Home: Austin, Texas
UT Dallas Degree: BS – Economics & Finance, Cum Laude
Profession: Owner, Hillin Law
After graduating from UT Dallas in 1983, I went on to law school at Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles. I started my career in 1986 as a prosecutor in Dallas, where I quickly amassed substantial trial experience in criminal matters. I then went on to serve as legal counsel to the D/FW Board, adding experience in almost every area of local government, employment and general business practice.
For the last twenty-five years, as the owner of my own law firm, I’ve developed cases from the first client call through jury verdict, representing a diverse range of clients in civil litigation, including medical malpractice, products liability, pharmaceuticals, real estate, business transactions and employment disputes. My clients have included numerous physicians and patients alike, a major health care system in Texas and numerous private businesses. I’ve successfully prosecuted and defended substantial claims with industry giants such as Toyota, Uniroyal, Eli Lilly, American Home Products, Texas Health Resources, Christus Spohn Health System and Baylor Health Care System, to name a few.
I’m often faced with issues in my cases involving statistical analyses, which are often mired in bad assumptions, bias or other flaws that my education has helped me understand, appreciate and fight against. I also use that knowledge base when analyzing financial data. But most importantly, my education, particularly at UT Dallas, taught me how to think – and the applications in my job and in my life are seemingly endless.
My success at UT Dallas was attributable to great professors and colleagues who were as interested in my learning as I was.
I wish I could go back to college! What a great time in one’s life. My advice to students would be to cherish it; don’t worry about the future. Take full advantage of the educational opportunities you have right in front of you now, and know that your efforts today will secure your success tomorrow.
