David Hodges is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He was born in McAllen, Texas and grew up in the Houston area. After graduating from Cy-Fair High School, he attended Texas A&M University where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets. At A&M, David was an NROTC scholarship recipient and recognized as a Distinguished Student.
Upon graduation, he served in the United States Navy as an Intelligence Officer. Shortly after being commissioned as an Ensign, David attended the Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center, where he graduated with a 4.0 GPA. He thereafter saw service in Desert Storm and was awarded the Sea Strike Intelligence Officer of the Year Award. As the Aviation Intelligence Officer for VS-24, he obtained 22 arrested carrier landings and logged combat time aboard the carrier-based S-3B Viking.
David left active duty in order to return to his hometown and attend the University of Houston Law Center. He was very active in Law Center activities and competed in the national trial competition on the school's Mock Trial Team, edited the Houston Journal of International Law and served as the leader of the law school's honor society (the Order of the Barons). Although David was dedicated to trial advocacy and other extracurricular activities (including the U.S. Navy Reserves), he nevertheless managed to graduate in the top 10% of his law school class.
After graduating with honors from the University of Houston Law Center, David began an almost six-year career of representing defendants and their insurers. He then left the defense bar to represent plaintiffs in personal injury and select commercial litigation matters. His practice expanded to include wage and hour class and collective action cases.
Once David formed Kennedy Hodges, he took a leadership role in numerous organizations. As a member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, he served on the Board of Advocates and later became Chair of the TTLA PAC. He has also served as a Director of the Houston Trial Lawyers Association and was twice elected as Chair of the State Bar of Texas District 4 Grievance Committee. He also served as Panel Chair of the District 4A/4-1 Grievance Committee.
David has been interviewed by numerous local and national news organizations on various subjects related to the civil justice system. He has been an invited commentator at news conferences, television shows and print media. As an advocate for victims, David has recovered tens of millions of dollars on behalf of his clients.
Verdicts and Settlements Include:
$10.7 million verdict in a daycare abuse case
$6 million settlement in a wage and hour dispute
$4.3 million settlement in a medical malpractice case
$3.7 million settlement in a medical malpractice case
$1.8 million jury verdict in a medical malpractice case
$1.6 million jury verdict in a medical malpractice case
$2.1 M in a wage and hour dispute
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Areas of Practice
18-Wheeler Truck Accidents
Medical Malpractice
Birth Injuries
Wage and hour
Pharmacy Malpractice
Industrial Accidents
Products Liability
Recalled Products
Commercial Litigation
Certified Legal Specialties
Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Bar Admissions
Texas
U.S. District Court Eastern District of 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 District Court District of Colorado
U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
Education
University of Houston Law Center
Top 10% of Graduating Class
Honors Graduate
Champion, Hippard Mock Trial Tournament
Chief Baron, Order of the Barons (Law Center's Honor Society)
Member, National Order of the Barristers
Editor, Houston Journal of International Law
Texas A&M University
Member, Corps of Cadets
NROTC Scholarship Recipient
Distinguished Student
Honors and Awards
Texas Monthly and Thomson Reuters Super Lawyer, 2006 - present
Named as "Top 100 Trial lawyers for 2011" by The National Trial Lawyers Association, 2011 - present
Lawyers Lifetime Achievement Society (Multi-Million Dollar Member), 2011
Million Dollar Advocates Forum Life Member
AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
Named one of Houston's Top Lawyers by H Texas Magazine, 2005 - 2006
Named a Professional on the Fast Track by H Texas Magazine, 2005 - 2006
Recipient, Sea Strike Intelligence Officer of the Year Award
Professional Associations and Memberships
The State Bar of Texas
American Association for Justice
Bar Association of the Fifth Federal Circuit
The College of the State Bar of Texas
Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Former TTLA PAC Chair
Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Former Board of Advocates Director
Houston Trial Lawyers Association, Director
Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists
District 4 Grievance Committee, Former Chair
Past Employment Positions
United States Navy, Intelligence Officer
Mayor, Day, Caldwell & Keeton, L.L.P. (Andrews & Kurth, L.L.P.)
