Carlos Soltero
csoltero@clevelandterrazas.com
512-422-1559

Carlos Soltero joined Cleveland | Terrazas as a Partner in 2017, after trying cases for over 18 years at McGinnis Lochridge, LLP where he was the head of the firm's Litigation Group.  

A graduate of Yale Law School and a trial lawyer that is board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law, Carlos primarily represents individuals, lawyers and small businesses in courtroom disputes ranging from commercial, intellectual property and technology, to landowner rights, personal injury, wrongful death, and other tort cases. He tries a wide range of cases as a first chair or in a supporting role to juries, judges and arbitrators as well as handling dispositive or case-altering hearings. Carlos is fully bilingual and a native Spanish speaker.

Carlos is frequently asked close to trial or in connection with injunction proceedings to lead a case or assist as co-counsel with witnesses or jury instructions and other trial work. He represents other lawyers and assists them in a range of professional and personal litigation matters. Carlos has also published and lectured in various areas relating to trial and pretrial practice — including jury selection, expert challenges, attorneys' fees, discovery, choice of law in private international litigation and employment discrimination.  Prior to his time with McGinnis Lochridge, LLP Carlos worked with Vinson & Elkins, LLP and Smyser Kaplan Veselka, LLP in Houston.

Representative Cases
Recent Representative Matters at Cleveland | Terrazas, PLLC

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION
  • Obtained summary judgment in Travis County for client in defense of alleged oral agreement where plaintiff sought over $150 million in alleged damages.
INSURANCE
  • Obtained summary judgment for health insurer in ERISA dispute in Southern District of Texas.
INVASION OF PRIVACY
  • Obtained judgment including attorney’s fees award in Travis County bench trial for plaintiff in “revenge porn” and invasion of privacy case.
  • Obtained confidential settlement for clients in invasion of privacy dispute involving illicit video recording of them in workplace bathroom.
TRADE SECRETS/EMPLOYMENT
  • Obtained 12(b)(6) dismissal of all claims against employer of new employee in trade secrets dispute in the Western District of Texas after preliminary injunction hearing.
  • Obtained dismissal with prejudice in defense of national origin discrimination and retaliation suit in Harris County in response to filing summary judgment.

Representative Matters at Prior Firms

COMPLEX BUSINESS AND EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION
  • Obtained dismissal of defamation claim against client seeking $2.5 million in damages in federal court in Austin.
  • Obtained a take-nothing judgment in the defense of a Mexican customs broker in a federal court bench trial in Houston.
  • Obtained no-liability judgment at trial in the defense of a real estate agent against charges of breach of contract and fraud in a Travis County bench trial.
  • Recovered substantial assets on behalf of clients defrauded out of $26 million as part of a Ponzi scheme.
  • Obtained judgment in Hill County for the full amount of a construction debt dispute (including jury-awarded attorneys’ fees), which was affirmed on appeal.
  • Obtained Fifth Circuit opinion in 2016 affirming summary judgment for an insurer in a dispute over applicability of narcotics exclusion to insurance coverage.
  • Assisted in the defense of a client in an oil and gas dispute where plaintiffs sought damages in excess of $100 million. Carlos also assisted in prosecuting the counterclaims for misappropriation of trade secret seismic data in the Louisiana bench trial.
  • Obtained dismissal of breach of life insurance claim for insurer client in face of pending hearing on summary judgment in Travis County.
  • Represented land owner in nuisance dispute arising from the placement of a cell tower on adjacent property which interfered with client’s pre-existing use of a private airstrip.
  • Obtained a favorable, case-changing, choice-of-law ruling in an arbitration between a pump manufacturer and a Puerto Rican distributor.
  • Represented a health insurer plaintiff in an unfair competition case in Bexar County arising from a conversion campaign between a competing health plan, agents and a physicians' group and involving allegations of misusing confidential information.
  • Defended software engineers from claims of misappropriation and breach of covenants in Travis County from suit brought by former employer.
  • Assisted in obtaining a summary judgment in federal court in Waco on behalf of an employer in an FLSA case filed as a collective action. The judgment was affirmed by the Fifth Circuit.
  • Obtained temporary injunction in federal court in Galveston in a matter arising from the violation of a non-compete agreement by a trucking-broker employee.
  • Argued appeal to the Fifth Circuit that resulted in the reversal of an improperly granted summary judgment and directed verdict in a race and age discrimination case.
  • Assisted in representing mineral rights and land owners in property disputes in LaSalle County.
  • Assisted in obtaining summary judgment against a challenge to the validity of a family mineral trust based on the rule against perpetuities in Webb County dispute.
  • Assisted in representation of landowner in pipeline condemnation case in La Salle County. The matter settled for a confidential amount during jury selection.

PERSONAL INJURY, WRONGFUL DEATH, AND TORT LITIGATION
  • Represented family members in a landmark wrongful death and survival action in which he obtained a jury verdict and settlement for the widow and child of a man shot, killed and abandoned by the employees of a Webb County ranch company.
  • Assisted in the representation of a family in a wrongful death case against a trucking company and a road construction company. The case settled during trial in Zavala County.
  • Assisted family members of a man who died in a vehicular accident in Texas defeat attempts to apply foreign (Mexican) law in wrongful death case in Jim Wells County.
  • Obtained a no-negligence verdict in the defense of a nurse and hospital in a malpractice jury trial in Harris County.
  • Represented plaintiff in pharmacy malpractice dispute arising from improperly filled prescription in Bexar County.
  • Obtained a case-altering favorable ruling in Webb County on choice of law in  defense of a trucking company in a wrongful death case arising from an accident in Mexico
  • Assisted in the defense of a law firm in a legal malpractice action in federal court jury trial in San Antonio, involving claims arising from patent matters and seeking in excess of $100 million.
  • Assisted in obtaining the dismissal in Travis County of a law firm client in a securities suit alleging misrepresentations. The case was affirmed on appeal.
  • Obtained summary judgment in Webb County for attorney in defense of claims alleging breach of fiduciary duties.
  • Represented law firm in a dispute alleging misuse of confidential information and invasion of privacy.
  • Obtained favorable judgments in cases representing clients assaulted at bars and nightclubs, one of which was affirmed in part by the Supreme Court of Texas as to the security guard.

Education & Professional Background
J.D., Yale Law School
B.A., Yale University, Cum Laude
Universidad de las Americas Puebla (Semester)

Honors



Professional Activities
& Memberships
Board Certified, Personal Injury Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Member, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Austin Chapter
Benchmark Local Litigation Star 2017
Texas Super Lawyer (2012-2017), Rising Star (2004-2009)
State Bar of Texas, Court Rules Committee Chair 2014-2016
Pattern Jury Charge (PJC) Committee—Vice Chair for Business, Consumer, Insurance and Employment Volume (2018-present)
Pattern Jury Charge Committee, Business, Consumer & Employment 2001-2007, 2016-present
Director, Texas Board of Law Examiners, 2018-present