Profile
Skip Watson is one of 300 national appellate attorneys elected fellows in the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. In 2019 he received the Justice Jack Pope Award for Professionalism from the Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. For over two decades he has advised the Texas Supreme Court as an appointed member of its 50-member Rules Advisory Committee. The Court unanimously adopted the Standards for Appellate Conduct drafted by the State Bar Appellate Section committee Skip chaired.
Skip is Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law and Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Capabilities
Experience
- Lead Counsel in the Supreme Court of Texas:
- Hughes v. Tom Green County, 573 S.W.3d 212 (Tex. 2019)°
- BP America Prod. Co. v. Red Deer Resources LLC, 526 S.W.3d 389 (Tex. 2017)°
- BP America Prod. Co. v. Laddex, Ltd., 513 S.W.3d 476 (Tex. 2017)°
- Seger v. Yorkshire Ins. Co., 503 S.W.3d 388 (Tex. 2016)°
- KCM Finance LLC v. Bradshaw, 457 S.W.3d 70 (Tex. 2014)°
- Merriman v. XTO Energy, Inc., 407 S.W.3d 244 (Tex. 2013)°
- Reeder v. Wood County Energy, LLC, 395 S.W.3d 789 (Tex. 2012)°
- Ashford Partners, Ltd. V. ECO Resources, Inc. 401 S.W.3d 35 (Tex. 2012)°
- Columbia Rio Grande Healthcare, L.P. v. Hawley, 284 S.W.3d 851 (Tex. 2009)°
- In re Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., L.P., 235 S.W.3d 619 (Tex. 2007)°
- Hoover Slovacek LLP v. Walton, 206 S.W.3d 557 (Tex. 2006)°
- Cire v. Cummings, 134 S.W.3d 835 (Tex. 2004)°
°The above representations were handled by Mr. Watson prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, Chambers USA Guide, “Litigation: Appellate,” 2017-2024
- Listed, The Legal 500 United States
- Dispute Resolution - Appellate: Court of Appeals, 2020-2022
- Dispute Resolution - Appellate: Supreme Courts (States and Federal), 2020-2023
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America
- Appellate Practice, 2008-2025
- Energy Law, 2023-2025
- Oil and Gas Law, 2025
- Selected, "Lawyer of the Year," Appellate Practice, Austin, 2019
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Texas Super Lawyers, 2004-2022
- Fellow, American Academy of Appellate Lawyers
- Supreme Court of Texas Advisory Committee, 1999-Present
- Chair, Appellate Section, State Bar of Texas, 2002-2003
- Chair, Drafting Committee of "Standards for Appellate Conduct," 1995-2002
- Course Director, State Bar Advanced Civil Trial Course, 2004
- Course Director, State Bar Advanced Appellate Practice Course, 1994
- Pattern Jury Charge Committee, Business, Consumer, Employment Law, 1991-2001
- U.S. District Court Advisory Group, Northern District of Texas, 1992-1997
- Co-Author, Report on Cost and Delay in U.S. District Courts for Northern District of Texas
Credentials
Education
-
J.D., Texas Tech University School of Law, 1978
- Associate Editor, Texas Tech Law Review
- B.A., Abilene Christian University, 1975
Admissions
- Texas
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas