Andrés E. Almanzán - Outstanding Third Year Director Award - State Bar of Texas
on 11/17/2022
Attorney at
Mounce, Green, Myers, Safi, Paxson & Galatzan Law Firm
Chief Executive Officer/ Vice President
Mr. Almanzán is a third-generation native and bilingual El Pasoan. For the last 26 years, he has been licensed and has maintained an active, civil defense litigation practice in both Texas State and Federal Courts, and more recently, in New Mexico State and Federal Courts as well. His clients include local companies and individuals, as well as regional, national, and international companies. Mr. Almanzán maintains a broader legal/litigation practice than many other attorneys, which entails a more diverse and thorough understanding of an exposure to various legal areas and venues which has proven to be a significant benefit to his trial practice and professional development. He has successfully litigated/defended State and Federal cases involving Personal Injury/Wrongful Death, Construction Litigation, Trucking/Transportation, Professional Liability/Malpractice Defense, Premises Liability, Products Liability, Insurance Defense, Employment Law, Probate/Estate Litigation, Environmental Remediation/Cost Recovery (per the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act/ "CERCLA" or "Superfund"), Civil Rights (Defense of Section 1983 Claims against Law Enforcement), Governmental Entity Defense, Commercial/Contractual Disputes (occasionally involving Mexican Law), Education/School Law, Residential/Homebuilder Litigation and Real Estate Transactions. Mr. Almanzán is the Chief Executive Officer and a Vice-President of the Firm. He also serves as the Chair of the Firm's Recruiting Committee.
Languages: English, SpanishStanford University, Bachelor of Arts, Economics (Quantitative Track), (1994)
University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law, J.D. (1997)
Recipient of the "Outstanding Third Year Director Award" for the 2021-2022 Board Year, by the Chair of the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors, June 2022.
Recognized as a “Texas Super Lawyer” in 2014 - 2023 (Personal Injury - Defense) by Thomson Reuters, as published in Texas Monthly magazine.
"AV-PREEMINENT"® rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings, the highest possible rating of professional excellence available to any individual lawyer, 2020, 2021, 2022.
Admitted to the Texas Bar College in 2021, the Professional Society of Legal Scholars for the State Bar of Texas. Members must have accumulated at least 80 hours of accredited Continuing Legal Education (CLE) within the preceding 3-year period or at least 45 hours of CLE in the current year (Triple of that required by the State MCLE rules).
Recognized as a “Texas Rising Star” in 2004 - 2012 by Thomson Reuters as published in Texas Monthly magazine.
Recipient of the 2000 “Silver Patrick Henry Medallion: For Patriotic Achievement” from The Military Order of the World Wars - El Paso Chapter.
At-Large Board Director, State Bar of Texas Board of Directors, June 2019 - June 2022
Board of Advisors, Harvard Law School Latino Law Review; September 2004 - Present
President/Board Director, Mexican-American Bar Association (MABA) of El Paso (2002-03; Past Board Director), Member, 2000 - Present)
Barrister, The George A. McAlmon American Inn of Court, September 2015-Present
Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation, January 2013-Present
Vice-President and Board Director, El Paso Young Lawyers’ Association, (past Board Director 1999 - 2002; Vice-President 2001-2002)
Board Director, Texas Community Building with Attorney Resources (Texas C-Bar), September 2003 - 2009
Little League Baseball Head Coach, Southwest Baseball League, 2014-2021
Board of Advisors, Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid (TRLA), 2004 - 2005
Board Director, El Paso Bar Association, September 2002 - 2005
Board Director, El Paso del Norte Stanford Alumni Association, 2000 - 2004
Board Member/Advisor, Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce - Government Relations Division, January 2002 - 2004
Committee Member, Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct - Standing Committee, The State Bar of Texas, July 2005 - 2006
Committee Member, Admissions Committee for the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas - El Paso Division, 2006 - Present
Subcommittee Member, Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee, The Supreme Court of Texas, 1999 - 2001
Subcommittee Member, Multidisciplinary Task Force Committee, El Paso Bar Association, 2000 - 2002
Delta Tau Delta Fraternity President, (Stanford University - Beta Rho Chapter) 1993-1994, Vice President 1992-1993
Seminar: Co-panelist for the presentation of: "Lessons from My Cousin Vinny" - a CLE Seminar about Do's and Don't for Trial Lawyers appearing before "Difficult Judges," presented to The George A. McAlmon American Inn of Court in El Paso in March 2023.
Seminar: Co-panelist for the presentation of: "Voter Eligibility and Voter Fraud" - a CLE Seminar about exposing the myths and false information disseminated to attempt to discredit the reality of fair and equitable local, state, and national elections, presented to The George A. McAlmon American Inn of Court in El Paso in October 2020.
Seminar: Co-panelist for the presentation of: "Collateral Consequences of Convictions" - a CLE Seminar about the wide array of consequences which result from criminal convictions, including restrictions on civil participation, limitations on employment, impact on public benefits, etc..., presented to The George A. McAlmon American Inn of Court in El Paso in February 2020.
Seminar: Co-panelist for the presentation of: "We Too: A Discussion of Gender Discrimination/Bias in the Courts and Legal Practice" - a CLE Seminar about hurdles that women in the legal profession face and empirical studies on gender discrimination/bias, presented to The George A. McAlmon American Inn of Court at the El Paso County Courthouse in El Paso in November 2018.
Seminar: Panel Presenter: Self-Insured Retention (SIR) Conflicts and Issues Between Carriers and Insured, ALFA International Transportation Practice Group Seminar, “Handling the Highway to Hell,” Coral Gables, Florida, April 2014.
Seminar: Featured Speaker on Utilizing the Federal Administrative Procedures Act to Compel Depositions of Governmental Employees at the Kolcraft Children's Products Panel Counsel Meeting held at the Defense Research Institute's Product Liability Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, April 2014.
Seminar: Presentation on an Update for Home Builders on the Texas Residential Construction Commission (TRCC) to the El Paso Hispanic Builders Alliance, 2007 & 2008
Regular Guest Lecturer on Personal Injury Trial Law at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), for an undergraduate Liberal Arts Department class, “Courts in Action.” 2003 – 2010
Seminar: “Updated Caselaw on the New Discovery Rules in Texas,” for The El Paso Association of Legal Assistants, March 2003.
Seminar: “A Review of The Texas Public Information Act,” for the El Paso Claims Association, May 2002.
Seminar: “Unemployment Compensation in Texas,” Lorman Education Services, El Paso, TX, April 2001.
Seminar: “El Paso Bar Association’s Fifth Annual Civil Trial Law Seminar,” Topic: New Discovery Rules in Texas: Case Law Update, El Paso Bar Association, El Paso, TX, February 2, 2001.
Seminar: “An Introduction to Employment and Labor Law in Texas,” Topic: Effective Hiring Practices. Lorman Education Services, El Paso, TX, June 30, 2000.
Seminar: “Construction Contracting with Public Entities in Texas,” Topic: Resolution of Construction Disputes, Lorman Education Services, El Paso, TX, April 27, 2000.
Seminar: “Chiropractic Care and Billings in Personal Injury Cases,” for the El Paso Claims Association, September 1999.
Seminar: “The New Discovery Rules in Texas,” for Farmers Insurance and Fred Loya Insurance Company in February and May 1999.
Author of “Ethical Considerations Regarding Client Conflicts of Interest.” Published in the El Paso Bar Association Newsletter, December 1997.