Appellate Practice Arbitration Bet-the-Company Litigation
David E. Keltner
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2008 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Formerly a Justice on the Texas Court of Appeals, David Keltner is a highly acclaimed and recognized lawyer in the field of appellate law in Texas. He has served as lead counsel in over 350 appellate decisions and his legal writings have been cited with approval by Texas courts. He has been honored with various prestigious awards and accolades for his outstanding contributions to the legal profession.
From 2021 through 2025, he was recognized as a Star Individual by Chambers USA and has received Band 1 ranking every year since 2007. He was also recognized as the Go-To Appellate Lawyer in Texas by Texas Lawyer and has been chosen as one of the Top 10 Lawyers in Texas by Thompson Reuters for the last eighteen years, ranking No. 1 in 2009-2011 and 2021-2025. In addition, he was named Best Lawyers® Appellate Lawyer of the Year for Dallas/Fort Worth in 2016 and 2018 and has received the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award from ALM | Law.com.
Mr. Keltner has also received recognition for his professionalism and excellence in the practice of law. He received the American Inns of Court James E. Coleman Jr. Award for Professionalism in the Fifth Circuit, the Gregory S. Coleman Outstanding Appellate Lawyer Award from the Texas Bar Foundation and the Jim D. Bowmer Professionalism Award from the College of the State Bar of Texas. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, a distinction held by only 320 lawyers in the country.
Overview
- Trinity University, B.A., graduated 1971
- Southern Methodist University, J.D., graduated 1975
- Texas, 1975
- American Academy of Appellate Lawyers - Fellow
- American Bar Foundation - Sustaining Life Fellow
- American Inns of Court—Eldon Mahon Inn - Master
- Board Certified, Civil Appellate Law - Texas Board of Legal Specialization Certification
- Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law - Texas Board of Legal Specialization Certification
- Fellows of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society - Founding Fellow
- SMU Dedman School of Law - Executive Board
- State Bar of Texas - Board of Directors
- Tarrant County Bar Association - Member
- Texas Bar Foundation - Sustaining Life Fellow
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
- Texas, 1975
- American Academy of Appellate Lawyers - Fellow
- American Bar Foundation - Sustaining Life Fellow
- American Inns of Court—Eldon Mahon Inn - Master
- Board Certified, Civil Appellate Law - Texas Board of Legal Specialization Certification
- Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law - Texas Board of Legal Specialization Certification
- Fellows of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society - Founding Fellow
- SMU Dedman School of Law - Executive Board
- State Bar of Texas - Board of Directors
- Tarrant County Bar Association - Member
- Texas Bar Foundation - Sustaining Life Fellow
- Trinity University, B.A., graduated 1971
- Southern Methodist University, J.D., graduated 1975
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Arbitration, Dallas/Fort Worth (2020)
- Appellate Practice, Dallas/Fort Worth (2018)
- Appellate Practice, Dallas/Fort Worth (2016)
- Appellate Practice, Dallas (2011)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Appellate Practice
- Arbitration
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
Special Focus:
- Federal
- Supreme Court
- Texas Supreme Court
Awards:
Lifetime Achievement Award, ALM | Law.com Texas Legal Awards 2025
American Inns of Court James E. Coleman Jr. Award Recipient for Professionalism in the Fifth Circuit, 2023
Best Lawyers in America®, 2006-2026
- Appellate Practice
- Arbitration
- Bet-the-Company Litigation
Chambers USA: Texas,
- Litigation: Appellate, 2005-2025
- Star Individual, 2021-2025
- Band 1, 2005-2024
Top 10 Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2003-2023
- Ranked No. 1, 2009-2011, 2021-2025
- Ranked No. 1, 2009-2011, 2021-2025
- The 400 Most Influential People, Fort Worth, Inc. magazine, 2018-2025
Top 100 Dallas/Fort Worth Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2003-2025
Top 100 Texas Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2003-2025
Top Attorney, Fort Worth Magazine, 2006-2025
Top Attorney, 360 West magazine, 2017-2025
- Appellate
- Arbitration and Mediation
- Best Lawyers®, Arbitration Lawyer of the Year, Dallas/Fort Worth, 2020
- Chief Justice Jack Pope Professionalism Award, Texas Center for Legal Ethics, 2018
- Best Lawyers®, Appellate Practice Lawyer of the Year, Dallas/Fort Worth, 2016, 2018
- Tarrant County Bar Association's Blackstone Award, 2018
- Helen A. Cassidy Award for highest rated CLE presentation at the State Bar of Texas 20th Annual Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course, 2007, 2015
- Gregory S. Coleman Outstanding Appellate Lawyer of Texas (Inaugural Recipient), Texas Bar Foundation, 2012
- Best Lawyers®, Appellate Practice Lawyer of the Year, Dallas, 2011
- Jim D. Bowmer Professionalism Award, College of the State Bar of Texas, 2007
- Dan Rugely Price Memorial Award (Excellence in Legal Writing), Texas Bar Foundation, 2002
News & Media
Case History
Cases
- Citizens for Clean Air & Clean Water in Brazoria Cnty. v. United States Dep’t of Transp.
98 F.4th 178 (5th Cir. 2024)
- Title Source, Inc. v. HouseCanary, Inc.
No. 04-21-00584-CV, 2023 WL 5418306 (Tex. App.—San Antonio Aug. 23, 2023, pet. denied)
- IAS Servs. Grp., L.L.C. v. Jim Buckley & Assocs.
No. 20-50750, 2023 WL 4235553 (5th Cir. June 28, 2023)
- In re Breviloba, LLC
No. 21-0541, 2022 WL 2282598
- RKI Expl. & Prod., LLC v. Ameriflow Energy Servs., LLC
No. 02-20-00384-CV, 2022 WL 2252895
- Hlavinka v. HSC Pipeline Partnership, LLC
No. 20-0567, 2022 WL 1696443
- Henry v. Smith
637 S.W.3d 226
- In re American Airlines, Inc.
In re American Airlines, Inc., 634 S.W.3d 38 (Tex. 2021)
- Ortiz v. American Airlines, Inc.
Ortiz v. American Airlines, Inc., 5 F.4th 622 (5th Cir. 2021)
- City of San Antonio, Texas v. Hotels.com
City of San Antonio, Texas v. Hotels.com, L.P., 141 S. Ct. 1628 (2021)
- HouseCanary, Inc. v. Title Source, Inc
HouseCanary, Inc. v. Title Source, Inc., 622 S.W.3d 254 (Tex. 2021)
- Concho Res., Inc. v. Ellison
Concho Res., Inc. v. Ellison, 627 S.W.3d 226 (Tex. 2021)
- Sundown Energy LP v. HJSA No. 3, Ltd. P’ship
Sundown Energy LP v. HJSA No. 3, Ltd. P’ship, 622 S.W.3d 884 (Tex. 2021)
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