Second Court of Appeals

Justice Place 7

Brian Walker (2021 to Present)

Brian Walker was born on May 1, 1977, and grew up in Red Oak, Texas.  He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in 2000 from Texas State University, graduating magna cum laude.  He then earned his J.D. from the University of Houston in 2003.  A lifelong learner, Walker earned two additional degrees after graduating from law school:  a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Oklahoma in 2018 and a Master of Biblical and Theological Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary in 2022.

Having already gained criminal litigation experience during law school by clerking for famed criminal defense attorney Richard “Racehorse” Haynes, Walker took a position as a prosecutor at the Harrison County District Attorney’s Office right after receiving his law degree.  He worked as a prosecutor for two years before entering private practice, where he focused on military and veteran’s law, civil litigation, and criminal defense.  He also served as a Judge Advocate (JAG) in the United States Air Force Reserves. 

While in private practice, Walker received numerous honors and awards.  In 2012, the Tarrant County Chapter of Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans (TLTV) presented him with the Committee Leadership Award for his work in helping co-found and lead the TLTV program that provides pro bono legal services to indigent military veterans.  In 2013, Justice Walker was selected by the Fort Worth Business Journal to their annual “40 Under 40” list.  In early 2014, Walker was named a “Fellow” with the Next Generation Project of the Robert Strauss Institute for International Security and Law at the University of Texas at Austin.  He was selected as “The 2014/2015 Distinguished Alumnus” by his high school alma mater in 2014, becoming the youngest recipient of that award.  In that same year, Justice Walker was named to the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers” list by the National Trial Lawyers Association.  He was also named a “Lawyer on the Rise” by Texas Lawyer Magazine in 2016, selected as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers in both 2016 and 2017, named a “Super Lawyer” in both 2020 and 2021, and named a “Top Attorney” by Fort Worth Magazine for the last nine years that he was in private practice.

In 2020, Walker successfully ran for a seat on the Second Court of Appeals.  He assumed office on January 1, 2021, and continues to serve as a justice of the court.