Best's Insurance Professional Resources

Your Online Portal for Claims Industry Information

Best's Insurance Professional Resources

Your Online Portal for Claims Industry Information



Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys

General Defense

1700 Pacific Avenue, Suite 3100, Dallas, Texas 75201

Established: 2008

Practice Areas

  • Insurance Defense
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Construction Litigation
  • Directors and Officers Liability
  • Appellate
  • Accountants and Attorneys Liability
  • Architects and Engineers
  • Insurance Agent Errors & Omissions
  • Labor and Employment
  • Premises Liability
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Licensure
  • Real Estate Agents & Brokers Liability
  • Tax Litigation
  • Professional Malpractice
  • Attorney Grievance Defense
  • Financial Advisor/Investment Advisor Defense
  • Trucking & Automobile Defense

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About Us

Based in Dallas, Texas, the law firm of Cobb Martinez Woodward provides value-driven counsel in a range of practice areas, with a focus on insurance defense litigation. As a smaller medium-sized firm with 16 lawyers, we maintain an atmosphere of active collaboration while providing our clients with greater flexibility, immediate access to our attorneys, and personal attention to each case. We offer solid representation and work hard to minimize surprises. CMW's attorneys provide insurance companies, self-insured businesses and professionals with effective defense advice and representation. In business and commercial disputes, our work encompasses representation of both plaintiffs and defendants. Our lawyers are comfortable and effective in Texas courtrooms, and we are accustomed to working efficiently within our clients' budgets and litigation guidelines.

Our lawyers are driven by their passion for their work and value-added expertise. CMW was founded in 2008 by 10 veteran litigators. Our firm had more than 100 years collective litigation experience on the day we opened our doors. Even our most junior attorneys already had several years of practice under their belts. The attorneys at CMW are 100% focused on litigation and are acknowledged by their peers to be among the very best trial lawyers in Texas. In 2010, Thomson Reuters named 70% of our lawyers either as a SuperLawyer or as a Rising Star and in years since, we have maintained that distinction with the majority of our lawyers continuing to achieve this recognition.

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Client Information

Insurance Clients

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Personnel Information

Managing Member


William D. Cobb, Jr.

Managing Member

Dallas, TX

  • Telephone: 214-220-5201
Practice Areas
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Directors and Officers Liability
  • Professional Malpractice
  • Product Liability Defense
Admitted
  • Texas, 1984
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Additional Biographical Details:

"Best Lawyers in Dallas 2017," D Magazine; "Texas Super Lawyer"; "The Best Lawyers in America" in: Legal Malpractice Law, 2010-Present; Bet-The-Company Litigation, 2010-Present; Commercial Litigation, 2007-Present; Legal Malpractice Law - Defendants, 2010-Present and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants in 2007-Present, Published by Best Lawyers by Woodward/White, Inc.

Memberships:
  • American and Dallas Bar Associations
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Texas Association of Defense Counsel
  • Defense Research Institute
  • American College of Trial Lawyers
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
Education:
  • University of Denver, B.A., 1981
  • The University of Texas at Austin School of Law, J.D., 1984

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Members


Stacy Hoffman Bruce

Dallas, TX

  • Telephone: 214-220-5210
Practice Areas
  • Appellate
  • Construction
  • Labor and Employment
  • Premises Liability
  • Product Liability
  • Architects and Engineers
  • Directors and Officers Liability
  • Medical Malpractice Defense
  • Insurance Agent Errors & Omissions
  • Agent and Brokers Errors and Omissions
  • Real Estate Errors and Omissions
Admitted
  • Texas, 2002
Additional Biographical Details:

Texas Rising Star; "Outstanding Lawyer Under 40," Cardozo Society of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas

Memberships:
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association
  • Dallas Association of Young Lawyers
  • American Inns of Court
Education:
  • American University, B.A. (cum laude), 1999
  • Southern Methodist University Law School, J.D. (cum laude), 2002

Katherine Elrich

Dallas, TX

  • Telephone: 214-220-5237
Practice Areas
  • Appellate
Admitted
  • Texas, 1998
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Additional Biographical Details:

"Best Lawyers in Dallas 2017," D Magazine; "Texas Super Lawyer"

Memberships:
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association
Education:
  • The University of Texas at Arlington, B.B.A. (cum laude), 1995
  • Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D. (magna cum laude), 1998

Larry W. Johnson

Dallas, TX

  • Telephone: 214-220-5205
Practice Areas
  • Architects and Engineers
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Construction
  • Directors and Officers Liability
  • Insurance Agent Malpractice
  • Insurance Agent Errors & Omissions
  • Real Estate Agents & Brokers Liability
Admitted
  • Texas, 1996
Memberships:
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association
Education:
  • Trinity University, B.A., 1993
  • The University of Texas at Austin School of Law, J.D. (with honors), 1996

Jonathan C. LaMendola

Dallas, TX

  • Telephone: 214-220-5204
Practice Areas
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Medical Malpractice Defense
  • Premises Liability
  • Labor and Employment Law (Management Side)
  • Legal Malpractice
  • Professional Licensure
  • Directors and Officers Liability
Admitted
  • Texas, 1995
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Memberships:
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association
  • Defense Research Institute
Education:
  • Southern Methodist University, B.A. (with honors), 1988
  • Emory University School of Law, J.D., 1992

Jeffrey I. Nicodemus

Dallas, TX

  • Telephone: 214-220-5207
Practice Areas
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Product Liability Defense
  • Professional Liability (Non-Medical) Defense
  • Architects and Engineers
  • Construction Litigation
  • Directors and Officers Liability
  • Insurance Agent Errors & Omissions
  • Real Estate Agents & Brokers Liability
  • Trucking Litigation
  • Premises Liability
  • Professional Licensure
Admitted
  • Texas, 1998
Additional Biographical Details:

"Texas Super Lawyer"

Memberships:
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association
  • Dallas Association of Young Lawyers
Education:
  • University of North Texas, B.A. (cum laude), 1995
  • The University of Texas at Austin School of Law, J.D., 1998

Carrie Johnson Phaneuf

Dallas, TX

  • Telephone: 214-220-5206
Practice Areas
  • Legal
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Directors and Officers Liability
  • Legal Malpractice
Admitted
  • Texas, 1998
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas
Additional Biographical Details:

Perot Museum of Nature & Science, Advisory Board and Legal Committee; Texas Lawyers Insurance Exchange, Board of Directors and Chair of Marketing Committee; Hockaday Alumnae Association; "Best Lawyers in Dallas 2017," D Magazine; "Texas Super Lawyer"

Memberships:
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association
Education:
  • The University of Texas at Austin, B.A. (with honors), 1995
  • Southern Methodist University Law School, J.D. (cum laude), 1998

Bevan Rhine

Dallas, TX

  • Telephone: 214-220-5208
Practice Areas
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Construction
Admitted
  • Texas, 2001
Additional Biographical Details:

"Texas Super Lawyer"

Memberships:
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association
  • Patrick Higginbotham Inn of Court
Education:
  • The University of Texas at Austin, B.B.A., 1998
  • Southern Methodist University Law School, J.D., 2002

Michael C. Smith

Dallas, TX

  • Telephone: 214-220-5209
Practice Areas
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Premises Liability
  • Professional Liability (Non-Medical) Defense
  • Real Estate Errors and Omissions
  • Insurance Agent Errors & Omissions
  • Legal Malpractice
  • Agent and Brokers Errors and Omissions
  • Professional Licensure
Admitted
  • Texas, 1999
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas
Additional Biographical Details:

"Texas Super Lawyer"

Memberships:
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association
Education:
  • Trinity University, B.A., 1996
  • Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D., 1999

Daniel D. Tostrud

Dallas, TX

  • Telephone: 214-220-5220
Admitted
  • Texas, 1989
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas
Additional Biographical Details:

"Best Lawyers in Dallas 2017," D Magazine; "Texas Super Lawyer"; Rated AV by Martindale Hubbell

Memberships:
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association
Education:
  • University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, B.B.A. (cum laude), 1986
  • Baylor Law School, J.D., 1989

Lindsey K. Wyrick

Dallas, TX

  • Telephone: 214-220-5221
Practice Areas
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Directors and Officers Liability
  • Legal Malpractice
  • Accountant Malpractice
  • Architects and Engineers
  • Commercial Liability
  • Professional Licensure
  • Agent and Brokers Errors and Omissions
Admitted
  • Texas, 2009
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas
Additional Biographical Details:

Texas Rising Star

Memberships:
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association
  • Dallas Association of Young Lawyers
Education:
  • Texas A & M University at College Station, B.A. (magna cum laude), 2006
  • Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 2009

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Retired


Ramona Martinez

Dallas, TX

Ramona Martinez was one of the founding members of Cobb Martinez Woodward PLLC. After practicing law for 30 years, Ramona retired at the end of 2020.

David R. Woodward

Dallas, TX

David Woodward was one of the founding members of Cobb Martinez Woodward PLLC. After practicing law for over 30 years, David retired in February 2021.

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Associates


Virginia Cox

Dallas, TX

Practice Areas
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Construction Litigation
  • Legal Malpractice Defense
  • Professional Licensure Defense
Admitted
  • Texas, 2017
Memberships:
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association (Business Litigation Section)
  • Dallas Association of Young Lawyers
Education:
  • University of California, Davis, B.A., 2014
  • Baylor Law School, J.D., 2017

Matthew E. Last

Dallas, TX

  • Telephone: 214-220-5224
Practice Areas
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Insurance Agent Errors & Omissions
  • Legal Malpractice
  • Premises Liability
  • Product Liability Defense
  • Professional Licensure
  • Real Estate Agents & Brokers Liability
Admitted
  • Texas, 2007
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of Texas
Additional Biographical Details:

Texas Rising Star

Memberships:
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association
Education:
  • The University of Texas at Austin, B.B.A. (with highest honors), 2004
  • The University of Texas at Austin School of Law, J.D. (with honors), 2007

Daniel Ortega

Dallas, TX

Practice Areas
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Premises Liability
  • Professional Licensure
Admitted
  • Texas, 2009
  • U.S. District Court, Districts of Texas
Memberships:
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association
Education:
  • The University of Texas, B.A. Economics, 2005
  • New England School of Law, J.D., 2008

Jennifer Smiley

Dallas, TX

Practice Areas
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Legal Malpractice Defense
  • Architect & Engineer Defense
Admitted
  • Texas, 2015
Memberships:
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Texas Young Lawyers Association
Education:
  • Baylor University, B.A. (magna cum laude), 2011
  • Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 2015

Andrew S. Willard

Dallas, TX

  • Telephone: 214-220-5235
Practice Areas
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Construction Litigation
  • Premises Liability
  • Product Liability Defense
Admitted
  • Texas, 2015
Memberships:
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Tarrant County and Dallas Bar Associations
  • Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association
Education:
  • Texas A&M University, B.S., 2012
  • University of Miami School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 2015

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