Dwight E. Jefferson, Attorney

Judge Jefferson attended the University of Texas on a football scholarship after being selected an All-State linebacker at Fox Tech High School in San Antonio. On the field, the Judge played his sport with such distinction that he was named as an All Southwest Conference defensive end in 1978 and was selected the Outstanding Lineman of the 1978 Sun Bowl. Judge Jefferson was voted one of the team's co-captains his senior year and he was also selected as the recipient of the Team Leadership and Spirit Awards by his teammates. After graduation from the University of Texas and prior to attending law school, the Judge played briefly with the Oakland Raiders football team.

Mediation Experience:

Judge Jefferson has completed approved advanced mediation training and is proficient in assisting with alternative dispute resolution. Judge Jefferson's litigation and judicial experience has enabled him to successfully mediate the resolution of many cases both as Judge of the 215th District Court of Harris County, Texas, and in private practice.

Judge Jefferson successfully mediated settlement of the Harris County asbestos mass tort trial docket in 2001, including thousands of asbestos plaintiffs. His past experiences make him well-qualified to serve as a mediator or arbitrator in complex and sensitive litigation.

Litigation Experience:

Judge Jefferson has over 21 years of litigation experience in civil and personal injury law for plaintiffs and defendants. Judge Jefferson's litigation practice includes the trial of negligence, products liability, medical malpractice, mass tort, commercial and class action cases.

Ad Litem/Special Master:

Judge Jefferson has been called upon frequently to serve as an ad litem or special master in Harris County State Courts.

Judge Jefferson's experience as ad litem has included the first fen-phen pharmaceutical case to go to trial in Harris County.

Judge Jefferson has served as a special master in a shareholders' class action case and a major case involving an attorneys' fees dispute arising from a billion-dollar verdict.

Significant Cases:

Judge Jefferson was retained by the manager of the recording artist Destiny's Child in 2002 to defend him and his companies in multi-million dollar litigation brought by two former group members and the estate of the deceased co-manager of the group.

Significant Decisions:

While the Presiding Judge of the 215th Civil Judicial District of Harris County, Texas, Judge Jefferson presided over the $1.3 billion jury verdict, the nation's largest, in 1998.

Judge Jefferson presided over the first lawsuit to enforce the Texas Solid Waste Disposal Act. This case and Judge Jefferson's rulings were matters of first impression by a Texas court.