Arthur J. Gonzalez
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Arturo J. González is the Managing Attorney of the Houston-Pillot office and the National Director of Brent Coon & Associates’ Aviation Law Division. Mr. Gonzalez received his Bachelor’s of Political Science with an emphasis on International Relations from North Texas State University in 1973. In 1987, he received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the South Texas College of Law.
After receiving his J.D., Mr. Gonzalez began his tutelage under the late John Howie at the Windle Turley Law Firm in Dallas, where he concentrated on aviation accident cases. Mr. Gonzalez participated in several high profile aviation cases, including the Delta 191 and Delta 1141 crashes at DFW airport, Northwest 255 crash in Detroit, the American DC-10 failed takeoff in San Juan, the Pacific Southwest (PSA) mid air collision over San Diego, the Mexicana de Aviación disaster near Guadalajara, and the Air Canada in flight fire which killed 23 people in Cincinnati. Additionally, he has litigated many private aviation accidents that resulted in death and severe injury to crew, passengers, and people on the ground.
Mr. Gonzalez subsequently joined Rick Laminack at O’Quinn Laminack & Pirtle (now the O’Quinn Law Firm), where he expanded into pharmaceutical and medical devices litigation. During his ten year tenure, he participated in Norplant, breast implant, and Phen Fen litigation, in addition to taking on other defective products cases primarily in the areas of tire defects, crashworthiness and roof crush.
After leaving the O’Quinn firm, Mr. Gonzalez joined Rob Ammons for a brief period to assist in representing injured claimants in the BP litigation following the plant explosion in Texas City. The court appointed Mr. Gonzalez as liaison plaintiffs’ counsel to assist in the coordinated discovery effort. In May 2006, Mr. Gonzalez hired on with Brent Coon & Associates, where he continued coordinative efforts on behalf of plaintiffs in furtherance of pressing onward in the complex and often laborious litigation and settlement process wherein Brent Coon & Associates attained a substantial settlement on behalf of Eva Rowe, the young woman who lost both her parents in the March 23, 2005 explosion at the BP refinery. This settlement also resulted in BP paying an additional $30 million dollars, in addition to the client’s confidential settlement, to various medical and educational institutions to further medical burn research, and process safety management in refinery operations.
Mr. Gonzalez has recently taken on a heavy aviation docket involving GOL Air (Brazil), TACA (Honduras), Everegreen Helinka (Peru), Spanair (Madrid), and more recently Turkish Air (Amsterdam).
In 2005, Mr. Gonzalez was recognized by H-Texas Magazine as a “Lawyer For The People.” He has been given an “AV Rating” by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating bestowed upon an attorney.
Mr. Gonzalez is a member of the Houston Bar Association, Houston Trial Lawyers Association, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, American Bar Association, and American Association for Justice. In 2009, Mr. Gonzalez joined the Board of Directors for the American Association of Justice National College of Advocacy Board.
Arturo J. Gonzalez, in addition to being licensed to practice before the United States Supreme Court, is also duly licensed in New York, all United States Federal Courts in Texas, the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, and the United States Court of Claims. Mr. Gonzalez has been a licensed pilot since age 14 with over 4,000 hours in multi-engine aircraft.
Areas of Practice
- Personal Injury
- Product Safety / Liability / Toxic Torts
- Negligent Actions
- International Law
- Securities / Commercial
- Maritime & Admiralty
- Aviation Law
Bar Admissions
- Texas, 1988
- New York, 2006
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas, 1988
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas, 1988
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas, 1988
- U.S. District Court Western District of Texas, 1988
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1992
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims, 1991
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1999
Education
- South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas, 1987, J.D.
- North Texas State University, Denton, Texas, 1973, B.A. in Political Science/International Relations
Honors and Awards
- AV Rated - Martindale Hubbell, 1999 - Present
- Houston Magazine - Lawyer for the People, 2005 - Present
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Northern District of Texas Federal Courts
- Voluntary Attorney Panel
- Charter Member of Criminal Justice Act
- State Bar of Texas
- State Bar of New York
- Houston Bar Association
- Houston Trial Lawyers Association
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- American Bar Association
- American Association for Justice
Pro Bono Activities
- Provide Legal Services to Indigent Clients, 1988 - Present
