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PATRICIA KAY DUBE

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With over 40 years of experience, Patricia Kay Dube is a seasoned trial attorney specializing in general civil complex litigation. She has handled cases in both federal and state courts, as well as arbitration proceedings. A native Texan, Patricia was born in Houston and raised in a small German-Czech community southwest of the city. She earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Texas at Austin in 1972, followed by a Master of Arts degree from Sam Houston University in 1973, focusing on Latin American Political and Economic Development. Although she initially pursued a Ph.D. in political science at the University of Houston, Patricia shifted her focus to law, earning her J.D. from South Texas College of Law in 1979. During her time in law school, she served as assistant editor of the Law Review, achieved Order of the Lytae honors, and graduated with distinction.

Her legal expertise covers commercial litigation, product liability, construction defects, professional malpractice, complex mass tort and pharmaceutical litigation (notably involving antidepressants and the arthritic pain medications Bextra and Celebrex), medical malpractice and healthcare, privilege issues (such as medical peer and credentialing committees), oil field, maritime, and transportation law, defamation, insurance disputes, and extra-contractual and subrogation litigation. In addition to her litigation work, Patricia is adept at handling excess and reinsurance matters, negotiating insurance contracts and manuscript provisions, and developing complex cost-sharing agreements. 

  • University of Texas at Austin, B.S., 1972
     
    Sam Houston University, M.A., 1973

    ​South Texas College of Law, J.D., 1979
  • 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.

    Licensed by the State Bar of Texas (May 1979)

    United States District Courts for the Southern, Northern, Western, and Eastern Districts of Texas

    5th Circuit Court of Appeals

    11th Circuit Court of Appeals
    • Secured a Permanent Injunction Against Hospital Physicians: Ms. Dube successfully obtained temporary restraining orders against an entire hospital physician staff and secured the voluntary agreements of physicians to enter into an agreed permanent injunction regarding the nondisclosure of medical peer review communications. This action prevented plaintiffs' counsel in several serious medical malpractice cases from obtaining evidence that could support a new cause of action for negligent credentialing in Texas courts. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's decision, and the Texas Supreme Court upheld the ruling.

    • $6.0 Million Judgment in Declaratory Judgment Action: Ms. Dube secured a $6.0 million judgment in a declaratory judgment action involving some of the largest domestic insurance carriers. The case addressed complex coverage issues related to a Directors and Officers Policy of Insurance.

    • Handling of the Alexander Kielland Disaster Litigation: Ms. Dube was involved in the litigation arising from the Alexander Kielland disaster, including limitation of liability proceedings for death and injury cases and various lawsuits filed in the United States and abroad. She also secured the dismissal of the manufacturer of the drill ship involved in the Gulf of Tonkin disaster, which resulted in more than 98 deaths and injuries.

    • Development of Domestic Insurance Defense Practice: Ms. Dube was fundamentally responsible for developing the domestic insurance defense/self-insured litigation and complex insurance coverage practice of the Houston office of a New York law firm. The firm served the insurance industry domestically and internationally, handling corporate and regulatory matters, the winding down and creation of insurance companies, reinsurance matters, and a broad range of litigation and coverage issues.

    • Former Licensed Claims Adjuster: Ms. Dube worked as a licensed claims adjuster for one of the largest and most prominent electric utilities in Texas. In this role, she investigated, evaluated, and handled personal injury, product, and property claims asserted against the self-insured entity, liaising with outside counsel to coordinate the defense of litigation. She also worked closely with the company's Insurance Risk Manager on company claims and insurance matters.

  • PUBLICATIONS
    • Author, "Contribution and Indemnity: Does the Right Exist Among Joint Tortfeasors When One is Liable on a Theory of Strict Products Liability," 18 South Texas Law Journal 3 (1979). (Cited in Vernon’s Texas Civil Statutes Annotated and Texas Jurisprudence.)

    • Contributor, "Statutory Damages Recovery: Uninsured Motorist Statute," 18 South Texas Law Journal 2 (1979).

    Recognitions & Certifications
    • Rated "Very High" by Martindale-Hubbell in the Legal Ability and General Recommendations Categories from approximately 1986 to present.

    • Responsible for placing the Houston Office of her former law firm, an internationally based New York insurance firm, as Client Choice Law Firm as recognized by the American Lawyer in 1995.

    • Strathmore's Who's Who Registry of Business Leaders (1996-1997).

    • Certified Ad Litem in Guardianship Cases (2000, 2007, 2010, and 2015).

    • Recognized by Martindale-Hubbell in its Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers from 2000 to present.

    • Certified Mediator, A. A. White School of Alternative Dispute Resolution, University of Houston Law Center (2002).

    • Former Adjunct Professor of Law at South Texas College of Law – Products Liability.

    • Former Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Houston Law Center - Legal Communications and Research.

    • Texas Top Rated Attorney - Legal Leader (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017).

    • Fortune 500 Recognized Women Leaders in The Law (2015).

    • Harvard Negotiation Institute - Advanced Mediation Institute: Mediating Complex Disputes (2019).

    • Harvard School of Law (2019).

    • American Lawyer Top Rated Lawyer – Women Leaders (2019).

  • Professional Affiliations
    • Fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation

    • Member of the Houston Bar Association

    • Member of the Fort Bend County Bar Association

    • Member of the Dallas Bar Association

    • Past Member of the Houston Young Lawyers Association

    • Former Chairman of the Corporate Counsel Section of the Houston Young Lawyers Association

    • Corporate Counsel Section (Past Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, and Director)

    • Member of various sections of the State Bar of Texas, including:

      • Alternative Dispute Resolution, Animal Law, Appellate, Business Law, Construction Law, Consumer and Commercial Law, Corporate Counsel, Entertainment & Sports Law, General Practice, Solo, & Small Firm, Health Law, Insurance Law, International Law, Litigation Sustaining Section, Oil, Gas, & Energy Resources Law, Public Utility, Women and the Law

    • Member of the National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP)

    • Member of the Defense Research Institute

    COMMUNITY SERVICE
    • Former Member of the Board of Directors of the YWCA of Houston

    • Member of the Lupus Foundation of America – Gulf Coast

    • Past President & Current Board Member of the Northwood Woman’s Club, a philanthropic organization in Dallas, Texas

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