Leadership

This site describes the efforts of citizens of Texas to restore balance and fairness to the Texas civil justice system. Long considered the lawsuit capital of the world, Texas citizens finally demanded reforms. Texas tort reform has won reasonable, bi-partisan reforms in recent years. Leo E. Linbeck, Jr., Dick Weekley, Richard J. Trabulsi, Jr., Allan Shivers, Jr., Hugh Rice Kelly and Michael S. Stevens lead this organization. Founded on principles of solid research, grassroots advocacy and bi-partisan cooperation, more than a dozen tort reform measures have been enacted since 1995. These measures and the ongoing effort of Texans for Lawsuit Reform are defined on this site. TLR has also helped scrutinize the legal fees associated with the Texas tobacco settlement.

Recent News

Congress overlooks plaintiff-lawyer abuses

The Hill Newspaper, April 22, 2008

In the wake of credit crises in both the mortgage and broader financial markets, Congress is busy conducting hearings and negotiating various proposals for regulatory reform with the executive branch. Following corporate accounting scandals at Enron, WorldCom and elsewhere several years ago, Congress quickly went to work tightening the regulation of corporate governance. So why has Congress yet to acknowledge, much less schedule a hearing, now that, within the past several months, three of the nation’s most powerful, widely known plaintiffs’ lawyers have all pled guilty to federal felonies in connection with their corruption of our civil justice system?

( categories: News Articles )

Lawsuit Reform Huge Boost to Texas Economy

TLR Press Release, April 28, 2008

(AUSTIN, TX) April 28, 2008 – A new report by nationally recognized economist Ray Perryman shows lawsuit reforms enacted in Texas beginning in 1995 have boosted the state’s economy, created hundreds of thousands of jobs and given Texas a resounding competitive advantage in these challenging economic times.

( categories: Press Releases )

A Fall and a Lesson

Washington Post, April 9, 2007

AT ONE TIME, William S. Lerach, Melvyn I. Weiss and Richard F. Scruggs would have been described as three of the nation's most feared and successful trial lawyers. Today, all three can simply be called crooks.

( categories: News Articles )

This March 2008 Special Edition of The Advocate reprints news articles about the kinds of lawyers who appear to have a dangerous and destructive view of the practice of law, one in which greed, rather than justice, is the driving force. We bring these articles to your attention not to disparage the legal profession (two of TLR’s four co-founders are lawyers), but to highlight the kinds of ongoing abuses in the legal system that give rise to the need for the reforms which TLR advocates.

The TLR Story

"The TLR Story," is a short DVD that recounts of history of lawsuit reform in Texas and the lawsuit abuse challenges we continue to face in our state.

Click here to view the video

Health Justice: Texas Tort Reform - A Success Story

To see why Texas has become a national model for medical liability reform, view this presentation by Dr. John T. Gill, a Dallas orthopedic surgeon, who was directly involved in the battle to pass Proposition 12 in 2003. Video is courtesy of Center for Health Transformation.

View the streaming video

Leo E. Linbeck, Jr.

Leo E. Linbeck, Jr. is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Linbeck Corporation, a holding company of three construction firms, one of which is Linbeck Construction Corporation which was founded in 1938 by his father, Leo E. Linbeck, Sr. It is a privately held company with headquarters in Houston, Texas, and other offices in Fort Worth, Texas, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

( categories: Leadership )

Dick Weekley

Dick Weekley is a graduate of Southern Methodist University and became a U. S. Navy Line Officer serving a tour of duty in Vietnam. He has been active in the commercial real estate and residential homebuilding business throughout his career, including being the co-founder and Vice-Chairman of Weekley Homes, one of America’s largest privately owned homebuilders with 2006 revenues in excess of $1.5 billion.

( categories: Leadership )

Richard J. Trabulsi, Jr.

Mr. Trabulsi has been an active volunteer in Texans For Lawsuit Reform since its inception, currently serving as president of the organization and chairman of its political action committee. Mr. Trabulsi is a native of Houston, Texas. He is married, and has two adult children.

( categories: Leadership )

Allan Shivers, Jr.

Bud Shivers, born in San Antonio in 1946, grew up in Austin. He attended the Lawrenceville School and The University of Texas at Austin School of Business. Leaving the university in 1968 and after serving in the United States Coast Guard, he returned to Austin and embarked on a business career that has included founding and serving as chairman or board member of a solid waste business, real estate development company, savings and loan company, as well as a farming organization and a mineral royalty business.

( categories: Leadership )

Hugh Rice Kelly

General Counsel of Texans for Lawsuit Reform and Retired Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Reliant Energy Hugh Rice Kelly was Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Reliant Energy prior to his retirement in May 2003.

( categories: Leadership )

Michael S. Stevens

Michael Stevens is chairman of Michael Stevens Interests, Inc., a real estate development and management company, which he founded in 1981. Since its inception, the company has developed, acquired and managed over 84 real estate projects valued at over $580 million and representing over 10 million square feet of building area and over 10,000 apartment units. Currently, Michael Stevens Interests, Inc., and its affiliates employ over 150 people and own and manage more than 26 properties with over 4.2 million square feet of rental space and over 5,000 apartment units.

( categories: Leadership )

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