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Law Books

JEFF O'DEA

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Jeff O'Dea is a trial lawyer with 40 years of courtroom experience. Over the years, Jeff has represented major builders, insurance companies, and businesses in personal injury, construction, and premises matters. He possesses the foresight and presence to avoid walking his clients into potential criminal liability while defending them in civil cases. Additionally, Jeff has owned an independent insurance agency and has experience defending insurance companies in first-party litigation. Known as a "go-to" attorney for unique legal issues and defenses, Jeff often tackles cases requiring extensive research and unconventional arguments. He has successfully defended hundreds of construction cases, including those involving defective schools and premises cases related to security and protective devices. Notably, he exonerated a builder client from responsibility for over $30 million in damages for an alleged defective school and secured a substantial award of attorneys' fees on a counterclaim.

As an adjunct professor, Jeff has taught insurance coverage as part of the core curriculum for a bachelor's degree in risk management at the University of Houston Downtown. He has also instructed continuing education courses on indemnity, comprehensive insurance (including CCIPs and OCIPs), workers' compensation, tort reform, and the latest statutory updates.

  • State University of New York Plattsburgh, B.A. in Business & Communications, 1980

    South Texas College of Law Houston, J.D., 1984
  • WHAT ARE COURT ADMISSIONS?

    Court admissions refer to the official recognition and authorization that allows a lawyer to practice law and represent clients in a specific court or set of courts. Each court or jurisdiction has its own requirements and process for admitting attorneys to practice before it.

    Texas, 1984

    Arizona, 2015
    • Harris County District Attorney's Office, Assistant District Attorney, 1984 to 1989

    • Burt Barr & O'Dea, LLP, Managing Partner, 1991 to 2003

    Representative Clients

    • Scottsdale Insurance Company

    • Farmers Insurance Exchange

    • Diamond Commercial Construction

    • Devon Contractors

    • Texas Burglar and Fire Alarm Association, its members, and its varied insurers

    • Equifax

  • CLASSES AND SEMINARS
    • Charter PropertyCharter Underwriter, University of Houston Downtown, 01 to 05/2011

    • Workers Compensation Update, Texas Claims Association, 06/2004

    • Indemnity after Ethyl; AGC of Texas Summer, 1990

  • Professional Affiliations
    • Law Journal: South Texas Law Journal, Member, 1983–1984

    • ​State Bar of Texas, Construction Law Section, Member

    • State Bar of Arizona, Construction Law Section, Member

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