Houston, TX (713) 681-3070 | Lexington, KY (800) 715-6268 info@marksfirm.com
    HENRY P. GIESSEL

    Biographical Sketch

    Henry Giessel has been repeatedly honored for his expertise in litigation. In the June 2000 he was recognized as one of the Legal Legends of the Texas Bar in a Special Commemorative Edition of Texas Lawyer.

    (Click here to see the article)

    Henry P. Giessel, born in Germany, July 30, 1927; admitted to the State Bar of Texas, 1950. Hank, as he is known to his friends, graduated from the University of Texas Law School (L.L.B. 1950) where he was editor of the University of Texas Law Review. For over four decades, he has distinguished himself as a trial lawyer not only in Texas, but also across the country. Recently, he participated as trial and appellate counsel for the Plaintiff in Mendoza v. Summit Care where the jury returned the 2nd largest nursing home verdict in U.S. history. A list of notable cases where Hank has served as both trial and appellate counsel is included below. His recognition as a “Legal Legend” in the state of Texas is a reflection of his accomplishments in the courtroom.

    Not only has Henry been at the forefront of changing tort law through the numerous cases he has argued before Appellate Courts, he has frequently served as an adjunct Professor at the University of Houston Law School. Henry’s counsel and litigation abilities are an integral part of this firm.

    Professional Background

    SHAREHOLDER, Marks, Balette, Giessel & Young, P.L.L.C.,  January 2016 to present

    SHAREHOLDER,  Marks, Balette, & Giessel, P.C., February 2005 to December 2015

    OF COUNSEL, The Marks Firm, July 1998 to February 2005

    FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, Giessel, Barker, Lyman, 1952 to July 1998 (formerly Talbert & Giessel, Talbert, Giessel & Stone, Giessel & Stone, Giessel, Stone Barker & Lyman)

    ASSOCIATE, Law Offices of George Red, 1950-1952

    Education

    University of Texas, School of Law, L.L.B. 1950

    Quizmaster, Order of The Coif

    Admitted to the Bar 1949

    Professional Associations

    PAST PRESIDENT, American Board of Trial Advocates, Houston Chapter

    ADJUNCT PROFESSOR, University of Houston, School of Law, 1975 to 1979

    MEMBER, Houston Bar Association, 1970 to present

    LECTURER, Texas Judicial Conference, 1966

    Professional Activities

    SPEAKER: Office of the Attorney General – State of Texas, Houston, April 2, 2001

    ASSOCIATE, Law Offices of George Red, 1950-1952

    Notable Verdicts and Settlements

    Mendoza v. Summit Care Corp., et al. (02/22/2006)
    View Article

    Senior Living Properties, LLC v. Zurich (04/22/2004)

    Bailey v. Senior Living Properties, LLC, et al. (07/23/2003)
    View Article

    Larson v. Mariner Post-Acute Network, Inc., et al. (10/14/2005)
    View Article

    Hollins v. Cleaver Memorial Convalescent Center, et al. (11/26/2002)
    View Article

    David v. Heartway Corporation, et al. ((12/06/1999)
    View Article

    Gross v. Horizons/CMS Healthcare Corporation (9/13/1999)
    View Article

    Reed v. Senior Living Properties, LLC, et al. (07/23/2003)
    View Article

    Pyle v. Telesis/Walnut Place Nursing Home, Inc. (04/19/1999)
    View Article

    Moore v. Confidential Defendants (12/08/2003)

    Lowe v. Summit Care-Texas, Inc. (07/01/2004)

    Hughes v. Senior Living Properties, LLC, et al. (07/23/2003)

    Parks v. Southwood Nursing Home (02/19/2003)

    Smith v. Senior Living Services, Inc., et al. (07/23/2003)

    Tenczynski v. Nissi Care Homes, et al. (05/12/2003)

    For more information about these cases, click on Our Results.

    Other Notable Cases

    Casas v. Paradez, 267 S.W.3d 170 (Tex. App.-San Antonio, 2008)

    Heritage Housing Development, Inc. v. Carr, 199 S.W.3d 560 (Tex. App.-Houston [1st Dist.], 2006)
    View Article

    In Re Gladewater Healthcare Center, 2009 WL 454352 (Tex. App.-Texarkana)

    In Re Gladewater Healthcare Center, 2009 WL 454355 (Tex. App.-Texarkana)

    Amwest Sav. Ass’n v. Statewide Capital, Inc., 144 F.3d 885 (5th Cir. 1998)

    Benavidez v. Anheuser Busch, Inc., 873 F.2d 102 (5th Cir. 1989)

    Continental Cas. Co. v. Hall, 761 S.W.2d 54 (Tex. App. -Houston [14th Dist.], 1988)

    Swain v. Johnson, 750 S.W.2d 343 (Tex. App. -Beaumont, 1988)

    Kelley v. Atlantic Gulf Stevedores, Inc., 681 S.W.2d 275 (Tex. App. -Houston [14th Dist.], 1984)

    General Motors Corp. v. Grizzle, 642 S.W.2d 837 (Tex. App. -Waco, 1982)

    Union Carbide Corp. v. Burton, 618 S.W.2d 610 (Tex. App. -Houston [14th Dist.], 1981)

    Contact Marks Balette Giessel & Young

    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.