Bill Forteith

Described by colleagues as a "gym rat" in the courtroom, Bill Forteith still loves going into court and fighting for his clients in trial after almost forty years of exclusively practicing civil trial law. Trying hundreds of jury trials, his legal experience has literally gone from the cradle to the grave having represented clients involved in prenatal and neonatal care, daycare centers, nursing homes and even funeral homes. Yet trial work, such as automobile accidents and premises liability cases, excite him just as much as the more unusual cases. He believes that every client deserves the same passionate representation regardless of the nature or size of the case. Not only as Mr. Forteith been successful in trial court, he has distinguished himself in Texas appellate courts including appearances before the Texas Supreme Court, the highest court in the state. In Robinson v. Reliable Insurance Company, Findlay v. Cave and City of Grapevine v. Roberts he argued his clients' cases before the highest court in the state, the Supreme Court of Texas, and legal precedent was made. Recently Mr. Forteith was successful in getting the Dallas Court of Appeals to entirely reverse a trial court decision allowing his client to obtain a fair result in his slip and fall case. This case was the first complete reversal of a premises liability case in the Dallas Court of Appeals in decades. With the Supreme Court denying review, he has made law that benefits Texans.

Mr. Forteith was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1974 and is admitted to practice in the Federal District Courts for the Northern District in the State of Texas. A lifelong resident of the Dallas-Ft. Worth area he received his Bachelor's degree (Government & History double major) from Austin College in Sherman, Texas in 1971. In December, 1973 Mr. Forteith earned his Doctorate of Jurisprudence from Southern Methodist University. Mr. Forteith has been a civil trial lawyer since entering practice and has been representing his clients' interests in the courtroom for almost four decades. . Having tried cases on both sides of the docket, Mr. Forteith has a tremendous insight into how insurance companies fight the claims of injured persons which helps clients maximize their recovery. He believes in giving his client a forthright assessment of facts and the law which enables the client to make an informed decision regarding the disposition of the case. Mr. Forteith is based in our Dallas office and handles trials throughout Texas.