Chelsie Garza is an experienced litigator who has tried cases extensively in state and federal court. Outside of the office, Chelsie Garza's life is dedicated to her two children. In order to balance a busy litigation docket and a family life, she hones her skill of multi-tasking and exploits her inability to accept down time. Chelsie grew up sharing time between the small California Death Valley town Trona and New York/New Jersey metroplex. This dichotomy between small town and big city illustrates her ability to fit in anywhere. She was educated on the East Coast, completing her undergraduate degree in New Jersey and law school in Washington, D.C., yet she has put down roots in Texas. Just as she dedicates herself to her children, she pours herself into each and every case. Chelsie recently tried a medical malpractice case for a client who will forever have a colostomy as a result of a botched hysterectomy. Chelsie was able to obtain a verdict which was intended to compensate her client for past and future damages. Prior to that, Chelsie successfully settled a claim with a major medical provider after her client was tragically rendered a quadriplegic following a routine exam. She was able to obtain lifetime support for the client and his family. Not only does Chelsie work to help those who have suffered horrible injuries; she has also worked on many pro bono cases. She recently handled a case that positively changed the coming and going rule for the entire State of Texas in regards to workers' compensation. Her work on a case for former Houston Police Officer, Eluid Hinojosa, helped get him workers' compensation benefits after he was injured during the call of duty. Chelsie worked as a zealous advocate and was able to obtain a ruling that set precedent. Chelsie is also actively working to improve the community and has worked on behalf of the Tahirih Justice Center. This organization was founded in 1997 to provide immigrant women and girls legal assistance to help them gain legal protection and immigration status under U.S. Law. While managing an extensive case load and donating her time to worthy causes, she still makes time for fun. Last spring, she placed third in the First Annual Abraham Watkins Skeet Shoot. Appellate Experience - Prepared successful appellate and mandamus briefing on the following cases: No. 14-10-00241-CV; Trial Court Cause No. 2009-28026; Kingwood Specialty Hospital, Ltd., and Kingwood Specialty Hospital v. Ramona Barley - successfully defended medical malpractice expert reports and the 120 day service of reports deadline with respect to later added defendants. No. 01-08-00439-CV; Harris County vs. Eluid Hinojosa; First Court of Appeals, Houston, TX - expanded the coming and going rule with respect to course and scope of employment. No. 14-10-721-CV; In re Richard J. Plezia; Court of Appeals for the Fourteenth District of Texas, Houston - successfully defended trial court order regarding disqualification of counsel. Areas of Practice Workplace Accidents Personal Injury Catastrophic Injuries Wrongful Death Product Defects Business Litigation 18 Wheeler & Commercial Truck Accidents Aviation Accidents Admiralty & Maritime Accidents Birth Injuries Brain Damage Burns Construction Accidents DWI Accidents Electrocutions Environmental Law Explosions Medical Malpractice Motorcycle Accidents Nursing Home Negligence Offshore Injuries Paraplegia Patent Infringement Petrochemical Accidents Pharmaceutical Litigation Quadriplegia Spinal Cord Injuries Swimming Pool Accidents Vehicular Accidents Bar Admissions New Jersey New York Texas U.S. District Court District of New Jersey U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas Education Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, Washington, District of Columbia J.D. ( Cum Laude ) - May, 1999 Honors: Moot Court Associate: Soap Box Competition Honors: Moot Court Associate: St. Ives Competition Honors: Moot Court Associate: Siegel Cup Competition Honors: National Moot Court Teams: Siegel Cup Competition Honors: National Moot Court Teams: William Daniel Competition Honors: National Moot Court Teams: The Gourley Cup Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey B.A. ( Cum Laude ) - May, 1996 Honors: National Honors Society Major: Political Science Wadham College, Oxford University, Oxford, England Published Works "Four Considerations in Medical Malpractice Case", Women Trial Lawyers Caucus, American Association for Justice, Spring, 2013 "Expanding the Coming and Going Rule-One Officer's Struggle", The Houston Lawyer, vol. 49, January/February, 2012 "It Could be You", National Hazing Prevention Week & Resource Guide, September, 2010 "The Life Altering Effects of Hazing", National Hazing Prevention Week & Resource Guide, September, 2009 Classes/Seminars Speaker, "Ethics and Social Networking", Houston Bar Association CLE, April 22, 2014 Panelist, 'Building and Enhancing Your Law Practice', Asian-American Bar Association (AABA) - Solo and Small Firm Committee's CLE Program , August 8, 2013 "Lessons from Our Past ? History of Women and the Law", Texas Women Lawyers Annual CLE, Rising Together ? Women Promoting Each Other in the Practice of Law, March 1, 2013 Speaker, "How to Succeed in a Plaintiff's Practice", Association of Women Attorneys, January 23, 2013 Speaker, "From Phone Call to Contract - How to Sign Up a New Client", Houston Bar Association Law Practice Management Section Lunch/CLE Meeting, April 12, 2012 Faculty, "Leadership Boot Camp", Association of Women Attorneys and The Center for Women in the Law, February 11, 2012 Host, "Speed Networking- A Ladies Only Event", Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Friend Women's Networking Event, September 22, 2011 Speaker, "Annual Law Student Reception", Association of Women Attorneys, March 23, 2011 Speaker, "Dealing with Foreclosure Proceedings and Title Issues", South Texas College of Law, A Practitioner's Guide to Protecting the Clients' Homestead: The Intersection of Bankruptcy Law, Foreclosure Law, Eviction Law, Family Law, and Mortgage Law, March 3, 2011 - March 4, 2011 Host, "Women: The New Glass Ceiling", Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Friend Women's Networking Event, February 10, 2011 Honors and Awards Top 100 Trial Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers Association, 2013 *Texas Rising Star honors as presented by Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters Business, in Texas Monthly, 2013 - 2014 Top Lawyers 2013 list - Real Estate, Personal Injury, Admiralty and Maritime, Houstonia Magazine, 2013 H Texas Magazine "Top Lawyers 2012," Selected as Top Lawyer, 2012 Professional Associations and Memberships State Bar of Texas, Women in the Law Section, Vice-Chair of Membership State Bar of Texas, Women in the Law, Council Member Executive Mom's Society, Director of Sponsorship Houston Bar Association, Gender Fairness Committee, Co-Chair Tahirih Justice Center, Bighearted Attorneys Campaign, Campaign Co-Chair, 2014 Tahirih Justice Center, Bighearted Attorneys Campaign, Campaign Coordinator, 2013 Texas State Bar Association, Member New York State Bar Association, Member New Jersey State Bar Association, Member Federal Bar Association, Member American Bar Association, Member The United States District Courts for the District of New Jersey, Member Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas, Member Hispanic National Bar Association, Affiliate Member Houston Bar Association, Communities in Schools Committee, Member Houston Bar Association, Gender Fairness Committee, Member Houston Young Lawyers' Association, Past Chair of Family Fun Committee Houston Trial Lawyers Association, Past Big League Bash Committee, Member Tahirih Justice Center, Legal Advisory Committee, Past Member Association of Women Attorneys Invited three times to join Million Dollar Advocates & Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum Past Employment Positions Porter & Hedges, L.L.P. - Houston, Texas, Litigation Associate, 2001 - 2006 Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti, L.L.P. - Morristown, New Jersey, Litigation Associate, 2000 - 2001 Hon. Kenneth C. MacKenzie, Presiding Judge Chancery, Superior Court of New Jersey, Morristown, New Jersey, Law Clerk, 1999 - 2000
