Biographical Sketch
Jacques G. Balette is a co-founder of Marks Balette Giessel & Young and has dedicated his professional practice to helping those who have been catastrophically injured. Jacques’ experience and reputation has allowed him to represent clients in complex cases in more than fifteen different states and in over 120 different counties across the country.
Jacques’ commitment, preparation and trial skills have produced some of the largest verdicts and settlements in the United States. His distinguished track record of success for his clients in nursing home malpractice cases, medical malpractice cases, tractor-trailer collisions, product liability cases and breach of partnership cases has been consistently recognized by his peers in the legal profession. Jacques has been recognized by Thompson Reuters as a Top RatedMedical Malpractice Attorney and Texas Rising Star in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 and a Texas Super Lawyer in 2013 and 2014. Moreover, Jacques has been recognized by The National Trial Lawyers as a “Top 40 Under 40” Trial Lawyer as well as a “Top 100” Trial Lawyer. Jacques’ peer review rating by Martindale Hubble is AV Preeminent 5 out of 5.
Jacques was trained in courtroom advocacy by the prestigious Trial Advocacy Program at South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas. There, he was a member of the Order of Barristers, Chairman of the Board of Advocates, and received the Dean’s Outstanding Student Advocate Award. After graduating from law school, Jacques worked for the first five years of his career as an insurance defense lawyer. This experience provided him valuable insight into the workings of the nursing home and insurance industries. Between 1997 and 2004, while practicing law full-time, Jacques served as an adjunct professor for the Trial Advocacy Program at South Texas College of Law where he lectured and trained students on courtroom advocacy.
Jacques practices out of both the Houston and Lexington offices.
Professional Background
SHAREHOLDER AND CO-FOUNDER
Marks, Balette, Giessel & Young, P.L.L.C.
January 2016 to present
SHAREHOLDER AND CO-FOUNDER
Marks, Balette, & Giessel, P.C. .
February 2005 to December 2015
SHAREHOLDER
The Marks Firm
February 2002 – January 2005
ASSOCIATE, Ware, Snow, Fogel & Jackson, July 1999 – January 2002
ASSOCIATE, Carlson, Smith & Rymer, July 1998 – July 1999
ASSOCIATE, McLeod, Alexander, Powel & Apffel, May 1997 – July 1998
Admissions
Texas, 1997
Tennessee, 2006
Kentucky, 2007
Oklahoma, 2009
North Carolina, 2010
Arkansas, 2013
Georgia, 2017
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Tennessee
U.S. District Court, Western District of Kentucky
Education
South Texas College of Law, J.D., December 1996
• Order of Barristers
• Chairman, Board of Advocates
• Dean’s Outstanding Student Advocate Award
Southern Methodist University, B.A., December 1993
Professional Contributions
Member, American Association of Justice
Member, Nursing Home Litigation Group of the AAJ
Member, Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group of the AAJ
Member, American Bar Association
Member, State Bar of Texas
Member, Texas Trial Lawyers Association
Member, Tennessee Bar Association
Member, Kentucky Bar Association
Member, Kentucky Justice Association
Member, Oklahoma Bar Association
Member, Oklahoma Association for Justice
Member, North Carolina Bar Association
Member, Arkansas Bar Association
Member, Million Dollar Advocates Forum
Adjunct Professor, South Texas College of Law, 1997 – 2004
Notable Verdicts and Settlements
Mendoza v. Summit Care Corp., et al. (02/22/2006)
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Goodson v. Luminant, et al. (08/03/2009)
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Bailey v. Senior Living Properties, LLC, et al. (07/23/2003)
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Lawaun Ayers vs South OKC Nursing Facility. (10/28/2011)
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Carr v. Heritage Housing Development, Inc., et al. (10/20/2003)
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Hollins v. Cleaver Memorial Convalescent Center, et al. (11/26/2002)
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Reed v. Senior Living Properties, LLC, et al. (07/23/2003)
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Moore v. Confidential Defendants (12/08/2003)
Lowe v. Summit Care-Texas, Inc. (07/01/2004)
Knouse v. National Trucking Company and its driver. (04/08/2014)
Chavez v. Gardner Oil, Inc. (5/28/2010)
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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
Brown v. Signature, 2017 WL 383440 (Ky. Ct. App. 2017)
Kolosai vs Azem, 2016 WL 541460 (Ohio Ct. of App. 2016)
Chavez v. Gardner Oil, Inc., 2012 WL 1623420 (Tex.App.-Tyler)
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)
Teague Nursing Home v. Wilson, 168 S.W. 3d 886 (Tex. App.—Waco, 2005)
In Re Gladewater Healthcare Center, 2009 WL 454352 (Tex. App.—Texarkana)
Mt. Holly Nursing Center v. Crowdus, 281 S.W.3d 809, 814 (Ky. Ct. App.2008)
Stanford Health & Rehabilitation Center v. Brock, 2010 WL 323274 (Ky. App.)
In Re: Living Centers of Texas, Inc., 2007 WL 3404619 (Tex. App.—Texarkana)
Lee v. Wilson, 2007 WL 1704895 (Tex. App.—Waco)
In Re: Living Centers of Texas, Inc., 2005 WL 1621929 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist])
In Re: Living Centers of Texas, Inc., 2005 WL 310013 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist])
Publications
“Deconstructing A Landmark Resident-on-Resident Abuse Nursing Home Case Against Summit Care Corp.,” Memphis, Tennessee, October 2006
“Discovery Do’s and Don’ts: Incorporating Case Strategies into your Discovery Plan”, Houston Legal Assistants Association (July 2003)
Lecturer “Dietary Liability: A Texas Lawyer’s Perspective,” TDA Annual Food and Nutrition Conference and Exhibition (April 2003)