Our Team
John M. Padilla
Mr. Padilla is licensed in Texas and California as a personal injury attorney.
Mr. Padilla was named a Texas Super Lawyer (Rising Star)(2006) by Thompson Reuters as seen in Texas Monthly Magazine and one of Houston’s Top Lawyers in H Texas Magazine (2006). Mr. Padilla was recognized in the 2009 and 2010 Verdict Search’s Top Texas Verdicts as published in Texas Lawyer for three separate verdicts.
Before beginning his legal studies and career, John Padilla earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree with Highest Honors from the University of Texas at Austin. While in the UT Business School, Mr. Padilla participated in the prestigious Honors Business Program. After graduating second in his undergraduate business school class of 417, Mr. Padilla went on to earn his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas at Austin with an emphasis on Finance.
In 1994, Mr. Padilla graduated from the University of Texas School of Law with High Honors. While in law school, Mr. Padilla was inducted into Chancellors, the highest honor society of the UT Law School “In Recognition of Distinguished Scholastic Achievement” for being ranked sixth out of a class of approximately 500 students at the end of his second year of law school. Mr. Padilla was also inducted in the Texas Chapter of the Order of the Coif for high attainments in the study of law.
Mr. Padilla began his legal career working for one of the largest law firms in the country, assisting in the defense of personal injury and securities actions. Mr. Padilla has been invited to present lectures at a number of professional forums. He is experienced in complex personal injury litigation, life insurance disputes, and wage and hour litigation.
Mr. Padilla grew up in El Paso, Texas. He lives in the Houston metro area with his family and is active in professional, civic and charitable affairs. He is particularly active in the local Hispanic and Greek communities, in recognition of his Mexican and Greek heritage.
Joaquin A. Rodriguez
Joaquin Alfonso Rodriguez is passionate about helping clients reach a just and equitable resolution to their personal injuries claims. Joaquin’s practice is focused on the representation of personal injury Plaintiffs, particularly in 18-Wheeler Accidents, Wrongful Death, Catastrophic Injury, and Products Liability cases.
Before beginning his legal career, Joaquin earned his Bachelor of Science in Human Resources Development from Texas A&M University, in College Station, Texas. During his undergraduate studies, Joaquin interned at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cancer Survivorship Department, studying performance improvement. After graduating from Texas A&M University, Joaquin attended South Texas College of Law, where he earned his Doctorate of Jurisprudence. Prior to beginning his law practice, Joaquin had a judicial internship in the 165th District Court of Harris County, Texas, under the Honorable Josefina Rendon.
Joaquin is a native of Missouri City, Texas. He is committed to serving the Houston community and is active in a variety of charitable, civic, political, and professional affairs in the Houston area. Joaquin proudly serves in a leadership capacity for the Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, Inc. – Houston Alumni Association, and through this organization has participated in numerous community service events.
Padilla & Rodriguez, LLP. 713-574-4600
James G. Rodriguez
Before beginning his legal studies and career, James Rodriguez earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Texas A&M University. After graduating from Texas A&M in 1989, Mr. Rodriguez was selected from a nationwide search to participate as a Fellow in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in Washington D.C. While in D.C he worked as a legislative aide on Capitol Hill.
In 1996, Mr. Rodriguez graduated from the University of Houston Law Center, after working full time as a legal clerk while attending law school.
After law school, Mr. Rodriguez began his career representing catastrophically injured clients and today is a partner with Padilla & Rodriguez, L.L.P., where he continues to work on cases involving catastrophic personal injuries and wrongful deaths.
Mr. Rodriguez is fluent in Spanish and has worked in a number of capacities advocating for immigrants’ rights. He has served as past president of the Mexican American Bar Association (Houston); past vice president of the Hispanic Bar Association (Houston); past president of the League of Latin American Citizens Council 30. He is currently on the advisory board of the Hispanic Bar Association (Houston) and is a member on the board of directors of the Fe y Justicia Worker Center. He is also a member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Houston Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association of Justice. Mr. Rodriguez is a Member of the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers (2013).
Mr. Rodriguez is a native of Bryan, Texas. His family roots trace back to the earliest Mexican settlers in Brazos County, Texas. While living in Houston, Texas, Mr. Rodriguez remains active with his family and in community, business and civic affairs in Bryan. His interests include fund-raising for various programs aimed at the advancement of minority young adults and speaking to young students about the value of education.
Zachary F. Caballero
Zachary F. Caballero is a First-Generation Texas Trial lawyer, nationally recognized poet, advocacy coach, and public speaker. Zachary joined Padilla & Rodriguez as an Associate Attorney after beginning his career practicing personal injury law at one of the oldest plaintiff’s personal injury law firms in Houston, where he developed his passion for representing and advocating for catastrophically injured clients and their families. Now at Padilla & Rodriguez, Zachary’s personal injury practice primarily focuses on representing catastrophically injured clients in 18-wheeler crashes, car crashes, work injuries, wrongful death and survivor suits, premise liability suits, product liability suits, and other personal injury actions rooted in negligence.
A native Austinite, Zachary earned two undergraduate degrees in English and History from the University of Texas at Austin. After graduating from UT-Austin, Zachary moved to Houston and earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence at South Texas College of Law-Houston, where he graduated with honors in May 2017. At South Texas, Zachary was an officer of the Hispanic Law Student Association and a National Champion Varsity Advocate for the nationally-ranked South Texas Advocacy Program. Zachary won the 41st Wagner National Labor and Employment Moot Court Competition in New York City, bringing home the 126th National Championship to the South Texas Advocacy Program. Upon graduation, Zachary was inducted as a member of the Order of the Barristers as a result of his successful advocacy career at South Texas. After graduating, Zachary continued to give back to the South Texas’ Advocacy Program and continues to serve an Advocacy Coach for law students competing in Moot Court tournaments.
Zachary has also served the legal community through the Houston Young Lawyers Association (HYLA) as a Director and former Co-Chair of the First Generation Attorneys Committee, where he helped spearhead the first-ever podcast about First Generation Attorneys. Zachary continues to serve as a mentor for first-generation law students and lawyers. In addition to HYLA, Zachary also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Houston Young Lawyers Foundation (HYLF) & the nono-profit arm of HYLA.
Outside the practice of law, Zachary cares deeply about youth literacy, creative writing, event organizing, and the art of performance poetry. Zachary is the co-founder of Spitshine Poetry, the longest-running poetry organization on UT-Austin’s campus. Zachary has taught poetry workshops and performance workshops to students of all ages across the country, Houston, and Central Texas. In April 2016, HuffPost Latino Voices, named Zachary as one of the Top 10 Spoken Word Poets Who Speak to Diverse Latino Issues. During each year of law school (and while enrolled full-time), Zachary worked as a resident artist for Writers in the Schools, a Houston nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering local youth through creative writing and performance poetry.
As a descendant of immigrants and the son of a veteran, Zachary is passionate about helping and serving others in any way he can. When Zachary isn’t practicing law or being a poet, he loves to cook, travel, run throughout the city of Houston, and spend time with his wife, Adela, family, and friends.
To learn more about Zachary, his story, and his community involvement, you can check out his story on the Stories of First Generation Attorneys Podcast and his feature article in the Texas Bar Journal.