Robert M. (Randy) Roach, Jr. is the founding partner of Roach Newton, L.L.P., an appellate and insurance coverage litigation boutique formed in 1993, with offices in Houston and Austin, Texas. Randy’s appellate, insurance, and intentional torts  practice  is recognized as among the best in the country, and he has long handled high-stakes legal rulings in those areas  before the Texas Supreme Court, Federal Fifth circuit, as well as  state appellate and trial courts. For over 30 years, Randy taught law students at the University of Texas and Univ of Houston law schools,   co-teaching  with judges,  court staff attorneys, and leading Texas appellate lawyers, and focussing  on how judges actually   decide  legal issues and how to best advocate to trial and appellate  judges. The classes he led focussed on  Texas Supreme Court jurisprudence in his chosen areas of  insurance, gross negligence, fraud, and punitive damages. Reflecting his many years of advocating to judges in both trial and appellate courts, Randy is board-certified in both appellate and trial practices by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. At the national level, Randy is one of only a handful of lawyers  who are both a fellow of the invitation-only American Academy of Appellate Lawyers and  a member of the invitation-only American Board of Trial Advocates.  He is  a long-time  member of   PLAC,   the policyholder counsel-only Insurance Information Council, and the IADC .

Randy is a 1977 graduate of Georgetown University (magna cum laude) and a 1981 graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, where he was a member of the  Texas Law Review and the winner of its two senior moot court championships. Before law school, Randy served at  the U.S. Supreme Court in the office of Judicial Interns as a staff writer. Before that, Randy served as a staff writer for the Senate Select Committee on Nutrition.

Randy’s 40+ years of practice began in 1981 as a commercial  trial lawyer in Harry Reasoner’s Antitrust group at Vinson & Elkins.  He then practiced for 10 years with a premier Houston mid-size firm, first as an associate and then as a partner, defending clients in medical malpractice and product liability cases.  While at Mayor, Day, Caldwell & Keeton, Randy became both a 20-jury verdict trial lawyer and the founding partner of its appellate group. In 1993, Randy started his own appellate and insurance coverage boutique, which is now over 30 years old. Throughout his practice, Randy has served in a variety of special capacities –  the appellate specialist added to high-stakes trial teams, lead counsel before the Texas Supreme Court,  designated arbitrator in  insurance coverage disputes, mediator, and expert witness regarding coverage,  intentional torts, and appeals.

Randy has been listed in Best Lawyers in America for Appellate Practice and Insurance Law and Chambers USA Leading Lawyers for Business-Insurance, and is currently  in Chambers Regional Spotlight. He is also listed as a “Go-To” lawyer for Insurance Coverage Disputes on LinkedIn.   Texas Super Lawyer named him as one of the top 100 lawyers in the Houston region. His Firm’s appellate and insurance practices are nationally recognized by U.S. News.

Giving back to the profession he loves, Randy has been the Chair of many legal organizations. He is a Past Chair of the Appellate Sections of both the Texas State Bar and the Houston Bar. He is also a Past Chair of the Council of Chairs of the State Bar of Texas. Randy was appointed by the State Bar as its special prosecutor on appeal in a series of high-profile attorney disbarment proceedings. When the Insurance Section of the State Bar was first created, Randy served as its Liaison to the Judiciary.  He is a  Fellow of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society and one of its former Trustees.

Randy is in his second term as Chair of the Amicus Committee of the International Ass’n of Defense Counsel. He has written amicus briefs on behalf of the IADC, the Product Liability Advisory Council, the American Petroleum Institute, the US Chamber of Commerce, the Nat’l Ass’n of Manufacturers, and numerous other national and Texas-based industry trade associations and companies.

He has authored over 175 CLE papers and law review articles and made over 200 CLE presentations on topics including the Texas Supreme Court, advocacy to trial judges, insurance coverage and breach of contract disputes, fraud, gross negligence, bad faith and punitive,  trial and appellate procedure, oral argument, brief writing, and professional ethics.