Appellate Practice Insurance Law
R. Brent Cooper
Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
R. Brent Cooper focuses his practice on commercial litigation, insurance litigation, and appellate practice. He has had significant experience in the representation of clients before federal and state trial and appellate courts, as well as in arbitration proceedings. He has tried numerous cases covering areas of business litigation, construction litigation, catastrophic personal injuries, complex litigation, intellectual property, constitutional and business tort cases. In his 35 years of practice, he has been at the forefront of appellate law.
Brent is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law. He has testified before the House Civil Practice committee and the Senate State Affairs committee with respect to the legislation which is now House Bill 4. He was honored by the State Bar of Texas Insurance Law Section as a “True Texas Legend” and has been recognized by Chambers USA – America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in 2007, 2008 and 2009. He is a frequent lecturer, having spoken on insurance litigation, coverage, and bad faith at seminars for the State Bar of Texas, University of Houston Law Center, South Texas College of Law, and the University of Texas School of Law. He is co-author of Cooper, Hensley & Marshall’s Texas Rules of Civil Procedure Annotated. He has written numerous articles for law reviews and legal publications. He is an editor in West's Annotated Texas Insurance Code.
Brent is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law. He has testified before the House Civil Practice committee and the Senate State Affairs committee with respect to the legislation which is now House Bill 4. He was honored by the State Bar of Texas Insurance Law Section as a “True Texas Legend” and has been recognized by Chambers USA – America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in 2007, 2008 and 2009. He is a frequent lecturer, having spoken on insurance litigation, coverage, and bad faith at seminars for the State Bar of Texas, University of Houston Law Center, South Texas College of Law, and the University of Texas School of Law. He is co-author of Cooper, Hensley & Marshall’s Texas Rules of Civil Procedure Annotated. He has written numerous articles for law reviews and legal publications. He is an editor in West's Annotated Texas Insurance Code.
Overview
- English
- Southern Methodist University, graduated 1977
- Texas A&M University, graduated 1974
- Oklahoma, 2012
- Arkansas, 2016
- New Mexico, 2020
- Texas, State Bar of Texas
- Dallas Bar Association - Tort and Insurance Law Sections - Member
- American Bar Association - Tort & Insurance Sections - Member
- Fifth Circuit Bar Associations - Member
- Texas Association of Defense Counsel - Member
- Defense Research Institute - Member
- American Intellectual Property Law Association - Member
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida Bar
- Texas Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
- English
- Oklahoma, 2012
- Arkansas, 2016
- New Mexico, 2020
- Texas, State Bar of Texas
- Dallas Bar Association - Tort and Insurance Law Sections - Member
- American Bar Association - Tort & Insurance Sections - Member
- Fifth Circuit Bar Associations - Member
- Texas Association of Defense Counsel - Member
- Defense Research Institute - Member
- American Intellectual Property Law Association - Member
- Southern Methodist University, graduated 1977
- Texas A&M University, graduated 1974
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida Bar
- Texas Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus

Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Insurance Law, Dallas/Fort Worth (2018)
- Insurance Law, Dallas (2014)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Appellate Practice
- Insurance Law
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Litigation - Intellectual Property
Awards:
- True Texas Insurance Legend
- Top Rated Chambers
- Top 100 Overall Texas Super Lawyers
News & Media
Case History
Cases
- State Farm v Gandy
First Texas Supreme Court case to hold that pre trial covenants and assignments are against public policy
- Maryland Insurance v Head
First Texas supreme court case holding that a liability insurer owes no duty of good faith and fair dealing in the handling of settlement of a liability policy
- In re Baylor Medical Center
Reversed well established supreme court precedent on plenary power of a trial court to ungrant an order granting a new trial
- In re Las Colinas Medical Center
Reversed 150 years of law and held that a trial judge must specify its reason for granting a motion for new trial so that the reason may be reviewed
- Rose v Doctors Hospital
Upheld the constitutionality of the cap on damages in wrongful death medical malpractice cases
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