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Contact | Careers
Jackson Walker
Craig R. Bennett

Craig R. Bennett

Partner, Austin
512.236.2087
cbennett@jw.com
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Practice Experience Publications & Speeches Community Involvement Attorney News

Practice Areas

  • Environment & Natural Resources
  • Energy
  • Government Relations & Public Policy

Experience

  • Administrative and Regulatory
  • Electric Power
  • Electric Regulatory
  • Energy Regulation & Governmental Affairs
  • Environmental | Energy
  • Environmental Compliance & Enforcement
  • Environmental Due Diligence
  • Environmental Litigation & Toxic Tort
  • Government Contracts & Procurement
  • Insurance
  • Insurance Administrative, Investigative, and Regulatory Matters

Biography

Craig Bennett is an attorney in the environmental, legislative, & regulatory group of Jackson Walker’s Austin office. Craig’s practice focuses on administrative and regulatory law, including counseling clients on a broad range of matters such as compliance, enforcement, litigation, and judicial review of administrative agency decisions. Prior to joining Jackson Walker, Craig served as a Master Administrative Law Judge with the Texas State Office of Administrative Hearings for 18 years.

In the time before serving as an Administrative Law Judge, Craig was in private practice in Dallas and Austin as a litigator in the areas of employment, civil rights, governmental liability, and environmental law. A seasoned mediator, Craig has spent two decades successfully mediating dozens of cases for a variety of clients. From 2004-2010, Craig served as an Exam Commissioner for the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Craig currently serves as an adjunct professor teaching Texas Administrative Law at Baylor Law School and at the University of Texas Law School, where he has taught since 2007. He has been a regular guest lecturer at numerous universities and law schools, including the following institutions in China: Wuhan University Law School, Xiamen University Law School, and Jinan University. Craig is also a frequent speaker at continuing legal education seminars, including various Advanced Administrative Law Seminars.

Education

B.S., Indiana University, Bloomington
J.D., Baylor University Law School

Bar Admissions

Texas

Court Admissions

United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
United States District Court for the Eastern, Northern, and Western Districts of Texas

Practice Experience Publications & Speeches Community Involvement Attorney News
  • Advises clients on litigation strategy and compliance with applicable regulatory and other laws
  • Has represented a wide variety of municipal entities in employment and civil rights litigation, including large population counties and prominent school districts
  • Has represented both large and small private entities in state and federal courts
  • Has served as first chair and second chair counsel in jury and bench trials in federal courts

Publications & Speaking Engagements

  • Co-author, “Being an Effective Advocate,” Currents by POWER Engineers (February 2022)
  • Speaker, “The Art of Persuasion: Winning at SOAH,” 15th Annual Advanced Texas Administrative Law Seminar, UT Law CLE (September 2020)
  • Speaker, “Changing Perspectives on Judicial Deference,” 14th Annual Advanced Texas Administrative Law Seminar, UT Law CLE (August 2019)
  • Speaker, “Successfully Navigating a SOAH Contested Case Hearing,” 31st Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course, Texas Bar CLE (June 2019)
  • Speaker, “SOAH Proposals for Decision,” 30th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course, Texas Bar CLE (June 2018)
  • Speaker, “Agency License Denial and Revocation Proceedings,” 29th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course, Texas Bar CLE (June 2017)
  • Speaker, “A Comparison of SOAH ALJs and In-House ALJs,” 27th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course, Texas Bar CLE (June 2015)
  • Speaker, “Common Evidentiary Issues,” 25th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course, Texas Bar CLE (June 2013)
  • Speaker, “Evidentiary Mistakes to Avoid,” 7th Annual Advanced Texas Administrative Law Seminar, UT CLE (August 2012)
  • Speaker, “Summary Disposition: Hearing? We Don’t Need No Stinking Hearing!,” 24th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course, Texas Bar CLE (June 2012)
  • Speaker, “Pleadings and Motion Practice Before SOAH,” 18th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course, State Bar of Texas CLE (October 2006)

In the News

  • “EPA may try to block Texas seawater desalination plant in Corpus Christi,” The Texas Tribune (September 2022)
  • State Bar of Texas
    • Administrative Law Section
    • Public Utility Law Section
  • Austin Bar Association
    • Administrative Law Section
  • Speaker, UT Quest Series
  • Exam Commissioner, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2005-2010
  • Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution, Basic Mediation Training, 2000
  • Officer, Federal Bar Association, Dallas Chapter, 1998
Craig Bennett with Jackson Walker logo

September 22, 2022

Mentions

EPA May Try to Block What Could Be the First Seawater Desalination Plant Built in Texas | The Texas Tribune

Citing water quality concerns, the Environmental Protection Agency may refuse to recognize a permit that Texas approved on Thursday, September 22 for a marine desalination plant at the Port of Corpus Christi.

Jackson Walker partner Craig Bennett, as counsel to the Port Aransas Conservancy, which opposes the plant, told The Texas Tribune that he’s concerned that the TCEQ has set a bad precedent for permitting marine desalination plants. “We are not opposed to desalination,” he noted. “There’s no reason they can’t run the discharge out into the gulf.”

City of Austin, Texas with Jackson Walker logo

February 24, 2022

Insights

Being an Effective Advocate | Currents by POWER Engineers

By Kirk Rasmussen and Craig Bennett | Whether in a presentation to a receptive client or on the witness stand facing cross examination by a hostile attorney, this article provides practical pointers on being a credible and effective advocate.

2022 New Partners

February 11, 2022

Attorney News

Jackson Walker Announces Largest Class of Newly Elected Partners to Date

Jackson Walker is pleased to announce the election of 14 attorneys to the Firm’s partnership on Friday, February 11, 2022. In addition to electing 14 new partners, the Firm also congratulates Bart Cicuto, Noah Speck, and Austin Thomas on their promotion from associates to senior counsel.

September 7, 2020

Speaking Engagements

Craig Bennett Presents “The Art of Persuasion: Winning at SOAH” During Advanced Texas Administrative Law Seminar

Craig Bennett joined Jason Ray (Riggs & Ray, P.C.) for a discussion on effective ways to frame a persuasive case before the Texas State Office Administrative Hearings and how to organize evidence and arguments supporting the case.

Fast Takes - Craig Bennett

April 7, 2020

Podcasts

Texas Office of Administrative Hearings During COVID-19 Restrictions

Craig Bennett discusses how State of Texas public agencies are conducting business and the alternative processes that are offered to help with filing, hearings, and submissions.

Texas State Capitol building-Texas Supreme Court in Austin

March 27, 2020

Insights

Public Utility Commission of Texas Provides Relief to Customers Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

The Public Utility Commission of Texas has issued orders providing relief and consumer protections to water, sewer, and electric utility customers in Texas and establishing a COVID-19 Electricity Relief Program.

December 9, 2019

Attorney News

Jackson Walker Expands Finance and Electric Utility Practices With Addition of Lindsey Berwick and Kirk Rasmussen

Jackson Walker is pleased to announce the addition of Lindsey Berwick and Kirk Rasmussen as partners in the San Antonio and Austin offices, respectively.

More Attorney News

Practice Experience

  • Advises clients on litigation strategy and compliance with applicable regulatory and other laws
  • Has represented a wide variety of municipal entities in employment and civil rights litigation, including large population counties and prominent school districts
  • Has represented both large and small private entities in state and federal courts
  • Has served as first chair and second chair counsel in jury and bench trials in federal courts

Publications & Speeches

Publications & Speaking Engagements

  • Co-author, “Being an Effective Advocate,” Currents by POWER Engineers (February 2022)
  • Speaker, “The Art of Persuasion: Winning at SOAH,” 15th Annual Advanced Texas Administrative Law Seminar, UT Law CLE (September 2020)
  • Speaker, “Changing Perspectives on Judicial Deference,” 14th Annual Advanced Texas Administrative Law Seminar, UT Law CLE (August 2019)
  • Speaker, “Successfully Navigating a SOAH Contested Case Hearing,” 31st Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course, Texas Bar CLE (June 2019)
  • Speaker, “SOAH Proposals for Decision,” 30th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course, Texas Bar CLE (June 2018)
  • Speaker, “Agency License Denial and Revocation Proceedings,” 29th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course, Texas Bar CLE (June 2017)
  • Speaker, “A Comparison of SOAH ALJs and In-House ALJs,” 27th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course, Texas Bar CLE (June 2015)
  • Speaker, “Common Evidentiary Issues,” 25th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course, Texas Bar CLE (June 2013)
  • Speaker, “Evidentiary Mistakes to Avoid,” 7th Annual Advanced Texas Administrative Law Seminar, UT CLE (August 2012)
  • Speaker, “Summary Disposition: Hearing? We Don’t Need No Stinking Hearing!,” 24th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course, Texas Bar CLE (June 2012)
  • Speaker, “Pleadings and Motion Practice Before SOAH,” 18th Annual Advanced Administrative Law Course, State Bar of Texas CLE (October 2006)

In the News

  • “EPA may try to block Texas seawater desalination plant in Corpus Christi,” The Texas Tribune (September 2022)

Community Involvement

  • State Bar of Texas
    • Administrative Law Section
    • Public Utility Law Section
  • Austin Bar Association
    • Administrative Law Section
  • Speaker, UT Quest Series
  • Exam Commissioner, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2005-2010
  • Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolution, Basic Mediation Training, 2000
  • Officer, Federal Bar Association, Dallas Chapter, 1998

Practice Areas

  • Energy
  • Environment & Natural Resources
  • Government Relations & Public Policy

Experience

  • Administrative and Regulatory
  • Electric Power
  • Electric Regulatory
  • Energy Regulation & Governmental Affairs
  • Environmental | Energy
  • Environmental Compliance & Enforcement
  • Environmental Due Diligence
  • Environmental Litigation & Toxic Tort
  • Government Contracts & Procurement
  • Insurance
  • Insurance Administrative, Investigative, and Regulatory Matters
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