Atty. Terry Kernell
With nearly 30 years of experience, Terry D. Kernell assists clients in complex commercial litigation, although he often lends his experience and expertise in probate litigation and personal injury matters.
Profile Summary
About Terry Kernell at a glance
Terry Kernell is a business and litigation attorney based in Houston, Texas, practicing at Rusty Hardin & Associates LLP. Admitted to practice in Texas, State Bar of Texas. Educated at Baylor University (J.D., 1991) and University of Oklahoma - Tulsa (B.A., 1988). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Awards: (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America, 2023-2026 (2026). Serands clients in Houston, TX and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- With nearly 30 years of experience, Terry D. Kernell assists clients in complex commercial litigation, although he often lends his experience and expertise in probate litigation and personal injury matters
- Mr. Kernell has handled cases in federal and state courts as well as domestic and international arbitrations
- His experience includes business contracts and torts, trade secrets, antitrust, and qui tam claims under the federal False Claims Act
- He has served as lead counsel for individuals and businesses on both sides of the aisle in a wide variety of cases in industries such as health care, energy, banking and finance, entertainment, and commercial and residential real estate and construction
- In fact, there are very few industries Mr. Kernell hasn’t dealt with in some shape or form
- In each case he handles, Mr. Kernell’s goal is always the same: further his clients’ interests by finding creative and practical solutions
- His approach has resulted a high level of success
- This success doesn’t always come easy
- Those who have worked with Mr. Kernell have come to depend on his unwaveringly zealous advocacy for their positions and expect him to always give the unvarnished truth, whatever that may be
- This is an indispensable part of his job and helps to solve his clients’ issues as efficiently and expeditiously as possible
- He has always believed that the best decisions are made after the hardest conversations
- Mr. Kernell received his law degree from Baylor Law School, graduating second in his class
- From there, he practiced at Mayer Brown in Houston for 16 years
- After working with Rusty Hardin for three years, he cofounded the Commercial Litigation and Employment Law boutique of Hoover Kernell in 2010
- There, he continued representing and counseling businesses, business owners, and individuals in complex commercial litigation matters
- He returned to Rusty Hardin & Associates in 2017, where he now serves as managing partner
Practice Areas Explained
Terry Kernell's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Terry Kernell handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Business attorneys advise founders and growing companies on entity formation, contracts, financing, M&A, and dispute resolution.
Terry Kernell is one of 501,317 business attorneys indexed nationally. Browse business attorneys in Texas →
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
Terry Kernell is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in Texas →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Texas
Practicing law in Texas. Legal matters in Texas are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Houston are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Texas state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Texas brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Texas courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Texas attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Houston or all attorneys in Texas.
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