Recognized as a leading trial lawyer in Texas and across the country, Travis Sales has more than 35 years of experience defending major corporations in high-profile cases.
Travis has extensive experience in commercial litigation and arbitration, pension, and ERISA matters, as well as in energy, trade-secret, construction, consumer class-action, and product-liability disputes. He has represented leading energy and petrochemical companies in significant commercial, trade secret, and construction cases, including against claims brought by the Mexican national oil company over millions of dollars of allegedly stolen hydrocarbons.
Travis also represents pharmaceutical and other companies in product-liability and consumer-fraud actions, including several mass-tort and multi-district litigations, and he has defended pharmaceutical companies against Medicaid fraud claims brought by several state attorneys general.
His track record of success for clients has earned accolades from the American College of Trial Lawyers, The Legal 500 US, Chambers USA, and the American Board of Trial Advocates. For six consecutive years, he was named “Lawyer of the Year” by The Best Lawyers in America for Texas Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action representing defendants.
Before joining O’Melveny, Travis was a partner at an international, full-service law firm, where he served as chair of the firm’s nationwide ERISA litigation practice group. A community leader with a passion for legal industry development, Travis has served in various leadership positions, including as President of the Houston Bar Association and Director of the State Bar of Texas. He currently serves as a Texas Delegate to the American Bar Association, House of Delegates.
- Leading refining and pipeline company – complex commercial and pipeline disputes and class action ERISA stock drop litigation
- State agency – litigation against hundreds of homeowners regarding condemnation, trespass and nuisance claims regarding aging and failing dams in central Texas
- Leading chemical company – commercial and construction disputes
- LNG company – bankruptcy adversary proceeding litigation involving one of the largest projects in the world
- City of Houston – litigation regarding the constitutionality of pension statute and other matters
- International energy company – commercial energy disputes
- City pension plan – administration and distribution litigation and counseling
- Leading chemical company – trade secret and covenant not to compete litigation
- Litigation on constitutionality of voter passed initiative of pay parity for Houston firefighters
- Leading oilfield services company – ERISA benefits litigation
- Leading pharmaceutical company – pharmaceutical product liability and state class action cases and commercial litigation, including defense of one of the largest mass tort actions in the United States
- Leading insurance company – litigation over experimental cancer treatment and autism treatment coverage
- Oil & gas company – ERISA class action litigation
- International pharmaceutical company – pharmaceutical product liability cases
- Other leading chemical companies – commercial disputes involving complex chemical industry contracts
- Other leading pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers – product liability defense
- International energy company – ERISA benefits litigation
- Leading insurance company – commercial cases against automobile repair shops
- Start-up software company – plaintiff representation in a commercial dispute with a major high-tech company
- Power company – plaintiff representation in a commercial dispute
- Personal injury defense and insurance matter in oil field accident
- Leading insurance company – third-party and direct insurance defense
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- Texas
Court Admissions
- US District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas
- US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Education
- The University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 1987, with high honors: Grand Chancellor; Order of the Coif; Member, Texas Law Review; Phi Delta Phi
- The University of Texas, B.B.A., Accounting, 1984, with highest honors: Outstanding Student Award; Beta Alpha Psi; Beta Gamma Sigma; Phi Kappa Phi
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in America for Mass Tort Litigation/ Class Actions - Defendants (2024-2025)
- Recognized by Chambers USA for Texas: Litigation: General Commercial (2016-2024)
- Recommended by The Legal 500 US for Labor and Employment: ERISA Litigation (2013- 2019); Energy Litigation: Electric Power (2024)
- Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward and White, Inc.) as “Lawyer of the Year” for Texas Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action-Defendants (2017-2021)
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward and White, Inc.) (2015-Present)
- Recognized by Benchmark Litigation as a “Litigation Star” in Texas (2013-2021)
- Recognized by Thomson Reuters as a “Texas Super Lawyer” (2004, 2007-2023)
- State Bar of Texas-Judge Sam Williams Award (2012)
- State Bar of Texas-President's Award (2009); President’s Citation (2011, 2012)
- Houston Bar Association President’s Award (1992, 2002)
Professional Activities
Affiliations
- American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow (2017-present)
- American Board of Trial Advocates, Associate (2009-present)
- American Bar Association, Delegate (2017-2021)
- Houston Bar Foundation, Chair (2017); Director (2015-2018)
- The University of Texas School of Law Alumni Executive Committee (2008-2015)
- State Bar of Texas, Director (2009-2011)
- Houston Bar Association, President (2008-2009); President-Elect (2007-2008); Second Vice President, (2005-2006); Secretary (2004-2005); Director (2001-2009)
- Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program, Chair (2007-2008); Treasurer (2006-2008)
- Texas Bar Journal, Editorial Board (2004-2006)
- Houston Lawyer Referral Service, President (2003-2004)
- Defense Research Institute (2006-present)