JAMES AMARO
Founder & Lead Trial Attorney
R. James Amaro founded the Amaro Law Firm in 2005 with one goal: to fight for individuals, families, and businesses harmed by negligence, injustice, or corporate misconduct. Since then, he has earned a nationwide reputation as a tenacious litigator and trial lawyer successfully recovering compensation for thousands of clients across Texas and beyond.
Guided by his core values to be used and useful to others and the firm’s commitment to bringing clients closure, justice, and peace as quickly as possible, Mr. Amaro brings experience, grit, and a deep sense of duty to every case he takes on — from catastrophic injuries and wrongful death cases, to business disputes and insurance claims.
Our number one core value is to be used and useful to others.
James Amaro
Landmark cases and major litigation
Mr. Amaro’s career took a defining turn when, shortly after founding Amaro Law Firm, he was hired to represent victims of the BP refinery explosion in Texas City, one of the worst industrial disasters in U.S. history. In 2010, he represented thousands affected by the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, including both cleanup workers and small businesses. He was also among the first attorneys to take on claims related to Hurricane Ike, aggressively pursuing justice for homeowners and commercial clients whose lives were upended by storm damage and insurance delays. These high-stakes cases cemented his status as a results-driven litigator willing to take on powerful opponents to secure what his clients deserve.Education and early career
Mr. Amaro earned his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School, where he served as Managing Editor of the Wisconsin International Law Journal. As a young law student, he would go on to publish legal scholarship, clerk for federal judges, and write legal opinions. Prior to founding Amaro Law Firm, Mr. Amaro worked for large national defense firms in both Texas and Wisconsin, gaining insider knowledge of how insurance companies operate. His early work as a defense attorney included:- Insurance coverage disputes
- Construction and real estate law
- Toxic tort and product liability defense
- Commercial litigation and arbitration
- Personal injury and wrongful death defense
Personal life and community involvement
Raised in Sugar Land, Texas, Mr. Amaro comes from a hardworking, blue-collar family. His grandfather served in WWII; his relatives labored for decades at the Imperial Sugar Refinery; and he himself worked nights and weekends in high school as a ranch hand, grocery sacker, dishwasher, and car washer. Beyond the courtroom, Mr. Amaro maintains active interests in real estate and technology ventures, providing him with a rare perspective on what makes businesses thrive — and how to protect them legally. True to his motto, “We do great, so we can do good,” Mr. Amaro leads a life dedicated to philanthropy. Alongside his wife Angelica, he co-founded Baseball for Babies, a nationally recognized nonprofit that supports premature infants and their families. He also serves on boards and councils including:- University of Wisconsin Alumni Council
- Sugar Land Heritage Foundation
- San Isidro Cemetery Association (Vice President)
It's impossible for me not to continue working on a case until I know everything that happened. This is the passion that we bring to every case we work on.
R. James Amaro
Founder
Admissions:
- Texas, 2002
- Wisconsin, 2002
- Illinois, 2015
- Colorado, 2018
- New Mexico, 2022
- US. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
- Pro Hac Vice Eastern District of Louisiana
Education:
- University of Texas at Austin, B.A. in Economics, Minor in History
- University of Wisconsin at Madison Law School, J.D.
- University of Groningen — Groningen, Netherlands — International Law
Professional Affiliations & Memberships:
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- National Latino Trial Lawyers Association — President
- Houston Trial Lawyers Association
- Capital Area Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
- Association of Plaintiff Interstate Trucking Lawyers of America — National Advisory Board
- Texas Bar College Membership — Attorney
- Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys
- Mass Tort Trial Lawyers Association — The National Trial Lawyers
- American Association of Justice
- American Association of Justice — President’s Club Member
- American Association of Justice — Trucking Litigation Group
- American Association of Justice — Traumatic Brain Injury Group
- American Association of Justice — Motor Vehicle Collision Section
- American Association of Justice — Gulf Coast Oil Spill Litigation Group
Honors & Awards:
- Super Lawyers (Personal Injury) by Thomson-Reuters (2016 — Present)
- Rated AV® Preeminent™ — by Martindale-Hubbell® (2006— Present)
- Top 25 Brain Injury Trial by National Trial Lawyers (2017 — Present)
- Top Attorneys in Texas — Texas Monthly (2016 — Present)
- Top Houston Personal Injury Attorney — Houstonia Magazine (2015, 2016, 2018 — Present)
- The Best Lawyers in America (Litigation — Insurance) — Best Lawyers® (2024-2025)
- The Best Lawyers in America (Personal Injury Litigation — Plaintiffs) — Best Lawyers® (2024-2025)
- The Best Law Firm (Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation) — Best Lawyers® (2025)
- The Best Law Firm (Tier 2 for Personal Injury Litigation — Plaintiffs) — Best Lawyers® (2025)
- Number 1 Jury Verdict (Automotive Premises Liability) — Top Verdict (2023)
- Top 20 Jury Verdicts (Personal Injury) — Top Verdict (2023)
- Top 50 Jury Verdicts (All Practice Areas) — Top Verdict (2023)
- Top 100 Jury Verdicts (Wrongful Death) — Top Verdict (2023)
- Top 100 Jury Verdicts (All Practice Areas) — Top Verdict (2015, 2019)
- Top 100 Super Lawyers in Houston — Thomson-Reuters (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023)
- Super Lawyers — Rising Stars (Personal Injury) by Thomson-Reuters (2014 — 2015)
- Top 10 National Latino Trial Lawyers by National Trial Lawyers (2017 — Present)
- Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyers by National Trial Lawyers (2017 — Present)
- Top 40 Under 40 Injury Lawyers by National Trial Lawyers (2013 — 2016)
- Top 100 Trial Lawyer — by National Trial Lawyers (2011 — Present)
- Top 100 Trucking Trial Lawyers — The National Trial Lawyers (2018 — Present)
- Top 100 Lawyers by National Trial Lawyers (2015 — Present)
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum — by Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum (Life Member)
- Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum — by Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum (Life Member)
- Appellate Attorney of the Week — Texas Lawyer (2018)
- Elite Trial Lawyers — Consumer Protection Finalist — by The National Law Journal (2018)
- Nominee — Appellate Advocacy Award — by Pound Civil Justice Institute (2021)
- Best of Fort Bend — Fort Bend Independent (2023)
- The Best Readers’ Choice — Fort Bend Herald (2023)
- Readers’ Choice Winner — Fort Bend Star (2023)
Notable Appeals:
- In re Kristensen, 2014 WL 3778903, No. 14-14-00448-CV (Tex.App. – Houston [14th Dist.] July 31, 2014, no pet.)
- Blevins v. Pepper-Lawson Constr., L.P., 2016 WL 5942220, No. 01-15-00820-CV (Tex.App.— Houston [1st Dist.] Oct. 13, 2016, no pet.)
- In re N. Cypress Med. Ctr. Operating Co., Ltd., 559 S.W.3d 128 (Tex. 2018)
- In re Chris Kilmer and Del Rio Const. Servs., No. 05-20-00814-CV (Tex. App.—Dallas [5th Dist.] Apr. 7, 2021)
Why clients choose Amaro Law Firm
People turn to Amaro Law Firm because they want more than just a personal injury attorney: they want someone who will fight relentlessly for their rights, communicate clearly during their time of need, and care deeply about their case.
Clients trust James Amaro because he:
- Brings insider knowledge from both plaintiff and defense perspectives
- Has litigated some of the largest, most complex cases in recent U.S. history
- Treats every client with honesty, transparency, and dedication
Whether you’ve been hurt in a motor vehicle accident, injured on the job, or mistreated by an insurance company, R. James Amaro has the skill and firepower to help you fight back
Testimonials
“I highly recommend Amaro Law Firm for all your personal injury and truck wreck attorneys needs. They are the biggest help, and keep you informed all the way through the process! I am so satisfied with my overall experience!”
Marina Serrano
Satisfied Client
“The lawyers at Amaro Law Firm fight hard everyday for you and your case. They answer any questions you have and they do an amazing job at making sure you are taken care of. As soon as I handed my case over to them there was no doubt in my mind that I was in good hands.”
Kelsey Miller
Satisfied Client
“I highly recommend the Amaro Law firm. They have top notch lawyers and get big results. I’ve personally met James Amaro and he is passionate about his clients and has a lot of experience with wrongful death cases, trucking accidents, and car accidents.”
Ryan Sargent
Satisfied Client
“This is a very professional and strategic law firm. I recommend using this firm to anyone who has been hurt or wronged and needs guidance. Be sure to ask for Candace McCullough!! She is very detailed, friendly, and can get your case started with relative ease.”
Don P.
Satisfied Client
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