Tim Soefje

Partner

Dallas, TX | Houston, TX
D 469.895.3009
tim.soefje@fmglaw.com

Education

  • J.D., South Texas College of Law (1994)

  • B.A., Texas State University (1987)

  • Mediator Certification, University of Texas School of Law (2016)

Overview

Tim Soefje is a Partner and the Office Chair at Freeman Mathis & Gary's Dallas office. He is the Vice Chair of the FMG’s Architects & Engineers Design Liability team. For almost 30 years, Mr. Soefje has represented professionals in malpractice claims, including architects, engineers, design professionals, land surveyors, lawyers and law firms, judges, accountants, medical professionals, insurance agents/brokers, real estate agents/brokers, title companies, directors and officers, and other professionals. He regularly represents construction clients and design professionals in catastrophic, high-stakes litigation, involving both personal injury and property damage.

Mr. Soefje regularly represents general contractors, subcontractors, governmental entities, HOAs, and individual clients in large, complex construction defect claims. He represents both defendants and plaintiffs in complex business, commercial, and partnership litigation, and clients involved in catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, and property loss, premises, dram shop, trucking and auto, crime, product liability, and federal and state class actions.

Mr. Soefje also regularly counsels lawyers and law firms nationwide on a wide range of serious ethical issues, client fee disputes, grievances, applications for admission, claims avoidance, and risk management matters. He represents law firms and attorneys wrongfully sued for barratry.

Tim has served on the Texas board of directors for the Professional Liability Underwriters Society (PLUS) and was featured as one of the #30For30 for PLUS' 30th Anniversary. He also has served the Co-Chair of the Professional Liability Defense Federation (PLDF) Miscellaneous Professional Liability Committee.

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Bar Admissions

New York

Oklahoma

Supreme Court of the United States of America

Texas

Representative Cases & Clients
  • Lead counsel in successful defense of legal malpractice claim involving sale of Brazilian naptha plant, where plaintiffs alleged $90 million in lost profits.

  • Lead counsel in successful defense of architectural malpractice claim where alleged negligent design and construction of commercial landfill in 100-year flood plain caused flooding in more than 140 homes and business in South Texas community.

  • Lead counsel in successful defense of nationally-prominent architectural firm where alleged negligent design and construction of a retention pond caused flooding of residential neighborhood.

  • Lead counsel in successful defense of federal class action lawsuit where more than 65,000 policy holder claimed more than $20 million in damages as a result of the sale of health insurance policies.

  • Lead plaintiff counsel for prominent owner of fast food franchise in significant federal civil rights claim, resulting in $3.5 million jury verdict in favor of client. Argued before en banc panel of 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and filed writ of certiorari in United States Supreme Court. Case settled for mid-six figures after remand to trial court.

  • Lead defense counsel in multi-million dollar, complex contract claim brought by kidney dialysis provider against third-party administrator of Medicare Plus Choice health insurance plan.

  • Lead defense counsel in 2-week class certification hearing, obtaining denial of class certification in case involving national law firm’s participation in marketing of long-term disability insurance policies to thousands of Texas school teachers.

  • Co-lead counsel in successfully resolving one of first medical negligence lawsuits in the country for negligent use of stereotactic radiosurgery (x-knife) on a brain stem tumor in 25-year-old plaintiff, who suffered permanent brain damage.

  • Lead counsel in 2-week jury trial against orthopedic surgeon who allegedly performed arthroscopic surgery on the wrong knee of his patient.

Affiliations
  • American Bar Association

  • State Bar of Texas, New York & Oklahoma

  • Dallas Bar Association

  • Collin County Bar Association

  • Oklahoma County Bar Association

  • Professional Liability Defense Federation (PLDF)

  • Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS)

  • Claims & Litigation Management Alliance (CLM)

Awards and Recognition

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  • AV Preeminent – Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™

  • Member, College of the State Bar Of Texas

Classes/Seminars Taught
  • UT Law CLE – The Supreme Court is Poised To Make a Right Turn: What Does This Mean for Professional Liability? (2020)

  • Five Ways Social Media Will Get You Disbarred (2017)

  • Current Issues In Legal Reporting, Texas State University, Department of Mass Communications (2015)

  • Professional Liability Insurance: Why You Need It & What to Watch Out For: 64th Annual Convention & Tech Expo Texas Society of Professional Surveyors (2015)

  • Third-Party Liability Claims Against Design Professionals, Admiral Delta Pro Insurance (2015)

  • Risk Management for Engineers, KSA Engineers, Inc. (2015)

  • LEEDS Litigation, Admiral Delta Pro Insurance (2015)

  • Pathology of Mistakes, OmniSure Consulting Group/Merica Life Sciences (2014)

  • Law of Construction Defects & Failures, HalfMoon Education Seminar (2013)

  • Subprime Crises – Understanding Liability & Impact On Underwriting (2009)

  • Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Monitor Liability Managers (2009)

  • Construction Litigation – What Happened While You Weren’t Looking, Monitor Liability Managers, (2008)