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Cesar Tavares PARTNER

A Trial Lawyer in the Top Fraction of a Percent
Of the roughly 1.3 million active attorneys in the United States, the vast majority will never take a case to a jury verdict—let alone secure a seven-figure result. Most personal injury cases settle quietly, often for modest sums. Lawyers who consistently win multi-million-dollar jury verdicts across diverse practice areas represent a vanishingly small fraction of the profession. Cesar Tavares is one of them.

With over a dozen jury verdicts exceeding $1 million, two Top 10 Verdicts in Texas in a single year, and dozens of seven- and eight-figure settlements totaling well over $100 million in recoveries for his clients, Cesar’s track record places him in elite company among trial lawyers nationwide.

Why These Numbers Matter
Insurance companies and corporate defendants track which attorneys actually go to trial—and which ones don’t. They know that most lawyers will accept a lowball settlement rather than face the risk, expense, and pressure of a courtroom. That calculus changes entirely when the attorney on the other side has a proven record of winning at trial. Cesar’s extensive verdict history is not just a list of accomplishments—it is leverage that directly benefits every client he represents, because defendants know he will follow through.

From Mexico City to Harvard Law
Cesar’s willingness to go the distance for his clients comes as no surprise to the people who know him. He was born in Mexico City and immigrated to the United States as a young child. He became the first person in his family to graduate from college—earning his associate’s degree from Utah Valley University in 2003, then graduating cum laude from Brigham Young University just two years later with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. He achieved all of this while caring for his family and working full-time.

He went on to attend Harvard Law School, where he once again graduated cum laude in 2009. The same determination that carried him from Mexico City to Cambridge now drives his relentless advocacy for injured workers, families, and individuals across the country.

Practice Focus
Cesar has been with Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP since 2017, focusing his practice on personal injury, product liability, trucking litigation, and maritime/Jones Act cases. He has been practicing law since 2009 and has achieved remarkable success both before and after joining the firm.

Whether representing an individual severely burned by a defective propane tank, a worker catastrophically injured at a Union Pacific train yard, or a family that lost a loved one in a construction crane accident, Cesar brings the same intensity and preparation to every case. His clients are not case numbers—they are people whose lives have been upended, and he fights accordingly.

Landmark Results
The following are selected highlights from a career of over 100 successful outcomes:

Jury Verdicts

  • $17.5 million — Work injury resulting in CRPS
  • $6.5 million — Wrongful death resulting from a trucking accident
  • $5 million — In-trial settlement after cross-examination of expert witnesses
  • $2.9 million — Offshore company that failed to maintain its equipment, injuring a worker
  • $2 million — Individual left behind by greyhound driver who was hit by passing vehicle
  • $2.31 million — Company vehicle driver who ran a red light, causing a fractured sternum
  • $1.75 million — Manufacturer of a defective drug
  • $1.58 million — Injuries sustained during oil well drilling operations
  • $1.075 million — Worker injured at a Union Pacific train yard

Major Settlements

  • $25 million — Individual injured in an oil and gas incident
  • $14 million — Client injured in an oil and gas accident
  • $10 million — Family of an individual killed in a crane accident
  • $10 million — Family that lost a loved one in a trucking accident
  • $8.25 million — Mother who lost a son in an accident near her home
  • $6 million — Individual burned in an industrial accident
  • $5 million — Family member of individual killed in a work incident
  • $3.995 million — Seaman who contracted an infection aboard a vessel, losing his leg

These represent only a fraction of Cesar’s results. A comprehensive list of case outcomes, including fees and expenses, is available upon request.

Professional Recognition

Professional Associations

  • American Association for Justice
  • Houston Trial Lawyers Association
  • Texas Trial Lawyers Association
  • Mexican-American Bar Association of Houston
  • Oklahoma Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • Harvard Law School — Juris Doctorate, cum laude, 2009
  • Brigham Young University — Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, cum laude, 2005
  • Utah Valley University — Associate of Science, with high honors, 2003

Cesar is licensed to practice in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania, as well as in federal district courts across the country and before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. This broad jurisdictional reach allows him to represent clients in complex, multi-state litigation.

Bar Admissions

  • Oklahoma, 2009
  • Texas, 2014
  • Louisiana, 2015
  • Pennsylvania, 2016

Court Admissions

  • United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
  • United States District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Cesar is a sought-after speaker on trial strategy, frequently presenting to fellow attorneys on topics including Jones Act litigation, negotiation techniques, developing case themes, trucking litigation best practices, voir dire strategy, and addressing non-economic damages at trial. Cesar’s results have earned him the respect of lawyers and adjusters on the other side of the aisle. In fact, he was recently he was asked to speak to the defense bar at the Trucking Insurance Defense Association’s annual meeting in front of over 500 defense attorneys and insurance professionals.

Speaking Engagements

  • In Defense of Objective Moral Truth, Tulsa College of Law, 2011
  • CLE Presentation, Jones Act 101, August 2017
  • CLE Mexican American Bar Association: Best Practices and Special Issues Representing Hispanic/Latino Personal Injury Clients, September 2017
  • CLE Houston Bar Association, Putting Together a Stellar Trucking Case, August 2018
  • CLE Presentation, Addressing Non-Economic Damages, November 2019
  • Legal Grounds Presentation, Negotiating for Top Dollar, July 2020
  • CLE MABAH, Developing Your Case Theme for Trial, April 2023

Trial and Arbitration:

  • $7,500,000 jury verdict against Blue Rhino. The judge remitted the damages to $2,300,000 which the client accepted. Blue Rhino would not pay the smaller amount and appealed. A Fifth Circuit Court of appeals panel reversed the verdict despite a strongly worded dissenting opinion. The court reasoned that the part that was said to be defective, the face seal, might have been affected by contaminants or might have weathered while awaiting purchase for six months despite being covered by a blue dust cap. Cesar is pursuing a similar claim against Blue Rhino in Arizona and will allege, consistent with Blue Rhino’s claims to the Fifth Circuit, that Blue Rhino is not properly protecting the face seal given the need to ship the containers and store them outside.
  • $6.5 million jury verdict in a trucking accident that resulted in a wrongful death
  • In trial settlement for $5,000,000 after cross-examination of expert witnesses and most testimony
  • $2.9 million jury verdict against an offshore company that failed to maintain its equipment injuring my client
  • $2,310,000 jury verdict against the driver of a company vehicle who ran a red-light causing client to suffer a fractured sternum
  • $1.75 million jury verdict against the manufacturer of a defective drug
  • $1.58 million jury verdict for injuries resulting from an accident that occurred while drilling an oil well
  • $1,197,201 arbitration award for client that suffered severe laceration to lower extremity while operating a forklift at work
  • $1,075,000 jury verdict for an individual injured back while working at a Union Pacific train yard
  • $950,000 jury verdict in an incident involving faulty power equipment
  • $900,000 jury verdict against Tyson chicken for a shoulder injury an employee suffered when he slipped on ice that was negligently dropped on the floor
  • $825,000 jury verdict when a minor broke his leg riding a slide at a waterpark
  • $480,000 jury verdict for an individual that was injured when a jeep wrangler ran a red light
  • $445,581.62 arbitration award on a non-subscriber work injury where person fell and injured back
  • $360,000 jury verdict for a second degree burn on an ankle resulting from a faulty oven (pre-trial offer was $20,000)
  • $300,000 arbitration award for an individual that was injured by equipment at work
  • $185,000 jury verdict for an individual rear-ended on the freeway with very little medical treatment
  • $145,000 jury verdict for an individual that suffered for an individual in a car crash with very little medical treatment
  • A favorable settlement just before closing arguments on a case where the judge indicated he saw his first “Perry Mason Moment” during cross examination when I was able to get witness to admit he was lying under oath

Through settlement:

  • A $25,000,000.00 settlement for an individual that was injured in an oil and gas incident. (Fees and expenses: $10,119,777.08
  • A $14,000,000 settlement for a client injured in an oil and gas accident (fees and expenses: $4,768,847.56)
  • A $10,000,000 settlement for the family of an individual that was killed in a crane accident (fees and expenses: $3,335,199.75)
  • A $10,000,000 settlement for a family that lost a loved one in a trucking accident (fees and expenses $4,651,972.97)
  • An $8,250,000 settlement for a mother who lost a son in an accident near her home. (fees and expenses $3,367,465.42)
  • A $6,000,000 settlement for an individual that was burned in an industrial accident (fees and expenses $1,913.809.10)
  • $5,000,000.00 settlement for family member of individual killed in a work incident (Fees and expenses: 2,020,169.26)
  • A $3,995,000 settlement for a seaman that contracted an infection aboard a vessel that caused him to lose his leg (fees and expenses $1,759,960.44)
  • $3,950,000.00 settlement for an individual severely injured while at work (fees and expenses: $1,238,908.05)
  • A $3,250,000 settlement for a family that lost a loved one due to a defective power tool (fees and expenses $1,376,179.99)
  • A $2,250,000.00 settlement for an individual that was injured when debris fell from a commercial vehicle (Fees and expenses: $961,391)
  • A $2,250,000.00 settlement for an individual who seriously injured their back in a crash with a commercial vehicle (Fees and expenses: $929,818)
  • A $2,200,000.00 settlement for an individual that suffered injuries from being side-swiped by an 18-wheeler (Fees and expenses: $1,071,857)
  • A $2,000,000 settlement (insurance policy limits) for a family that lost a loved one when a truck failed to yield at a stop sign (fees and expenses $767,773.87)
  • A $1,750,000 settlement on behalf of an offshore worker that injured his shoulder while working with a defective winch (fees and expenses $781,792.25)
  • A $1,700,000 settlement for a family whose sole provider was seriously injured in a commercial vehicle crash (fees and expenses $422,740K)
  • A $1,616,666 settlement (exhausting insurance) for a family that lost a loved in in an accident with an 18-wheeler (fees and expenses $468,804.63)
  • A $1,610,000.00 settlement for a family whose loved one was injured in an accident in a work zone (Fees and expenses $765,046)
  • A $1,600,000 settlement on behalf of a client for lower back injuries after being rear-ended by an 18-wheeler (Fees and expenses $680,307.59)
  • A $1,550,000.00 settlement for an individual that injured his back when he was side-swiped by an 18-wheeler (Fees and expenses: $650,922)
  • A $1,500,000 settlement for a client that received burns with complications when using a defective product (Fees and expenses $707,860.58)
  • A $1,500,000.00 settlement for an individual that injured a hand when she was hit by a inattentive commercial vehicle operator (Fees and expenses $611,265.57)
  • Another $1,500,000.00 settlement for an individual that suffered burns when fire was emitted from a defective product (Fees and expenses: $654,167)
  • A $1,400,000.00 settlement for individual that suffered a shoulder injury when side-swiped by an 18-wheeler (Fees and expenses $594,703)
  • A $1,350,000 settlement on behalf of a client who suffered a neck injury as a passenger in a shuttle service where the driver of the shuttle was distracted and rear-ended another vehicle (fees and expenses ~$590,000)
  • A $1,250,000 settlement in an accident involving two commercial vehicles (fees and expenses $470,943.63)
  • A $1,250,000.00 settlement on behalf of an individual that was injured while working on an elevated surface that became unstable (Fees and expenses: $582,066)
  • A $1,225,000 settlement for an individual that was injured while operating a vehicle on an oil and gas well site (Fees and expenses: $560,013.92)
  • A $1,200,000.00 settlement for an individual that was rear-ended by a passenger vehicle on company business (Fees and expenses: $452.210)
  • A $1,150,000.00 settlement for an individual who suffered a back injury as a longshoreman (Fees and expenses: $482,213.38)
  • A $1,112,500.00 settlement for an individual that suffered a hip injury while working for a non-subscriber employer (Fees and expenses $476,800.84)
  • A $1,000,000.00 policy limits settlement for an individual who suffered injuries in a crash.  Client was alleged to have been intoxicated at the time of the crash.  (Fees and expenses: $468,018.52)
  • $1,000,000.00 policy limits settlement for individual who injured knee in oilfield incident (fees and expenses: $345,624.50)
  • A $975,000.00 settlement for individual who crashed into improperly parked vehicle (Fees and expenses: $445,272)
  • A $950,000.00 settlement for an individual that injured their back in a car crash with a commercial vehicle (Fees and expenses $396,615.70)
  • A $950,000 settlement for an offshore worker that fell into the cellar of a well because there was inadequate space to stand (Fees and expenses $479.777.12)
  • A $935,000.00 settlement for the family member of an individual who suffered terminal injuries in a fire (Fees and expenses: $452,334.29)
  • A $925,000.00 settlement for an individual injured while working as a longshoreman (Fees and expenses: $366,113)
  • An $860,000.00 settlement for an individual that suffered injuries as a passenger on a paid trip (Fees and expenses: $374,347)
  • $850,000.00 settlement for an individual that was hit by an 18-wheeler (Fees and expenses: $358,867)
  • An $825,000 settlement for a seaman who suffered injuries in a boat collision (Fees and expenses $372,231.28)
  • An $800,000 settlement for an individual that suffered back and neck injuries when he was in an auto accident caused by a large commercial vehicle (fees and expenses $345,583.71)
  • An $800,000.00 settlement for an individual that injured his back when he was hit by a work truck  (Fees and expenses $348,594)
  • An $800,000.00 settlement for an individual that was injured when he fell at work (Fees and expenses: $289,694)
  • A $750,000 settlement plus payment of significant past medical bills for an offshore worker that was injured when an improperly stored engine part fell on his hand (Fees and expenses ~$350,000)
  • A $750,000.00 settlement for an individual injured in an accident with an 18-whheler (Fees and expenses: $326,318.32)
  • A $700,000.00 settlement for a family that was t-boned by a commercial vehicle. (Fees and expenses: $314,090.52)
  • A $545,000 settlement for a couple that was injured when an 18-wheeler turned left in front of their vehicle (Fees and expenses ~$248,000)
  • A $700,000 settlement for an individual who was side-swiped by an 18-wheeler (Fees and expenses: $303,825.70)
  • A $500,000 settlement for a woman that suffered a back injury when she was operating a bus and hit by an 18-wheeler (Fees and expenses $211,982.58)
  • A $462,500 settlement for an individual injured when she was side-swiped by an 18-wheeler (Fees and expenses: $209,715)
  • A $450,000 settlement for an individual who received a concussion with post-concussive symptoms following a motor vehicle accident. (Fees and expenses
  • A $430,000 settlement for a longshoreman who slipped on an icy ship and injured his back (Fees and expenses ~$222,000)
  • A $412,500.00 settlement for an individual injured when rear-ended by a commercial truck (Fees and expenses $159,657.59)
  • A $412,500.00 settlement for an individual injured in a car crash. (Fees and expenses: $180,516)
  • A $410,000 settlement for an individual that was in a side-swipe collision with an 18-wheeler.  Client injured his lower back. 18-wheeler driver claimed my client side-swiped 18-wheeler  (Fees and expenses $195,866.74)
  • A $400,000.00 settlement for an individual injured by defective medication (Fees and expenses: $194,853.93)
  • A $400,000 settlement for an 18-wheeler driver that was injured when the operator of another 18-wheeler lost control of his vehicle and side-swiped client (Fees and expenses ~$275,000)
  • A $395,000.00 settlement for an individual who hurt his back in a car accident (Fees and expenses $163,451.)
  • A $390,000.00 settlement for an individual injured from a home defect (Fees and expenses: $195,425.49)
  • A $387,500.00 settlement for an individual injured in a motor vehicle crash (Fees and expenses $173,347)
  • A $387,500.00 settlement for an individual that injured his foot when he was cut-off by an 18-wheeler (Fees and expenses $193,750)
  • A $375,000.00 settlement for an individual who was injured when he was side-swiped by a garbage truck (Fees and expenses: $163,407.50)
  • A $375,000.00 settlement for an individual that was burned by a defective product (Fees and expenses: $175,000)
  • A $360,000 settlement for a client that was rear-ended by an 18-wheeler (fees and expenses ~$174,000)
  • A $350,000 settlement for an individual that suffered a shoulder injury working as a Longshoremen (fees and expenses $142,482.21)
  • A $350,000.00 settlement for an individual injured in a crash with an 18-wheeler (Fees and expenses: $142,688.98
  • A $340,000.00 settlement for an individual injured in a car crash  (Fees and expenses: $150,690)
  • $320,000.00 for an individual who was injured in an auto accident (Fees and expenses $87,411.21)
  • A $312,500.00 settlement for an individual injured in a lifting incident at work (Fees and expenses $156,250)
  • A $310,000 settlement for an individual that suffered a leg injury when she was walking in a parking lot and was hit by a vehicle due to poor parking lot planning (Fees and expenses $133,490)
  • A $300,000.00 settlement for an individual in an auto accident at a four-way stop. (Fees and expenses: $124,852.62)
  • A $285,000 settlement for an individual that suffered an eye injury working on a fishing vessel (Fees and expenses $123,988.36)
  • A $275,000 settlement for an individual who suffered a hand-injury during an oil and gas work project (Fees and expenses $137,500)
  • A $275,000 settlement for an individual that was rear-ended by a commercial vehicle (Fees and expenses: $111,489.50)
  • A $275,000.00 settlement for an individual that was injured in a fall at work. (Fees and expenses: $137,500)
  • A $275,000.00 settlement for an individual injured in a car crash (Fees and expenses: $113,040)
  • A $250,000 settlement for an individual injured in an industrial accident (Fees and expenses $106,881.00)
  • A $250,000 settlement for an individual that suffered a concussion when she was hit by a commercial vehicle (Fees and expenses $110,421.94)
  • A $250,000.00 settlement for an individual who was in an accident with a commercial vehicle (Fees and expenses: $105,576.29)
  • A $250,000.00 for an individual injured in a car crash (Fees and expenses: $104,416)
  • A $250,000.00 settlement for an individual that crashed into a vehicle that ran a stop sign (Fees and expenses: $123,852.25)
  • A $243,033.00 settlement for an individual who was in an accident with an 18-wheeler (Fees and expenses: $100,251.49)
  • A $225,000.00 settlement for an individual who was injured when he fell at work (Fees and expenses: $112,500 total)
  • A for an individual hurt while operating an 18-wheeler in a crash with another 18-wheeler (Fees and expenses $91,131.45)
  • A $215,000.00 settlement for an individual who was in an auto accident with a commercial vehicle (Fees and expenses: $107,499)
  • $190,000 settlement for an individual injured in a car crash (Fees and expenses: 62,049.27)
  • A $187,500.00 settlement for an individual injured in a car crash (Fees and expenses: $81,309)
  • A $185,000.00 settlement for an individual injured in a car crash (Fees and expenses $79,431)
  • A $175,000.00 settlement for an individual that injured his shoulder in a car crash (Fees and expenses: $74,542.60)
  • A $175,000.00 settlement for an individual injured in a car crash (Fees and expenses: $73,000)
  • A $160,001.00 settlement for an individual injured in a car crash (Fees and expenses $70,784)
  • A $150,000.00 settlement for an individual who suffered injuries in a car crash (Fees and expenses: $63,557)
  • A $145,000.00 settlement for individual injured by malfunctioning product (Fees and expenses $61,611.10)
  • A $125,000.00 settlement for an individual injured in a car crash (Fees and expenses $53,874.28)
  • A $105,000.00 settlement for an individual injured in a car crash  (Fees and expenses $45,798)
  • Personal Injury
  • Trucking Litigation
  • Products Liability
  • Maritime/Jones Act