Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Bridgett N. Whitmore was educated in the Dallas public school system. Upon her graduation in 1991, from Booker T. Washington High School of the Performing and Visual Arts, Bridgett matriculated to Yale University, graduating in 1995 with a degree in Psychology. She then moved to New Orleans, LA to attend Tulane University Law School, where she received her Juris Doctor in 1998. Bridgett moved back to Dallas to begin her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney with Dallas County. A born trial attorney Bridgett got her start trying cases while participating in the Texas high school mock trial competition as a student at Booker T. Washington High School. While in her third year of law school, she tried her very first felony case defending a New Orleans juvenile client. She won that case, in front of a judge who at that time had not acquitted a defendant in two years. She continued her winning streak as an Assistant District Attorney for Dallas County from 1999- 2002, having won every jury trial during her tenure as an Assistant District Attorney. In 2002, Bridgett moved into private practice at the law firm of DeHay & Elliston to work exclusively with a Fortune 500 company overseeing and managing their litigation in several states. There she made partner in 2008. In 2013, after 11 years representing corporate clients, Bridgett returned to the public sector working again as an Assistant District Attorney in Dallas County. Bridgett was one of very few Assistant District Attorneys who worked to protect abused and neglected children of Dallas County. After 20 years of practicing law, Bridgett ran for judge of the 193rd Civil District court and was elected on May 22, 2018. She will begin her term on January 1, 2019. A Dallas resident, she is also a member of St. Luke Community Methodist Church, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and serves of the board of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
| DALLAS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE Assistant District Attorney | Dallas, TX 2015 - present |
| Represents the State of Texas and District Attorney of Dallas County in civil matters within the County of Dallas. First-Chair trial attorney representing governmental agency in litigation matters, wherein duties include representing agency at various hearings before the District Courts, as well as drafting and responding to pleadings, motions, and discovery. Reviews voluminous documents and conducts interviews of both lay witnesses and expert witnesses in preparation for trial, as well as responsible for advising client as to the merits of their case. Argues motions before the District Courts, as well as represents clients at depositions and settlement negotiations. | |
| TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION Regional Attorney | Dallas, TX 2014 - 2015 |
| Attorney for the State of Texas serving state agencies within the Region 3 territory. Represented state agency in protective services litigation matters, wherein duties included representing agency at hearings before various State District Courts, as well as drafted and responded to pleadings, motions, subpoenas and discovery. Duties included analyzing state regulations and advising internal clients regarding compliance with current laws; reviewing voluminous documents and conducting interviews of both lay witnesses and expert witnesses in preparation for trial as well as responsible for advising client as to the merits of their case. Argued motions before the District Courts, as well as represented clients at depositions and settlement negotiations. | |
| DEHAY & ELLISTON, L.L.P. Partner | Dallas, TX 2002 - 2014 |
| Litigation Attorney in the Dallas Office of a civil defense litigation law firm specializing in defending Fortune 500 Corporations in general litigation matters, including product liability, toxic tort, asbestos and silica, insurance defense, business and commercial litigation and employment litigation. Duties included managing extensive litigation trial docket in several states and the federal courts. Responsibilities also included managing and overseeing litigation of out of state local counsel, drafting and responding to various pleadings, motions, and discovery, responding to and consulting with clients regarding litigation status and providing legal opinions and drafting memoranda regarding litigation status. Responsible for the total preparation of cases for trial including taking and defending depositions of both lay and expert witnesses, advising clients of the merits of their case, attending hearings, settlement negotiations, and trials. As Section Head, responsibilities included staff development and performance management of individual attorneys and paralegals to ensure proper functioning of section within client guidelines. | |
| DALLAS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE Assistant District Attorney | Dallas, TX 1999 - 2002 |
| Represented the State of Texas and District Attorney of Dallas County in various criminal and civil matters within the County of Dallas. First-Chaired and prosecuted numerous felony and misdemeanor jury trials while tenured as an Assistant District Attorney. Represented state agency in various litigation matters, wherein duties included representing agency at various hearings before the District Courts, as well as drafting and responding to pleadings, motions, and discovery. Reviewed voluminous documents and conducted interviews of both lay witnesses and expert witnesses in preparation for trial as well as responsible for advising client as to the merits of their case. Argued motions before the District Courts, as well as represented clients at depositions and settlement negotiations. | |
EDUCATION
| TULANE LAW SCHOOL Juris Doctor | New Orleans, LA May 1998 | |
| ACTIVITIES AND HONORS: | MOOT COURT BOARD ORDER OF THE BARRISTERS JUVENILE LAW CLINIC TRIAL ADVOCACY FELLOW CHAIRPERSON OF THE SENIOR TRIAL COMPETITION ATLA TRIAL TEAM – 1997 Regional Competition Winner | |
| YALE UNIVERSITY Bachelor of Arts | New Haven, CT May 1995 |
LICENSES AND MEMBERSHIPS
- TEXAS 1999; SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
- DALLAS BAR ASSOCIATION, J.L. TURNER LEGAL ASSOCIATION, DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY
PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS
- “ASBESTOS AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY: THE CASE STUDY OF U.S. V. W.R. GRACE. COULD YOU BE NEXT?”, DRI ASBESTOS MEDICINE SEMINAR, MIAMI, FLORIDA, 2009
-
You must be on the network to see these links.
© 2024. Dallas County. All rights reserved.
