Mailing address
P.O. Box 7726
Houston, Texas 77270-7726

EXPERIENCE

2008 to 2010

                    American Bar Association House of Delegates -

                    Alternate Delegate for State Bar of Texas

2007- 2008

                    Co-Chair, Trial Rules Subcommittee of State Bar

                    of Texas Standing Committee on Court Rules

                

2007-2008

                   Treasurer - Toxic Mold Litigation Group of

                   the American  Association for Justice. 

2006-Present

                    City Attorney - Port Isabel, Texas      

April 1999 to present

August 1992 to March 1999

June 1982 to August 1992

October 1980 to June 1982

February 1979 to October 1980

November 1977 to January 1979

REPRESENTATIVE FORMER CLIENTS -

Class Counsel - KB Home Arbitration Litigation (2003-2006); Class Counsel – Federal Skywalk Litigation; Class Counsel - Continental Trailways Bus Collision and Graebel Van Lines Litigation; Tan Sahsa Airline Flight No. 414 Crash Litigation; Automobile product liability litigation – Chandler v. Hyundai Motor Company; Audubon Society - wetlands litigation; Cornerstone Savings Association; Heights State Bank; West Belt National Bank; Imperial Title Company; The Development Group, Inc.; Development Mortgage Group, Inc.; Skyways Aviation, Inc.; Power Pak Co., Inc.; Texas Gulf Gas Company; Timberlake Estates Property Owners' Association; Tranquility Lakes Homeowners' Association; 2016 Main Homeowners' Committee; and Rivertree Owners' Association.

ADMITTED TO PRACTICE

United States Supreme Court; Supreme Court of Texas; United States Courts, Southern District of Texas; United States 5th Circuit Court of Appeals; United States 11th Circuit Court of Appeals; Pro Hac Vice before United States District Courts - Western District of Texas, Northern District of Florida, Northern District of Texas, Western District of Missouri and United States 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.

BAR MEMBERSHIPS

Cameron County Bar Association (Texas); State Bar of Texas; Life Fellow-Texas Bar Foundation; College of the State Bar of Texas.

TRIAL AND APPELLATE EXPERIENCE

Numerous trials as Lead Counsel in U.S. District Courts, U. S. Bankruptcy Courts, Texas Civil District Courts, Texas Criminal District Courts, Probate Courts, County Civil and Criminal Courts, Justice Courts and Municipal Courts. Appeals handled to United States Supreme Court, Texas Supreme Court, Texas Appeals Courts and numerous U.S. Appeals Courts.

GOVERNMENT AFFILIATION

City Attorney - Port Isabel, Texas (2006 to present)
Texas Turnpike Authority - Member, Board of Directors 1986 to 1990.

PERSONAL REFERENCES

former Justice Federico Hinojosa – 13th Court of Appeals; former U.S. Congressman Greg Laughlin (14th Congressional District - Texas); former Texas Senator Jon Lindsay, Texas Senator John Whitmire; U.S. Congressman Gene Green; Texas Senator Rodney Ellis; Judge George Risner - Justice of the Peace, Harris County; District Judge Mary Bacon, retired, Constable Dick Moore, Harris County - retired; Hon. Clive Runnells; Hon. Eddie J. Trevino, Jr. - former Mayor, Brownsville, Texas.

LAW SCHOOL

Member - The Advocates - Moot Court - Appellate Advocacy Board.
Member - Order of the Barons - Honorary organization - selection based on scholastic performance – subsequently converted to Order of Coif.
Member - University of Houston American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition Team - Placed first in Regional Competition (five states).
Member - The Order of the Barristers - National honorary Society recognizing "excellence in oral advocacy."
Recipient - George T. Barrow Award - For the "law student most likely to be a success in the practice of law."
Recipient - Federal Bar Association Award - For "outstanding academic achievement in Constitutional Law."
Recipient - American Jurisprudence Award - For "outstanding academic achievement in Constitutional Law."
Recipient - Appellate Advocacy Competition Award - First Place in regional American Bar Association appellate argument competition.
Recipient - Judge Shearn Smith Award - For marked improvement and success in the study of law.
Recipient - Pasadena Law Wives Award - Awarded to the "most promising Pasadena area law student."
Honor Grades (with rank)
Constitutional Law (1); Legal Research and Writing (4);
Legislation (2); Malpractice (3); and
Business Organizations - Agency, Partnerships and Corporations (1).

CHRONOLOGY

1977 - 1976

Graduate - University of Houston College of Law, May 1977, Doctor of Jurisprudence.
President - University of Houston Student Bar Association.
Clerk of Exchequer - Delta Theta Phi, Legal Fraternity.

May 1977 - Jan. 1977

Intern - Harris County District Attorney, 185th District Court - Preparation and Prosecution of Felony Trials; Presentation of Felony Cases to the Grand Jury; Research and Preparation of Legislative Proposals for Harris County District Attorney to Texas Legislature.

Nov. 1977 - July 1976

Intern - Hoover, Cox & Miller, Houston - (35 hours weekly) -General Civil Practice - Practiced under 3rd year Limited Practice Authorization of Texas Supreme Court; General Business and Litigation Practice.

1976 - 1975

Vice-President - University of Houston Student Bar Association.
Member - University of Houston International Moot Court Team - Placed first in Regional Competition and received Award for Best Brief; Placed fourth in National Competition.
Member - University of Houston American Bar Association Client Counseling Competition Team; Reached semi-final round in Regional Competition.

June 1976 – September 1975

Law Clerk – Schmidt and Matthews – Houston – (30 hours weekly) – Plaintiff’s FELA, Jones Act, product liability and negligence practice.

August 1975 - April 1975

Law Clerk - Childs, Fortenbach, Beck & Guyton - Houston - (30 hours weekly) - Corporate, Commercial and Labor Litigation Practice.

March 1975 - Sept. 1974

Employed by Wood George & Co. - Houston - (30 - 40 hours weekly during first year law school) - Trucking and transportation related primarily to oil field equipment and supplies.

September 1974

Entered University of Houston College of Law.

1974

Graduate - University of Texas - Austin, Bachelor of Science in Education. Goodfellows. Phi Kappa Tau.
Student Teacher - Round Rock High School, Round Rock, Texas (Government and Economics).
President - College of Education Student Council; Vice Chairman of Senior Cabinet – comprised of Student Council Presidents of all Colleges of the University of Texas.
Instructor Assistant - University of Texas - Austin, Educational Psychology.

1973

Instructor Assistant - University of Texas - Austin, Educational Psychology.
Intern - United States Congress (Cong. J.J. Pickle - Austin). Duties included investigation, research and preparation of memoranda regarding Watergate-related Congressional investigations.
Graduate - Institute on Comparative Political & Economic Systems, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.

1970

Graduate - Galena Park High School, Houston – Commencement Speaker, Class of 1970. Recipient of Jesse Jones Scholarship, Arthur Anderson Foundation Scholarship and Junior Achievement Scholarship. Delegate to American Legion Boys State and consecutive delegate to and Candidate for National President of National Junior Achievement Conference.