Wallace B. Jefferson

Wallace B. Jefferson

Appellate Practice

4.0 (1 reviews)
Austin, Texas
37+ years experience
Alexander Dubose & Jefferson LLP
Updated:

Contact Information

100 Congress Avenue, Suite 1450, Austin, TX 78701
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Bio

Wallace B. Jefferson served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas prior to joining Alexander Dubose & Jefferson in 2013. Appointed to the Supreme Court in 2001 and named Chief Justice in 2004, Jefferson made Texas judicial history as the Court’s first African-American Justice and Chief Justice.He led the Court’s efforts to fund access to justice programs; helped reform juvenile justice; and inaugurated a statewide electronic filing system for Texas courts. During his time on the bench, Jefferson was elected President of the Conference of Chief Justices, an association of chief justices from the 50 states and U.S. territories.A graduate of the James Madison College at Michigan State University and The University of Texas School of Law, Jefferson is the namesake for Wallace B. Jefferson Middle School in San Antonio.He is the Treasurer of American Law Institute, Chair of the Texas Commission to Expand Civil Legal Services, and is a Fellow of the by-invitation-only American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. Jefferson is a member of the Texas Commission on Judicial Selection and serves on the Board of Advisors of the Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Judicial Selection Initiative. Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1993, Jefferson has twice won cases he argued in the Supreme Court of the United States.Jefferson has been honored with the 2014 Texas Center for Legal Ethics Chief Justice Jack Pope Professionalism Award, honoring a judge or attorney who personifies the highest standards of the legal profession; the 2014 Texas Appleseed J. Chrys Dougherty Good Apple Award because of his leadership in seeking equality for all Texans, especially the less fortunate; and the 2015 Anti-Defamation League Austin Jurisprudence Award, honoring an outstanding member of the legal community who exhibits a commitment to equality, justice, fairness, and community service. In 2016, he was honored with the Presidential Citation Award from The University of Texas. This award recognizes extraordinary contributions of individuals who personify the university’s commitment to transforming lives.He is listed in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Best Lawyers in America, and Texas Super Lawyers. Wallace B. Jefferson served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas prior to joining Alexander Dubose & Jefferson in 2013. Appointed to the Supreme Court in 2001 and named Chief Justice in 2004, Jefferson made Texas judicial history as the Court’s first African-American Justice and Chief Justice.He led the Court’s efforts to fund access to justice programs; helped reform juvenile justice; and inaugurated a statewide electronic filing system for Texas courts. During his time on the bench, Jefferson was elected President of the Conference of Chief Justices, an association of chief justices from the 50 states and U.S. territories.A graduate of the James Madison College at Michigan State University and The University of Texas School of Law, Jefferson is the namesake for Wallace B. Jefferson Middle School in San Antonio.He is the Treasurer of American Law Institute, Chair of the Texas Commission to Expand Civil Legal Services, and is a Fellow of the by-invitation-only American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. Jefferson is a member of the Texas Commission on Judicial Selection and serves on the Board of Advisors of the Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Judicial Selection Initiative. Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1993, Jefferson has twice won cases he argued in the Supreme Court of the United States.Jefferson has been honored with the 2014 Texas Center for Legal Ethics Chief Justice Jack Pope Professionalism Award, honoring a judge or attorney who personifies the highest standards of the legal profession; the 2014 Texas Appleseed J. Chrys Dougherty Good Apple Award because of his leadership in seeking equality for all Texans, especially the less fortunate; and the 2015 Anti-Defamation League Austin Jurisprudence Award, honoring an outstanding member of the legal community who exhibits a commitment to equality, justice, fairness, and community service. In 2016, he was honored with the Presidential Citation Award from The University of Texas. This award recognizes extraordinary contributions of individuals who personify the university’s commitment to transforming lives.He is listed in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Best Lawyers in America, and Texas Super Lawyers. Wallace B. Jefferson served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas prior to joining Alexander Dubose & Jefferson in 2013. Appointed to the Supreme Court in 2001 and named Chief Justice in 2004, Jefferson made Texas judicial history as the Court’s first African-American Justice and Chief Justice. He led the Court’s efforts to fund access to justice programs; helped reform juvenile justice; and inaugurated a statewide electronic filing system for Texas courts. During his time on the bench, Jefferson was elected President of the Conference of Chief Justices, an association of chief justices from the 50 states and U.S. territories. A graduate of the James Madison College at Michigan State University and The University of Texas School of Law, Jefferson is the namesake for Wallace B. Jefferson Middle School in San Antonio. He is the Treasurer of American Law Institute, Chair of the Texas Commission to Expand Civil Legal Services, and is a Fellow of the by-invitation-only American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. Jefferson is a member of the Texas Commission on Judicial Selection and serves on the Board of Advisors of the Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Judicial Selection Initiative. Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1993, Jefferson has twice won cases he argued in the Supreme Court of the United States. Jefferson has been honored with the 2014 Texas Center for Legal Ethics Chief Justice Jack Pope Professionalism Award, honoring a judge or attorney who personifies the highest standards of the legal profession; the 2014 Texas Appleseed J. Chrys Dougherty Good Apple Award because of his leadership in seeking equality for all Texans, especially the less fortunate; and the 2015 Anti-Defamation League Austin Jurisprudence Award, honoring an outstanding member of the legal community who exhibits a commitment to equality, justice, fairness, and community service. In 2016, he was honored with the Presidential Citation Award from The University of Texas. This award recognizes extraordinary contributions of individuals who personify the university’s commitment to transforming lives. He is listed in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Best Lawyers in America, and Texas Super Lawyers.

Practice Areas

Appellate Practice

Awards & Recognition

  • Lawyer of the Year: Appellate Practice, Austin (2026)
  • Lawyer of the Year: Appellate Practice, Austin (2023)
  • Recognized: Appellate Practice
  • Texan of the Year (2014), Texas Legislative Conference
  • Texas Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2015-2021
  • Best Lawyers in America, 2016-2021
  • Chief Justice Jack Pope Professionalism Award - Texas Center for Legal Ethics, 2014
  • J. Chrys Dougherty Good Apple Award - Texas Appleseed, 2014
  • Austin Jurisprudence Award - Anti-Defamation League, 2015
  • Presidential Citation Award - The University of Texas, 2016
  • Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business

Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2016

Education

  • The University of Texas, J.D., graduated 1988

Reviews

E

Edward Lee

2 weeks ago

A formidable advocate with deep appellate expertise

Our company retained Wallace Jefferson after a significant adverse judgment in a complex commercial dispute. The decision to bring in someone of his caliber was the best move we made. Having a former Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court dissect our case and craft the appellate brief was invaluable. His analysis was not just legally sound; it was strategic, drawing on his profound understanding of how appellate panels think. He pinpointed the precise procedural error the trial court made, framing it in a way that was both compelling and difficult for the opposing side to counter. His reputation in the legal community is well-earned, and we felt it lent immediate credibility to our position. The brief he produced was a masterclass in persuasive writing, and it clearly contributed to the appellate court's decision to reverse and remand. The only slight critique, and the reason for four instead of five stars, is that communication during the drafting process could occasionally lag by a day or two. Given his undoubtedly demanding caseload, this is understandable, but more consistent updates would have been ideal. For any matter requiring serious appellate firepower in Texas, Wallace Jefferson is an exceptional choice.

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