Ben Mesches leads the Haynes Boone Appellate Practice Group, successfully guides appellate and litigation teams in high-stakes cases in state and federal courts nationwide, and serves as the firm’s General Counsel and a member of its Executive Committee.
Ben is ranked as a leading Texas appellate lawyer by Chambers USA (Chambers and Partners, 2019- 2024). The prestigious directory praises Ben as “an intellectual force,” “incredibly experienced, creative, and intelligent,” commends him as “a tremendous brief writer and terrific oral advocate,” and applauds him as “precise and in complete command” in court.
In the last year alone, he secured a major victory for corporate directors and officers at the Texas Supreme Court in a case arising out of a $220 million securities settlement; upheld the constitutionality of statutory changes to a public pension plan involving nearly $1 billion of plan assets in the Dallas Court of Appeals; reversed a district court decision on the insurability of bankruptcy claims in the Sixth Circuit; and obtained California Supreme Court review of a closely watched case involving the standards governing forum selection clause enforcement.
Ben’s peers recognize his collaborative leadership style. At the firm, Ben led the firm’s global litigation practice from 2016-2022. He was president of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society, chair of the American Bar Association’s Council of Appellate Lawyers—the only national appellate bench-bar organization in the country—and chair of the Dallas Bar Association’s Appellate Section.
Ben is board certified in civil appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. And he is regularly invited to write and speak on litigation and appellate practice topics, including post-judgment strategy in the aftermath of nuclear verdicts, practice before the Texas Supreme Court, oral argument, and the selection and preservation of issues for appeal.