Biography
Robert F. Ruckman is a partner in the litigation section of Jackson Walker in Dallas. His practice primarily involves representation of airlines, aircraft or aircraft component part manufacturers and aviation insurers or individuals involved in aviation or related businesses. He has served as lead counsel in complex multidistrict air carrier and product liability litigation.
Bob has extensive trial experience, with numerous jury and non-jury trials in state and federal courts. He is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law.
Education
B.A., Trinity University
J.D., Vanderbilt University Law School
Bar Admissions
Texas, 1970
Court Admissions
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
United States District Court for the Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas
Board Certifications
Civil Trial Law
Personal Injury Trial Law
Representative Cases
- Serving as lead counsel for product defendant in litigation arising out of crash of Air France Flight 447
- Served as lead counsel for defendant airline in federal multi-district litigation and state court cases arising from crash of Flight 5966 near Kirksville, Missouri
- Defended aircraft engine manufacturer in case arising out of accident in Brazil and obtained defense verdict in Tarrant County, Texas
- Defended air show sponsor in jury trial in Houston arising from collision of Warbird aircraft during air show and obtained favorable verdict
- Defended bank in wrongful death case arising out of aircraft accident and obtained a favorable jury verdict in Hidalgo County, Texas
- Obtained defense verdict for airline in jury trial arising from major air carrier accident that occurred in San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Euromoney’s Aviation Expert Guide, 2017-2018
- The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White Inc.), 2007-2022
- Lawyer of the Year – Dallas/Fort Worth, Transportation Law, 2018
- Lawyer of the Year – Dallas/Fort Worth, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, 2016
- Aviation Law, 2021-2022
- Commercial Litigation, 2012-2022
- Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants, 2012-2022
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, 2011-2022
- Transportation Law, 2007-2022
- Who’s Who Legal: Texas
- Aviation, 2018-2019
- Transport, 2016
- Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, 2013-2019
- Ranked for Transportation: Aviation: Litigation – Nationwide
- “Texas Super Lawyer,” Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters, 2003-2005, 2007-2019
- Euromoney’s Litigation and Product Liability Expert Guide, 2016
- Best in Civil Litigation Defense, Super Lawyer’s Corporate Counsel Edition
- The International Who’s Who of Aviation Lawyers, 2014
- Guide to the World’s Leading Aviation Lawyers
- AV Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
- Panel Moderator, “Mock Trials, A Global View: What’s New in Aviation and Space Law – Litigation in the U.S. and Abroad,” ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section Aviation & Space Law Committee (October 2014)
- “Aviation Trends and Strategies,” Inside Minds: Strategies for Transportation Litigation and Dispute Resolution (December 2013)
- Panel Moderator, “Mock Settlement Negotiation, Trial Tactics and Skills for the Aviation Practitioner,” ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section Aviation & Space Law Committee (October 2012)
- “ER in the Skies: In-Flight Medical Emergencies,” 33rd Annual SMU Air Law Symposium, Dallas, Texas (February 1999)
- “In-Flight Medical Emergencies: An Update on the Aviation Medical Assistance At of 1998,” Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s 13th Annual Aviation Law/Insurance Symposium, Daytona Beach, Florida (January 2000)
- “ER in the Skies: In-Flight Medical Emergencies,” Vol. 65 Journal of Air Law and Commerce, Winter 1999
- “Use of Automated External Defibrillators by a U.S. Airline,” New England Journal of Medicine, October 26, 2000 (contributed legal content for the article)
- “Cardiac Arrest at 30,000 Feet,” Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, June 2006, Vol. 20 No. 3 (Case conference / Co-author of section pertaining to liability for responding to in-flight emergencies)
- International Association of Defense Counsel
- Texas Association of Defense Counsel
- Defense Research Institute
- American Bar Association Forum Committee on Air and Space Law
- Aviation and Space Law Committee
- Tort and Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association
- Lawyer-Pilot’s Bar Association
- Texas Bar Association, Fellow
- Dallas Bar Association, Fellow
- College of the State Bar of Texas, Fellow
- Texas Bar Foundation, Sustaining Life Fellow
- Swiss Avenue Historic District, President