Neely R. Fortinberry has always been drawn to the courtroom. Her passion for advocacy began early, excelling in debate and presenting legal cases at the state level for Youth & Government during high school. She has always enjoyed public speaking and, most importantly, advocating for individuals in need.

In law school, she was selected to participate in the Texas Wesleyan School of Law Pro Bono Law Clinic, where she provided legal representation to indigent clients who lacked the financial means for legal services. She handled administrative and court cases for numerous families in need, gaining invaluable experience in client advocacy.

Following law school, Neely served as an Assistant County Attorney for Johnson County, where she prosecuted major juvenile felony offenses. She was later appointed as a Felony Assistant District Attorney for Tarrant County, where she handled aggravated felony cases, including serial rape, kidnapping, and murder trials.

In 2002, Neely transitioned to civil litigation with a focus on insurance defense, joining one of the largest national insurance companies. Her litigation skills were quickly recognized, and she was named Trial Attorney of the Year (2003) for her division.

Over the years, she has partnered with several well-known boutique law firms in Dallas/Fort Worth, managing high-exposure, catastrophic cases on both sides of the docket. Representative clients include Uber, Amazon, Chick-fil-A, La Madeleine, Kroger, Target, SuperValu, El Rancho Supermercado, Mission-Itech Hockey, and Zachry Construction, among others.

Neely has successfully tried nearly 200 jury trials to verdict in state and federal courts throughout Texas. She is a Certified Mediator and is frequently appointed by courts to mediate cases or serve as a Guardian Ad Litem in litigated matters involving minor children.

Additionally, Neely has been a frequent lecturer in the insurance industry, providing litigation updates on ethics in litigation and tort reform.

Current Practice

Today, Neely is a seasoned trial attorney representing clients in complex litigation matters, including:
✔ Transportation and automobile litigation
✔ Personal injury defense
✔ First-party insurance claims
✔ Commercial and business litigation

Personal Interests

A dedicated Texas Longhorn and Horned Frog football fan, Neely was selected at The University of Texas to serve as a football recruiting hostess with the Texas Angels. At Texas Christian University, she was an active member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and other campus honor organizations.

She resides with her fiancé, Mike, and her daughter, Addison, who will be a senior in high school this year.

📍 The University of Texas, Austin, Texas (1991-1993)
📍 Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas (B.S. in Psychology, 1995)
📍 Texas Wesleyan School of Law (now Texas A&M School of Law), Fort Worth, Texas (J.D., 1998)

✔ Admitted to the State Bar of Texas (1998)
✔ Admitted to the United States District Courts – Texas:

• Northern District
• Southern District
• Eastern District

✔ Attorneys Serving the Community
✔ Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
✔ College of the State Bar, Maintaining Member

🏆 2009-2019 – Top Attorney for Personal Injury Defense (as seen in Fort Worth, Texas Magazine "Top Attorney" editions)
🏆 2016 – Top Attorney for Civil Litigation (as seen in Fort Worth, Texas Magazine "Top Attorney" edition)
🏆 2011 – Texas Monthly "Rising Star"
🏆 Nominated by the Supreme Court of Texas – Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee

📄 “Spoliation: Avoiding a Case Killer” – Rimkus Consulting Group, Inc. & South River Restoration
📄 “Complying with the Rules of Professional Conduct and Ethics during Litigation” – Half Moon Education, Inc.

✔ Current Advisory Council & Event Chair – American Cancer Society
✔ Former Board of Directors – Boys & Girls Club of Arlington
✔ Former Member – Texas Health Harris Methodist Foundation
✔ Texas Christian University “Advisor of the Year”
✔ TCU Frog Club | TCU Alumni Association