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Robert
S. Bennett Resume
EDUCATION
J.D.,
1974, University of Houston Law Center, Houston, Texas.
Order of Barristers, Moot Court Team
M.A.,
1975, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
Honors Program
B.A.,
1971, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
Dean’s List
CERTIFIED
LEGAL SPECIALTY
Board
Certified in Consumer and Commercial Law by the Texas Board of Legal
Specialization, 1995
EMPLOYMENT
1980
to Present Private Practice –
Houston
1979 to 1980
General Counsel
COCA-COLA BOTTLING COMPANY, Guatemala
1976
to 1979
Assistant United States Attorney
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
Western District of Texas
1974
to 1975 Trial
Attorney
INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION
RECENT
JURY VERDICTS:
February 28, 1997, Honda ATV death case, Hipolito Ramos Sanchez,
et al. v. Honda Motor Co., Ltd., et al.; 197th District Court,
Cameron County, Texas, Plaintiffs’ Attorney: Robert S.
Bennett and Robert C. Hilliard; Defendants’ Attorney:
Richard T. McCarroll.
May 1995, Honda ATV paraplegic case, Arcenio Barrera, et al v.
Honda R&D Co., Ltd., et al.; threethree2nd District Court,
Hidalgo County, Texas, Plaintiffs’ Attorney: Robert S.
Bennett; Defendants’ Attorney: Richard T. McCarroll.
August 3, 1991, Patient abuse - drug treatment center, Richard
Anthony Wasson, et al v. Westbranch Residential Treatment Center, et
al, 1threethreerd District Court, Harris County, Texas,
Plaintiffs’ Attorney: Robert S. Bennett; Defendants’
Attorney: Keith Weir, Hudgins, Hudgins & Warrick.
RECENT
SETTLEMENTS:
September 2001, Jacob Rohrer v. Yamaha, et. al. Four wheeler
ATV products liability case, steering column snapped rendering
client paraplegic, Mayfield, Graves Co. Kentucky; Plaintiff’s
Attorneys: Robert S. Bennett, Robert Sanders, and Jeff Roberts;
Defendants’ Attorneys Lynn West and Bob Littleton Case settled one
week before trial.
Confidential
Settlement November 6, 2000, Issac Black et. al v Kawasaki
Motor Co. et al; Kawasaki three wheeler products liability case.
Valencia Co., New Mexico. The settlement is one of the largest
settlements or verdicts obtained in the State of New Mexico in 2000
and surpasses the largest verdict in the history of Valencia County,
New Mexico. Plaintiff’s Attorneys: Robert S. Bennett, Michael C.
Rosenberg, and Robert Sanders.
October 2000, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Wendell,
Individually and as Natural Parents of and on Behalf of the Estate
of Leann Denise Wendell v. Yamaha Motor Co. Inc. United States
District Court for the Southern Dist. Of Texas, Yamaha three wheeler
wrongful death case. Victoria, Texas. Plaintiffs’ Attorney Robert
S. Bennett and Rudolfo Davila Defense Counsel: Bob Littleton and
Jeff Hawkins.
Confidential
Settlement, November 1997, Lilia Garcia Sharp, et al. v. Honda
Motor Company, Ltd., et al.; Honda three-wheeler Products
Liability Rio Grande City, Texas Death Case, Plaintiff’s
Attorneys: Robert S. Bennett, Fritz Barnett, Rene P. Montalvo;
Defendants’ Attorneys: Richard T. McCarroll.
Confidential
Settlement, November 1997, Craig and Nancy Smalley v. Honda, et
al.; Honda three-wheeler Products Liability Death Case in
Niagara Falls, New York, Plaintiff’s Attorneys: Robert S.
Bennett, Philip S. Gellman, Timothy J. Toohey; Defendants’
Attorneys: Harold Schwab, Benjamin Hewitt.
March 1997, Catalina Garcia, et al. v. Houston Northwest Medical
Center, Inc.; Race Discrimination Class Action, Plaintiff’s
Attorney: Robert S. Bennett; Defendant’s Attorney:
Randall Speck.
November 1996, Johnny B. Tucker d/b/a H&M Grocery, et al., v.
Mrs. Baird’s Bakeries, Inc., et al., Price-Fixing/Antitrust
Class Action, Plaintiffs’ Attorneys: Robert S. Bennett, Richard
A. Schwartz, Jeffrey W. Chambers, Barry C. Barnett; Defendants’
Attorneys: Estil A. Vance, Jr., Roxanne E. Henry, Robert A.
Sparks, Kent E. Mast.
May 1996, Michael Pullman v. Honda Motor Co., Ltd., et al.;
Products Liability Case, Plaintiffs’ Attorneys: Don Keenan,
Atlanta Georgia, Robert S. Bennett, Defendants’ Attorney:
Richard A. Brown, Jr.
August 1996, Circle Plumbing Company, et al. v. Ferguson
Enterprises, Inc., et al.; Price-Fixing/Antitrust Class Action,
Plaintiffs’ Attorneys: Robert S. Bennett, John H. Bannerman,
Kenneth Marks, William T. Green III, William Boyd; Defendants’
Attorneys: John Price, Stanley Binion, John Roady, Richard
Sylvester.
Confidential
Settlement, August 1993, Multi-party litigation involving exposure
to formaldehyde in mobile homes. Mr. Bennett was able to
achieve proper compensation for numerous mobile home owners.
During the handling of these numerous formaldehyde cases, Mr.
Bennett was able to discover an industry-wide conspiracy and
documented a cover-up of the dangers of formaldehyde. Mr. Bennett's
actions, and those of other consumer trial attorneys, led to a
warning being placed on mobile home sales documents and changes in
the manufacturing and use of formaldehyde in the wood industry.
See Toxic Deception, Dan Fagin, Marianne Lavalle, and the Center for
Public Integrity. (Carol Publishing Group, 1996) pp. 153-155.
HONORS
AND AWARDS:
1995 Law Auction Award for
Support of the
University of Houston Law Alumni Association
1995 Award from Justice
for Children for outstanding leadership
and support to victims of
child abuse
1992-93 President, University of Houston Law Alumni
Association
1991 Pacesetter Award for
KUHF Public Radio for
outstanding corporate support of public radio
broadcasting
PUBLISHED
WORKS:
1.
"Mandatory Arbitration Hits Home", Texas Lawyer,
June 3, 2002.
2.
"BOLE Doesn't Appreciate Hast Or A Bad Memory", Texas
Lawyer, May 13, 2002.
3.
"A Debate Over How Lawyers Have To Operate", Texas
Lawyer, July 24, 2000.
4.
"Just What is Barratry, Anyway”, Texas Lawyer, January
19, 1999
5.
"DA, Bar Counsel Spar Over Dropped Barratry Charters:,
Texas Lawyer, September 7, 1998.
6.
"Is the Fox Guarding the Chicken Coop - SBOT Special Assistant
Disciplinary Program,” Texas Lawyer, July 1996
7. "The Small Law Firm and Strategic Alliances,” Houston
Lawyer, January, 1996
8. "The Definitive Employment Law Questionnaire,” Firm
Publication, 1996
9.
"Commentary and Trial Highlights of
a Landmark Case:
Arcenio Barrera, et al. v. Honda R&D Co.,
et al., #C-3212-92-F,”
Texas Law Reporter, Volume 1, Issue
3, July 1995, Houston Edition
10.
Spotlight, Daily Court Reporter, Vol. 106 No. 35, June 19,
1995
11. "Formaldehyde Cover-Up Led to Record Settlement,” Indoor
Pollution Law Report,
Volume 4, Number 11, April 1991
12. Federal Criminal Law, Docket Call, (Contributing Editor),
1989 - 1990
13.
"Criminal Corporate Liability and What the Texas Attorney
Should Know,”
Texas Trial Lawyers Forum, Volume 22, Number
4, 1988
14.
"Corporate Criminal Liability,” Firm Publication, 1987
15.
"Expunction” The Subpoena, San Antonio Bar Association
Magazine, May, 1985
16.
"Expunction: How Your Client Can Say He Wasn’t
Arrested - When He Was,”
22 Houston Lawyer 2, October 1984
17.
"Mobile Home Syndrome in Texas,” Texas Trial Lawyers
Forum, Fall, 1982
18.
"Tapes and Transcripts in Federal Court,” Texas Bar
Journal, April, 1979
SEMINARS
AND PRESENTATIONS:
Past
teaching experience includes the following:
"Taking
and Defending Effective Depositions", September 25, 2002,
Houston, Texas.
"Professional
Responsibility: Understanding the Grievance
Process (and how to avoid it) University of Houston Law
Foundation. Advance Business Litigation Seminar, August
15 - 16, 2002. Houston, Texas
"Trial
Demonstration: Direct and Cross of Legal Malpractice Expert",
Advanced Expert Witness Course II, February 6, 2002.
"Professional
Responsibility: Understanding the Grievance
Process (and how to avoid it) University of Houston Law
Foundation. Advance Business Litigation Seminar,
August 13 - 14, 2001. Houston, Texas
"Professional
Responsibility: Understanding the Grievance
Process (and how to avoid it)
University of Houston Law
Foundation. Advance Business Litigation Seminar,
August, 2000. Houston, Texas
"Law
for Social Workers, Counselors, and other Helping Professionals
in Texas.” Lorman Educational Services. July 9, 1999.
Houston, Texas
“One
Million ATV Injuries Later...Will the End of the Consent Decree
Bring More Consumer Litigation?” Presented by Professional
Education Systems Inc. and Attorneys Information Exchange Group -
December 2 and 4, 1998
"The
Faces of the Future Seminar” - " How To Be a Better Lawyer
For Children” presented by the Keenan Kids Foundation, Atlanta,
Georgia. May 13, 14, 1998. Topic: "Recreational Vehicles -
Sports Equipment Injuries to Children”
"Professional
Responsibility” presentation. University of Houston Law
Foundation, Advanced Business Litigation Course. October 2-3, 1997.
Houston, Texas.
"Trying
an Auto/ ATV Products Liability Case” Hot Tips for Hot Times.
Texas Trial Lawyers Association Seminar. August 1-2, 1997 Radisson
Resort, South Padre Island, Texas
Attorneys Information Exchange Group – Spring Seminar '97, May 8,
9 & 10, 1997, Atlanta, Georgia. Presentation on Current Product
Liability Issues
1997 Consumer Product Safety Commission – Chairman’s Forum
on ATV Consent Decree, May 6, 1997, Bethesda, Maryland. Presentation
on the Continuing Problems with ATVs.
The "Grief-Ance” System and What You Should Know San Antonio
Bar Association – 34th Annual Criminal Law Institute April 4-5,
1997, San Antonio, Texas
Demonstrative Evidence Presentations, 1994-1995
Fort
Bend Bar Association
Houston Bar Association
Houston Northwest Bar Association
Houston Trial Lawyers Association
Mexican American Bar Association of Houston (MABAH)
North Harris County Bar Association
Host,
Justice in Texas Public Television Series, 1993-1995,
Houston, Texas
Law and Media Presentation Houston Bar Association, Trial Practice
and Procedure Institute, 1993, Houston, Texas
Healthcare Fraud and Abuse Presentation Houston Bar Association,
Trial Practice and Procedure Institute, 1993, Houston, Texas
Recent Developments in Evidence, San Antonio Criminal Law Institute,
1978, San Antonio, Texas
Federal Evidence Law, State Bar of Texas Advanced Criminal Law
Course, August 1977, Dallas, Texas
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
Mr. Bennett, having played high school
football, college club rugby, and adult ice hockey, now swims with
the Houston H2O Masters Club at Lamar High School in Houston and is
a Masters Swim Team participant. He holds various records in
his age groups and especially excels when no one else enters his
bracket! He formerly served as little league baseball coach
for the West University League and as a youth ice hockey coach and
currently holds a USA Hockey Intermediate Coaching
Certificate. In his spare time Mr. Bennett can be found at
KTRH as a Legal Radio Commentator. He and his family are
members of the First Presbyterian Church of Houston, Texas.
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