Born in Pasadena, Texas, Joe is a life-long resident of Houston. After graduating law school, Joe accepted a position with the Houston-based law firm of Royston, Rayzor, Vickery & Williams L.L.P., one of the nation’s premier admiralty and maritime law firms.

Joe became a partner in the firm, working in both the Houston and Galveston offices. He successfully litigated for his individual and corporate clients, both inside and outside of the courtroom in matters covering all aspects of admiralty and maritime law, as well as a wide variety of civil and commercial litigation matters, including insurance coverage disputes, personal injury claims, products liability claims, contract disputes and energy related matters in both state and federal jurisdictions.

Joe left Royston Rayzor to co-found Terry & Thweatt, P.C. with Lee Thweatt, where he focuses his national practice on representing individuals involved in maritime and offshore accidents, 18-wheeler accidents, burn and brain injury matters as well as serious personal injury and wrongful death matters. Joe also represents businesses in complex legal disputes. Joe has extensive trial experience and has obtained a number of substantial verdicts and settlements for his clients, including numerous multi-million dollar recoveries.

Joe is married and he and his wife Johanna have one son. They are members of Saint Theresa Catholic Church and are active volunteers in the Houston Heights Association. They are also members of Fraser’s Friends, an organization dedicated to providing financial support to the Congenital Heart Surgery team at Texas Children’s Hospital. Joe also serves on the board of the Coastal Conservation Association’s Central Houston Chapter. When not supporting Houston’s college and professional sports teams, Joe can be found anywhere along the Texas coast wadefishing in pursuit of redfish and speckled trout.

After graduating from J. Frank Dobie High School in Houston, Joe attended Trinity University in San Antonio where he earned a Bachelor of Science in International Business. While at Trinity, Joe was a four year letterman on the football team, twice earning all-conference honors, and chosen as a captain by his teammates his senior year.

Joe then returned to Houston where he attended South Texas College of Law and graduated cum laude (top 10 percent of his class). Joe was also on the Dean’s List every semester while in law school.

During the summers, Joe interned for Justice Nelda V. Rodriguez at the Thirteenth Court of Appeals in Corpus Christi, Texas as well as for various distinguished law firms in Houston, San Antonio and Corpus Christi.

Admissions

• All state and federal courts in Texas
• The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• The United States Supreme Court

Joe has received an AV® rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest such rating available to any individual attorney, which demonstrates that a lawyer has reached the height of professional excellence, skill and integrity, and has also been named to their “Texas’ Top Rated Lawyers” list. He has been named by Texas Monthly magazine to its annual listing of “Super Lawyers” in their Super Lawyers publication as well as being named as one of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Houston, which is awarded to Texas lawyers who receive the highest point totals during the selection process. He has also been named “Top Lawyers for the People” multiple times by H Texas Magazine.

Memberships & Awards

• “Top Rated Lawyers” by Texas’ Legal Leaders, 2013 – 2016
• “Super Lawyers” by Texas Monthly Magazine, 2013 – 2016
• “America’s Most Honored Professionals” by The American Registry, 2016
• “Top Lawyers in Texas” by The Legal Network, 2016
• “Leading Professionals of The World” by International Biographical Centre, 2015
• “Top One Percent” by the National Association of Distinguished Council, 2015
• “Houston’s Top Lawyers” by H Texas Magazine, 2013 – 2015
• “Top 100 Attorneys in Houston” by Texas Super Lawyers Magazine, 2015
• “Top Lawyers” by Houstonia Magazine, 2013 – 2015
• “Clients Choice Award” by AVVO, 2014
• “Top 100 Trial Lawyers” by The National Trial Lawyers, 2014
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute
• Qualified as a Proctor in Admiralty by The Maritime Law Association of the United States
• Member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association
• Member of The Houston Trial Lawyers Association
• Member of the Million Dollar Advocate
• Member of American Association for Justice
• Member of Galveston County Bar Association