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Sandra G. Rodriguez

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Rodriguez, Sandra G.

Biography
Sandra handles a variety of civil appellate matters in state and federal court. Her practice entails drafting appellate briefs and mandamus petitions in cases involving various tort law and commercial law issues. A significant portion of Sandra’s practice also involves acting as appellate liaison counsel in significant litigation matters in both state and federal court. As appellate counsel in the trial court, Sandra has extensive experience in preparing and arguing pre-trial and trial motions, preserving error during trial in both state and federal court, preparing jury charges and handling jury charge conferences and jury charge objections, and in preparing and arguing post-trial and post-verdict motions. Sandra also has significant experience with obtaining and managing pretrial coordination of mass litigation, including pretrial coordination pursuant to Texas state multi-district litigation procedure.


Representative Experience
Appellate Matters
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  • Obtained in two successive appeals to the U.S Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, as member of appellate team, complete affirmance of order from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas dismissing patent case filed against telecommunications company 
  • Obtained, in the Eastland Court of Appeals, as member of appellate team, reversal of certain dismissal conditions contained in forum non conveniens dismissal order 
  • Obtained, in Houston Court of Appeals, affirmance of portion of summary judgment order that dismissed design defect products liability claim against pharmaceutical manufacturer 
Appellate Liaison in Trial Court in Significant Litigation
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  • Represents tire manufacturer in significant mass tort products liability litigation in Texas state and federal courts, preserving error in a variety of capacities, including preparation of pretrial dispositive and expert motions, handling jury charge, and preservation of error during trial; appellate liaison to trial team in the courtroom in the first case tried in the country, and several subsequent trials; over nine years experience in managing error preservation aspects of this litigation
  • Represented pharmaceutical manufacturer of prescription medication withdrawn from the market in significant mass tort products liability litigation in Texas state and federal courts as appellate liaison counsel; appellate liaison to trial team in the first cases to begin trial in Texas state courts, in the first case tried to verdict in federal court, and several other cases; ten years experience in managing error preservation aspects of this litigation
  • Appellate liaison to trial teams in state and federal cases involving variety of issues, including products liability, contractual and other commercial disputes, personal injury, torts, legal malpractice, and patent law
Multi-District Litigation and Class Action
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  • Principal architect of pretrial coordination of mass tort litigation pursuant to Rules 11 and 13 of the Texas Rules of Judicial Administration in tire and automobile rollover litigation; efforts resulted in the first de facto statewide coordination in Texas, before statewide coordination was authorized by current Rule 13; over nine years experience in managing the coordination of this litigation
  • Representing one of the nation’s largest railroads in multiple putative class actions and individual toxic tort actions arising out of train derailment
  • Principal drafter of motions for pretrial coordination of litigation involving over-the-counter medication subsequently withdrawn from the market
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Education and Professional Background
  • The University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 1994
  • The University of Texas, B.A. Government, 1991
  • Admitted to practice: Texas, 1994; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas 
Professional Recognition
  • "Texas Rising Star," Texas Monthly, 2004 and 2005
Activities and Affiliations
  • Member: Federal Bar Association; Mexican American Bar Association; Austin Bar Association; Hispanic Bar Association of Austin; Texas Women Lawyers; Travis County Women Lawyers Association; United States Supreme Court Historical Society; Texas Supreme Court Historical Society; Texas Judicial Foundation Board of Directors
Publications and Presentations
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  • Primary or co-author of a number of publications involving appellate and litigation topics, written for a variety of audiences
  • Frequent presenter at appellate and civil trial seminars on a variety of appellate and litigation-related topics
  • "Appealing Summary Judgments in Texas," State Bar of Texas, Appellate Boot Camp, 2007


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Sandra G. Rodriguez
Partner
2801 Via Fortuna
Suite 100
Austin, TX 78746-7568

Tel  +1.512.542.8631
Fax  +1.512.236.3279
srodriguez@velaw.com

Industries/Practices
Appellate

Mass Torts

Products Liability