About Us

The Girards Law Firm was founded in 1994 by James E. Girards in Dallas, Texas.  Girards has over 21-years in trial experience in courtrooms all over the southwest. He is Board Certified as a Trial Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  He is licensed to practice in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, all federal courts in Texas, as well as the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.  Girards is also an instrument-rated private pilot licensed in single engine and multi-engine aircraft. The firm works with lawyers all over the country on both referral and joint venture arrangements, and pays competitive referral fees in accordance with the Rules of Professional Conduct.  

Michael Ramey is an associate of the firm.  He earned his B.A. in Business Administration from Schreiner College in Kerrville, Texas, where he graduated with honors. He subsequently attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, where he attained a law degree and a MBA degree. Licensed to practice law in the State of Texas in 1998, he has since worked exclusively on behalf of plaintiffs. Ramey is also licensed to practice law by the States of Oklahoma, and Arkansas. He is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Texas Trial Lawyers' Association and the Dallas Trial Lawyers' Association. Ramey is licensed to practice before numerous federal courts in both Texas and Arkansas. 

Sam DeMaio, MD is also a member of the trial team.  Dr. Maio joined the Girards Law Firm as Of Counsel in July 2002.

Dr. De Maio received a BSEE with High Honors from Rutgers College of Engineering in New Brunswick, NJ, in 1979.

He received his M.D. from New Jersey Medical School in Newark, NJ, in 1983.

Intership in Internal Medicine was with Baylor University in Dallas, TX, John S. Fordtran, M.D., Chief from 1983-84. Residency was also in Internal Medicine at Baylor University in Dallas, TX, John S. Fordtran, M.D., Chief, from 1986-89.

Fellowships

• 1986-89 - Cardiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, R. Wayne Alexander, M.D., Ph.D. Chief
• Jan. 1989 - June 89 - Electrophysiology, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga, Paul F. Walter, M.D.
• 1989-1990 - Interventional Cardiology, Emory University, Atlanta, FA, Spencer B. King, III, M.D., Chief
• July 1990 - Interventional Cardiology, Peripheral Vascular Disease, University of Munich, Germany, Berthold Hoefling, M.D., Chief
• 1994 - May 1999 - J.D., Southern Methodist University School of Law, Dallas, TX,

Medical Employment

• 2001 - Present - Austin Cardiovascular Associates
• 1990-2001 - Texas Cardiovascular Consultants
• 1993-94 - Assistant Editor, American Journal of Cardiology

Law

• 1999-Nov. 2001 - Buchholz, Sassin & DeMaio
• July 2002 - Present - Girards Law Firm, Of Counsel

Hospital Affiliations

• South Austin Hospital, Austin, TX
• Daughters of Charity Health Services of Austin, Austin, TX
• Heart Hospital of Austin, Austin, TX
• Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, TX
• St. Paul Medical Center, Dallas, TX

Honors

• 1977 - Tau Beta Pi - National Engineering Honor Society
• 1977 - Eta Kappa Nu - National Electrical Engineering Honor Society
• 1983 - Alpha Omega Alpha - Medical Honor Society
• Phi Delta Phi - Law School Honor Fraternity

Fellowships

• Fellowship - American College of Cardiology
• Fellow - American College of Physicians
• Fellow - American Society of Cardiovascular Interventionalists
• American Medical Association
• American Heart Association
• American College of Chest Physicians
• North Texas Cardiovascular Society - President 1993

Certification

• Diplomate - National Board of medical Examiners, #274922, March 1984
• Diplomate - American Board of Internal Medicine, #106453, September 1986
• Diplomate - ABIM - Cardiovascular Disease, #106453, September 1986
• North American Society of Pacing & Electrophysiology - Sepecial Competency, Cardiac Pacing, September 1991
• Diplomate - ABIM - Interventional Cardiology, 1999

Licenses: Legal

• State of Texas Bar, #24012519
• State of Arkansas Bar, #200006

Licenses: Medical

• State of Texas, #G 6655
• State of Geogia, #028157 (inactive)

Bibliography & Research Information

• Haft, JI, DeMaio SJ, Bartoszyk OB: The coronary arteriographic finds in symptomatic patients with right bundle branch block. Am J Cardiol 1984; 53:770-773.
• DeMaio SJ, Kinsella SH, Silverman ME: Clinical course and long-term prognosis of spontaneous coronary artery dissection. Am J Cardiol 1989:64:471-474
• DeMaio SJ, Walter PF, Crawley SI: Cardiac arrhythmias: Their identification & management. In: The Emory University Comprehensive Board Review in Internal Medicine. Presented in Atlanta, GA on August 3, 1989.
• DeMaio SJ: Sudden cardiac death. In: Scblan:RC, Hurst JW (eds), The Heart, 7th Companion Handbook, New York, McGraw Hill Inc., 1990; 6:56-60.
• DeMaio SJ, Welter PF, Douglas JS: Treatment of ventricular tachycardia induced cardiogenic shock by percoronary chemical ablation. Cath & Cardiovasc Diag 1990; 21:170-176.
• DeMaio SJ: Surgical & catheter abiative therapy of ventricular arrhythmias. In: Hurst JW (Ed), Current Therapy in Cardiovascular Disease - 3, Philadelphia, B.C. Decker, Inc., 1991.
• DeMaio SF: Surgical & catheter ablative terapy of supraventricular arrhythmias. In: Hurst JW (Ed), Current Therapy in Cardiovascular Disease - 3, Philadelphia, C.B. Decker Ind., 1991.
• Hearn JA, DeMaio SJ, Roubin GS, Hammarstrom M, Sgoutas DS: Predictive value of lipoproteins in the angiographic diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Am J Cardiol 1990; 66:1176-1180
• Bauriedel G, DeMaio SJ, Hoefling B: The role of angioscopy in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease with percutaneous atherectomy. Am J Cardiol 1991; 68:226-231.
• Bauriedel G, Windsetter U, DeMaio SF, Kandolf R, Hoefling B: Human coronary and peripheral arterial smooth muscle cell activity in primary and restenotic lesions obtained by percutaneous atherectomy. Circulation 1992; 85:554-564.
• DeMaio SJ, King III SB, Lembo NJ, Roubin GS, Hearn JA, Bhagavan Hn, Sgoutas DS: Vitamin E supplementation, plasma lipids and incidence of restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). J of the Am Col of Nutrition 1992; Vol. II, No. 1, 68-73.
• Bauriedel G, DeMaio SJ, Hoefling B: Sheath introducer technique for recanalizing total occlusions of the superficial femoral artery. Cath and Cardiovase Diag 1992; 25:66-70.
• DeMaio SJ, Stocker E: Surgical and catheter ablative therapy of ventricular arrhythmias. In: Hurst JW (Ed), Current Therapy in Cardiovascular Disease - 4, Philadelphia, B.C. Decker, Inc., 1994.
• DeMaio SJ, Stocker E: Surgical and catheter ablative theapy of supraventricular arrhythmias. In: Hurst JW (Ed), Current Therapy in Cardiovascular Disease - 4, Philadephia, B.C. Decker, Inc., 1994.
• Weintraub WS, Boccuzzi SJ, Klein JL, Kosinski AS, King SB, Ivanhoe R. Cedarholm JC, Sttabower ME, Talley JD, Robbins DC, Brown CL, Alexander RW, and the Lovastatin Restenosis Trial Study Group: Lack of effect of Lovanstatin on restenosis after coronary angioplasty. N Engl J Med 1994; 331:1331-7.
• Harvey, LAC, DeMaio SF, Roberts, WC: Radiation-induced cardiovascular disease including stenosis of coronary ostium, coronary and carotid arteries, and aortic value. BUMC Proceedings 1994:7(3):33.

James E. Girards
Board Certified Trial Law Specialist
 - Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Texas Superlawyer 2004-2010
21-years Trial Experience
National Speaker on Trial Techniques
Past President, Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
Graduate, Gerry Spence's Trial Lawyers College
Instrument Rated Private Pilot in single- and multi- engine aircraft
Experienced Trucking Lawyer

The firm's aircraft can get us to the scene quickly no matter how remote the location.