Harvard Law School
J.D. cum laude, 1993
Rice University
B.A. magna cum laude, Philosophy, 1990
If the mark of an expert in one’s field is the ability and willingness to pass knowledge on to others, then Robert Dubose is one of the foremost experts in appellate law. He is an editor of the Texas Practitioner’s Guide to Civil Appeals, an author of a book on brief writing, and was a professor teaching appellate practice for over a decade at the University of Houston.
That’s not to say that Robert spends his days buried in books and academia. In addition to handling appeals, he has more than 25 years of experience in the trenches, preserving appellate complaints and formulating end-game legal strategy in trial courts. One of his favorite aspects of the job is the intellectual combat — facing off against a worthy opponent in a jury-charge conference, brief, or oral argument.
Robert’s passion for research, writing, and oral argument means that he is always striving to improve and perfect his appellate advocacy skills. Not only do his many students, readers and lecture attendees benefit from his appellate expertise, but so do those lucky enough to be his clients.
Texas State Bar
United States Courts of Appeals for the Fifth and Sixth Circuits
All United States District Courts in Texas
Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Listed in Chambers Guide to America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, 2019-2020
The Best Lawyers in America, Appellate Law – 2010-present
Texas Super Lawyers, Appellate Law – 2008-present
Chair, Houston Bar Association Appellate Practice Section, 2008-2009
Book editor and chapter author, TEXAS PRACTITIONER’S GUIDE TO CIVIL APPEALS, (Texas Lawyers Books 2019)
Book author, LEGAL WRITING FOR THE REWIRED BRAIN: PERSUADING READERS IN A PAPERLESS WORLD (Texas Lawyer Books 2010)
Chapter co-author, Texas chapter of APPELLATE PRACTICE COMPENDIUM (American Bar Association, 2012)
Article Author, More than Words Can Say: Using Visuals in Appellate Briefs in THE HOUSTON LAWYER, (September/October 2015)
Article author, Writing Appellate Briefs for Tablet Readers in APPELLATE ISSUES (American Bar Association, Council of Appellate Lawyers Spring 2012)
Article co-author, A National Strategy for Creating Favorable Precedent in the DRI magazine, FOR THE DEFENSE (2010)
Legal Writing for the Rewired Brain – more than 100 presentations to judicial and attorney conferences across the United States 2008-2019
How and When to Preserve Error – DRI Business Litigation Seminar 2018
Briefing Visually – Page Keeton Civil Litigation Conference 2015; UT Conference on State And Federal Appeals 2016; Houston Bar Association Appellate Section 2018
Appellate Support for the Litigator – State Bar of Texas Advanced Evidence and Discovery 2017
Jury Charge and Error Preservation – State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Trial Course 2016
Brief Writing – State Bar of Texas Appellate Practice Course 2006, 2010; State Bar Criminal Law Conference 2014, 2017
Creating Effective E-filed Pleadings – State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Trial Course 2016
Can I Cite Wikipedia? (Joint Presentation with Judge Richard Posner) – American Academy of Appellate Lawyers 2014
Legal Writing: Tools for Organization and Emphasis – State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Trial Course 2006
Adjunct Professor, Appellate Advocacy, University of Houston Law School, 1997-2011 Chair, Houston
Houston Bar Association Appellate Practice Section DRI