Charles R. Houssiere III

Charles “Chip” Houssiere, licensed to practice law in both Texas and Colorado, has multifaceted interests and hands-on experience in science and law. During his legal career, he has successfully handled a multitude of scientific law cases including product liability, health care, aviation, and environmental litigation.

Chip is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Board Eligible in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Civil Specialization, and Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. In addition to his legal practice, he is a private airplane pilot and an active member of national engineering societies and chemical societies as well as state and national legal organizations.

Born in Houston, Chip grew up in a small agrarian Louisianan town called Jennings. His interest in science and the space program started early when he made an exhibit on the physics of oil well drilling for his 5^th grade science fair. In the 7^th grade, he attended a program at the University of Texas at Austin for advanced study in science and mathematics. He remained in Austin, furthering his studies, and graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in math, physics, and chemistry.

While attending school, Chip developed a love for flying. He obtained his private pilot’s license with the Longhorn Flying Club and later received high-performance training in Houston from M. Aak Aviation, which was owned by a pilot who trained with Amelia Earhart. During the summer months, Chip worked in Rocky Mountain and Yosemite National Parks as a backcountry ranger where he developed respect for our environment.

Following graduation, Chip worked for the NASA manned spacecraft program, collaborating with astronauts in Apollo, Skylab, and Soviet Soyuz, which developed the docking system used today on the space station. Among many notable achievements was the cardiovascular research study of the effects of weightlessness on the cardiovascular system. The body negative pressure device his team made for and used during their Skylab study ultimately led to the pulse oximeter—a device used in most hospitals today that became central to treating patients with COVID-19.

While at NASA, Chip asked for permission to continue working on Skylab while attending night school to earn his law degree. As he was anxious to develop his courtroom skills while still in law school, he became a civil court bailiff, preparing briefs and analyzing motions for the court’s approval while simultaneously serving as a certified deputy sheriff with civil court bailiff duties.

Chip’s impressive history has all led to him becoming the excellent litigator he is today. His scientific and aviation knowledge frequently allow him to bring new perspectives to some of our firm’s most complex cases. His love for the environment spurred Houssiere Durant & Houssiere, LLP to support toxic tort litigation and environmental efforts including the reforestation of Independence Pass near Aspen, Colorado. With his passion for learning, Chip is always ready to take on a new challenge. His passion for helping others has brought him to a field where his wide-ranging experience can have a real impact on individuals’ lives.

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