Scott K. Field
Office Information
Scott Field came to Butler Snow after serving on the Texas Third Court of Appeals in Austin. Before taking the bench, Scott served clients as an appellate advocate in state and federal courts, as well as in litigation as a first-chair trial attorney. Scott now uses his experience as a judge and as an appellate and trial attorney in advising clients from the outset of litigation through the conclusion of the appellate process. Scott is a member of Butler Snow’s litigation department and practices primarily within the Appellate and Written Advocacy and Commercial Litigation Groups.
Biography – View PDF Bio
- Associations
- Bar Admissions
- Civic Involvement
- Distinctions
- Education & Honors
- Experience
- In the News
- Papers, Presentations, & Publications
- Recent Blogs
Bar Admissions
- Texas, 1995
- U.S. District Courts
- Texas: Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western
- Colorado: District of Colorado
- U.S. Court of Appeals
- 5th Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Civic Involvement
- Capital City A&M Club
- Member
- Ronald McDonald House
- Past House Operations Committee and Fundraising Subcommittee Co-Chair
- Austin Baptist Church
- Member, 2014-Present
- Austin Christian Fellowship
- Past Member, 2007-2014
- Hillcrest Baptist Church
- Past Member, 1993-2007
- Deacon
- Vice Chair, 2005-2007
- Secretary, 2003-2004
- Personnel Committee, 2001-2007
- Ad Hoc Committee on Bylaws Development, 2003-2004
- Adult Sunday School Teacher, 1996-2005
- Hillcrest Hoops Basketball League
- Founder, Coach, and Referee
- Youth Coaching
- Town and Country Optimist Club
- Neighborhood Sports
- Upward Basketball
- Four Points Chamber of Commerce
- Charter Member
Distinctions
- BL Rankings, The Best Lawyers in America®
- Appellate Practice, 2021
- Commercial Litigation, 2021
- Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
- Fellow, Austin Bar Foundation
- The Four Points News, Voted “Best Lawyer” in 2008 Readers’ Poll
Education & Honors
- The University of Texas School of Law, J.D., with honors, 1995
- Order of the Coif
- Dean’s Achievement Award
- Who’s Who: American Law Students
- Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship
- The Review of Litigation
- Texas A&M University, B.A., Political Science, summa cum laude, 1992
- Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
- Golden Key Honor Society
- Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society
- Texas Aggie Bar Association Scholar
- National Dean’s List, 4 years
- Clerkship, Honorable Raul Gonzalez, Supreme Court of Texas, 1995-1996
Experience
- In his six years serving as a Justice on the Texas Third Court of Appeals in Austin, Scott authored over 900 opinions for the Court and was consistently ranked as one of the most efficient appellate court justices in the State of Texas. His docket at the Court included civil and criminal appeals. The Court also handled nearly all administrative appeals brought in Texas.
- Prior to his service on the court of appeals, Scott founded two boutique law firms after leaving a large defense firm. Scott’s practice was split between appellate and trial matters. On the appellate side, Scott handled appeals and argued in nearly every appellate court in Texas, including the Supreme Court of Texas. He also argued in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and handled appeals as counsel of record in the United States Supreme Court. Scott’s time on the Third Court of Appeals has also given him great insight in advising clients in administrative appeals.
- Scott also had an active trial practice before taking the bench. He served as an accomplished trial attorney, including first-chair jury trial experience. His litigation practice covered a wide array of topics, including all manner of commercial disputes, first-party insurance claims, ERISA claims, contractual disputes, partnership and business break-ups, class actions, and disputes involving the government. Scott has also handled matters submitted to arbitration.
- Scott also provides Alternative Dispute Resolution, primarily as an arbitrator, but also as a mediator of disputes.
In the News
- 198 Butler Snow Attorneys Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021
- Scott K. Field to Moderate Panel at Texas Bar Advanced Administrative Law Conference
- Scott K. Field Interviewed on Texas Appellate Law Podcast about Career and Judicial Mental Health
- Scott K. Field to Co-Present Webcast for State Bar of Texas
- Scott K. Field and Amanda G. Taylor to Speak at Advanced Texas Administrative Law Seminar
- Butler Snow Selects SXSW Center for New Austin Office
- Scott K. Field to Speak at The University of Texas School of Law’s Conference
- Scott K. Field Testified Today Before Texas Legislature on Texas Citizens’ Participation Act
- Butler Snow Adds Ex-Texas Appellate Judge To Austin Office - Law 360 More...
- Scott K. Field to Moderate Panel at Texas Aggie Bar Association’s 20th Annual Conference
- Butler Snow Picks Up Former Appeals Court Judge in Austin - Texas Lawyer
- Scott K. Field Joins Butler Snow’s Austin Office
Papers, Presentations, & Publications
- Moderator, “Behind the Bench: Judges’ Panel,” Texas Bar Advanced Administrative Law CLE, June 11, 2020.
- Guest, “Transition from Bench to Practice and Judicial Mental Health,” Texas Appellate Law Podcast, April 7, 2020.
- Author, “Don’t Forget, Judges Are People Too,” Austin Lawyer, Volume 29, Number 1, February 2020.
- Co-Presenter, “Anti SLAPP Update: Recent Legislative and Case Law Developments,” State Bar of Texas and Texas Bar College CLE Webcast, August 29, 2019.
- Panelist, "Ultra Vires Update," Advanced Texas Administrative Law Seminar, Austin, Texas, August 15, 2019.
- Panelist, “The Texas Citizen’s Participation Act (TCPA): Still ‘Crazy’ After All These (Seven) Years,” The University of Texas School of Law’s 32nd Annual Technology Law Conference, Austin, Texas, May 24, 2019.
- Moderator, "The Ethics of Practicing in Texas Rural Courts: A Judicial Panel," Texas Aggie Bar Association's 20th Annual Conference, College Station, Texas, March 2, 2019.
- Presenter, “Error Preservation,” Hays County Bench/Bar, October 24, 2018.
- Presenter, “Ethical Dos and Don’ts,” Williamson County Christian Legal Society, September 27, 2018. More...
- Panelist, “Court of Appeals Panel,” State Bar 2018 Advanced Administrative Law CLE, June 7, 2018.
- Panelist, “Judges Panel,” Eminent Domain Superconference, CLE International, February 2, 2018.
- Presenter, “Error Preservation,” Civil Litigation Section of the Austin Bar Association, 13th Annual Trial Notebook, November 10, 2017.
- Co-Presenter, “Checks and Balances on the Executive Branch in an Era of Political Turmoil,” Robert W. Calvert Inn of Court, October 10, 2017.
- Presenter, “Why Texas Workers’ Compensation is Important to Texas Jurisprudence,” State Bar of Texas 14th Annual Advanced Workers’ Compensation Law Course, August 24, 2017.
- Presenter, “Percolating Conflicts Among the Texas Appellate Courts: Challenges for Trial Advocacy,” State Bar of Texas 40th Annual Advanced Civil Trial Course, July 21, 2017.
- Course Director, State Bar 2017 Advanced Administrative Law CLE, June 1-2, 2017.
- Panelist, “Third Court of Appeals Panel,” State Bar 2017 Advanced Administrative Law CLE, June 2, 2017.
- Presenter, “Practice and Judging in the 21st Century,” 27th Annual Bench Bar, Austin Bar Association, May 12, 2017.
- Presenter, “Judges’ Dos, Don’ts, and Anonymous Questions for Candid Conversations,” 27th Annual Bench Bar, Austin Bar Association, May 12, 2017
- Co-Presenter, “A Second Look at Ferguson: Fines, Fees, Costs, and the Question of Debtors’ Prisons,” Robert W. Calvert American Inn of Court, April 11, 2017.
- Presenter, “Error Preservation,” Civil Litigation Section of the Austin Bar Association, 11th Annual Trial Notebook, November 13, 2015.
- Co-Presenter, “A Civil Discussion of Obergefell v. Hodges,” Robert W. Calvert American Inn of Court, November 10, 2015.
- Author, “Former Chief Justice Bob Shannon Back on the Bench,” Austin Laywer, October 2015.
- Presenter, “Standing, Ripeness and Mootness: Views from the Bench,” State Bar of Texas Advanced Administrative Law Conference, June 4, 2015.
- Presenter, “Tips for Practice before the Third Court,” Appellate Section of the Austin Bar Association, May 21, 2015.
- Panelist, “Judges Panel: Civil, Criminal, and Ethical Issues of Domestic Violence Cases – How the NFL has Shed New Light on an Old Problem,” Texas Aggie Bar Association Annual Conference, March 7, 2015.
- Co-Presenter, “No Room at the Inn – Recent Developments in Immigration Law and Policy,” Robert W. Calvert American Inn of Court, presented on December 9, 2014.
- Presenter, “Preservation of Error,” Appellate Section of the Austin Bar Association, November 19, 2014.
- Presenter, “Trends and Case Law Update in the Third Court of Appeals,” State Bar of Texas Advanced Administrative Law Conference, June 12, 2014.
- Panelist, “Judges Panel: Ethical Lessons from the Bench,” Texas Aggie Bar Association Annual Conference, March 1, 2014.
- Presenter, “Error Preservation: Don’t Waive Your Appeal,” Civil Litigation Section of the Austin Bar Association, 9th Annual Trial Notebook, November 15, 2013.
- Co-Presenter, “State of Florida v. George Zimmerman: What Can Texas Lawyers Learn from the Zimmerman Trial?,” Robert W. Calvert American Inn of Court, October 8, 2013.
- Presenter, “Mandamus: What Is It, When to Use It, How to Do It,” State Bar of Texas, Civil Appellate Practice 101, September 11, 2013.
- Presenter, “My Journey,” Austin Christian Legal Society, February 15, 2013.
- Author, “Advice for New Grads Thinking of Opening a Solo Practice,” The Texas Lawyer, May 24, 2010.
- Presenter, “Getting and Keeping Clients – and Doing it Ethically,” Hays County Bar Association, August 11, 2009.
- Presenter, “The Texas Court System,” Northwest Austin Networking Association, Austin, Texas, April 2009.
- Presenter, “How to Hire a Lawyer,” Four Points Business Association, Austin, Texas, October 2008.
- Presenter, “Privileges: Asserting, Contesting and Preserving Objections Under the New Rules,” University of Houston Law Center Continuing Legal Education, Advanced Discovery Course, Dallas, Texas, February 1999.
- Presenter, “Privileges: How to Get Information, How to Protect It,” University of Houston Law Center Continuing Legal Education, Advanced Discovery Course, Houston, Texas, April 1998.
- Presenter, “Severance and Partial Remand on Gross Negligence,” Appellate Section of the Austin Bar Association, 1997.
- Scott has also given many speeches on the Texas court system and the Constitution to civic, school, and political groups.