Ron Woods, appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas by President George Bush to address the savings and loan scandals in 1990, has over forty years experience in handling white collar criminal cases.
Recently, Mr. Woods was appointed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to investigate and prosecute a complaint filed against a New Orleans federal judge. Mr. Woods prosecuted the case before the Judicial Council of the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans and the trial record was subsequently referred to the U.S. House of Representatives for impeachment consideration. Mr. Woods consulted with and assisted the House prosecutors. The House impeached and a trial was held in the U.S. Senate, where the judge was unanimously convicted and removed from office on December 8, 2010.
Ron Woods served as co-counsel in the representation of Jeffrey Skilling in the Enron trial in Houston. Mr. Woods also served as co-counsel in successfully representing U. S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison in her directed acquittal of charges filed by the Travis County DA. Recently, Mr. Woods represented the president of a marine offshore construction company who was indicted by the Department of Justice Antitrust Division. The president was acquitted of all charges after a lengthy jury trial in federal court in Houston.
Mr. Woods was appointed co-lead counsel with Michael Tigar to represent Terry Nichols in the Denver trial of the Oklahoma City federal bombing case. Mr. Woods and Mr. Tigar were successful in obtaining acquittals in the major charges and were successful in avoiding the death penalty for Terry Nichols.
Upon graduation from the University of Texas Law School, Ron Woods served four years as a Special Agent and Legal Advisor in the FBI and nineteen years as a prosecutor in Houston prosecuting business crime cases. Mr. Woods was one of the first Assistant United States Attorneys named as Senior Litigation Counsel by the Department of Justice in 1980. This designation was started that year to recognize the top thirty prosecutors in the nation based upon their skill in the art of advocacy over an extended period of time.
Mr. Woods was named Best Attorney in Houston in 1999 by the Houston Press and is currently listed in Best Lawyers in America. Mr. Woods has been named a Texas Super Lawyer in White Collar Crime in 2003 through 2011 by Texas Monthly. Mr. Woods is one of eight Texas lawyers named in The International Who’s Who of Business Crime Lawyers from 2003 through 2011. Further, he is listed in U.S. News Best Law Firms.
Because of his extensive first-hand experience in all areas of investigating, prosecuting and defending white collar crime cases, Mr. Woods is often successful in convincing the agents and prosecutors before indictment that the case does not merit prosecution.
If the case is indicted and goes to trial, Ron Woods’ experience in having tried over 125 jury trials in state and federal court assures the client will have the most experienced representation possible. Mr. Woods has taught trial advocacy at the University of Texas Law School Trial Advocacy Program for ten years.