The Board of Trustees
Robert C. Grable
President
Robert C. Grable is a partner at Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP. He is one of seven founding members of the firm, which was established in 1979 in Fort Worth. He heads the energy practice group and is board certified in Oil, Gas, and Mineral Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. In 1991 through 1992, he served as Chairman of the Oil, Gas, and Mineral Law section of the State Bar of Texas.
Mr. Grable’s practice consists largely, but not exclusively, of representing clients in litigation and administrative hearings involving various facets of the oil and gas industry. He has represented independent producers, major oil companies, pipelines, and royalty owners in a wide variety of litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts, and before state and federal administrative agencies. He is counsel of record in over thirty appellate decisions, including five significant oil and gas opinions of the Texas Supreme Court, in all of which he represented the prevailing party.
Although Mr. Grable's practice has principally involved legal matters arising in domestic onshore activities, he has also represented clients in certain aspects of international oil and gas operations.
Mr. Grable was born in San Antonio and raised in Dallas. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University, and he graduated with high honors in 1971 from The University of Texas School of Law. He served as associate editor of the Texas Law Review, and is a member of the Order of the Coif and Chancellors; he was grand chancellor of his class. From 1972 through 1974, he saw active duty as a Lieutenant, JAGC, in the United States Navy.
In addition to his appointment as trustee of the Law School Foundation, Mr. Grable is a member of the McDonald Observatory and Astronomy Board of Visitors and the Development Board at The University of Texas at Austin. Since 1985, he has served as a member of the board and occasionally as an officer for the Fort Worth Dallas Ballet, now Texas Ballet Theater; he was Chairman of the Board in 2002-2003.
Mr. Grable has been listed in the prestigious “Best Lawyers In America” since 1995. He is a frequent speaker on issues in oil, gas, and mineral law, and has authored a number of papers in the field. He and his wife, Marty, reside in Fort Worth, where they are active in their church and a number of social organizations. They have two grown children.