Welcome BLET Members!

The law firm of McKinney & McKinney is proud to announce that on February 13, 2007, the BLET Advisory Board appointed R. L. Pete McKinney as BLET Designated Legal Counsel. Pete and Patrice, his law partner and wife of thirty years, and the entire staff of McKinney & McKinney are honored to have the opportunity to serve the men and women working on the railroad.

Pete McKinney's History of Success

Pete has been practicing trial law since he graduated from Texas Tech Law School in 1976. In 1988, he was Board Certified in Personal Injury and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and he has been re-certified every five years since his original certification. In order to sit for the Civil Trial exam, an applicant must demonstrate that he/she has tried a minimum of twenty contested civil cases, and the Personal Injury Trial Law exam requires the applicant to demonstrate that he/she has met the requirements of trying personal injury cases to verdict. In addition to demonstrating proficiency in trial law, the applicant must pass the rigorous six hour examination required for each certification. Less than one percent (1%) of Texas lawyers are board certified in both of these trial specialties.

In 1998, Pete was certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) which required proof that he had tried jury trials to verdict as lead counsel. In order to be re-certified by NBTA in 2003, he had to prove that he had spent no less than fifteen days in jury trial since his preceding certification.

The Team

Pete and Patrice are an effective trial team. Since Patrice joined the practice in 1997, they have successfully handled several cases to verdict or settlement in which the jury award or settlement exceeded $10 million. In 2004, the United States 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the $1.2 million verdict the McKinneys obtained for a track worker on a negligent assignment cause of action which is a theory that has only been successfully tried and affirmed on appeal in a handful of cases throughout the United States.

Community

In Fall 2005, H Texas Magazine delivered nearly 10,000 ballots to lawyers in the Houston area and asked them to vote for one of their colleagues they had seen in action. As a result of the balloting, Pete was named in H Texas Magazine as one of the Best Lawyers for the People in January 2006 and again in January 2007.

Thank You BLET

McKinney & McKinney law firm has the highest rating given by the 100 year old Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, and the firm is one of only five percent (5%) of the law firms in the United States listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers in America. McKinney & McKinney welcomes the opportunity to represent the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen.

REMINDER: Don't forget to inquire about our "Understanding FELA" seminars hosted in your area. Contact us today!