An accomplished, board-certified trial attorney for close to two decades, Scott Self has tried dozens of high-stakes civil cases, including cases involving wrongful death, catastrophic personal injury, employment, and multimillion-dollar business and commercial disputes. He also has presented oral arguments to several Texas appellate courts. Mr. Self is committed to achieving favorable outcomes for his clients in all aspects of his legal practice, from early case evaluation to crafting thoughtful legal strategies, developing crucial evidence, and authoring effective pretrial motions.

Mr. Self is known for his character and charisma at trial, and his courtroom success has not gone without notice. He’s been honored as a Super Lawyer seven times; he received a D Magazine Best Lawyers in Dallas honor in 2018; and was honored seven times as a Rising Star. Mr. Self is a member of the Dallas Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), a national organization of elite trial lawyers and judges dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the civil jury trial right provided by the Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Experience
  • Crump v. MCMC Auto, Ltd. Scott obtained a defense verdict for his client in a trial in state court in Tarrant County, Texas, in a case involving allegations of car dealer negligence. The plaintiff, a pedestrian who was filling her SUV with gas, was struck by a car that Mr. Self’s client had sold approximately 3½ months before the accident. The car’s owner and her boyfriend, who was driving the vehicle when it struck the plaintiff, alleged that the car’s brakes failed. The plaintiff suffered a number of severe injuries and had medical bills of $491,000 as a result of the accident. The plaintiff alleged that Mr. Self’s client failed to inspect and service the car properly before selling it and therefore asked the jury to award damages in excess of $6 million. Mr. Self showed the jury that the accident was caused by the negligence of the car’s owner and driver, rather than by Mr. Self’s client. After a week of trial, the Tarrant County jury rendered a defense verdict for Mr. Self’s client.
  • Lennon II Family Limited Partnership v. AGL Constructors, Joint Venture, et al. Mr. Self obtained a defense verdict for his client—a heavy civil engineering joint venture handling a billion-dollar interstate highway construction project–in state court in Denton County, Texas, in a trial involving complex real property and environmental issues. The plaintiff, which owns real property in Denton County, claimed that Mr. Self’s client, a heavy civil contractor, had unlawfully removed fill dirt from the plaintiff’s property and dumped contaminants onto the property. The plaintiff demanded more than $13 million before trial and asked the jury to award damages in excess of $8 million during trial. Mr. Self showed the jury that his client had lawfully purchased the fill dirt from the landowner’s agent and had brought non-hazardous and commercially useful replacement material back to the property. After two weeks of trial, the Denton County jury rendered a unanimous defense verdict for Mr. Self’s client.
  • David Gray, et al. v. North Texas Premier Soccer Association, et al. Mr. Self obtained a defense verdict at trial in Dallas County, Texas, on behalf of his clients—a non-profit soccer organization, its officers, and directors—in a lawsuit in which the plaintiff injured his knee while playing in an adult recreational soccer game on a field owned and operated by the association. The plaintiffs alleged premises liability and gross negligence against the non-profit organization, as well as breach of fiduciary duty and fraud against its officers and directors. Mr. Self successfully argued for dismissal of the breach of fiduciary duty and fraud claims before the case went to the jury, which ultimately returned a unanimous defense verdict on the premises liability and gross negligence claims.
  • Monica Cooper, et al. v. Pantego Camp Thurman, Inc. Mr. Self obtained a defense verdict at trial in Tarrant County, Texas, on behalf of his Christian camp client in a wrongful death lawsuit involving an incident in which the decedent trespassed onto the camp’s premises and fell from a high ropes course element.
  • Anselme Nzirubusa, et al. v. Bobby Joe Raymond and Dee King Trucking, Inc. Mr. Self obtained a defense verdict at trial in Potter County, Texas, on behalf of his truck driver and trucking company clients in a wrongful death lawsuit involving an accident in which the truck collided with the decedent’s car.
  • Sunny Garren, et al. v. Ray Anthony Cunningham and Greyhound Lines, Inc. Mr. Self obtained summary judgment in Dallas County, Texas, on behalf of his bus driver and bus company clients in a personal injury lawsuit involving an incident in which a passenger attacked the driver and caused the bus to run off the road.
  • Lawrence Gertie v. Greyhound Lines, Inc., et al. Mr. Self obtained summary judgment in Dallas County, Texas, on behalf of on behalf of his bus driver and bus company clients in a personal injury lawsuit involving an incident in which a Wal-Mart tractor-trailer collided with the bus at a railroad crossing.
  • Farouq Alomari, et al. v. Ameristar Apartment Services, LP, et al. Mr. Self obtained summary judgment in Tarrant County, Texas, on behalf of his window maintenance contractor client in a personal injury lawsuit involving an accident in which the plaintiff’s minor child pushed through a window screen and fell from a third story window.
  • Newton, et al. v. Next Level Ballers, et al. Mr. Self obtained summary judgment in the federal Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division on behalf of his basketball promoter clients in a wrongful death lawsuit in which the decedent collapsed and died during a youth basketball tournament organized and promoted by Mr. Self’s clients.
  • Zarate v. Thomas & Betts, et al. Mr. Self obtained summary judgment in Tarrant County, Texas, on behalf of his products manufacturer clients in a wrongful death lawsuit in which the decedent was electrocuted when he came into contact with electrical service entrance equipment that was allegedly manufactured and sold by Mr. Self’s clients.
  • Brunson v. Disciples Crossing. Mr. Self obtained summary judgment in Henderson County, Texas, on behalf of his Christian camp client in a personal injury lawsuit in which the plaintiff fell and seriously injured his knee after tripping on a pet dog owned by the director of Mr. Self’s client. Mr. Self also successfully argued before the Tyler Court of Appeals to uphold the summary judgment.
  • Wikert v. Goodguys Rod & Custom Association, et al. Mr. Self obtained summary judgment in Dallas County, Texas, on behalf of his classic car enthusiasts organization client in a commercial lawsuit in which the Plaintiff claimed ownership of a Chip Foose-designed 1970 Dodge Challenger that Mr. Self’s client had previously purchased and given away in its national car giveaway contest.
  • Nguyen v. Sonju and Frisco Roughriders, Mr. Self obtained a defense verdict at trial in Collin County, Texas, on behalf of his minor league baseball club client in a personal injury lawsuit involving an automobile accident in which the general manager’s SUV collided with the plaintiff’s minivan.
  • Berry, et al. v. Timberline Baptist Camp, et al. Mr. Self obtained summary judgment in Smith County, Texas, on behalf of his Christian camp client in a sexual misconduct lawsuit in which two counselors (one a minor) of a guest organization engaged in sexual misconduct while on the premises of Mr. Self’s client.
  • Sorensen v. FedEx Kinko’s Office and Print Services, Inc. Mr. Self obtained summary judgment in the federal Western District of Texas, San Antonio Division, on behalf of his employer client in an employment discrimination lawsuit in which the Plaintiff alleged that she had been wrongfully terminated by Mr. Self’s client.
  • Berry v. Winburn, Inc. d/b/a Gym Kids. Scott obtained a defense verdict at trial in Denton County, Texas, on behalf of his gymnastics facility client in a personal injury lawsuit involving an accident in which the Plaintiff seriously injured his back while using a trampoline apparatus at Mr. Scott’s client’s gymnastics facility.
  • Reed, et al. v. Longview Baptist Temple, et al. Mr. Self obtained a defense verdict at trial in Gregg County, Texas, on behalf of his church client in a wrongful death lawsuit involving an automobile accident in which the decedent’s motorcycle collided with Mr. Self’s client’s church bus.
Admissions
  • Texas (2001)
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
Affiliations
  • Board Certified, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Personal Injury Trial Law
  • State Bar of Texas
  • American Bar Association
  • Dallas Bar Association
  • Texas Association of Defense Counsel
  • Defense Research Institute
Education
  • University of Texas School of Law, J.D., 2001
  • Rhodes College, B.A., 1997
Honors
  • Texas Super Lawyer, Texas Monthly & Super Lawyers (2013 – 2020)
  • Best Lawyers in Dallas, D Magazine (2018)
  • Member, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
  • Texas Rising Star, Texas Monthly & Super Lawyers (2006 – 2013)
  • Recognized as one of the Top Rated Lawyers in Commercial Litigation Law by The American Lawyer, Corporate Counsel, Martindale Hubbell, and National Law Journal (2013)
Community
  • Board of Directors, Sky Ranch Christian Camp & Conference Center
  • Serves with Advocates for Community Transformation (Act), a ministry that uses the justice system to empower inner-city residents to fight crime in their neighborhoods.
  • Counsels a number a number of Christian organizations on issues involving liability issues, organizational governance, and religious liberties.
  • Participates with Dallas Justice, a group of Christian lawyers and legal professionals working together to promote social justice in Dallas and beyond.

Starting when I was young, my family and friends instilled in me a love of the outdoors. Hunting and fishing are about preparation and patience, being alert and ready. Skills that come in handy in litigation and trial, too. Hunting and fishing are family traditions that I am now blessed to share with my children.

Nothing prepared me for my career as a trial attorney better than my eight years of high school and college football. The game has taught me valuable lessons about toughness, work ethic, teamwork, poise, and humility. Especially humility. Thankfully, these are lessons I now get to pass on to my two sons while helping coach their football teams.

Each of my boys has a copy of this “Warrior Weekend” Bible from the father-son retreats that we have attended together at Sky Ranch, where I am honored to serve as a member of the board of directors. Working with and representing Sky Ranch and similar Christian organizations is the heart of my law practice.


More About Scott W. Self

Scott is married to Aryn Stapp Self, a commercial real estate attorney and shareholder with the Dallas firm of Munsch, Hardt, Kopf & Harr, P.C.  They have three children.  The Self family are active members of Watermark Community Church, where Scott serves as a volunteer in the children’s ministries.

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