Born in Fort Worth. Raised in the construction industry. Served as Fee Attorney for various title insurance companies until spouse retired. Always maintained private practice; transaction work approximately 30%; Litigation approximately 70%. Hundreds of cases representing developers, contractors, brokers, design professionals, appraisers, property managers, property owners’ associations, doctors, other lawyers, judges, and many others.
As an adolescent, I grew up in turbulent times during the Vietnam War. I did not live in the best neighborhoods. Fortunately, I was lucky to learn how to box and studied martial arts which taught me how to control my emotions and focus on my opponent, valuable principles in being a fighter, and important skills for any advocate. I never liked bullies!
From high school through college, I worked on a variety of construction projects as a building superintendent. That led to being a licensed realtor during my last year in college, sharing office space with several attorneys. I did consulting work for attorneys while selling real estate, and met judges and other lawyers, all of whom encouraged me to go to law school. My philosophy has always been finding the truth, helping people to do the right thing, and if they don’t, then making them do the right thing.
My approach to practicing law is: follow our canon of ethics, always do your homework in searching for facts, and advocate for a position if it has merit. Be courteous to clients, witnesses, and everyone, especially when in the courtroom. Tell your clients if the posture of the case or transaction is likely favorable or unfavorable to them, and tell them why. Explain to clients what they might or might not anticipate, while being realistic that you do not have a crystal ball. Think outside of the box to find solutions that will save time and money.
Education
B.A. in Political Science and Economics — Texas Christian University, 1976
SMU Dedman School of Law, 1979
J.D. — College of Law, University of Tulsa, 1980
Admissions
State Bar of Texas, 1980
State Bar College, 1989
United States District Court, Northern District of Texas
United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
United States Tax Court
Licenses
1976-1978: Texas Real Estate Commission Sales License
1978-1980: Legal Intern – Texas Supreme Court
1979-1980: Legal Intern – Oklahoma Supreme Court
1980-Present: Texas Supreme Court, U.S. Federal District Court – Northern District, U.S Court of Appeals – Fifth Circuit, and U.S. Tax Court.
1996-Present: Certified as Mediator
1997-Present: Certified as Family Law Mediator
Professional Associations
Tarrant County Bar Association: 1981 to Present
Texas State Bar College: 1989 to Present (Fellow)
Texas State Bar Section Member: Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law, Construction Law, Consumer Law
TCBA Committee Chair-Elect Transition To Practice 2014-2015
TCBA Committee Chair-Elect Transition To Practice 2015-2016
TCBA Committee Chair-Elect People’s Law School 2015-2016
TCBA Committee Chair People’s Law School 2016-2017
TCBA Fee Dispute Committee 2014 to Present
TC Probate Bar Association 2017 to Present
TCBA Section Member: Construction Law, Real Estate Law, and Business Litigation
Texas State Bar College.
