Hon. Judge Patricia O. Alvarez

Helotes, Texas

With 12 years of experience as a justice in the Texas Fourth Court of Appeals and 26 years as a trial attorney, I bring a comprehensive understanding of the legal system, conflict resolution, and negotiation to my new career in mediation. Fluent in both English and Spanish, I am committed to facilitating fair and amicable solutions for diverse clients.

As a Justice, I authored opinions in a wide range of cases, including business and commercial disputes, insurance coverage, oil & gas disputes, personal injury, indemnity, family law, property disputes, libel and slander, fiduciary duty, employment, and arbitration. I developed a reputation for impartiality and independence, and a judge who followed the law.

As a trial attorney, I specialized in complex litigation in transportation, oil & gas, personal injury, products liability, insurance and excess coverage, and bad faith. I tried cases in multiple jurisdictions, including the Texas border.

I graduated from the University of Texas School of Law (J.D. 1987) and Duke School of Law (LLM 2023). I am board certified in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Currently, I teach at St. Mary's Law School Deposition Skills and Texas Civil Procedure.

Education  +-

  • Duke University School of Law
    LLM
    2023
  • University of Texas at Austin
    JD
    1987
  • University of Texas at San Antonio
    BBA
    1982
  • Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Monclova, Coahuila, México
    1974 - 1979
  • Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law
  • Basic Mediation Certification by Manousso Mediation & Arbitration, LLC
  • Advanced Mediation: Family-Divorce-Child Custody Certification by Manousso Mediation & Arbitration, LLC
  • Arbitration Training by Manousso Mediation & Arbitration, LLC
  • London Arbitration School, Faculty of Law, University of Basel, Switzerland

Experience  +-

  • St. Mary's University School of Law
    Adjunct Professor
  • 4th Texas Judicial District
    Visiting Judge
  • Admitted to Practice in:
    Texas, Florida, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia Court of Appeals, U.S. Court of Appeals (fifth Circuit), U.S. Supreme Court

Memberships/Affiliations  +-

  • Texas Bar Foundation
    Trustee
    2005-2008
  • Board of Directors of the College of the State Bar of Texas
    Member
    2010-2014
  • Texas State Bar College and the Foundation
    Sustaining Member
    1994-present
  • Grievance Committee District 12
    Member; Panel Chair
    2008-2012; 2010-2012
  • Hispanic Issues Section of the Texas State Bar
    Secretary; Chair
    2007-2008; 2013-2014
  • Texas Bar of the 12th District
    Director; PDP Chair
    2002-2005; 2003-2005
  • Continuing Legal Education Committee
    Member
    2000-2003
  • Pattern Jury Charge Volume 2 Committee of the State Bar of Texas
    Member
    1991-1992
  • Pattern Jury Charge Volume 1 Committee of the State Bar of Texas
    Member
    1993-1994
  • Pattern Jury Charge Civil Special Committee
    Member
    1995-1996
  • Pattern Jury Charge Oil & Gas
    Member
    2014- 2024
  • American Board of Tiral Advocates (ABOTA)
    National Representative Laredo Chapter; President San Antonio Chapter
    2009 - 2014; 2021
  • American Bar Association Commercial Transportation Litigation Committee
    Chair; Vice-Chair
    1997 - 1998; 1998 - 2002
  • Mexican-American Bar Association of Texas
    President
    2008 - 2009
  • MABA - San Antonio
    Director
    2013 -2014
  • Litigation Counsel of America
    2007 - Present
  • San Antonio Bar Association and Foundation
  • Bexar County Women's Bar Association
  • Kendall County Bar Association
  • Kerr County Bar Association
  • Maverick County Bar Association
  • Webb County Bar Association
  • Laredo Women's Bar Association
  • International Bar Association
  • International Association of Defense Counsel
  • Defense Research Institute
    National Director; Vice-Chair Membership Publications; Vice-Chair Trucking Committee
    2004 - 2007; 1997 - 2002; 1999 - 2001
  • Association of Trial Defense Attorneys
  • Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
  • Texas Association of Defense Counsel
    Director; Vice-President
    1998 - 2001; 2001 - 2002 & 2008 - 2011
  • Trasnportation Lawyers Association
  • Trucking Industry Defense Association
  • Hidalgo County Bar Association
    Director
    1994 - 1997
  • UTSA Alumni Board of Directors
    Member
    2013 - 2015
  • UTSA Council of the College of Public Policy of UTSA
    Advisory Board
    2014 - Present
  • Texas International Law Journal
    Advisory Board
    2019 - Present
  • Leadership Texas (Class of 2008)
    Member
    2008
  • Foundation for Women's Resources
    Member

Honors/Awards  +-

  • American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) Best in Texas Voire Dire Competition Chair
     
    2020 - 2022
  • Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow
     
    1999
  • Inductee in the Hall of Fame of the Laredo Commission for Women and the City of Laredo
     
    2012
  • Recipient of Judge of the Year Award of MABA - Texas Foundation
     
    2013
  • Chairman Law Day, Laredo Bar Association
     
    2013
  • Recipient of the Jim Bowmer Professionalism Award of the College of the State Bar of Texas
     
    2015
  • Recipient of the Judge of the Year Award of the HIspanic Issues Section of the State Bar of Texas
     
    2015
  • Recipient of the Legal Legend Award of the SA-ABOTA Chapter
     
    2021
  • Inductee in the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame
     
    2021
  • TEX-ABOTA's 2022 Jurist of the Year
     
    2022

Seminar/Speaking/Authoring  +-

Justice Alvarez is a recognized lecturer at international, national and statewide levels and has written extensively on the law. Her papers and articles are available upon request.

Patricia Alvarez

Area of Specialization

  • Fluent in Spanish and French