Bar Admissions
State Bar of Texas
U.S. District Courts:
Southern District of Texas
Eastern District of Texas
Memberships & Associations
- Texas City Attorneys Association
- Houston Bar Association
- Texas Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
Education
Doctor of Jurisprudence
South Texas College of Law, with honors, 1982
Master of Science
Stephen F. Austin State University, 1973
Bachelor of Business Administration
Loyola University (New Orleans, Louisiana), with honors, 1971
Professional Legal Experience
Olson & Olson, LLP | Houston, Texas | 1982 – Present | Of Counsel
Concentration
Mario advises and defends governmental entities, and he is primarily involved in litigation in state courts. He has extensive experience in trial and appellate work in state court and is a frequent presenter and speaker to governmental units and their employees.
Articles, Publications, Presentations
- Case Law Panel Q&A, Texas Tax Code cases, The Texas Association of Appraisal Districts 2011 Annual Conference
- How to Drive Your City Attorney Crazy, Ten Ways Plus, delivered during the Olson & Olson, LLP Winter Seminar 2009
- Multidistrict Litigation and Its Potential Impact on Tax Code Cases, delivered at the Thompson Conference Center, University of Texas, 2007, Austin, Texas
- Just How Public is This Office? The Texas Open Meetings Act and other Rules Governing the Transaction of Public Business, delivered to the Harris County Mayors And Councils Association, 1998
- Organizing Meetings: Preparing Agendas and Minutes, delivered to the Texas Association of Appraisal Districts, Fifteenth Annual Conference, 1996, Corpus Christi, Texas
- Subdivision Regulation, delivered to the Texas Municipal League Annual Conference, 1993, San Antonio, Texas
- The Purchase and Sale of Real Property [by Cities], Oral Presentation delivered to the Texas City Attorneys Association at the Texas Municipal League Annual Conference, 1985, San Antonio, Texas
- Municipal Law – Some of the Basics, A compilation addressing a variety of topics including budgeting, open meetings, public information, conflicts, bidding and proposals and depository contracts, presented on request to Mayors and City Councilmembers of City clients in conjunction with an oral presentation and question and answer session, usually following the municipal election. Similar presentations made to Planning and Zoning Commissions, Zoning Boards of Adjustment, and other governmental bodies and groups
- “Berg Development v. City of Missouri City: Park Dedication Ordinance Not Valid Exercise of Police Power by a Texas City—Compensation of Private Individual a Constitutional Requirement” in Vol. 22 No. 1 S. Tex. L. J. 199 (1981)
- “The Shareholder Derivative Lawsuit in Texas: Whatever Happened to Class Action Safeguards?” in Vol. 21 No. 3 S. Tex. L. J. 451 (1980)
Cases
- Sturgis Air One, L.L.C. v. Harris County Appraisal District, 2011 WL 1045296 (Tex. App.-Houston [14th Dist.], March 24, 2011, no pet.
- Briggs Equipment Trust v. Harris County Appraisal District, 294 S.W.3d 667 (Tex. App.-Houston [1st Dist.], 2009, pet. denied)
- Expo Motorcars, L.L.C. v. Harris County Appraisal District, 2009 WL 2232017 (Tex. App.- Houston [1st Dist.], July 23, 2009, pet. denied) (mem. op.)
- Starflight 50, L.L.C. v. Harris County Appraisal District, 287 S.W.3d 741 (Tex. App.–Houston [1st Dist.], 2009, no pet.)
- A/K Service, L.L.C. v. Harris County Appraisal District, 2008 WL 4890140 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.], 2008, no pet.) (mem. op., not designated for publication)
- Harris County Appraisal District v. Sigmor Corp., 2008 W.L. 2130441 (Tex. App. – Houston [14th Dist.], April 3, 2008, no pet.) (mem. op.)
- Harris County Appraisal District v. Primrose 7 Housing, L.P., 238 S.W.3d 782 (Tex. App.- Houston [1st Dist.], 2007, pet denied).
- Marubeni America Corp. v. Harris County Appraisal District, 168 S.W.3d 860 (Tex. App.- Houston [1st Dist.], 2004, no pet.)
- Stuckey Diamonds v. Harris County Appraisal District, 93 S.W.3d 212 (Tex. App. – Houston [14th Dist.], 2002, no pet.)
- Western Athletic Clubs, Inc. v. Harris County Appraisal District, 56 S.W.3d 269 (Tex. App. – Amarillo, 2001, no pet.)
- Harris County Appraisal District v. Coastal Liquids Transportation, L.P., 46 S.W.3d 880 (Tex. 2001).
- Tourneau Houston, Inc. v. Harris County Appraisal District, 24 S.W.3d 90 (Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.], 2000, no pet.)
- Taufiq ex rel. O’Connor & Associates, Inc. v. Harris County Appraisal District, 6 S.W.3d 652 (Tex. App.-Houston [14th Dist.], 1999, no pet.)