Oscar Rey Rodriguez focuses on state and federal appellate and trial litigation, and he serves on the State Bar Civil Appellate Law Certification Committee.

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O. Rey Rodriguez is a seasoned Courtroom and Board Certified Civil Appellate Lawyer who previously served as a litigation and appeals partner at Fulbright & Jaworski LLP and Norton Rose Fulbright.  His practice focuses on state and federal appellate and trial litigation, and he serves on the State Bar Civil Appellate Law Certification Committee.

 

After graduating as his law school’s valedictorian (SMU Dedman School of Law), Rey served as a Judicial Clerk and Briefing Attorney to the Supreme Court of Texas (for now Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht).  Rey holds the distinction of having earned the highest score on the July 1994 Texas Bar Examination.

 

Rey grew up in the historic West Texas Town of El Paso.  He credits his family, coaches and teachers for all his achievements. In 1976 (at age 9), Rey was awarded [now] Basketball Hall of Fame Coach Nolan Richardson’s “Most Improved Player Award” at the Summer Camp of Stars – Coach Richardson was then a Teacher and Head Coach at Bowie High School. On the basketball court, Rey was above-average only -- (and Rey emphasizes the word “only”) – on defense, rebounds, and key assists.  Rey now employs these fundamentals in the court rooms where he supports trial lawyers and helps protect their clients for ultimate appeal.

 

Representative Matters:

 

Rey has handled trial court litigation and appeals across the country. He has presented oral arguments in both Federal Circuit and Texas Appellate Courts, including the Supreme Court of Texas.  Rey has been involved with the successful litigation of catastrophic injury and wrongful death claims, toxic tort, consumer and product liability class actions, mass claims in the health care industry, defamation actions, executive and employment matters, energy, antitrust, bankruptcy and securities litigation as well as a broad range of commercial actions including insurance coverage, intellectual property and international arbitration.

 

Trial Work:

 

• First-Chaired and Defeated High-Exposure Texas TRO Contra Bank Client
• First-Chaired Successful Commercial Garnishment Action for Boston Client
• Second-Chaired Multi-Million-Dollar Well-Blowout Insurance Coverage Win
• Second-Chaired Multi-Million-Dollar BK Bench Trial for Real Estate Client
• Second-Chaired Multi-Million-Dollar Healthcare “Fraud” Take-Nothing Win
• Second-Chaired Defense of Daycare Suit- Lost Yet Jury Rejected 95% Damages
• Co-Chaired NITA Mock Exhibition Jury Trial Before Storied Federal District Judge Manuel L. Real (Rey obtained a modest jury verdict contra driver defendant represented by dear friend and colleague who later ascended to become Global Chief Litigation Counsel for Google, Inc. –  Tim Alger, Esq.)

 

Books/Articles/Speeches:

 

• National Co-Editor, The Attorney-Client Privilege in Civil Litigation: Protecting and Defending Confidentiality (ABA, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Eds., 2012, 2015 and 2019)
• Co-Author, Hall’s Standards of Review in Texas, 42 St. Mary’s L.J. 1 (2010)
• Presenter, "What it Takes to Preserve Privilege in the Discovery Process Today," Product Liability Advisory Council Fall Conference, Irving at Las Colinas, Texas, October 5, 2012
• Moderator, "Appeals and Ethics," Dallas-Fort Worth Joint Appellate Seminar, Dallas, Texas, October 6, 2011
• Moderator, "General Counsel Panel," State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Seminar, Austin, Texas, September 8, 2011
• Panelist, "The Economics of Appeals: Fee Arrangements (Including Alternative
• Arrangements) for Appellate Counsel," State Bar of Texas Appellate Section – Corporate Counsel/Appellate Counsel Seminar, Dallas, Texas, June 17, 2011
• Moderator, "Effective Advocacy - Perspectives from the Appellate Bench," J. Reuben Clark Law Society Conference, Dallas, Texas, February 18, 2011
• Chair/Course Director, Appellate Law Bench/Bar "October Fest" CLE Conference, Dallas Bar Association, October 21, 2010
• Author/Speaker, "Standards of Review," The 2009 State Bar of Texas Nuts & Bolts of Appellate Practice Seminar, Austin, Texas, September 2009
• Author/Speaker, "Legal and Factual Sufficiency Review After the Texas Supreme Court Decision in City of Keller," The Dallas Bar Association Appellate Law Section, Dallas, Texas, October 2007
• Author/Panelist, "Annual Review: Cases that Matter to Business," Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P. Client Seminar, Houston, Texas, October 23, 2007
• Author/Speaker, "Factual and Legal Sufficiency of the Evidence," The 2007 State Bar of Texas Appellate Boot Camp, Austin, Texas, September 2007
• Author/Speaker, "Preserving, Presenting and Prevailing on Lower Court Error – a Focus on Critical Junctures for the Appeal," Collin County Bar Association – Appellate Section, July 2007
• Author/Speaker, "Preserving Error and Perfecting the Appeal," The Collin County
• Bench/Bar Conference, Richardson, Texas, April 2007
• Author/Speaker, "Perfecting Appeals and Securing the Appellate Record," The 2006 State Bar of Texas Appellate Boot Camp, Austin, Texas, September 2006
• Panelist, "Hot Spots to Preserve Error at Trial," State Bar of Texas 19th Annual Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course, Dallas, Texas, May 12, 2006
• Author/Speaker, "Fifth Circuit Update: Significant Civil Decisions Since May 2004," The 2005 State and Federal Appeals Conference, Austin, Texas, May 2005
• Co-Author, "Fifth Circuit Civil Appellate Update," The Appellate Advocate, State Bar of Texas, Fall 2005, Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Summer 2008 and Summer 2009

 

Professional Service/Affiliations/Recognitions:

 

• Dallas Bar Foundation, Past Chair (2017), Chair, Vice-Chair, Executive Committee, Treasurer, Secretary, Grants and Clerkships Chair
• State Bar of Texas Appellate Section, Advisory Committee and Pro Bono Committee Co-Chair (2012-15)
• Dallas Bar Association Appellate Section Chair (2010), Vice Chair, Secretary
• Member, Texas Board of Legal Specialization Exam Commission (Civil Appellate Law)
• Life Fellow of the Texas and Dallas Bar Foundations
• Board Certified, Civil Appellate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
• College of the State Bar of Texas
• The Best Lawyers in America® (2016-22)
• Best Attorneys of America® Lifetime Charter Member, Rue Ratings (2015)
• U.S. News, Best Law Firms in Texas, First Tier (2017)
• D Magazine, Best Lawyers in Dallas (2011-15) and Best Under 40 (2005-06)
• Texas Super Lawyers (2008-22), Texas Rising Star (2005-06) Thomson Reuters
• Patrick E. Higginbotham American Inn of Court, Barrister (2008-11)
• Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas (2002-03)