Jeff Kearney
Founder
Jeff Kearney is a Hall of Fame Texas trial legend. With over 35 years of experience in both federal and state court, Jeff represents clients in investigations and prosecutions ranging from complex federal fraud allegations to the most serious state court offenses.
The Kearney Law Firm is a boutique criminal law practice. Jeff has decided to concentrate his practice on fewer clients, which allows him to focus on the nuances of each case and to provide the most effective representation to each client. Jeff works with the best investigators, experts, and trial consultants to assure each client receives the individualized attention necessary to achieve the best possible result.
Jeff is often sought out by other criminal defense lawyers to add him to their client’s defense team and by civil law firms with clients who find themselves in need of competent, high quality criminal representation. Additionally, it is not uncommon for judges or other lawyers to call on Jeff to represent their family members and friends.
Jeff regularly represents corporations, executives, business owners, elected officials, physicians, pharmacists, healthcare professionals, religious leaders, college and professional athletes, professional sports teams, law enforcement officers, and even other lawyers. Jeff can be found representing the accused in prosecutions ranging from one of the Branch Davidians in federal court in San Antonio to a New Orleans police officer in a post-Katrina civil rights prosecution in federal court in Louisiana—or from a bribery prosecution of an elected official in federal court in east Texas to a neurosurgeon accused of child abuse in state court in Fort Worth.
Kearney was honored by his peers in 2015 with induction into the:
Texas Criminal Defense
Lawyers Association
Hall of Fame
Fort Worth Business Press | April 2022
ATTORNEY JEFF KEARNEY:
WINNING CASES,
MAKING FRIENDS
Jeff is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is prominently listed in:
– Best Lawyers in America, White Collar Law (BL Rankings), 1991-present
– Texas Super Lawyers (a Thompson Reuter service), 2003-present
– The Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers (Lexis Nexis Martindale Hubbell), 2009-present
Jeff is often asked to share his knowledge and experience with other criminal defense lawyers by participating as an organizer, course director, or teacher at intensive trial practice courses such as:
– Center for American and International Law Trial Skills Program (co-course director, presenter, and teacher) 2008 to 2019
– Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Project Trial Advocacy Institute (presenter, teacher) 1997 to 2020
– Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association Federal Short Course (co-course director, presenter)
– State Bar of Texas Advanced Criminal Law Course (course director)
Kearney has lectured on the following topics and presented at seminars in the following areas:
– “Witnesses, Opinions and Expert Testimony,” at the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Educational Institute Seminars,
– “Witnesses, Opinions, Testimony, Relevancy,” at the State Bar of Texas Advanced Criminal Law Course, and at the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association’s State and Federal Short Course,
– “Taking the Fifth,” at the State Bar of Texas Advanced Consumer Bankruptcy Course,
– “Jury Selection,” at the State Bar of Texas Advanced Criminal Law Course,
– “Cross-Examination of the Government’s Main Witness,” at the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Associations The Zen of Winning Seminar,
– “Cross-Examination,” at the State Bar of Texas Advanced Criminal Law Course,
– “Pre-Trial Motions,” at the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Associations Federal Law Short Course,
– “Cross-Examination,” at the State Bar of Texas Advanced Criminal Law Course,
– “Top 10 Tips for Winning Your Case in Jury Selection,” at the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association’s Winter/Spring Seminar,
– “How to Conduct a Meaningful and Effective 30-Minute Voir Dire in a Criminal Case,” at the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association Trial Skills Seminar,
– “Top Ten Tips for Winning Your Case in Jury Selection,” at the Lubbock Criminal Defense Lawyers Association Top Ten Seminar,
– “Developing the Theory of the Case in Voir Dire and Opening Statements,” at the Criminal Defense Lawyers Project’s Developing the Theory of the Case Seminar Series,
– “Opening Statements: You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a First Impression,” at the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Last Chance for CLE Seminar,
– “Basic Winning – Jury Selection,” Criminal Defense Advocacy Training Seminar, Criminal Defense Lawyers Project,
– “Voir Dire Demonstration,” Jury Selection and Communicating with Jurors in Criminal Cases Seminar, The Center for American and International Law,
– “Opening Statements,” Advanced Criminal Law Course, State Bar of Texas,
– “Sexual Assault Voir Dire,” Anatomy of the Win Seminar, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.
Honors and Awards
– Inducted into Texas Criminal Defense Hall of Fame in 2015 by the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
– Named 2010 Lawyer of the Year Criminal Defense: White Collar Dallas, Best Lawyer in America (BL Rankings)
– Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (BL Rankings), 1991 – Present
– Listed in Who’s Who in American Law, The Marquis Who’s Who Publications,
– Listed in Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers (Lexis Nexis Martindale Hubbell), 2009 – Present
– Listed in Best Lawyers Dallas/Fort Worth – D Magazine,
– “Top Attorney” by Fort Worth Texas magazine,
– Martindale Hubbell AV Rating Recipient, January 1988-present
– Named “Attorney of Excellence – Criminal Defense”, Fort Worth Business Press,
– “Presidential Award” Recipient, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
– Texas Super Lawyers (a Thomson Reuters service), 2003-Present
– “Top 100 in the State of Texas” by Texas Super Lawyer (a Thomson Reuters service)
– “Top 100 in Dallas/Fort Worth” by Texas Super Lawyer (a Thomson Reuters service)
Areas of Practice
In federal white collar criminal matters, Kearney is experienced in defending executives and corporations in the areas of:
– Comprehensive Grand Jury Investigations
– Insurance Fraud Investigations and Prosecutions
– Health Care Fraud Investigations and Prosecutions
– Government Contract Fraud Investigations and Prosecutions
– Criminal Anti-Trust Investigations
– Corporate Immigration Fraud Investigations and Prosecutions
– R.I.C.O. Prosecution and Forfeitures
– Bribery of Public Officials
– Mail Fraud Investigations and Prosecutions
– Money Laundering Investigations and Prosecutions
In state criminal law matters, Kearney is experienced in representing the accused in the areas of:
– Murder
– Sexual assault
– Economic crimes including Fraud, Money Laundering, and Embezzlement
– Child abuse offenses
– Computer crimes
– Intoxication manslaughter
– Intoxication assault
– DWI
– Drug offenses
Certified Legal Specialties
– Board Certified – Criminal Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Bar Admissions
– State Bar of Texas
– U.S. Supreme Court
– U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas
– U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
– U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas
– U.S. District Court Western District of Texas
– U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
– U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
– U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit
Professional Associations and Memberships
– National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member,
– Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association,
– American Bar Association,
– College of the State Bar of Texas
– Texas Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
– Tarrant County Bar Association,
– Tarrant County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Education
– Texas Christian University, B.B.A.
– Baylor Law School, Juris Doctorate