Clay Dugas

Born in Austin, Texas in 1956, Clay Dugas spent most of his life in Southeast Texas. Mr. Dugas graduated from Lutcher Stark High School in 1974. Mr. Dugas then attended undergraduate school at University of Texas, Harvard, and graduated University of Dallas in Irving, Texas in 1978. Mr. Dugas attended Baylor University School of Law and graduated at age 24 in 1981. Mr. Dugas has four children: Frances, Will, Alex and Logan, and is married to Shannon LeDoux Dugas.Mr. Dugas is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law. The Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory awarded Mr. Dugas an AV rating, which means very high to preeminent legal ability and very high ethical standards. Quoting from Martindale-Hubbell, The AV Peer Review Rating shows that a lawyer has reached the height of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Texas Trial Lawyers Associate, and the American Association for Justice. He was recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer from 2008-2017. Clay was chosen by his peers and clients in the 2014, 20th edition of Best Lawyers in America.To date, Mr. Dugas has tried approximately 200 jury trials to verdict. He has obtained over 50 verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 Million Dollars.Mr. Dugas started his practice in Orange, Texas with his father, Louis Dugas, Jr. In his very first case, E. L. Lasione v. Kroger, Mr. Dugas obtained a record verdict for false imprisonment and malicious prosecution against the Kroger Company.In 1983, Mr. Dugas worked for the Texas Legislature as legal counsel for the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee. Mr. Dugas was the attorney that advised the committee on legislation.From 1986 onward, Mr. Dugas began to specialize in Personal Injury. Prior to that time, he was actively involved in criminal defense and domestic relations. Because of that background, Mr. Dugas has enjoyed extensive trial experience. In 1988, Mr. Dugas tried another record case, Ron Petit and Debbie West v. Sheriff James Wade. This was a whistle-blower case that was successful against an active Sheriff and is a record for Southeast Texas.In 1989, Mr. Dugas tried Chataginer v. U-Haul, et al against U-Haul and Valley Trailer Ball Manufacturer because of a defective trailer hook-up that cost a young husband and father his life and crippled the mother. The trial resulted in a record verdict in Orange County that included punitive damages against Valley Industries, the trailer ball manufacturer and led to safety changes in their product.In 1995, Clay Dugas and Associates settled what is believed to be the largest settlement against the Mormon Church because of child sexual abuse.Thereafter in 1998, Mr. Dugas tried a sexual molestation case in Montgomery County, Texas, against the Mormon Church and obtained a record multi-million dollar verdict in a very conservative community.Mr. Dugas has handled numerous sexual molestation cases successfully against the Church of Latter Day Saints a/k/a The Mormon Church, and currently is prosecuting child molestation cases against the Pentecostal Church.In recent years Clay has focused heavily on trucking accident litigation. He has successfully tried or settled many millions in compensation on behalf of his clients. His dedication stems from a strong desire to make Texas highways and the trucking industry a safer place for innocent drivers.Mr. Dugas’ passion is baseball. He has actively been involved in sponsoring hundreds of local kids in baseball. He has been actively involved in helping underprivileged kids to participate in select baseball. And not only have many of these kids received college scholarships, several have gone on to play professional baseball.Mr. Dugas has previously served on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity. He is also a former member of the Board of Directors for Texas Trial Lawyer’s Association.