William R. Edwards
Founder and Senior Partner
Since 1978, William R. Edwards has been Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a designation held by few Texas attorneys. In fact, he was in the first group of lawyers in Texas so certified. Board Certification is a mark of excellence and a distinguishing accomplishment. Within the Texas legal community, Board Certification means an attorney has substantial, relevant experience in a select field of law as well as demonstrated, and tested, special competence in that area of law.
Mr. Edwards, founder and senior partner of The Edwards Law Firm, is renowned in Texas and the nation for his success and leadership in the area of personal injury law. In his more than 55 years in the practice of law, he has helped thousands of victims of defective products, catastrophic injury accidents, and medical negligence obtain verdicts and settlements against some of the biggest corporations in the world.
As a passionate advocate for the injured, he has gone beyond the courtroom to influence changes in safety procedures and manufacturing practices affecting millions of consumers, particularly in the auto, trucking, oil and gas, and medical industries. His efforts have received national media attention.
Mr. Edwards, a past president of the Texas Trial Lawyers, is considered one of the state's leading proponents of legal ethics, serving on Supreme Court committees overseeing lawyer discipline and the unauthorized practice of law. In 2011, he worked with legislators to craft and pass the first and only law in the nation that allows the victims of barratry – illegal solicitation of clients by lawyers – to sue violators in civil court and receive up to $10,000.
He maintains an AV Preeminent® rating (the highest given) in legal abilities and ethics by Martindale-Hubbell®, a legal peer-review publication.
Mr. Edwards has dedicated his entire career to fighting for victims and consumer rights, working on numerous cases with real-world implications. Many of the cases emphasize the need for safety mandates and standards to protect future generations from defective vehicles, defective products, dangerous pharmaceuticals, medical negligence, and deceptive trade practices. As a result of his outstanding legal credentials and experience, Mr. Edwards has been a frequent lecturer at trial seminars for more than 45 years.
Mr. Edwards is a military veteran, serving as a 1st lieutenant in the U.S. Army prior to attending the University of Virginia School of Law. He and his wife, Sally, live in Corpus Christi. His four children, Terry, Libby, Billy, and Margaret Elizabeth, all obtained their law degrees.
"My clients are really good people, and they were in trouble. If you worked hard and did a good job for them, they were improved in their lives. I felt like we were doing something good. It wasn't about the money. It was the way I felt about my clients…the way doing that kind of work affected me."