John Kim

Houston, Texas

phone 713-522-1177

888-477-1319

phone 713-522-1177

888-477-1319

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John H. Kim is a seasoned, respected civil trial lawyer who handles high-stakes litigation for international corporations and the most important case of their lives for individuals who have been injured by others. He practices in Texas, nationwide and internationally.

He has been named a Best Lawyer in America in the Commercial Litigation category by his peers. Recent past president of the Houston chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), elected nationally to be a trustee of the ABOTA Foundation and he was named 2018 Trial Lawyer of the Year by Texas ABOTA. He is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization – Personal Injury and he has the highest rating of AV Preeminent in the national Martindale–Hubbell legal directory. He also has been named to the Texas Super Lawyers list since it was first published in 2003 and named by that group as one of the Top 100 attorneys in Houston since 2013 and a Top 100 lawyer in Texas in 2015. And he was named a Benchmark Litigation Litigation Star 2013-2022, 2023-2024, for accomplishments in general commercial litigation cases, as well as personal injury and product liability claims.

The firm Mr. Kim has created has been honored as a 2025 Best Law Firm by U.S. News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America. That honor was for Tier 1 in commercial litigation in the Houston metropolitan area. The firm also has been on a list of recommended national law firms for several years by Benchmark Litigation, a peer-review guide to leading U.S. lawyers and law firms.

Mr. Kim has handled complex business and civil cases for businesses and individuals, including energy-sector litigation, antitrust, breach of contract and trademark cases. He also has handled many product liability, pharmaceutical and catastrophic injury/death trials, in addition to being appointed to MDL committees and as Class Action Counsel.

He received his J.D. from South Texas College of Law, where he was an ABA National Moot Court Champion, a member of the law review and received multiple honors, including Phi Delta Phi, Order of Lytae and Order of Barristers. He earned his B.B.A. in International Marketing from the University of Texas.

Mr. Kim is a member of the Planning Committee of the Center for Legal Responsibility, Texas Bar Foundation – Life Fellow, Texas Trial Lawyers Association Board of Directors, Houston Trial Lawyers – Board of Directors, Asian-American Bar Association – Board of Directors, and State Bar Grievance Committee. In 2021, he was appointed to the Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee and also elected by Members of the American Board of Trial Advocates Foundation (ABOTA) to serve as its 2021 national vice president. He also is a Moot Court Adviser for South Texas College of Law and a member in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and a Platinum Member of The Verdict Club. He earned selection to the “Who’s Who in Energy” list of energy industry leaders in seven major U.S. cities in 2012-2014.

He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and admitted to practice before the U.S. Federal Courts of Appeal for the 5th and 7th circuits, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Mr. Kim has been active in causes he cares about. He participated in the tort reform fight in the Texas Legislature and testified for the Autism Society of Texas on the impact of proposed legislation regarding autistic children. He has also been involved in the proposed federal legislation surrounding the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

Click here to read the Houston Business Journal interview with Houston trial attorney John Kim.

Business & Commercial Litigation
Complex Business Litigation
Consumer Protection
Contracts
Oil & Gas Litigation
Nursing Home
Intellectual Property Law
Patents
Trademarks
Litigation & Appeals
Mergers & Acquisitions
Wrongful Death – Defense
Personal Injury – Plaintiff
Motor Vehicle Accidents – Plaintiff
Products Liability
Medical Malpractice
Railroad Worker Injury/FELA
Securities Law
Aviation
Wrongful Death
Catastrophic Personal Injury
Consumer Fraud
Commercial Anti-Trust
Medical Device Liability
Pharmaceutical Liability

Personal Injury, Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Texas, 1992
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas
U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
U.S. Court of Federal Claims
U.S. Supreme Court

South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas, 1992, J.D.
Honors: Phi Delta Phi Academic Honor Fraternity
Honors: Order of Lytae Academic Honor Fraternity
Honors: Order of Barristers
Honors: ABA National Moot Court Champion
Law Review: South Texas College of Law, Law Review

University of Texas, Austin, Texas, 1983, B.B.A.
Honors: Phi Eta Sigma Academic Honor Fraternity
Honors: Alpha Lamda Delta Academic Honor Fraternity
Major: International Business
Major: Marketing

“Video Voir Dire to Verdict,” Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association – Annual Seminar

“Winning with the Masters – Voir Dire,” Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association, 1991

“Voir Dire,” South Texas College of Law – Automobile Injury Litigation, 1992

“Voir Dire Skills & Methodology,” Texas College of Trial Advocacy – 15th Annual Civil Trial Advocacy Course, 1992

“Practice Note: Subsequent Remedial Measures,” Gallagher, Texas Torts & Remedies

“Handling Product Liability Cases Prior to Filing Suit,” Florida Trial Lawyers Association – Seventh Annual Workhorse Seminar, 1993

“Complex Settlement Negotiations and the Impact of Contribution,” San Antonio Trial Lawyers Association – Fine-Tuning Techniques – The Trial Edge, 1993

“Proving Difficult Damages,” University of Houston Law Foundation – Medical Device & Pharmaceutical Litigation, 1994

“Trial Practice & Procedure – Cross and Direct Examination,” Houston Bar Association Institute, 1994

“Cross Examination in a Products Case,” Texas Trial Lawyers Association – Advanced Products Liability, 1994

“Advanced Civil Discovery – Discovery and Automation,” University of Houston Law Foundation, 1994

“Advanced Civil Discovery – Discovery and Automation,” Center for Legal Education, 1994

“How Tactics Have Changed with New Laws for Joint and Several Liability, Punitive Damages and Medical Malpractice Reform,” Texas Trial Lawyers Association – 7th Annual Medical Malpractice Conference, 1996

“Burdens of Tort Reform,” University of Houston, 1997

“A New Paradigm for Reducing Complex Litigation Costs and Increasing Profitability: Law-Based Case Management,” Harris County Judicial Education Conference, Harris County District Court Judges CLE Program, 2009

“How Forest Oil Affects Schlumberger and Disclaimers of Reliance in Texas,” Harris County Judicial Education Conference, 2010

2018 Trial Lawyer of the Year by Texas ABOTA

Best Lawyer in America, Commercial Litigation, 2016- 2024

Martindale–Hubbell AV Rated

Texas Super Lawyers, 2003-2023

Texas Super Lawyers Top 100 lawyers in Houston, 2013 – 2023

Texas Super Lawyers Top 100 lawyers in Texas, 2015 – 2023

Benchmark Litigation Litigation Star, 2013 – 2022

International Who’s Who of Professionals

“Who’s Who in Energy” list of energy industry leaders in seven major U.S. cities in 2012-2014

Life Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation

Life Fellow, Houston Bar Association

American Bar Association
State Bar of Texas, State Bar Grievance Committee
Trustee of the national American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) Foundation, 2017 – 2019
President, ABOTA, Houston Chapter, 2012
National Vice President of the American Board of Trial Advocates Foundation, 2021
Member, Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee
Texas Young Lawyers Association, Star Mentor Program
American Association for Justice
Board of Directors, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, 1994–96
Vice Chair – Political, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, 1997
Fundraising Committee, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, 1997
Legislative Team Tort Reform, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, 2003
Board of Directors, Houston Trial Lawyers Association, 1994–96
Board of Directors, Asian-American Bar Association, 1996–97
Southern Trial Lawyers Association, 2004
The Million Dollar Advocates Forum, 2005
Co-Chair, Executive Committee, Petitioner’s Steering Committee for the Autism Omnibus Proceedings, 2001–07
Board of Directors, Center for Hearing and Speech
South Texas College of Law, Alumni Association
Budget Committee, South Texas College of Law
Various Fund-Raising Committees, South Texas College of Law
Center for Legal Responsibility Planning Committee, South Texas College of Law
Platinum Member, The Verdict Club
Texas Irish Lawyers Association

Gallagher, Lewis, Downey & Kim, 1999–2003

The Steidley–Kim Law Firms, 1996–99

Fisher, Gallagher & Lewis, L.L.P., 1992–96