The Travis County Bar Association recognized Archie Carl Pierce as Mentor of the Year at the recent Bench Bar Conference.
After graduating from the University of Houston Law Center with numerous honors and accolades in 1974, Mr. Pierce went on to serve as a Briefing Attorney at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and an Assistant United States Attorney, where he successfully prosecuted difficult and high-profile criminal cases still discussed and analyzed to this very day. He entered private practice with his move to Wright & Greenhill, at the time a satellite office of Midland firm Stubbeman, McRae, Sealy, Laughlin & Browder, in 1984. Since then, he has handled and tried cases in the areas of premises liability, automobile accidents, first-party insurance and coverage cases, DTPA, product liability, wrongful death, restrictive covenant, professional malpractice, constitutional law, discrimination, civil rights, civil medicaid fraud and many more. Mr. Pierce is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law and has attained the rank of Advocate in the American Board of Trial Advocates, the latter reserved for those who have taken at least 50 civil jury trials to verdict in addition to his scores of criminal verdicts as a young prosecutor.
Owing to his broad experience in the courtroom and almost 40 years with the firm, Mr. Pierce has mentored virtually all the lawyers at W&G and many other firm alumni. Countless lawyers have learned something from him, much of it simply by watching or accompanying him to trials, depositions, or client meetings. Undoubtedly, his instructive influence has benefitted even those unlucky opponents who have had the good fortune to encounter Mr. Pierce in the practice of law over these recent decades. The grudging respect and whispered praise circulating among his adversaries demonstrate his admirable qualities far better than this abbreviated report might ever attempt.
Mr. Pierce continues to practice law and act as firm consigliere, although he now also dispenses valuable advice and guidance as Baba to his two grandchildren proteges.