Crawford W. Kirpatrick

Crawford W. Kirpatrick's experience includes:

• Former Trial Counsel for the United States Marine Corps
  
• Extensive experience before the Social Security Administration and the Texas Workers' Compensation Commission
  
• Twelve years' experience representing injured workers in the State of Texas
  
• Representation of professional atheletes as an approved workers' compensation panel member for the Professional Hockey Players' Association (PHPA) and the National Football League Players' Association.

Melinda Wesner Kirkpatrick

Melinda L. Wesner born in Memphis Tennessee on July 21, 1959; admitted to Texas bar in 1986; also admitted to practice before U.S. Supreme Court: U.S. court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit: U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas and District of Columbia District.

Preparatory and Legal Education

• Trinity University (1978-80)
• B.S., Nursing - University of Texas Health Science Center (Magna cum lauda, 1982)
• Legal Education - South Texas College of Law (Dean's List, 1983-86)
• Mediator, A.A. White Dispute Resolution Institute, College of Business Administration, University of Houston, Texas, 1996

Board Certified

• Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Practice Areas

• Personal Injury
• Social Security

Memberships and Other Honors

• Distinguished Service Award - Houston Trial Lawyers Association, 1991-92:
• American Jurisprudence Awards:
• Constitutional Law
• Property II
• Corporations,
• Remedies
• Who's Who in American Women
• Dean's List, South Texas College of Law, 1983-86
• National Dean's List

Experience

• Briefing Attorney, Justice Raul Gonzalez, Texas Supreme Court, Austin, Texas, 1986-87
• Associate Attorney, Burrow & Williams, Houston, Texas, 1987-92
• Partner, Williams, Bailey & Wesner, L.L.P., Houston, Texas, 1993-96

Guest Speaker

• " Medical Malpractice in Texas", C.L.E. Seminar Houston, Texas, 1988;
• "Masters Convention", C.L.E. Seminar, Annual Georgia Trial Lawyers Convention, Atlanta, Georgia, 1998;
• "How to Recognize a Toxic Tort Claim", C.L.E. Seminar, Advanced Products Liability, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Texas Trial Lawyers Association of Texas, April 22, 1994;
• "Arguing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder", C.L.E. Seminar, Advanced Persuasion Tactics, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Arlington, Texas, July 21, 1994;
• "Toxic Torts: Identifying and Screening Mass Litigation," C.L.E. Seminar, Advanced Products Liability Law, South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas, July 22, 1994;
• "Advanced Trial Tactics," C.L.E. Seminar, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Fort Worth, Texas, September 9, 1994;
• " Court Reporters and the Trial Process," Court Reporters Association Seminar, Houston, Texas, September 17, 1994;
• "Toxic Torts: Identifying and Screening Mass Litigation," C.L.E. Seminar, Advanced Product Liability Seminar, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Dallas, January 20, 1995; Houston February 3 1995;
• "Experts Post Daubert-Qualifying and Disqualifying Experts," 11th Annual Advanced Personal Injury Law Course, State Bar of Texas, Houston, Texas, June 29, 1995; San Antonio, July 20, 1995; Ft. Worth August 4, 1995;
• "Aids and the Workplace," Nursing Law in Texas, National Business Institute, Inc., Houston, August 22, 1995;
  • "Toxic Torts: Identifying and Screening Mass Litigation," C.L.E. Seminar, Advanced Products Liability Seminar, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Houston, January 25, 1996;
• "How to Delegate Tasks and Safeguard Your Staff," C.L.E. Seminar, The Litigator's Overview:
• A Practical Guide to a Successful Trial Practice, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Houston, March 23, 1996; Dallas, March 30, 1996,; South Padre Resort, April 13, 1996;
• "Jury Selection and the Use of Questionnaires," 19th Annual Advanced Civil Trial Course, state Bar of Texas, San Antonio, August 30, 1996;
• "Mediation: What Works, What Doesn't," Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, Houston Bar Association, April 10, 1997;
• "Should You Establish a WOLF?? - Women Owned Law Firm," State Bar of Texas, April 18, 1997;
• "Daubert and the Use of Experts," CLE Seminar, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, August 1, 1997.

Professional Associations

• Houston (Litigation Section: Vice Chair., 1994-95; Chair Elect, 1995-96; Chair, 1996-97; Director, 1998; Administration of Justice Committee)
,
• Harris County and American Bar Associations;
• State Bar of Texas (Committees: Advanced Personal Injury Planning, 1994-95; Court Rules, 1995-;
• Bench Bar Conference Planning, Conroe, 1995; Sub-Committees: Court Rules Discovery, 1996-;
• Court rules
  • "Standard Interrogatories in Specialty Area," 1996-;
  • Trial Setting;
  • Motion For New Trial;
  • Court Rules Subcommittees);
  • College of The state Bar of Texas;
  • Houston Trial Lawyers Association (Director, 1992-; Vice President 1994-; Treasurer, 1997;
  • Committees:
  • Fundraiser;
  • Community Projects;
  • Spring Party;
  • Golf Tournament;
  • Medical Records
  • Nominating
• Texas Trial Lawyers Association
  • Association Board member, 1992-95; Board of Directors, 1995-;
  • Committees:
  • C.L.E. Task Force, 1993-96;
  • Chair, 1995-96;
  • Event Planning; Fundraising; Nominating
• The Association of Trial Lawyers of America;
• Houston Trial Lawyers Foundation(Board of Directors, 1996;
  • Event Planning Committee, J.F.K. Elementary School children, 1993-; Classroom Sponsor, 1993-);
• Texas Supreme Court Historical Society (Charter Member);
• Association of Women Attorneys( Charter Founder; Committees: Membership, 1996-97; Judicial selection Screening, 1996-; Board of Directors , 1998); Houston Medical-Legal Society; Association of Nurse Attorneys; Texas Nurses Association; American Nurses Association;
• Federation of Houston Professional Women; Task Force 2000;
• SAFE; National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representative (NOSSCR).

Life Fellow

• Houston Bar Association

Fraternal Organizations

• Sigma Theta Tau
• Order of Lytae.