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Robert William Higgason
About Robert
Biography
I am an attorney focusing my practice on civil and commercial appeals, mandamus proceedings, dispositive trial motions, trial briefs, and jury charge conferences.
I have represented plaintiffs and defendants, appellants and appellees, individuals, small and medium sized businesses, and major international corporations.
I have handled cases in trial or appellate courts involving a wide range of legal issues, including antitrust, attorney discipline, contract disputes, conversion, creditors' rights in bankruptcy, deceptive trade practices, defamation, duty-to-defend, election procedures, employment, first amendment freedom of speech and religion, fraud, medical malpractice, merger, mineral rights, negligence, nuisance, premises liability, products liability, property rights, trademark infringement, trade secrets, trespass, unauthorized practice of law, and wrongful death.
I have also provided legal counsel to businesses, recording and performing artists, and nonprofit corporations.
I now represent the City of Houston, where much of my practice involves civil rights, labor and employment, municipal law, and immunity.
Practice Areas
1
Practice Area
Fees and Rates
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in Texas for 33 years
State: Texas
Acquired: 1992
No misconduct found
Location
City of Houston Legal Department
900 Bagby, 3rd Floor, Houston, TX, 77002
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Robert William Higgason's Reviews
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Robert William Higgason's Lawyer Endorsements
"I endorse this lawyer. Robert has assisted my firm in several appeals. He is a true professional, very thorough in his work, and a very skillful and effective writer. Aside from this, he is a great person!"
"I've known Robert for several years. He has assisted several of my clients with appeals. It is a great relief to know someone so skilled in appellate work. Of even greater importance to me, however, is the fact that Robert is a man of unquestioned integrity. I know I can always trust him to act in the best interests of my friends and clients. I never hesitate to recommend Robert."
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Experience
Honors
2022
Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
2016
Merit Certification in Municipal Law, Texas City Attorneys Association
1999
Fellow, Houston Bar Foundation
1997
Distinguished Fellow, Texas Justice Foundation
Work Experience
2013 - Present
Senior Assistant City Attorney, City of Houston Legal Department
2005 - 2013
Adjunct Professor, Lone Star College--Montgomery
2005 - 2011
Adjunct Professor, Houston Baptist University
1999 - 2013
Principal, Law Office of Robert W. Higgason
1998 - 1998
Of Counsel, Fulbright & Jaworski LLP
1995 - 1997
Associate, Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP
1993 - 1994
Briefing Attorney/Research Attorney, First Court Of Appeals Houston, Texas
1993 - 1995
Adjunct Instructor of Legal Research and Writing, University of Houston Law Center
1992 - 1993
Staff Attorney, Law Office of W. James Kronzer
1990 - 1991
Teaching Assistant/Research Assistant, University Of Houston Law Center
1983 - 1985
Teaching Fellow, University of Houston
Associations
2015 - Present
International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA)Member
2014 - Present
Texas Bar College (f/k/a College of the State Bar of Texas)Member
2014 - Present
Texas City Attorneys AssociationMember
2000 - Present
Martindale-HubbellMember
1992 - Present
Houston Bar Association, Appellate Practice SectionMember/Council Mem-1999-2000/Assoc Ed,The Appellate Lawyer,96-97
1992 - Present
State Bar of Texas, Appellate SectionMember (and Projects Committee Appointed Member 1995-97)
2015 - 2020
American Bar Association Council of Appellate LawyersMember
2006 - 2012
The ARK Group (ARK = "Adults Relating to Kids" pertaining to parents and teachers; f/k/a The Children's Center for Self-Esteem)Member, Board of Directors
2005 - 2007
Frank Evans Center for Conflict ResolutionAdvisory Board Member
2001 - 2009
The Woodlands Concert BandMember (trumpet section), VP/GC/ Member Board of Directors
2000 - 2001
Houston Committee on Appellate Delay ReductionMember
1999 - 2005
Houston Bar Association, Law and the Media CommitteeMember/Chairman 2000-01
1999 - 2000
Inter-professional Drug Education Alliance (Houston Bar Association)Member
1996 - 2005
Houston Bar Association, The Houston Lawyer (bar journal) CommitteeEditorial Board Member/Assoc Editor/Special Issue Guest Editor
1996 - 2005
Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, Supreme Court of TexasMember/Special Disciplinary Counsel
1996 - 1997
Animal Welfare Committee, Univ. of Texas -- Houston Health Science CenterCommunity Member
Sample of Legal Cases
Laviage v. Fite
Fifth Circuit (US) Court of Appeals reversed and rendered judgment in favor of police officer.
Rodriguez v. Duvall
Houston Fourteenth Court of Appeals affirmed dismissal in favor of officer.
City of Houston v. Crook
Texarkana Court of Appeals reversed and remanded in favor of City of Houston.
White v. City of Houston
Houston's First Court of Appeals affirmed in city's favor.
Gyves v. City of Houston
Fifth Circuit (US) Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment for the City.
Romero v. Brown
Fifth Circuit (US) Court of Appeals affirmed dismissal as to both HPD officers and City of Houston (while reversing as to state defendants).
Charlot v. City of Houston
Affirmed summary judgment for the City and all officers.
Thomas v. Williams
Affirmed summary judgment for police officer on qualified immunity grounds.
Salazar-Limon v. City of Houston
Affirmed summary judgment for City and officers. Supreme Court denied plaintiff's petition for certiorari on 04-24-2017 with concurring and dissenting opinions.
Allen v. Cisneros
Reversed, holding that both officers entitled to qualified immunity.
City of Houston v. Kelley Street Associates, LLC
Reversed and rendered judgment dismissing suit.
City of Houston v. Downstream Environmental, L.L.C.
Reversed and remanded with instructions to dissolve temporary injunction.
Breof BNK TEXAS, L.P. v. D. H. Hill Advisors, Inc., 370 S.W.3d 58 (Tex. App.--Houston [14th Dist.] 2012, no pet.)
Affirmed (judgment for client).
Said v. Maria Investments, Inc.
Reversed and remanded for trial
Chacko v. Mathew
Reversed and remanded for trial.
Said v. Said
Dissolved temporary injunction, reversed and remanded for trial.
Cytogenix, Inc. v. Waldroff, 213 S.W.3d 479 (Tex. App.--Houston [1st Dist.] 2006, pet. denied)
Reversed and rendered judgment in favor of client.
In re Strategic Impact Corp., 214 S.W.3d 484 (Tex. App.--Houston [14th Dist.] 2006, orig. proceeding)
Mandamus relief conditionally granted as to requested in camera review.
Rodriguez v. Sinclair Contractors, Inc.
Reversed and remanded for trial.
Keo v. Vu, 76 S.W.3d 725 (Tex. App,--Houston [1st Dist.] 2002, pet. denied)
Reversed and remanded for trial.
Crain v. Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, 11 S.W.3d 328 (Tex. App.--Houston [1st Dist.] 1999, pet. denied)
Affirmed (judgment for client).
Rocha v. State Bar of Texas
Affirmed (judgment for client).
Education
1991
University of Houston Law Center
JD - Juris Doctor
1989
University of Houston
MA - Master of Arts
1979
Houston Baptist University
BS - Bachelor of Science
Speaking Engagements
2023
Texas Police Chiefs Association (TPCA) 2023 Annual Conference, Legal Advisors Track
The Camera and the Truth: Metadata, Deep Fakes, and the Vagaries of Video
2023
Fraternal Order of Police, Northwest States Association 2023 Annual Conference
How to Lose a Civil Rights Lawsuit: Before, During, and After the Encounter"
2022
Texas Police Chiefs Association (TPCA) 2022 Annual Conference, Legal Advisors Track
Defending Against Expert Testimony of a Blue Wall of Silence
2022
International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) 2022 Mid-Year Seminar
Section 1983: Experts -- Defending Against Expert Claims of a Blue Wall of Silence
2021
Texas Police Chiefs Association (TPCA) 2021 Annual Conference, Legal Advisor Track
George Washington's Rules of Civility as a Guide to Attorney Professionalism
2020
International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) 2020 Mid-Year Seminar
Section 1983: Changing Lanes: Navigating the Evolving Legal Landscape of Police Pursuits
2019
Texas Police Chiefs Association (TPCA) 2019 Annual Conference, Legal Advisor Track
Memory, Video, and Truthfulness in Reporting a Use of Force: Avoiding and Explaining Incompleteness and Apparent Inconsistencies (co-presenter with Lt. Bradley Morefield, HPD)
2019
Texas City Attorneys Association (TCAA) 2019 Summer Conference
Unpopular Speech and the Heckler's Veto (with a guest appearance by Social Media)
2019
Olson & Olson LLP's 15th Annual Local Government Seminar
Unpopular Speech and the Heckler's Veto (with a guest appearance by Social Media)
2019
Monthly Meeting of The Prime Time Guys (church-based community organization in The Woodlands, TX)
Officer Involved Shootings: Controversy and Defensibility
2019
International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) 2019 Mid-Year Seminar
Police Report Writing and the Body Worn Camera (co-presenter with attorney Heather Mulloy)
2019
City of Houston Legal Department CLE (ethics)
George Washington's Rules of Civility as a Guide to Attorney Professionalism
2018
Texas Police Chiefs Association (TPCA) 2018 Annual Conference, Legal Advisor Track
The Impact of Media and Statistics on Officer Involved Shooting Defense
2018
Olson & Olson LLP's 14th Annual Local Government Seminar
Civil Liability and Qualified Immunity in Use of Force Cases
2018
International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) 2018 Mid-Year Seminar
Unpopular Speech and the Heckler's Veto
2018
International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), Legal Officers Section, 2018 Spring Training
Defending the Officer Who Shoots an Unarmed Suspect
2017
Texas Police Chiefs Association (TPCA) 2017 Annual Conference, Legal Advisors Track
Civil Liability and Qualified Immunity in Use of Force Cases
2017
International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) 2017 Mid-Year Seminar
Religious Speakers' Access to Public Spaces
2017
City of Houston Legal Department CLE
Revisiting Citations to Authority: Form, Function & Finality
2016
Houston Police Academy continuing education
Constitutional Policing
2012
Forum open to the public
Is there Room for God in the Public Square? (panelist)
Publications
2022
Municipal Lawyer: The Journal of Local Government Law
Navigating the Legal Landscape of Police Pursuits
2022
Municipal Lawyer: The Journal of Local Government Law
When Experts Construct a Blue Wall: Defending Police Against Code of Silence Claims
2018
Municipal Lawyer: The Journal of Local Government Law
Unpopular Speech and the Heckler's Veto
2017
Municipal Lawyer: The Journal of Local Government Law
Religious Speakers' Access to Public Spaces
2004
The Houston Lawyer
Keeping up with: Supreme Court Enforces Contractual Jury Waiver by Mandamus
2003
The Houston Lawyer
Keeping up with: Standards of Review: Motions Before and After Summary Judgment
2003
The Houston Lawyer
Diversity Strengthens the Texas Judiciary
2002
The Houston Lawyer
Professionalism in Summary Judgments: Finality and Appealability (co-author with Lionel M. Schooler)
2002
The Houston Lawyer
A History of Texas Appellate Courts: Preserving Rights of Appeal Through Adaptations to Growth: Part 2: Intemediate Appellate Courts
2002
The Houston Lawyer
A History of Texas Appellate Courts: Preserving Rights of Appeal Through Adaptations to Growth: Part 1 of 2: Courts of Last Resort
2001
The Houston Lawyer
Keeping up with: Defamation
2001
The Houston Lawyer
Keep up with: Disqualification of Counsel
2001
The Houston Lawyer
Keeping up with: False Advertising Under the Lanham Act
2001
The Houston Lawyer
Keeping up with: The Racketeer Influenced and Corrup Organizations Act
1997
The Appellate Advocate
Identifying the Frivolous Appeal
1997
The Appellate Lawyer
Non-Jury Appeals in Federal Court
1997
The Houston Lawyer
The Truth About Defamation
1997
The Houston Lawyer
Appeals From Temporary Injunctions in State and Federal Courts
1996
The Houston Lawyer
The Attorney-Client Privilege in Joint Defense and Common Interest Cases
1995
The Houston Lawyer
Videotaped Statements of Facts on Appeal: Parent of the Thirteenth Juror? (co-author with Justice Adele Hedges)
Languages
English