I am a native Houstonian, a 1963 graduate of Rice University, and a 1966 graduate of the University of Texas Law School. I do not come from a family of lawyers, and, unlike many of my colleagues, I chose law school as a way to find a career, as I wasn't sure what else to do with my degree in history. Shortly after I joined the law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P., an opening became available in the trial department. Almost immediately I was given my own docket of cases. For the more than 40 years since I started practicing, I have been fortunate to try well over 100 jury cases of all types, ranging from securities fraud to antitrust to bet-the-company contract disputes. I have been selected for fellowship in the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. Regardless of whether I was second-chairing a more experienced lawyer in my early days of practice, trying a justice of the peace court property damage claim as one of my early cases, or in court with nationally known trial lawyers opposing me, I learned valuable lessons from each case I tried. Lessons From the Courtroom is my way of imparting to law students, young lawyers, lawyers who have not have a chance to try many cases, and anyone else interested in how to try jury cases my thoughts on how to do it, illustrated by examples from cases I have won and cases I have lost. The friends and colleagues who have had a chance to read the book have given it rave reviews. One has even stated that: "It should be required reading for every first-year lawyer." I hope you will agree, and will recommend the book to your friends and colleagues.