Mr. Kennedy is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
His practice focuses on personal injury, pharmacy error, and overtime wage matters. He is licensed to practice law by the Supreme Court of Texas and admitted to practice before:
- The United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- Admitted to practice in the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Mr. Kennedy opened The Kennedy Law Firm in December 2000. After a year, he teamed up with David Hodges and opened Kennedy Hodges LLP, a business partnership spanning ten years. Since then they have represented thousands of clients in pharmacy error and personal injury cases that include:
- Pharmacy Error
- Products Liability
- Medical Malpractice
The following are some of Mr. Kennedy's recent recoveries serving as lead counsel:
- Represented a patient against a national pharmacy. The patient ingested a near fatal dose of a powerful central nervous system stimulant. The pharmacist in this case had mislabeled the medication as Vicodin.
- $1,000,000 judgment in a professional malpractice case. [Back injury and subsequent back surgery. Attorney's fees and case expenses totaled $451,000.]
- $2 million settlement in an industrial accident case. [Electric shock injury resulting in brain injury. Attorney's fees and case expenses totaled $858,000.]
- $1.4 million settlement in a products liability case. [Motor vehicle accident resulting in death. Attorney's fees and case expenses totaled $643,000.]
- $490,000 settlement in a consumer products liability case. [Residential construction burn accident involving a lamp. Attorney's fees and case expenses totaled $215,000]
He is an active member of many organizations, including:
- The State Bar of Texas
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- National Employment Lawyers Association
- Houston Trial Lawyers Association
- Houston Trial Lawyers Foundation
- The Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum Member - A national organization whose membership is limited to trial lawyers who have demonstrated exceptional skill, experience and excellence in advocacy by achieving a trial verdict, award or settlement in the amount of one million dollars or more.
Professional Achievements
Galvin Kennedy was born in Hinsdale, Illinois, and studied political science and English at Northern Illinois University, which granted him a full scholarship as leader of the university's well reputed national debate team. During his time at Northern Illinois, Mr. Kennedy:
- Graduated in the top 3% of his class
- Graduated with a B.A. in Political Science, Magna Cum Laude
- Won dozens of regional and national speaker awards
After working at O'Quinn, Kerensky & Laminack, P.C., Mr. Kennedy obtained a teaching post at a language academy in Barcelona, Spain where he taught English for one year. While in Spain, Mr. Kennedy honed his Spanish skills that he now uses daily to communicate with his numerous Hispanic clients.
Mr. Kennedy then attended the University of Houston Law Center, where he was a member of several organizations and received numerous awards, including:
- American Jurisprudence Award for the highest grade in his class in Civil Trial Advocacy, Constitutional Law, Professional Malpractice Law, and Insurance Law;
- Active member of the school's National Mock Trial team.
- Team Champion award in the Hippard Mock Trial Tournament.
- Individual Best Speaker award for that tournament of 128 competitors.
- Individual Best Speaker Award for the annual Blakley Moot Court Tournament in the same academic year.
- Editor: Houston Journal of International Law
- Member: Order of the Barons and the National Order of the Barristers.
After graduating with honors (cum laude) from the University of Houston Law Center, Mr. Kennedy worked as a litigation associate at a prominent Houston law firm.
Certification/Specialties:
Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Classes/Seminars Taught:
English, Language Academy in Barcelona, Spain
Professional Associations and Memberships:
- State Bar of Texas
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- National Employment Lawyers Association
- Houston Trial Lawyers Association
- Houston Trial Lawyers Foundation
- Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists
Languages:
Spanish, English
Education:
Juris Doctor
Honors/Awards:
- Cum Laude
- American Jurisprudence Award in Civil Trial Advocacy
- American Jurisprudence Award in Constitutional Law
- American Jurisprudence Award in Professional Malpractice Law
- American Jurisprudence Award in Insurance Law
- Team Champion Award, Hippard Mock Trial Tournament
- Best Speaker Award for Tournament of 128 Competitors
- Best Speaker Award for the Annual Blakley Moot Court Tournament
- Member - Order of the Barons and the National Order of the Barristers
Bachelor of Arts
Major: Political Science and English
Editor: Law Journal - Houston Journal of International Law
Honors/Awards:
- Magna Cum Laude
- Leader of the University's Well Reputed National Debate Team
- Regional and National Speaker Awards
- Top 3% of his Class
Lead class counsel:
Mr. Kennedy has never lost a motion for certification of a collective action. The following is a partial list of certified collective actions in which Mr. Kennedy served as lead class counsel:
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Civil Action No. 4:10-cv-00986; John Glass v. Konica Minolta Business Solutions; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Judge Lake)(national class certified adversely as to repair technicians)(settled $4.35 million).
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Civil Action No. 6:11-cv-00255; Jeanette Wallace, et al. v Examination Management Services, Inc.; In the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Waco Division (Judge W. Smith)(national collective action certified as to virtual case workers ordering medical records from home).
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Civil Action No. 4:11-cv-712; Cherie Turner, et al. v. NTFN, Inc. and Nationwide Home Lending; In the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division (Judge Bush)(multi-state collective action certified as to loan officers).
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Civil Action No. 4:11-cv-02198; Robert Barnard, et al. v. Intertek, et al.; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Judge Lake) (national class certified adversely as to oil and gas inspectors; later expanded to dispatchers).
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Civil action No. 3:11-CV-02110; Michael Shackelford, et al. v. Time Warner NY Cable LLC, et al.; In the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division (Judge Solis)(Texas class certified adversely as to cable TV installers).
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Civil Action No. 4:08-cv-00486 Alvaro Albanil v. Coast 2 Coast; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Judge Miller)(national class certified adversely as to cement workers).
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Civil Action No. 4:06-cv-01721; Casandra Fuentes, et al. v. Target Corporation; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Judge Gilmore)(multi-state class certified).
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Civil Action No. 4:08-cv-01692; Tomas Ruiz, et al. v. GVMS, Inc., GVHC, Inc., GV Marine Services, etc.; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Judge Rosenthal)(Texas class certified adversely).
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Civil Action No. 4:08-cv-00212; Brett Smith, et al. v. CBS Mechanical Inc.; In the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division (Judge Schneider)(Texas class certified).
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Civil action No. H-12-1003; Hector Cabrera, et al. v. A&A Cable Contractors, Inc., et al.; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Judge Solis)(Texas class certified).
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Civil Action No. 1:12-cv-00111 Aaron Covey, et al. v. Iron Cactus, et al.; In the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division (Judge Sparks)(Texas class of 5 restaurants certified).
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Civil Action No. 4:05-cv-03924; Javier Garcia, et al. v. Maintenance, Inc.; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Judge Gilmore)(multi-state class certified adversely).
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Civil Action No. 1:12-CV-77; Samantha Patrick, et al. v. Madison Restaurants of Texas, Inc., et al.; In the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Beaumont Division (Judge Clark) (Texas class certified) .
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Civil Action No. 4:05-cv-03620; Cynthia Guerrero, et al. v. Habla Communications, Inc.; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Judge Hittner)(Texas class certified adversely).
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Civil Action No. 4:11-cv-01007; Samuel Puac, et al. v. Qin Dynasty; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Judge Hughes)(Houston class certified).
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Civil Action No. 4:11-cv-01160 Jorge Viveros, et al. v. Nit Noi, et al.; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Judge Huges) (Houston class certified).
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Civil Action No. 4:09-cv-03981 Ricardo Vargas v. The Richardson Trident Co. In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Judge Harmon) (multi-state class certified adversely).
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Civil Action No. 08-511; Liliana Mendoza, et al. v. BK 6341, Burger King, et al.; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Judge Miller)(Texas class certified).
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Civil Action No. 4:05-cv-01240; Gregoria Lopez, et al. v. Churrascos and Cordua Restaurants; In the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division (Judge Lake)(Texas class certified via arbitration).
Bar Admissions:
- Licensed to practice law by the Supreme Court of Texas.
- The United States Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
- The United States District Court Southern District of Texas
- The United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
- The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- The United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- The United States District Court for Colorado
- Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.