Biography
"Our clients come to us because they don't want what has happened to them to happen to another family. They want a system that is accountable to the patient. We work hard to pursue that goal, get fair compensation for our clients and make the medical professional more responsible to the patient. That creates success for us all."
Jay has dedicated his entire career to helping those who have been injured because of the negligence of other individuals, professionals or corporations. He understands that thorough, hard work is the only thing that separates his clients from being winners against difficult odds.
From injuries caused by health care professionals to those damaged by negligence in the legal profession, Jay empathizes with his clients and aggressively pursues their rights.
Jay is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Certification as a trial specialist in Personal Injury Trial Law.
Education
- Texas Tech University School of Law, Lubbock, Texas
- J.D. - 1982
- West Texas State University, Canyon, Texas
- B.S. - 1979
- Honors: Cum Laude
Bar Admission
- Texas
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
- U.S. Federal Courts
- U.S. Supreme Court
Honors
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (A Woodward White, Inc. Peer-Review Publication)
- Named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers (A Woodward White, Inc. Peer-Review Publication) for Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs, Austin, 2018, 2020 & 2022
- Named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers (A Woodward White, Inc. Peer-Review Publication) for Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, Austin, 2015 & 2017
- Super Lawyers (A Thomson Reuters Service)
- Super Lawyers Top 50, Central & West Texas Region of Texas (A Thomson Reuters Service), 2008, 2011, 2013-2016, 2018-2019
- Texas Super Lawyers Top 100 (A Thomson Reuters Service), 2016
- Listed in Texas' Best Lawyers (A Woodward White, Inc. Peer-Review Publication)
- "AV" Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
- VerdictSearch's Top Texas Verdicts of 2011 (Mary Ann Summers v. Standard Regional Home Health, Inc.)
- Super Lawyers Texas Top 50 (A Thomson Reuters Service) 2012
Fraternities or Sororities
- Phi Alpha Delta
Professional Associations
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association, President, 2007 to 2007
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association, President-Elect, 2006 to 2006
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Directors, 1990
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Supreme Court Task Force to Expand Legal Services Delivery, 2006 to 2006
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Legislative Chair, 2005 to 2005
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Executive Committee, 2004
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Professional Development Task Force Chair, 2004 to 2004
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Medical Malpractice Task Force, 2002 to 2003
- State Bar of Texas, College of the State Bar, 1998
- State Bar of Texas, Pattern Jury Charge Committee, 2001 to 2004
- State Bar of Texas, Court Rules Committee, 1998 to 2001
- American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Member, 1998 to Present
- Capital Area Trial Lawyers Association, President, 2003 to 2004
- Capital Area Trial Lawyers Association, President-Elect, 2002 to 2003
- Capital Area Trial Lawyers Association, Secretary/Treasurer, 2001 to 2002
- Capital Area Trial Lawyers Association, Executive Committee, 1999 to 2001
- Austin Bar Association, Member, 1991
- American Association for Justice, Member, 1983
- International Academy of Trial Lawyers, 2009 to Present
- American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow, 2014 to Present
Certified Legal Specialties
- Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Practice Areas:
- Medical Malpractice
- Nursing Home Negligence
- Defective Products - Medical/Pharmaceutical
- Motor Vehicle Accidents