Kuhn, Doyle and Kuhn, P.C. was founded by Bob Kuhn in 1970 after he had served as Travis County’s Justice of the Peace.
Since that time it has grown to 11 employees, a size which allows individual attention to each client’s case, while providing the support staff and resources necessary for handling complex litigation. The firm has elected to limit its practice to a few areas to ensure quality service to all of its clients. The practice focuses on injury and death claims, elder law and criminal defense. We also represent selected clients in real estate, probate, contract and bankruptcy matters. The attorneys and staff are active in the wider community through charitable organizations, volunteer activities, fund raising events, and efforts to promote the health and well being of those in the Central Texas area.
Kuhn, Doyle and Kuhn, P.C.offices at the corner of West Eighth and Nueces Streets, in Gilfillan Place, which was designed by Austin architect Charles H. Page, the first licensed architect in Texas. The home was built in 1905 for William L. Gilfillan, one of the founders of the Austin National Bank, and was restored as Gilfillan Place in 1980 by Anne Cofrin Baldeschwiler.
Gilfillan Place was recorded as a Texas Historic Landmark in 1981 and was entered in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It is also a designated Austin landmark.
ROBERT J. KUHN
Bob Kuhn is the founder and President of the law firm. He was born in Dallas, Texas and has been an attorney in Austin for over 40 years. After obtaining his Bachelor of Science Degree from Texas A& M University, he received a law degree from the University of Texas. He prosecuted felony cases in the Travis County District Attorney’s office for several years before being elected Justice of the Peace for Travis County in the late 1960’s. After serving as a judge he founded this firm in 1970. In the ensuing 30 years he has gained a reputation throughout the United States as a skilled trial lawyer capable of handling a wide variety of litigation. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the United States District Courts in Texas. He has extensive experience litigating a wide variety of matters, involving entertainment law, probate and financial institutions. A jury verdict against a federal financial institution in Bastrop County in excess of $20 million still holds the record for the largest jury verdict in that area. Recently he has chosen to focus his practice on elder law, including guardianship litigation, estate planning, will contests, and protection of nursing home residents. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
In his spare time, Bob Kuhn is an avid runner who has completed more than 30 marathons and several Ironman triathlons.
JAMES D. (JAY) DOYLE, III
At the University of Texas Law School, Jay Doyle was elected to the Board of Advocates and represented the University of Texas on its Moot Court Team. He placed first in the brief writing competition among students at Texas law schools, and after graduation he began working for Bob Kuhn. Jay was born in Houston and obtained his undergraduate degree at Washington & Lee University in Virginia where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Since his graduation from law school in 1979, he has been involved solely in the representation of individuals in civil matters, and his practice has been limited to serious injury and death cases since 1985. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, as well as the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States Court of Military Appeals, and the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Western Districts of Texas. He has been a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America since 1987 and is a Sustaining Member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association. In recognition of his time devoted to providing free legal services to low-income Texans, he was elected in 1996 to the Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas. He has handled thousands of injury cases involving motor vehicles and has represented many other clients in defective products litigation, mass tort proceedings, nursing home and medical malpractice matters and claims against insurance companies for unfair claims handling practices. Jay Doyle is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and he serves as a director and President of the Central Texas Chapter of the Washington & Lee University Alumni Association. He enjoys traveling and outdoor activities including running and fishing, and successfully completed the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon in 1998 and 2000. Jay Doyle is rated “AV” by Martindale-Hubbell, and speaks Spanish.
JOHN C. KUHN
John Kuhn joined the firm in 1985, after his graduation from Texas Tech University School of Law. He was born in Bryan, Texas and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree with honors from the University of Texas. He has represented many clients in criminal matters in the federal courts and has been licensed to practice in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas since 1990. Since 1991 he has been designated a Board Certified Specialist in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and he is a member of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and Texas District and County Attorneys’ Association. He has handled every type of criminal matter, including many death penalty cases and hundreds of driving while intoxicated and drug possession charges. Several opinions from criminal appeals have been published in the Southwestern Reporter Series. He has secured an immunity agreement for a client in connection with Kenneth Starr’s Whitewater investigation, and has defended numerous clients charged with computer and high tech crimes. John Kuhn is known for his innovative trial techniques and successful outcomes. He handles the full spectrum of offenses, from theft to organized crime and white-collar crime defense matters. His trial practice extends throughout the southwestern United States, and he is well known to all judges and prosecutors in Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, Burleson, Blanco, Burnet, Bastrop, and Lee Counties. He is the father of two children. John enjoys participating in a wide variety of athletic activities, has finished several Ironman triathlons, and enjoys working in his vineyard southwest of Austin in his off time.
NIRMAL (NICK) BHAKTA
Nick Bhakta has been with the firm since 1999, after he attended the University of Texas, School of Law, where he was awarded the Deans Achievement Award. Nick obtained his law degree, with honors, from Kings College London in England and following his law degree, went on to attain a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the College of Law of London. He is licensed to practice in the State of Texas as well as the State of New York, and, is licensed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Nick is also a member of the Business Law section of the State Bar of Texas. Since joining the firm, Nick has developed a diversified civil practice, ranging from intricate multi-state litigation to business and real estate transactional matters. His experience includes lawsuits involving famous Hollywood movie studios, actions governed by the Warsaw Convention, claims against municipalities pursuant to 42 U.S.C §1983, substantial insurance disputes and an array of commercial litigation. Most recently, Nick and Bob Kuhn have expanded their focus to champion consumer rights and aid victims of corporate wrongdoing through individual lawsuits, class actions, and/or multi-district litigation. Having grown up in Southern Africa, Nick’s unique perspective is a perfect fit to Kuhn, Doyle & Kuhn, P.C.’s reputation for innovative solutions and client dedication. Nick enjoys soccer, hockey and squash, and since moving to Texas, has become an avid weekend warrior on the links.
