Western District of Texas
Xavier Rodriguez is a former Texas Supreme Court Justice and currently sits on the bench as a United States District Judge for the Western District of Texas. Born in San Antonio, Texas, he received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, a master’s degree from the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs, a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Texas Law School, and a Master of Laws in Judicial Studies from Duke University, Bolch Judicial Institute. Prior to assuming the bench, he was a partner in the international law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski (now known as Norton Rose Fulbright). He was board certified in labor and employment law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General’s Corps and has served on the board of directors of several charitable organizations across Texas. Judge Rodriguez is a frequent speaker on continuing legal education seminars and has authored numerous articles regarding employment law, discovery, and arbitration issues. He is the editor of Essentials of E-Discovery (TexasBarBooks 2d ed. 2021). He is a member of The Sedona Conference Judicial Advisory Board, the Georgetown Advanced E-Discovery Institute Advisory Board, the EDRM Global Advisory Council, and serves as the Distinguished Visiting Jurist-in-Residence and adjunct professor of law at the St. Mary’s University School of Law. He was elected to membership in the American Law Institute and is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and the Texas Bar Foundation. In 2011 he was awarded the Rosewood Gavel Award for outstanding judicial service from the St. Mary’s University School of Law. In 2017, he received the State Bar of Texas Gene Cavin Award for Excellence in CLE, recognizing his long-term contributions to continuing legal education. In 2021, he was presented the Texas Bar Foundation’s Samuel Pessarra Outstanding Jurist Award and the TexasBarCle’s Pat Nester Innovation in Professional Development Award. He is a Past Chair of the State Bar of Texas Litigation Section, Past Chair of the State Bar of Texas Labor and Employment Law Section and Past Chair of the State Bar of Texas Continuing Legal Education Committee.
Ever wonder what really impresses (or irritates) the judge during your hearings, filings, and courtroom appearances? In this candid panel, judges share their unfiltered insights on the do’s, don’ts, and please-never-agains they’ve seen from lawyers in their courtrooms. You’ll hear firsthand what makes for effective advocacy, professional conduct, and persuasive presentations – both in person […]
As artificial intelligence advances, the legal system faces increasing challenges in ensuring the authenticity of digital evidence. AI-generated deepfakes (manipulated images, videos, or audio) pose significant risks to the credibility of evidence presented in court. This session will explore strategies for detecting and mitigating the impact of deepfakes, including the use of forensic tools and […]