Haynes Boone Global Trials Chair Victor Vital has been named the 2025 Dallas Bar Association Trial Lawyer of the Year. Vital will be recognized in a ceremony on Sept. 18 and was profiled on the first page of the September issue of the Dallas Bar Association’s Headnotes.
The award is given annually to the DBA member who best exemplifies the noble principles of the legal profession.
“Victor embodies the lawyer’s lawyer. His trial work includes both criminal and civil dockets, demonstrating his versatility. His easy smile and congenial demeanor do not negate his fierce representation for his clients, even when he is court-appointed. Victor represents the best aspects of a trial lawyer. As I’ve worked with Victor in various aspects of board service over the years, he brings that same analytical mindfulness in every aspect of reviewing issues for the best outcome.” said DBA President Vicki Blanton.
Vital returned to Haynes Boone last summer as the Global Chair of the firm's Trials Practice Group, bringing nearly 30 years of adeptly handling high-stakes cases and often representing major corporate clients, industry leaders and high-net-worth, well-known individuals, whether seeing cases from inception to verdict or being added to legal teams in the months (and sometimes weeks) leading up to trial. His first-rate trial experience and unique ability to persuade judges and juries on the most complex topics have made him a sought-after advocate for high-profile cases not only in Dallas, but also across the country.
This past year, Vital created and orchestrated the inaugural Haynes Boone Trial Academy to equip the next generation of litigators with essential trial advocacy skills through immersive instruction, hands-on workshops and live mock trials. The Trial Academy aims to strengthen courtroom readiness and reinforce a firm-wide culture of excellence in litigation. Vital authored an article for The Texas Lawbook last month describing the intensive, in-house training program.
Vital is ranked Band 1 by Chambers USA (Litigation: Trial Lawyers, 2024-2025), which notes that he is “recognized for his trial abilities” and is “a strong performer in a range of commercial disputes and also has considerable experience handling high-stakes personal injury litigation.” His verdicts have been nationally recognized in the National Law Journal’s Top 100 Verdicts and Courtroom View Network’s Top 10 Most Impressive Defense Verdicts.
To read the full feature announcing the honor from the September edition of DBA's Headnotes, click here.
