Local Counsel

For decades, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas has been labeled nationwide as a “rocket docket”. With its unique local rules, strict limits on pre-trial litigation and firm trial dates, the Eastern District has become a forum of choice for a number of multi-billion dollar cases, more specifically for products liability litigation, complex commercial litigation, and intellectual property litigation.

The Roth Law Firm serves as local counsel for parties and counsel throughout the United States and abroad. Our attorneys have practiced before all of the judges in the Eastern District of Texas, and have extensive knowledge about their particular likes and dislikes. Such information alone is often useful when trying to obtain a result involving issues not obviously apparent.

The Role of Local Counsel

Based on the preferences of the client and lead counsel, the Roth Law Firm can take on as expansive or as limited a role as a case requires. Most often as local counsel, our attorneys serve to assist lead counsel by:

reviewing pleadings to be filed with the court to ensure compliance with the local rules;
handling the filing of electronic or paper pleadings with the court;
providing guidance concerning local rules, court practices and procedures;
negotiating with opposing counsel concerning case management reports and proposed orders;
attending scheduling conferences, with or without lead counsel;
assisting with procedural motions involving jurisdiction and venue;
negotiating and designating (or challenging designations) under protective orders;
negotiating extensions of time, setting hearings, and other scheduling-related matters;
consulting with lead counsel regarding local discovery practices and assisting with negotiations with opposing counsel concerning discovery issues and motions to compel. (This is particularly important given our local rule CV-7(h) which requires that before any discovery-related motion may be filed with the court the lead trial counsel and local counsel for all parties must meet and confer);
attending trial and participating in trial if requested;
providing secretarial support and office space in Marshall.