Craig H. Vittitoe
Craig H. Vittitoe, a south Texas native, engages in the defense of complex and multiparty civil litigation. He was recently recognized as "Texas Super Lawyer 2010" by Texas Monthly magazine and Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition September/October 2010.
Craig commenced a trial practice as an Assistant Attorney General litigating civil cases in venues across the State of Texas. He has been a private practitioner for over 30 years and engages in a civil litigation defense practice in South Texas. He is Board Certified in both Civil Trial Law (1991) and Personal Injury Trial Law (1990) by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Craig is active in the Cameron County Bar and the State Bar of Texas and is currently serving a second three year term on the Civil Trial Law Advisory Commission, Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He has served in the past on the State Bar of Texas District 12-B Grievance Committee, the Unauthorized Practice of Law Subcommittee and the Consumer Law Council.
He is rated "AV" by the noted legal publication, Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.
Mr. Vittitoe obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southwest State University and a Juris Doctorate Degree from South Texas College of Law in 1977. He is admitted to practice before all Texas state courts, United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Mr. Vittitoe has held elective and appointive offices. He is a former Harlingen City Commissioner and Mayor Pro Tem. He served as Chairman of the Board of the Texas State University System, governing eight colleges and universities within the State of Texas. Craig has served as President of the Harlingen Development Corporation, Inc. He also served as a former Trustee of the Robert G. and Nona K. Carr Scholars
Areas of Practice
- Civil Litigation
- Products Liability Law
- Personal Injury - Defense
- Insurance Law
- Legal Malpractice
Litigation Percentage
- 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Certified Legal Specialties
- Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1991 to current
- Personal Injury Law, 1990 to current, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Bar Admissions
- Texas, 1977
- U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
- U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
Education
- South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas
- J.D. - 1977
- Southwest Texas State University (now, Texas State University-San Marcos), San Marcos, Texas
- B.A.
Representative Cases
- In Re McAllen Medical Center, Inc. D/B/A McAllen Medical Center and Universal Health Services, Inc., ___S.W. 3d ___, No. 05-0892 (Tex. Sup. Ct., May 16, 2008)
- New Texas Auto Auction Services, L.P. D/B/A Big H. Auto Auction v. Graciela Gomez de Hernandez, et al, 249 S.W. 3d 400 (Tex. 2008)
- Mowbray v. Avery, 76 S.W. 3d 663 (Tex. App.-Corpus Christi, pet. denied 2002)
- Gracia v. Brownsville Housing Authority, 105 F. 3d 1053 (5th Cir. 1997)
- Bleeker v. Villarreal, 941 S.W. 2d 163 (Tex.Ct.App.-Corpus Christi, 1996)
- State Farm v. Moran, 809 S.W. 2d 613 (Tex.Ct.App.-Corpus Christi, 1991)
- Reuben H. Donnelley Corp. v. McKinnon, 688 S.W. 2d 612 (Tex.Ct.App.-Corpus Christi, 1985)
Honors and Awards
- AV Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
- Texas Super Lawyers 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Civil Trial Law Advisory Commission, Current (second consecutive term)
- The Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas, 2003
- Texas State University System, Regent, 1993-1999; Chairman, 1998
- Robert G. Carr and Nona K. Carr Scholarship Foundation, Trustee, 1993 - 1999
- Southwest Texas State University Alumni Association, Current, President, 1982-1983
- Development Corporation of Harlingen Inc., President, 1996, 1991 - 1997
- Harlingen Rotary Club, Current, Member
- Cameron County Bar Association, Current, Member
- State Bar of Texas, Current, Member
- City of Harlingen, Texas, Charter Revision Committee(s), 1982, 1989, 2005
- State Bar of Texas, Member, District 12-B Grievance Committee, 1992 - 1998
- City of Harlingen, Texas, City Commissioner, 1985-1989
- City of Harlingen, Texas, Mayor Pro Tem, 1987
- State Bar of Texas, Member, Unauthorized Practice of Law Subcommittee, 1979 - 1981
- State Bar of Texas, Member, Consumer Law Council, 1984 - 1986
- Texas Governor's Advisory Council on Homeless, 1985
Past Employment Positions
- Assistant Attorney General of Texas, 1978 - 1980
Pro Bono Activities
- Cameron County Pro Bono Project, Current
Fraternities/Sororities
- Phi Alpha Delta
