Brian Beckcom is one American's top personal injury trial lawyers. Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization -- a distinction held by less of 2% of lawyers in Texas -- Brian has spent more than two decades fighting for families and working people against the largest corporations and insurance companies in the world. He has recovered more than $455 million dollars with more than 100 settlements exceeding $1,000,000.00. Brian and his team personally work up every significant case, unlike many firms who hand off most cases to junior lawyers.

Brian has obtained 100+ 1M+ recoveries, has been voted by his peers and judges as a Texas Super Lawyer 14 times, and has been Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law for more than 14 years.

Landmark Cases & Record-Setting Results

Brian handles serious personal injury, wrongful death, maritime and Jones Act injury cases, and complex civil litigation. Brian handles the kinds of cases that require a lawyer who understands medicine, engineering, technology, corporate structure, and federal jurisdiction at a level most lawyers simple do not. Brian's work on his client's cases has been featured in every major media outlet in America, including Good Morning America, Nightline, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, ABC News, NBC News, CBS News, among others.

Confidential Settlement

The Maersk Alabama Case 

Maersk Alabama / "Captain Phillips" Case - The most famous case in maritime law history, Brian represented the crew of the Maersk Alabama after they were attacked and held hostage by Somali Pirates. Brian took on Maersk, one of the largest shipping companies in the world, countered a massive Hollywood publicity campaign, and secured confidential settlements for every single client. The Maersk Alabama case also completely changed the way shipping companies protect crew in pirate-infested and other dangerous waters.

Confidential Settlement - Chevron Terrorist Attack / Captain Wren Thomas 

Brian represented Captain Wren Thomas, an American ship captain for Edison Chouest, working on a Chevron project off the coast of West Africa. Captain Thomas, a former US Marine, was kidnapped by terrorists associated with the Boku Haram terrorist group off the coast of West Africa. Brian's work on this case changed security practices off the Coast of West Africa forever, as well as securing a substantial confidential settlement for Captain Thomas.

$22M+ - Trucking Accident

Brian represented a young man who suffered severe injuries including head, neck, arm, and eye injuries in a massive crash involving an 18-wheeler owned by a Fortune 100 company. One of the largest distracted driving settlements in U.S. history.

$10M+ - Maritime Settlement for Boat Captain

One of the largest single-injury Jones Act and maritime injury settlements in the country. Failure to provide prompt care to a relief captain suffering from an infection.

$6M - Head Injury During Logging Operations

Brian recovered a $6,000,000.00 settlement for an injured logger in less than 6 months, one of the largest and fastest recoveries of its kind -- under six months.

$44M - Industrial Crane Wrongful Death

Wrongful death crane accident at an ExxonMobil refinery. The defendant's highest pre-trial offer was $500,000.00. Vuk Vujasinovic, the other founding partner of VB Attorneys, served as lead counsel on this case and obtained a $44,000,000.00 verdict. The case was subsequently settled post-trial.

$1 Billion Dollars - Hurricane Harvey Litigation

Brian and Vuk represent more than 1,000 West Houston property owners whose homes or business were flooded during Hurricane Harvey. Brian's firm was named by federal judge as one of a small number of lawyers selected to lead the federal litigation. This is the largest Fifth Amendment takings case in American history, with damages estimated to exceed $1 billion across more than 10,000 properties. A federal judge has ruled in favor of our clients.

In addition to these landmark results, Brian and VB Attorneys have obtained more than one hundred settlements exceeding one million dollars, including multi-million dollar recoveries for injured maritime works, truck accident victims, industrial accident survivors, Houston police officers, and other public servants. 

A Lawyer Who Personally Works on Every Significant Case

At many law firms, the lawyer whose name is on the door is not the lawyer who actually does the work. In fact, at most large firms, the named partners almost never work on your case. Brian Beckcom does not operate this way. He and his highly trained and skilled team personally investigate, prepare, and try every single significant case. Brian knows the facts, the law, the witnesses, and he has personally led the strategy on each case, from beginning to end. Brian's clients get him, not an associate they've never met and didn't hire.

This is not a volume practice. Brian takes a limited number of significant cases every year and devotes his full time, intellect, and resources to each one. When Brian takes your case, he is telling you that he believes in it enough to invest his own time, expertise, and money to win.

The Convergence of Computer Science, Philosophy, & Law

 Brian's intellectual foundation is unlike any trial lawyer in the country. He holds degrees in Computer Science and Philosophy from Texas A&M University, and a Juris Doctor with honors from the University of Texas School of Law - one of the top law schools in the nation.

This combination is not accidental. Computer Science taught Brian to think algorithmically - to build and test logical structures, to understand how complex systems work and how they fail. Philosophy trained Brian to think about the nature of argument itself - what constitutes proof, what assumptions lie buried beneath every confident assertion. Law gives Brian the arena to deploy both disciplines in the highest-stakes setting imaginable: the courtroom.

Studying AI Before Anyone Was Talking About It

In the early 1990s, before "artificial intelligence" was a household term, Brian was studying AI, machine learning foundations, neural networks, database architecture, and forensic computing at the university level. He understood, long before it became fashionable to say so, that the future of evidence would be digital, that digital evidence would be contested, and that the lawyer who understood the technology at a foundational level would have a decisive advantage. That foresight has prove spectacularly correct. Today, Brian uses AI and advanced research tools in discovery, case preparation, investigation, and legal research - not because it is trendy, but because he has understood these tools at an expert level of more than three decades.

University of Texas School of Law - Studying Under Giants

At UT Law, Brian was not simply a good student. He served as Chief Notes Editor of the Texas Law Review, one of the most prestigious legal journals in the country. He authored a highly technical article on federal supplemental jurisdiction that has been cited as authority more than 30 times by courts, scholars, practitioners, and the United State Government in a brief to the US Supreme Court.

Brian studied maritime and admiralty law under Professor David Robertson, who held the W. Page Keeton Chair in Tort Law and was a University Distinguished Professor, the highest academic designation the University of Texas confers. Robertson is widely regarding as one of the most accomplished maritime law scholars that America has ever produced.

Brian also served as research assistant and Teaching Assistant under the late Professor Charles Alan Wright, the nation's foremost authority on federal courts and federal practice and procedure, and the authors of the definitive multi-volume treatise on the subject. Wright's work is cited by ever single federal court in the country.

Published Scholar

Brian is the author of two law review articles, 6 books, and more than 100 articles on law, legal issues, and success and leadership. Brian's writing focuses on topics spanning law, technology, philosophy, leadership, and maritime law. 

Professional Recognition

• Board Certified - Personal Injury Trial Law

• Texas Super Lawyer - 14 Times

• America's Top 100 High Stakes Litigators

• AVVO 10/10 Rating

Brian has been Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for more than 14 years, a distinction held by less than 2% of Texas lawyers. Board Certification requires rigorous examination, peer review, and recertification every 5 years. Brian has maintained his certification every year he has been eligible. Brian is one of a small group of elite lawyers who are permitted by the Bar to call themselves "experts" in their field.

Brian has been voted a Texas Super Lawyer every single year he has been eligible - 14 years and counting. 

His work has been featured in national and international media including Good Morning America, Nightline, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, ABC, NBS, CNN, Fox News, and CBS.

Leadership: Podcast, Public Speaking, and Service

Brian created and hosts "Lesson from Leaders with Brian Beckcom," a nationally recognized podcast feature candid conversations with world-class leaders from business, military, sports, technology, and the legal world. With more than 70 episodes since 202, the podcast has featured SEAL Team Six vets, Fortune 500 executives, members of Congress, philosophers, combat veterans, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champions, and thought leaders from around the world.

Brian is a military "brat," a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a single-digit golfer, a former college basketball player at Texas A&M, a four-year member of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets, and an accomplished freshwater and saltwater fly fisherman.

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Brian is an honors graduate of the University of Texas School of Law. He is the author of 6 books and hundreds of articles on a wide variety of topics.

Brian has successfully prosecuted many high profile cases. The national and international media has covered Brian's work on these complex cases.

For example, when the Maersk Alabama was attacked by Somali Pirates, it made headlines around the world, and the event was made into a Hollywood blockbuster starring Tom Hanks as Captain Phillips. Many of the crew members hired Brian to represent them.

Brian and his firm took on one of the largest shipping companies in the world, Maersk Lines Limited. At the same time, Brian and his team countered a massive Hollywood publicity campaign that portrayed Captain Phillips as a hero and the crew as lazy layabouts. Brian’s investigative efforts ensured that the true story was told, and Maersk ultimately agreed to an out-of-court settlement for each client Brian represented after completely denying any negligence or responsibility for years.

Brian represented Captain Wren Thomas, who was kidnapped by Nigerian mercenaries while operating off the Coast of West Africa. Captain Thomas’ story has been featured in national and international media. The case received international attention from the media and maritime shipping companies because of the heroic acts of Captain Thomas during the attack and hostage situation and also because of connections to Boko Haram and corruption in West Africa.

Read more about the Captain Phillips case

Read more about Captain Wren Thomas’ case

Brian’s clients talk about his work on their cases

About the Maersk Alabama case, Brian says: “Taking on Maersk Lines Limited, one of the largest shipping companies in the world, and the Hollywood publicity machine simultaneously took enormous effort and was a real challenge, but in the end, we were able to tell the true story and get the case resolved for our clients on favorable terms despite those obstacles. The real heroes of that story were the crew members, not Captain Phillips, and we made sure that story was told.”

For Don, a longtime supervisor in the oilfield, Brian’s help meant he could get answers after a gas well blowout killed half his crew. For Keidron, Brian’s help meant that even though his career in the offshore oil and gas industry was over because of an injury, the company was held accountable for their dangerous “safety” culture.

For Johnny, Brian’s help meant he wouldn’t have to rely on the government for medical care after he suffered a massive head injury working as a logger in East Texas.

Brian accepts cases for people and families from all walks of life. Brian handles cases across the United States and beyond, and accepts clients who have been injured due to negligence, misconduct, fraud, or any other malicious or improper behavior.

Clients always come first

“A lot of lawyers brag about how great they are, how they are ‘aggressive,’ or ‘sharks’ or have ‘X years of experience’ or ‘X amount of money recovered.’ I think it gets a little silly, to be honest, because the only thing that matters is whether the clients are happy. I know plenty of people who were not happy with their lawyer, for lots of different reasons. Heck, people often fire their lawyer and end up hiring me.”

“I choose to let my clients – many of whom have become life long friends – do my talking for me. At the end of the day, all that matters to me is that my clients are happy. That’s the true test of a great lawyer, and nothing makes me prouder than being able to say that my clients almost always very happy with my work on their cases and also become my friends.”

Brian’s legal career

After graduating from Texas A&M University with degrees in Computer Science and Philosophy, Brian was a top student at the University of Texas School of Law, graduating with honors and serving on the board of the Texas Law Review. After receiving countless job offers, Brian started his legal career at Fulbright & Jaworski in Houston, Texas, one of the largest law firms in the world at the time.

Brian says: “Fulbright & Jaworski was a great place to start as a lawyer. I met some great lawyers and learned a lot. More importantly, I learned quickly that I had no interest at all in representing huge corporations or insurance companies against people who had been maimed or killed by gross misconduct or inexcusable negligence. I like people, kids, families, not massive insurance companies focused on nothing but the bottom line. When I left Fulbright, I never looked back.”

Brian is a sixth-generation Texan. His dad was a decorated airman and Lt. Colonel in the United States Air Force who flew 200 combat missions in Vietnam. Brian lived all over the world growing up, including Louisiana, New York, Kansas, and the Guam Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

“Living all over the world was tough as a kid, changing schools every few years, meeting new people. But I’ve since learned that it was probably the best thing that could have happened to me as a young kid because it taught me to appreciate people from all walks of life. I have friends who live literally all over the world.”

Brian has published 6 books and hundreds of articles on legal topics, self-improvement, and success strategies, which he freely shares with anyone who can benefit from them.

According to Brian, “writing books and articles requires that you understand your subject area in depth. I publish books and articles for two reasons. First, it helps me stay on top of my professional duties to my clients and keeps my skills sharp. Second, even if someone doesn’t hire me, I want them to have trustworthy information so they can make good decisions for themselves.”

During law school, Brian served as the Chief Notes Editor of the Texas Law Review, the starting free safety on the Legal Eagles football team, and was a research assistant for the late Charles Alan Wright, the nation’s foremost legal scholar on federal court practice and procedure.

During law school, Brian also wrote a law review article that has been cited by many legal experts and authorities, including in a brief by the United States government to the U.S. Supreme Court.

At Texas A&M, Brian was a varsity letterman, a four-year member of the Corps of Cadets, and a two-year member of the Ross Volunteers, an elite organization which serves as the Honor Guard for the Governor of Texas and is the oldest student organization in the State of Texas. Brian is a Lifetime Member of both the Texas A&M Letterman’s Association and the Corps of Cadets Association.

A dedicated family man

“The most important thing in my life is my family. Work comes second. Frankly, I think spending as much time with my family as I can ends up making me a much more effective lawyer. It helps me connect with my clients in ways that lawyers who ignore their families can’t. I’ve worked with lawyers who are workaholics and frankly, I wouldn’t ever hire them myself because they don’t appreciate what happens to families who’ve had a loved one injured or killed. They don’t understand it. I lost my own mother when I was ten years old, so I understand what people who’ve suffered tragedy are going through.”

Brian has been married since 2000 to Cara Beckcom. He has three kids, Gus, Henry, and Addison.

When he is not winning cases for his clients, Brian enjoys training Brazilian jiu-jitsu at Gracie-Barra Westchase in Houston, Texas, under Professor Ulpiano Malachias.

He also enjoys coaching his kids' sports teams, golfing, photography, and fly fishing. Brian is a single-digit golfer and has caught trout, carp, bass, perch, tarpon, redfish, sharks, permit, and bonefish on the fly rod. He loves spending time on the water, whether it’s a trout stream in Colorado, redfishing in Matagorda Bay, or sight casting to tarpon and bonefish off the coast of Florida.