Biography
Roger D. Higgins provides representation and counsel to the insurance industry on a broad range of matters, including coverage and extra-contractual litigation, prosecution of arson and fraud defenses, market conduct exams, and reinsurance disputes. He has served as lead counsel in numerous high-profile trials, arbitrations, class actions, and regulatory and enforcement proceedings and has provided counsel and representation to insurers responding to natural and man-made disasters and catastrophes.
Roger is recognized in Chambers USA as a Leading Lawyer in America for Insurance and as a Texas Super Lawyer by Law & Politics.
Roger is an active and experienced trial and appellate lawyer who has tried lawsuits and handled appeals throughout Texas. He served as the chairperson of Thompson Coe’s Insurance Litigation & Coverage group from 1989-2004. In 2005, he joined the firm’s Management Committee.
Representative Experience
- Served as lead counsel on over 1000 lawsuits involving hurricane, flood and wind storm losses.
- Represented over 100 insurers in retaliatory premium tax refund class action.
- Represented defendants in over 50 class actions.
- Frequently represented insurers in enforcement and consumer protection proceedings brought by the Texas Attorney General or Texas Department of Insurance.
- Represented major insurers in arbitrations involving insurance claims, insurance claims procedures or reinsurance.
- Tried numerous arson and fraud cases through jury verdict.
- Represented insurers in judicial and regulatory proceedings involving premium, rates and policy forms.
- Represented insurer in action brought by Attorney General seeking to expand additional living expense coverage after Hurricane Rita.
- Defended insurers in diminished value class action.
- Represented insurers in receivership proceedings.
- Represented insurers in disputes involving managing general agencies, reinsurers and third party administrators.
- Represented insurer in case applying “filed rate doctrine” to class action challenging reasonableness of premium and rates.
Education
- University of Illinois College of Law (J.D., 1982)
- University of Illinois (B.A., 1979)
- cum laude
- distinction in economics
- Phi Beta Kappa
Bar Admissions
- , 1983
- , 1982
Court Admissions
- United States District Court, Northern, Southern, Western and Eastern Districts of Texas
- United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
Professional Recognition
- Texas Board of Legal Specialization, board certified in Civil Trial Law, 1992
- Texas Board of Legal Specialization, board certified in Civil Appellate Law, 1992
- Chambers USA, Top Insurance Firm, Texas 2004-20120
- Chambers USA, Leading Lawyers in America for Insurance in Texas, 2003-2020
- “AV” Peer Review Rated by Martindale Hubble.
- Law & Politics magazine's Texas Super Lawyers® - Super Lawyer for Class Action/Mass Torts– 2009 - 2014
Professional and Community Activities
- American Bar Association
Speeches and Presentations
- 2019, Thompson Coe CE/CLE: Update on Storm Litigation: Hurricane Harvey and Chapter 542A, and Current Challenges to the Appraisal Process
- "Prompt Payment of Claims" Thompson Coe's 11th Seminar on Texas Insurance Law Developments, October 25,
- "Hurricane Litigation After Mediation Fails" Panel Discussion, Thompson Coe's 9th Seminar on Texas Insurance Law Developments, May 6, 2010
- Panel Discussion, Handling Hurricane Ike Claims, Texas Insurance and Tort Law Update 2009, Thompson Coe Houston Seminar (2009)
- The Spoliation Doctrine: An Overview for the 2009 Annual Training Conference for the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) in Arlington, Texas on May 2009
- Property Insurance Issues After a Hurricane Loss, Thompson Coe’s Sixth Annual Seminar on Texas Insurance Law Developments 2006
- So You Believe It Was Arson—Now What?, Thompson Coe’s Seventh Annual Seminar on Texas Insurance Law Developments 2007
- Handling Catastrophe Claims in Texas, Thompson Coe’s Eighth Annual Seminar on Texas Insurance Law Developments 2008
