One Bering Park 750 Bering Drive, Suite 600 Houston, Texas 77057 | (713) 266-0074

Virginia Willford Associate Attorney

Virginia Willford  <small>Associate Attorney</small>

Virginia Williford has been practicing law in Texas since 1986, focusing primarily on personal injury defense. She brings nearly four decades of litigation experience to her practice, having successfully tried approximately 100 cases throughout her career. Her areas of expertise include automobile and trucking accidents, defamation, foodborne illness claims, premises liability, workers’ compensation, and first-party insurance disputes.

Ms. Williford earned her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University in 1981, graduating with a double major in Pre-Law and Public Administration. She went on to receive her Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law in 1986. During law school, she distinguished herself in advocacy, winning first place in the prestigious Spurgeon E. Bell Moot Court competition in 1985. She was also selected for the highly competitive Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Team, which went on to place third nationally.

Throughout her career, Ms. Williford has developed extensive experience working with medical and accident reconstruction experts and managing complex litigation from inception through trial.

In addition to her legal accomplishments, Ms. Williford is proficient in French and has studied Czech at Charles University (Univerzita Karlova) in Prague. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Texas Litigation Section.

 


EDUCATION

  • South Texas College of Law – Juris Doctor, 1986
  • Michigan State University – Pre-Law and Public Administration,1981

BAR ADMISSION

  • Texas

PRACTICE AREAS

  • Insurance Defense
  • Complex litigation

LEGAL ASSOCIATION

  • State Bar of Texas

Contact Info:

Education

  • J.D., Washington University in St. Louis, 1985
  • Magna Cum Laude, Duke University, 1982

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Houston Bar Association
  • Metropolitan St. Louis Bar Association
  • CLM Alliance - Greater Houston Chapter, Director of Education
  • State Bar of Texas
  • State Bar of Missouri
  • State Bar of Illinois

Publications/Speeches

“UM/UIM Update,” 31st Annual Insurance Symposium, Cooper & Scully, April 5, 2024

“Stowers and Multiple Carriers,” 18th Annual Construction Symposium, Cooper & Scully, February 2, 2024

“Stowers and Multiple Carriers,” 30th Annual Insurance Symposium, Cooper & Scully, April 21, 2023

“Stowers Update,” 29th Annual Insurance Symposium, Cooper & Scully, April 8, 2022

“Legislative Update,” 17th Annual Construction Symposium, Cooper & Scully, January 28, 2022

"Appraisals: The Process and Protection from Contractual and Extra-Contractual Claims," 28th Annual Insurance Symposium, Cooper & Scully, April 9, 2021

"Will General Liability Insurance Respond to COVID-19 Claims?" 16th Annual Construction Symposium, Cooper & Scully, January 29, 2021

“Chapter 151 - Issues Encountered,” 15th Annual Construction Symposium, Cooper & Scully, January 31, 2020

"Restatement of the Law of Liability Insurance," 26th Annual Insurance Symposium, Cooper & Scully, April 5, 2019

Panel: “Joint and Several Contractual Liability and Settlement Credits: A Look at the “One Satisfaction Rule” in Texas,” 14th Annual Construction Symposium, Cooper & Scully, January 25, 2019

“Stowers, Liens and Subrogation and Automobile Policy Coverage Issues” presented to Pronto Insurance Company (San Antonio & Brownsville locations) April/May 2018

"SIU/Fraud - Red Flag!," 25th Annual Insurance Symposium, April 2018

“GAIC v. Hamel: Requirement of Trial” panel discussion at 2018 Cooper & Scully P.C. Construction Law Symposium

“Stowers, Liens and Subrogation and Automobile Policy Coverage Issues” presented to Voyager Indemnity Insurance Company on April 18, 2017

“Stowers, Liens and Subrogation and Automobile Policy Coverage Issues” presented to Sentry Insurance (Arizona office) on September 28, 2017

“Appraisals: Protection from Contractual and Extra-Contractual Claims presented at 2017 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Insurance Law Symposium

"Fraudulent Joinder of Adjusters" presented at 2016 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Insurance Law Symposium

“Construction Coverage Issues and Additional Insured Provisions” presented at 2015 Dallas City Attorney’s Office In-House CLE, June 26, 2015

“Stowers: Past, Present & Future” presented at 2015 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Insurance Law Symposium

“Recent Developments in Construction Coverage” presented at 2015 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Construction Law Symposium

“Stowers: Past Present & Future” presented at the Houston Bar Association on September 19, 2014

“Patterson v. Home State County Mutual” May 29, 2014 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Webinar

“Stowers for the 21st Century” presented at 2014 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Insurance Law Symposium

Coverage and Extra-Contractual Liability Seminar, March 13, 2014, Davenport, Iowa

“Expert Witness in Bad Faith and Coverage Litigation” a Strafford Publication Webinar

“Lennar v. Markel – Settlement and Allocation” presented at 2014 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Construction Law Symposium

“Reservation of Rights” presented to Western Litigation, Houston, Texas, November 15, 2013

“Coverage: Real or Illusory” presented at 2013 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Insurance Law Symposium

Extra-Contractual Liability Seminar, presented to Voyager, Scottsdale, Arizona, December 5, 2012

“What’s New in Stowers” presented at 2012 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Insurance Law symposium

“Allocation Among Insurers” presented at 2012 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Construction Law Symposium

“Certificates of Insurance” presented at 2011 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Construction Law Symposium

“Expert Witnesses in Coverage Lawsuits” presented at 2011 Cooper & Scully, P.C. Insurance Law Symposium

“Duty to Defend” presented at Cooper & Scully, P.C. 2011 Insurance Law Update in Scottsdale, Arizona

“Triggering Stowers” presented at Cooper & Scully, P.C. 2011 Insurance Law Update in Scottsdale, Arizona

“Prompt Payment of Claims” presented at Cooper & Scully, P.C. 2011 Insurance Law Update in Scottsdale, Arizona

“The Appraisal Provision and Extra-Contractual Exposure” Cooper & Scully, P.C. Newsletter, Volume 4, May 2015

“Medical Liens” Cooper & Scully, P.C. Newsletter, Volume 2, June 2014

"Extra-Contractual Exposure: An Overview and Recent Developments"

"Policy Limits and Stowers Demands"

"Insurance Coverage Issues in Third-Party Policies"

"Reservation of Rights and Denial Coverage"

"Consumer Protection and Ethics for Adjusters and Claims Personnel"

"Insurance Coverage Issues in Professional Liability Policies"

"Does the Vendor's Endorsement Provide Additional Coverage to Physicians?"

"Independent Counsel in Texas”

"The Business Pursuit Exclusion"

"The Duty to Defend and Article 21.55"

"Are Punitive Damages Covered in Texas"

Honors

Selected as one of 2018's Top Lawyers by Houstonia Magazine

Selected as one of America's Top 100 Civil Defense Litigators (2018 and 2019)

Selected in Texas Monthly's Super Lawyers Magazine (by Thomson Reuters) for 2007 – present in Insurance Coverage

Super Lawyer's Blue Ribbon Panel 2015

Selected as a Top Lawyer in Insurance Law by American Lawyer Media and Martindale Hubbell in 2013 and 2014

Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rated

The Order of Barristers

The Order of the Coif

Adjunct Professor - South Texas College of Law (2009-Present)

Adjunct Professor - University of Houston - Downtown (2011-2012)