Biography

Thallia Malespin is a persuasive advocate for her clients. As a trial attorney, Thallia prides herself in developing efficient solutions to her clients’ most complex legal issues. Her innate curiosity and strong work ethic serve her well in delivering deep research, writing comprehensive legal motions, and advocating for her clients in the courtroom.

Compassion is core to Thallia’s approach. Drawing upon her early educational and career experiences in social work, Thallia leverages her listening skills, empathy, and relationship-building skills to better serve her clients. Though social work and the law are two distinct disciplines, the common denominators among both include passionate advocacy, the pursuit of justice, and a deep commitment to clients – all of which shine through in Thallia’s work.

Thallia is a hardworking individual who is willing to go above and beyond to achieve her goals. She earned her degree in Social Work from the University of Central Florida as a first-generation college graduate. She later earned her Master of Social Work from Florida State University. Thallia then graduated summa cum laude from Villanova School of Law, where she served as Executive Editor of the Villanova Law Review. While at Villanova, she was a Student Attorney with the Farmworker Legal Aid Clinic where she represented farmworkers and their families. Thallia is particularly proud of successfully trying an asylum case in the Executive Office for Immigration Review alongside her partner.

Thallia’s passion for the law and desire to become a trial attorney was solidified during her time as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Juan R. Sánchez of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. In addition, Thallia served as an Appellate Law Clerk for the Honorable James E. Graves, Jr. of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit where she had the opportunity to work on many complex and consequential cases. She is now licensed to practice in New York and Texas. Prior to law school, Thallia served as the Project Coordinator for the Institute of Family Violence Studies at Florida State University’s College of Social Work.

Representative Matters

Leading Energy Commodity Merchant – Complete Summary Judgment

Thallia secured a complete summary judgment and dismissal of claims against a leading energy commodity merchant in defense of claims for fraudulent inducement and knowing participation in breaches of fiduciary duty. The plaintiff alleged that our client induced it into entering into a fuel supply agreement with a third-party supplier with alleged false assurances of non-solicitation of the plaintiff’s customers. The plaintiff also alleged our client participated in the misappropriation of pricing data for improper competition. The plaintiff sought over $20 million in damages. Thallia led the team in briefing the motion for summary judgment which resulted in the plaintiff withdrawing one of its claims in its entirety. She later presented the motion at a hearing before the Texas Business Court and argued several bases upon which the case should have been dismissed. She also handled arguments on the evidentiary motions filed by both parties. On August 26, 2026, the Texas Business Court granted summary judgment on all claims and equitable theories and dismissed the entire case with prejudice. The Court held that the claims failed as a matter of law and/or that there was no evidence of fraud or fraudulent inducement by the client. This victory was in addition to her success in defeating the plaintiff’s motion to remand the case from the Texas Business Court to Harris County District Court.

Confidential Arbitration – Midstream Marketing Company

Thallia acted as second-chair counsel for a midstream marketing company in a confidential arbitration regarding a requirements contract and the pricing of natural gas volumes during Winter Storm Uri. Our client initiated the arbitration proceeding based on its customer’s breach of a requirements contract under which the customer consumed natural gas volumes far in excess of available supply, the limits of the contractual requirements volumes, and the UCC, and while our client was under a claim of force majeure. The case proceeded to a 5-day final arbitration hearing in April 2025, and the Panel issued an interim award in our client’s favor which required the customer to pay for volumes of natural gas that exceeded the UCC’s requirements limitations. The parties later amicably resolved our client’s request for attorneys’ fees and interest. Thallia managed the case from pleadings, through completion of discovery, and at the final hearing, she presented two important fact witnesses and an expert witness, cross-examined one of the opposing party’s key fact witnesses, and drafted and contributed substantially to motions practice and pre- and post-trial filings.

Freeport LNG Marketing, LLC v. Symmetry Energy Solutions, LLC

Counsel for Symmetry in complete defense victory after trial to the bench on Freeport’s claim that it was entitled to utilize a “sell back” provision to require Symmetry to “buy back” $45mm in natural gas that Symmetry was prohibited from selling and delivering to Freeport during Winter Storm Uri in February 2021 by order of the Railroad Commission, the Governor, and mandates of the pipeline.  Symmetry invoked force majeure and asserted it was excused from its contractual obligations.

The case proceeded to a 5-day bench trial, and the Honorable Judge Weems issued the Court’s judgment on April 24, 2025, holding that Symmetry’s invocation of force majeure was valid, Symmetry’s allocation of scarce first-of-month gas was fair and reasonable, and that in any event if Symmetry’s breach was unexcused, Freeport would entitled to zero damages as a result of being contractually limited to cover damages.

Thallia presented two important fact witnesses at trial and drafted and contributed substantially to motions practice and pre- and post-trial filings.

Paul Johnson Drywall, Inc. v. The Sterling Group, L.P.

Counsel in defending a private equity firm in complete defense victory after a 2-week bench trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. Plaintiff Paul Johnson Drywall, Inc. brought multiple claims primarily based on the parties’ non-disclosure agreement (NDA) asserting that our client had misappropriated its proprietary information as the parties were exploring a potential nationwide roll-up of drywall companies and sought over $50 million in alleged actual damages, over $100 million in exemplary damages, and substantial injunctive relief.

The successful defense included securing the pretrial dismissal of PJD’s trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duty and unjust enrichment claims. At trial, the case proceeded with PJD’s breach of contract, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and unfair competition claims.

On February 19, 2025, the District Court entered its judgment finding on behalf of the Sterling Group on all claims. Pursuant to the NDA, The Sterling Group is entitled to an award of all reasonable fees and expenses as determined after all appeals are concluded.

Thallia served as an integral part of the trial team, presented two key fact witnesses, drafted and contributed heavily to substantial portions of the case’s briefing, and handled evidentiary issues and objections. Thallia also presented oral argument in defending Sterling against PJD’s motion for partial summary judgment.

Steel Dust Recycling, LLC v. Russ Robinson, Zinc Resources, LLC

Counsel for clients Zinc Resources, LLC and Russ Robinson in complete defense victory after a two-week jury trial in federal court involving claims of breach of confidentiality, non-solicitation and non-compete provisions and seeking over $120 million in alleged actual damages.

Plaintiffs, an international conglomerate and its affiliates in the steel dust recycling industry, claimed over $120 million in lost profit damages from violations of non-compete, non-solicitation, and confidentiality covenants arising out of our client’s sale of an Alabama steel dust recycling business in 2009 and South Korean joint venture in 2014. The plaintiffs brought both federal and state trade secrets claims and several tort claims. The plaintiffs were represented by excellent counsel from three reputable firms, León Cosgrove Jiménez, LLP, Dechert LLP, and Steptoe LLP.

The jury returned a verdict of zero damages on Plaintiffs’ claims. Plaintiffs then sought a permanent injunction to extend Mr. Robinson’s noncompete covenants for an additional three years. On August 15, 2024, the Honorable Judge Alfred H. Bennett denied Plaintiffs’ request and entered a final take nothing judgment on all of the Plaintiffs’ claims.

Thallia served as an integral part of trial team in presenting client-witnesses for questioning, leading efforts on the jury charge, and successfully defending against an emergency appeal to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to stay the case brought by the plaintiffs on the morning of jury selection.

Confidential Arbitration – Individual Executive Employment Dispute

Co-lead counsel with Harris Wells in AAA employment arbitration on behalf of an individual former executive who was terminated by his employer and denied severance. Thallia’s work included cross-examining three witnesses, assisting in hearing strategy, and drafting the post-hearing brief. After a three-day hearing, the Arbitrator awarded the former executive his full severance and benefits under the employment contract resulting in a complete victory.

Six Flags Entertainment

Parachuted in to represent Six Flags Splashtown against hundreds of claims arising out of an alleged chemical release weeks before the first bellwether trial. Assisted in preparing for trial, argued for and obtained summary judgment rulings on some claims, and drafted motions and trial filings. On eve of trial, the Reynolds Frizzell team obtained a favorable resolution on behalf of Six Flags for most of the claimants in the multidistrict litigation. Subsequently, Thallia lead the charge on (1) settling remaining claims, (2) completing and finalizing settlements, and (3) reaching final resolution favorable to the client.

Pro Bono Work

Family Law Matter/Child Support

Thallia acted as lead counsel for a single mother seeking to maintain child support payments from her ex-husband in the Harris County family courts. After our client’s ex-husband sought to reduce his payments by over 60%, Thallia and her team stepped in to object to the modification order, seek to enforce the divorce decree, and obtain additional relief related to the ex-husband’s management of certain educational funds for the child. Thallia prosecuted the case through discovery and obtained a favorable settlement for her client on the morning of trial in which the father admitted failure to comply with the divorce decree and agreed to pay a higher child support payment than his request, back payments on missed child support payments, and attorneys’ fees for our client’s efforts to enforce the divorce decree.