Robert C. "Bob" Hilliard

Robert C. "Bob" Hilliard

Corpus Christi, TX recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2021
Hilliard Law

3 Best Lawyers awards

Hilliard Law logo

Awarded Practice Areas

Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs

Biography

Attorney Robert Hilliard has been practicing law in the state of Texas for nearly 40 years, gaining national recognition for his work on many high-profile cases. With his partners, he established Hilliard Muñoz Gonzales LLP in 1985, which became Hilliard Martinez Gonzales LLP in 2017. In 2023, HMG became Hilliard Law.

Hilliard Law represents clients in mass torts, personal injury, product liability, commercial and business litigation and wrongful death matters.

For 40 years Bob Hilliard has taken on Big Pharma in the courtroom. He obtained the first multi-million dollar verdict in the Bendectin litigation against drug manufacturer Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals for injuries caused by the morning sickness drug. At the conclusion of trial, the jury found in favor of Mr. Hilliard’s client, awarding a verdict of 33.75 million, including 30 million in punitive damages.

In 2013, Mr. Hilliard was the lead trial attorney for 15 patients killed or injured during Bristol-Myers Squibb’s testing of an experimental drug for Hepatitis C. Mr. Hilliard led all filings, pre-trial matters, negotiations and as reported in the Wall Street Journal, successfully settled the cases for $80 million.

That same year Mr. Hilliard was Lead Counsel in the pharmaceutical product liability case, In re: Risperdal Litigation, against Johnson & Johnson. He tried two cases before juries in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas that both settled during trial. Mr. Hilliard led the negotiations and successfully settled over 1,500 cases for a confidential amount after Mr. Hilliard took the deposition of Johnson & Johnson’s C.E.O., Alex Gorsky.

Hilliard Law

3 Best Lawyers awards

Hilliard Law logo

Overview

  • Gender: Male

  • St. Mary’s University School of Law, J.D., graduated 1983

  • Texas, 11/04/83
  • District of Columbia, 7/01/20

  • American Bar Association - Member
  • American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) - "Advocate" Level
  • Corpus Christi Bar Association - Member
  • Ethics Committee for the Association of Trial Lawyers of America - Past National Co-Chair
  • Litigation Council of America - Member
  • St. Mary's University Law Alumni Association - Board of Trustees, 2013

  • Southern District of Texas, 09/23/94
  • Northern District of Texas, 03/15/11
  • Eastern District of Texas, 05/29/97
  • Western District of Texas, 03/25/11
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 10/04/10
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, 03/17/20
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, 09/15/10
  • Western District of Michigan, 08/14/18
  • Eastern District of Michigan, 10/11/18
  • Texas, 11/04/83
  • District of Columbia, 7/01/20
  • American Bar Association - Member
  • American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) - "Advocate" Level
  • Corpus Christi Bar Association - Member
  • Ethics Committee for the Association of Trial Lawyers of America - Past National Co-Chair
  • Litigation Council of America - Member
  • St. Mary's University Law Alumni Association - Board of Trustees, 2013
  • St. Mary’s University School of Law, J.D., graduated 1983
  • Southern District of Texas, 09/23/94
  • Northern District of Texas, 03/15/11
  • Eastern District of Texas, 05/29/97
  • Western District of Texas, 03/25/11
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 10/04/10
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, 03/17/20
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, 09/15/10
  • Western District of Michigan, 08/14/18
  • Eastern District of Michigan, 10/11/18
  • Gender: Male

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, Corpus Christi (2024)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
Awards:
  • Nomination: 2017 Public Justice Trial Lawyer of the Year Award
  • National Law Journal’s 2016 Elite Trial Attorney of the Year Award in the Products Liability category
  • National Law Journal’s 2015 Elite Trial Attorney of the Year Award in the Motor Vehicles category
  • Texas Super Lawyers, 20 years
  • America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators
  • Senior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
  • Martindale-Hubbell's “AV® Preeminent Rating", 2019
  • Public Justice Foundation - Finalist, Trial Lawyer of the Year award, 2011
  • Never Forgotten Award from Innocence Project of Minnesota, 2010
  • The National Trial Lawyers - Invitation only organization for Top 100 Trial Lawyers in each state
  • St. Edward's University 2016 Distinguished Alumni

Additional Information

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Case History

Cases
  • Davila v. Premium Assets, Inc., et al
Verdict: $25,000,000
No.1 Verdict in Texas for a Premise Liability Case in 2013
  • Chatman v. Coca-Cola Refreshments USA, Inc., et al.
Verdict: $21,500,000
Largest Jury Verdict in the Nation in 2012 involving a back injury requiring surgery
3rd Largest Motor Vehicle Accident in Texas for 2012
No.11 Overall Verdicts in Texas for 2012
  • Garcia v. Christus Spohn Health Systems
Verdict: $6,400,000
No.3 in Texas for Overall Verdicts in 2011
  • Siegel v. Yamaha, et al
Verdict: $33,500,000
No.9 on Top 10 Verdicts in Texas in 2019

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