Eckels Law Firm, P.C.
2001 Kirby Dr, Suite 800
Houston, Texas 77019
Judge Robert Eckels’ practice is built on a decades-long career in public service and leadership of the nation’s third largest county. Robert is a national leader in issues of homeland security, transportation, public finance/public private partnerships, the environment and health care.
As County Judge of Harris County, he built the Harris County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management into a model for the nation and the Houston Transtar Transportation and Emergency Operations Center into a global model of interagency partnerships for an effective response to disasters and a sustained operation for training and planning for disaster mitigation, response and recovery.
Today the State of Texas, Harris County, the City of Houston, the Harris County Metropolitan Transit Authority and partners from the Federal Government, private sector and NGO’s work together to protect the critical public assets such as water and power systems to national strategic assets such as the Houston Ship Channel and the related petrochemical industries from threats ranging from international terror attacks and biological pandemics to accidental fires and explosions to hurricanes, floods and other natural disasters.
Judge Eckels received international recognition when Harris County responded to Hurricane Katrina and the floods, wind and storm surge that led to massive destruction and loss of life in New Orleans and the US Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Alabama. The Harris County Astrodome and Reliant Park
became the largest shelter operation in US history as over 250,000 residents of storm ravaged areas fled to the Houston region. Three weeks after Katrina, Judge Eckels coordinated, through the Houston Transtar Center, the evacuation of 2.5 million residents, the largest in US history, in the face of Hurricane Rita as that storm struck the upper Texas coast.
He has received numerous awards and national recognition during his career. For his work in hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Esquire Magazine named him “Best & Brightest – Citizen of the Year” of 2005 for his extraordinary leadership. “When the City of New Orleans evacuated to Houston, Harris County Judge Robert Eckels was an island of competence in the face of catastrophe” Esquire wrote. American City and County Magazine named Robert “County Leader of the Year 2006.” The National Conflict Resolution Center awarded him its National Peacemaker Award (2006) and the American Leadership Forum its Joseph Jaworski Award (2006).
Robert, who was first elected as a state representative in his 20’s, served six terms before being elected county judge – a role in which he oversaw executive, legislative and judicial functions of a county that is home to nearly 4 million residents.
In 2007, Robert left the county to become a Partner in the international law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP where he concentrated on Homeland Security and Disaster Law, Public Finance and Public Private Partnerships (US P3), Transportation and Infrastructure, Government Relations and Public Law.
He currently operates an independent legal practice representing a variety of clients focused on those same areas.