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Lionel James Roach Jr.

Insurance Attorney at Austin, TX

5.0   7 reviews

also known as Lonnie Roach

  • Licensed for 31 years
    State TX
    Acquired 1991
    Status
    Eligible to Practice in Texas No misconduct found

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

About Lionel

Learn Lionel’s areas of practice.

1
Practice area

Lonnie Roach represents clients with disability claims including long term disability claims, ERISA disability claims and Social Security disability claims. He is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law. 

The son of a career army officer, Lonnie Roach was born at Fort Lewis Washington in 1963. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Dallas, where he graduated with honors with a B.A. in Political Science. He then moved to Austin in 1988 to attend law school at the University of Texas at Austin. While in law school, he and his close friend, Greg Reed, won the State Bar of Texas Moot Court Competition, a prestigious State-wide competition. This was Mr. Roach’s first experience in appellate law. He’s been winning ever since. 

After completing law school, Mr. Roach began his career practicing personal injury trial law and became Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization the first year he was eligible. In addition to his trial practice, he is the firm’s primary appellate lawyer and has successfully argued cases before the Texas Court of Appeals, the Texas Supreme Court, and the United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. 

It was natural that Mr. Roach’s career path would eventually lead him to the field of ERISA law, especially as it applies to long term disability insurance. Disability benefits cases are, by their nature, medical cases. They involve volumes of medical records that require a solid medical background to interpret. These are the skills of a Board Certified Personal Injury lawyer. When these cases go to trial, however, they take on the aspect of appeals. Disabled claimants are appealing the decision of powerful claims administrators. These trials call for the skills of an appellate attorney. Mr. Roach is both and has become a recognized expert in the field of ERISA, Long Term Disability. He has successfully overturned denials of disability benefits at the administrative level, at trial in United States District Court, and at the United States Court of Appeals. 

Our disability benefits legal services are state-wide. At any given time, Mr. Roach is likely to have cases pending in all four federal districts in Texas. He is a Board Certified Texas attorney and is admitted to the United States District Courts for the Northern District of Texas, the Southern District of Texas, the Eastern District of Texas, and the Western District of Texas, as well as the United States Court of appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

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Similar lawyers nearby

Bemis, Roach & Reed
4100 Duval Rd, Bldg 1, # 200
Austin, TX, 78759-3550

Reviews

5.0 / 5.0
  7 customer reviews
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Posted by ponciano | May 6, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
ATTY PAR EXCELLENCE
Superb Atty. very honest guy,straight forward.He will fight for you till the end.Highly recommended.
Posted by Art | October 1, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Lonnie Roach got us the results we wanted. Thank you.
My wife was denied Long Term Disability from her job after an extended illness. I enlisted the firm of Bemis, Roach & Reed to help her obtain her disability payment. Lonnie Roach, and his staff, including Paul Cash got the results we wanted. They poured over countless files and Doctor's notes and worked hard to help her. They were able to negotiate a settlement that we were very happy with. The communication with Lonnie and Paul was outstanding. I was in almost constant contact with them the whole time. If you have been denied Long Term Disability Benefits or Social Security Disability Benefits, I highly recommend you contact Lonnie Roach at Bemis, Roach & Reed. They will do their best to help you with your claim.
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Posted by Kyle | September 28, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Did Outstanding Work for Me
I contacted this office in March 2016 after I researched on the internet with the office having good reviews. I had to appeal a decision made by the insurance company regarding my LTD benefits from my employer. After some confusion on what to do, I had only 2 weeks left to do the appeal and Lonnie Roach from this office contacted me right away. Lonnie right away took action for me. Everyone in the office working with Lonnie Roach did a great job of communicating with me by email during the last two years. After additional surgery was performed last year, Lonnie helped me to get my LTD benefits extended. Finally, a few months ago, Lonnie at his suggestion filed a lawsuit claim, which was settled with my employer’s LTD insurance company. Lonnie helped ease my worries and improved my family’s quality of life. I truly recommend Lonnie Roach and his office as your attorney.
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Posted by Catherine-Claire | August 26, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Lawyer with Integrity
I just had the distinct pleasure of having Lonnie Roach represent and fight for me. Not only did he win my case, but he did so with great professionalism and knowledge of Disability Law. And to my unexpected surprise, he proved to be a person of great integrity. He treated me fair, went above his initial commitment and left me with such a positive experience in the wake of very unfortunate legal issues. Thank you Lonnie. I will forever be grateful I found you. And though I hope I am never again in need of your services, I will not hesitate to call upon you or recommend you.
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Posted by Chriss | July 3, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Long term disability insurance
After working the same job for 28 years and always carrying LTD insurance. I became unable to work. Tried to deal with the insurance company on my own, but got absolutely nowhere. Found Mr Roach on the internet and after consulting him, I hired him. Not only is he and his wonderful staff completely professional. They also go the extra mile with compassion and truly caring about their clients. I highly recommend Mr Roach.
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Posted by anonymous | December 21, 2016
This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.
| Consulted Attorney
Amazing pre-service , and no strings attached !
I was totally ignorant about the legal requirements of what would be needed in the event, I needed attorney representation for a potential STD/LTD claim denial. I reached out to Mr Roach firm via this website (and their link). The firms staff (Will and Dora - thank you!) professional responses to my multiple questions left me a lot more at ease with the legal process. What was most amazing was at no time was there any pressure to sign a retainer, just straight up facts presented with human compassion - to me this was priceless!!
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Posted by Charles Lemmond Montgomery , Texas 77356 | July 2, 2011
HOW TO WIN AN APPEAL
Mr, Roach represented me against one of the largest insurance companies in the U,S, He and his extremely professional staff upon accepting my case expedited the case to an immediate favorable decision, It only took one or two visits with Mr, Roach and assistants and we were all on a first name bases, Lonnie's many professional attributes include : Honesty, Candid , Enthuisiastic, Knowlegeble. LONNIE GAVE ME THE CHOICES BUT LET ME DO THE CHOOSING HE PROVIDED ME WITH ENOUGH INFORMATION THAT ENABLED ME TO MAKE A WISE DECISION..
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Cost

Rates
  • Free Consultation 120 minutes
Payment methods
Cash, Check

Resume

AVVO RATING 9.9 (Superb)

Work Experience

  • Partner
  • Bemis, Roach & Reed
  • 1993 - Present

Education

  • University of Texas School of Law
  • JD - Juris Doctor
  • 1991
  • University of Texas at Dallas
  • BA - Bachelor of Arts
  • 1988

Legal Cases

  • George v. Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company
  • The Fifth Circuit ruled agreed with Mr. Roach that no mental/nervous condition “contributed” to our client’s disability because even without his diagnosis of depression, Mr. Roach’s client would still be disabled due to solely physical causes.
  • Scheuermann v. Unum Life Ins. Co.
  • The Court agreed with Mr. Roach and concluded that Unum abused its discretion in denying long-term benefits.
  • Robinson v. Aetna
  • The Court of appeals concluded both that Aetna failed to substantially comply with ERISA procedures and that Aetna abused its discretion by terminating Mr. Roach’s client’s benefits.
View all legal cases

Associations

  • Capital Area Trial Lawyers Association
  • Member
  • 1991 - Present
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Member
  • 1991 - Present
  • Texas Trial Lawyers Association
  • Member
  • N/A
  • Austin Bar Association
  • Member
  • N/A
  • Capital Area Trial Lawyers Association
  • Director
  • 1999 - 2001
View all associations

Languages Spoken

  • English

Honors and Awards

  • AV Rated
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2022
  • Peer Review Rated
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2022
  • AV Preeminent Rated
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2022
  • Super Lawyers
  • Thomson Reuters
  • 2022
  • Board Certified - Personal Injury Trial Law
  • Texas Board of Legal Specialization
  • 1996
View all awards

Speaking Engagements

  • Advanced Insurance Seminar
  • ERISA Long Term Disability
  • 2013
  • Advanced Civil Trial Law
  • ERISA Long Term Disability
  • 2012

Attorney endorsements

Received (2)
Given (2)
Endorse Lionel
Insurance Attorney | Feb 10
Relationship: Co-worker
"Lonnie has developed a reputation as a leader in the area of long term disability law and ERISA claims throughout Texas. He is one of the most prepared and skilled advocates of the disabled in Texas and regularly achieves results for his clients that others thought were not possible. I endorse this lawyer without reservation."
Insurance Attorney | Feb 04
Relationship: Co-worker
"Lonnie always provides the service and consideration our mutual clients deserve. A highly experienced litigator and trial attorney, Lonnie is a person of tremendous integrity. Working diligently for all of his disability clients, he is meticulous and methodical, enabling him to achieve great results. I never hesitate to recommend Lonnie to any of my clients with disability issues."
Social Security & Disability
Social Security & Disability

Avvo Contributions

This attorney hasn't created any legal answers in Q&A or legal guides recently on Avvo.

Austin Insurance Lawyer Lionel James Roach Jr.
Lionel James Roach Jr.
Insurance Attorney
Austin, TX
Licensed for 31 years
Free Consultation