Robert Root is a trial lawyer who helps businesses, insurers, and individuals navigate complex litigation involving high-stakes legal issues and catastrophic losses.
Robert represents clients in commercial disputes, personal injury litigation, insurance coverage disputes, and products liability litigation. His practice spans all phases of litigation, from pre-suit investigations and strategic counseling through trial and appeal in both state and federal courts.
Clients regularly rely on Robert to resolve matters involving significant financial exposure. In addition to defending high-exposure civil litigation, he advises insurers on policy interpretation, coverage disputes, extra-contractual liability, Stowers matters, and pre-litigation investigations.
Before joining McDowell Hetherington, Robert represented national and regional businesses, insurers, and transportation companies in trial courts throughout Texas. He has first-chair trial experience in personal injury and construction defect lawsuits and has obtained defense verdicts in some of the nation’s least favorable venues for defendants. In addition to his trial work, Robert has also secured numerous pretrial victories for clients on issues ranging from personal jurisdiction and summary judgment to expert admissibility and post-judgment relief. When necessary, he has successfully defended those victories on appeal.
Robert earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston Law Center, where he served as a Case Notes and Comments Editor for the Houston Journal of International Law and received the Dean’s Academic Scholarship. He graduated summa cum laude from Lamar University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and was recognized as a Lamar University Senior of Significance and recipient of the Ortho B. Plummer Award for Outstanding Graduate.
Outside the practice of law, Robert enjoys spending time with his friends, family, and dog. He is an avid traveler and enjoys discovering new restaurants and cuisines.
– Obtained defense verdict on liability grounds in trial involving commercial motor vehicle accident. Robert represented a company and its employee. The trial court granted Robert’s directed verdict as to the plaintiff’s claims against the company, and the jury found the employee not liable for the plaintiff’s remaining claims. The plaintiff sought nearly $1 million in damages.
– Overturned a $1.2 million final judgment via an equitable bill of review.
– Obtained summary judgment dismissal of breach of fiduciary duty and promissory estoppel claims in complex business ownership dispute.
– Obtained summary judgment dismissal of premises liability claims against apartment complex and successfully defended the result on appeal.
– Obtained summary judgment dismissal of Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA) claims against a railcar switching service and successfully defended the result on appeal.
– Successfully challenged trial court’s lack of personal jurisdiction over a defendant.
– Successfully struck and limited expert opinions.
– 2026 Texas Super Lawyers “Rising Star”
– Fellow, American Board of Trial Advocates – 2025 National Advanced Trial College
– 2025 “40 Under 40” Honoree | Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce
– “Star” Contestant & Fundraiser | 2025 Dancing with the Stars of Southeast Texas
– Recipient of the 2018 Irvin O. Dawson Award for Best Political Science Student | Lamar University
– Recipient of the 2018 Ortho B. Plummer Award for Outstanding Lamar University Graduate
– 2018 Lamar University Senior of Significance
– Leadership Beaumont Class of 2025 | Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce
– Board of Directors | United Way of Beaumont and North Jefferson County | 2024-2026
– Art Museum of Southeast Texas Advisory Board | 2024
– Mock Trial Committee Chairman | Jefferson County Bar Association | 2024-2026