rayzor appellate counsel).

Recent Accomplishments​

• Summary judgment for truck driver and trucking company in a case where the plaintiff sought over $100,000 in damages based on the alleged conduct not constituting negligence as a matter of law.

• Summary judgment for premises owner in case where plaintiff claimed over $1 million as damages, absolving travel center of liability for an accident that occurred while a tractor-trailer was exiting its premises (June 2018). Philpott v. United One Transport, Inc., et al., Cause No. A150,061-C; In the 128th Judicial District of Orange County, Texas (M. Jones--trial counsel).

• Summary judgment for property owner in a wrongful death case involving a fatal collision on an adjacent highway (October 2016). Ranolls v. Dewling, Cause No. 1:15-CV-111; In the District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (M. Jones--trial counsel).

• Summary judgment for oilfield services company based upon no-duty and exclusive remedy grounds in trucking accident case involving the deaths of five employees (January 2016). Rodriguez et al. v. Rose Rock Midstream Field Services, LLC et al., Cause No. 15-01-133-56-CV; In the 293rd Judicial District Court of Zavala County, Texas (M. Jones--trial counsel).

• Resolved construction defect case for luxury home builder in which purchaser was seeking over $4 million in repair costs from builder and numerous subcontractors (April 2015). Robson v. Buford Builders, Inc. et al., Cause No. DC-13-1184; In the 192nd Judicial District Court of Dallas County, Texas (M. Jones--trial counsel).

• Summary judgment based on no causation granted in favor of fuel truck owner in trucking accident case involving one adult and two minor plaintiffs alleging serious bodily injury and brain damage (January 2014). Ghio v. Pilot Travel Centers, LLC, et al., Cause No. DC-12-07173; In the 298th Judicial District Court of Dallas County, Texas (M. Jones--trial counsel).

• Reeves County jury finds no negligence on the part of property owner in premises liability case in which truck driver alleged career-ending back injury (May 2012). Wayne Burke v. Pilot Travel Centers, LLC f/k/a Flying J Inc., Cause No. CV-10-12-19787-CVR; In the 143rd Judicial District Court of Reeves County, Texas (M. Jones--trial counsel).

• Summary judgment based on no duty and no causation granted in favor of Class I railroad in lawsuit alleging railroad's responsibility for grain elevator employee falling from railcar resulting in traumatic brain injury (March 2012). Gabriel Hernandez v. BNSF Railway Company, Cause No. 348-249301-10; In the 348th Judicial District Court of Tarrant County, Texas (M. Jones--co-trial counsel).

• Summary judgment based on no causation and no evidence grounds in premises liability case in which truck driver alleged career-ending injury with $1.2 million future lost wages and $1.1 million in past medical expenses (September 2011). James and Belinda Seger v. Quincy Earl Jones and Premier Carriers, et al., Cause No. 67-232056-08; In the 67th Judicial District Court of Tarrant County, Texas (M. Jones--trial counsel).

• Summary judgment for travel center based on lack of proximate cause in wrongful death case regarding a police-involved shooting (July 2018).  Luster v. City of Dallas, et al., 2018 WL 3654770 (N.D. Texas 2018) (M. Jones--trial counsel).