Litigation cases in Austin typically resolve within 6 to 30 months, depending on complexity, court schedules, and settlement likelihood.
Austin Court Backlog
Estimated active litigation case backlog in Austin courts ranges from 200 (low) to 900 (high), reflecting public court reporting and caseload trends.
Litigation Austin Filing Volume
Monthly new litigation filings in Austin are estimated between 80 and 180 cases, based on court and industry data.
Litigation Case Outcomes
Approximately 35% of litigation matters resolve pre-litigation, 45% after filing but before trial, and around 15% reach trial with a favorable outcome.
Hamp Skelton, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, graduated from Princeton University cum laude in 1978 and from the University of Texas School of Law with honors in 1981. He has tried lawsuits in Texas for 36 years. Hamp joined Vinson & Elkins in Houston in 1981, practicing in its commercial litigation section. He moved to Austin in 1986, joining Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld. While there, he built a litigation section and served as partner in charge of litigation. His present law firm opened in September, 1991. He and his wife, Karen, have three sons, ages 21, 23 and 24.
Practice Areas: Banking & Finance, Business , Civil , Natural Resources, Personal Injury, Real Estate , Toxic Substances, Litigation
Jim Robichaux focuses on complex business disputes, eminent domain, oil and gas litigation, banking and fiduciary litigation and personal injury defense in toxic tort and premises liability cases. His practice involves cases in state and federal trial and appellate courts and before arbitration panels.
Practice Areas: Business , Corporate , General Practice, Litigation
Jim Richardson is a leading trial lawyer in significant litigation, including real estate disputes, contract and construction cases, and fiduciary claims in trust and estate matters. He has been named to Best Lawyers in America Commercial Litigation® every year since 2012.. Additionally, the firm is ranked Tier 1 by U.S. News and World Report and Best Lawyers®, an honor limited to the top one percent of American law firms.. Jim is currently President of the National Board of Trial Advocacy, based in Wrentham, Massachusetts. As the nation's largest private organization for attorney board certification, the NBTA offers attorney certification in multiple specialty areas of trial advocacy. He also serves as President of the NBTA Austin-Area Chapter.. Jim has been named to Texas Super Lawyers® for over 15 years, including a Top 50 Central & West Texas Super Lawyer® on multiple occasions by Thomson Reuters. He holds three active Board Certifications, one by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Civil Trial Law, and two by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in Civil Trial Law and Civil Practice Advocacy.. Recognized by the National Trial Lawyers Top 100®, Jim regularly serves as course director and presenter at legal conferences on the topic of trial advocacy and evidence. He has served on numerous committees of the State Bar of Texas, including the Rules of Evidence and Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct Committees. He is a past chair of the Civil Litigation Section of the Austin Bar Association Civil Litigation Section. He is a Member of the American Board of Trial Advocates.. Practice Areas: Litigation and Trials in State and Federal Courts; Breach of Fiduciary Duty; Fraud; Breach of Contract; Real Estate Litigation; Business Torts and Technology; Construction Litigation; Marriage Dissolution and Complex Property Claims; Professional Liability; Employment; Environmental Litigation; Negligence; and Trusts and Estates.. Honors and Distinctions. President, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 2020-2022Member and Fellow, American Board of Trial AdvocatesTop 50 Super Lawyers®, Central and West Texas Region (Thomson Reuters) 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019Top 10 Business Tort Trial Lawyers - Texas®, The National Trial Lawyers 2019Best Lawyers in America® 2012-2022, Commercial Litigation (Levine Leichtman Capital Partners)U.S. News & World Report – Best Law Firms®, 2022 (Levine Leichtman Capital Partners)Texas Best Lawyers®, 2012-2022 (Levine Leichtman Capital Partners)Top Rated Lawyers®, 2012-2021 (ALM/LexisNexis) AV®Preeminent™ 5.0-5Editor-in-Chief, Tulsa Law ReviewOutstanding Law Graduate, Oklahoma Bar Association. Special Licenses/Certifications. Board Certified – Civil Trial Law, National Board of Trial AdvocacyBoard Certified – Civil Practice Law, National Board of Trial AdvocacyBoard Certified – Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Bar/Professional Activity. President (2020-2022), National Board of Trial Advocacy; National Board of Directors (2015-2018); Civil Trial Advocate (2002-present); State Coordinator–Texas (2013-present); Executive Committee (2016-present); Advisory Committee (2009-present); Long Range Planning Committee (2015-present)Member and Fellow, American Board of Trial AdvocatesState Bar of Texas, Rules of Evidence Committee (1996-98); Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct Committee (2000-04); Panel Chair, District 9A Grievance Committee of the State (2002-03) (Member from 1997)Past-Chair, Civil Litigation Section, Austin Bar Association (Immediate Past-Chair, 2016-17; Chair, 2015-16; Vice-Chair, 2013-14; Treasurer, 2012-13; Secretary 2011-12); Austin Bar Association, Board of Directors (1997-99)Fellow, American College of Board Certified Attorneys (2015-present)Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (2015-present)Master of the Bench, American Inns of Court, Robert W. Calvert Chapter (2005-present)Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation (1999-present)Founding Life Fellow, Austin Bar Foundation (2005-present)Special Assistant Attorney General, State of Texas, 1981-82. Verdicts and Settlements:. Depth of experience resulting from significant jury and non-jury trials in numerous cases across the State of Texas.. References available on request.. Educational Background:
Gavin Villareal represents clients in a wide variety of complex business-related disputes in state and federal court. He also represents clients before the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.. Before law school, Mr. Villareal worked for five years at the Texas General Land Office as special assistant to Texas Land Commissioner Garry Mauro. During law school, he served as an intern to Justice Rose Spector of the Supreme Court of Texas.. Mr. Villareal has held leadership positions in numerous professional and community organizations, including the American Bar Association, the Austin Bar Foundation, the Austin Young Lawyers Association, the Hispanic Bar Association of Austin, the HBAA Charitable Foundation, the Mexican-American Bar Association of Texas, Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas, the Mexic-Arte Museum and the Harvard Club of Austin. He serves as a member of the firmwide diversity committee.
Erin graduated from Abilene Christian University, summa cum laude. She then attended Baylor Law School, where she served as an Articles Editor for the Baylor Law Review. During her time in law school, she also had the opportunity to intern for the Honorable Jeffrey C. Manske, Magistrate Judge for the Western District of Texas in Waco. Erin graduated from Baylor Law School, summa cum laude.. After graduation, Erin had the honor to serve as a law clerk for the Honorable Andrew S. Hanen, United States Judge for the Southern District of Texas in Brownsville. Following her clerkship, Erin joined a large international firm, at which she had the opportunity to be involved in a variety of litigation matters, from complex securities litigation to pro bono representation of refugees. The majority of Erin’s experience has been in commercial litigation, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal court.
Disclaimer: This content is based on aggregated public information and estimated market trends. It is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.
