As a shareholder of Downs & Stanford, Mr. Keener's practice focuses on construction law, premises liability, wrongful death, trucking accidents, automotive defects, product liability, electric utility and oil field accidents, all with an emphasis on trial practice. As lead counsel, Mr. Keener has tried many complex commercial and personal injury defense cases to verdict. As a result of such trial experience, Mr. Keener is frequently appointed as a mediator by numerous Dallas County Judges. His article on premises liability is cited in an opinion by the San Antonio Court of Appeals and is prominently featured in O’Conner’s Texas Causes of Action.

Bar Admissions

  • United States District Court - Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas.
  • State of Texas (1986)
  • United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit

Professional Affiliations

  • Member, State Bar of Texas, Litigation Section
  • Member, Dallas Bar Association, Tort and Insurance Section
  • Texas Association of Defense Counsel
  • AV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

Education

  • Mississippi College School of Law, J.D. (1986)
    Mock Appellate Court Champion, Trial Team, National Competition
  • Southern Methodist University, B.A. (1982)
    Attended SMU on Football Scholarship, Letterman 1979, 1981

Publications

  • Tab H. Keener, Can the Submission of a Premises Liability case be simplified? 28 Tex. Tech L. Rev. 1137 (1997) cited in Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Garza, 27 S.W. 3d 64 (Tex. App. – San Antonio 2000, no writ) and Texas Causes of Action, Premises Liability Chapter, pgs. 699, 713 (2009).
  • Tab H. Keener, Making Changes and Resolving Disputes During the Construction Process. Construction Law for Engineers and Contractors, Half Moon, LLC, December, 2008.
  • Tab H. Keener, Venue under Ruiz v. Conoco: What is the Standard of Review and Who is an Agent or Representative?, 48 Baylor L. Rev 669 (1994).
  • Tab H. Keener, What is QSF and When Should it Be Used? Defensively Speaking, Primerus Defense Institute, November, 2009.

Reported Cases

  • Durham, Glover, Stanley and Wilson v. Zarcades, individually, and as a Trustee of the Peter A. Zarcades Trust, 270 S.W. 3d 708 (Tex. App. – Ft. Worth (2009).
  • Panatrol Corp. v. Emerson Elec. Co., 163 S.W.3d 492 (Tex. App.-San Antonio 2005, pet. filed).
  • Willowbrook Foods, Inc. v. Grinnell Corp., 147 S.W.3d 492 (Tex. App.-San
    Antonio 2004, pet. filed).
  • Dallas Cent. Appraisal Dist. v. Seven Inv. Co., 835 S.W.2d 816 (Tex. 1992).
  • Dallas Cent. Appraisal Dist. v. Las Colinas Corp., 814 S.W.2d 816 (Tex. App.- Dallas 1991).