About Patrick
Patrick Hotze trained in Austin and returned there to build a career in the courtroom. He completed undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin in 1998 and later earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law in 2006. Those years at UT shaped both his legal training and his ties to the Texas legal community.
He entered private practice soon after law school and within a year helped launch a firm. In 2007 he became a founding partner of Hotze Runkle. The firm has handled civil litigation matters across the state. Hotze's role from the start has been to prepare cases for trial and press them in court when settlement is not an option.
His professional memberships underline the direction of his practice. He is a current member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice, organizations centered on trial advocacy. He also belongs to the Nursing Home Litigation Group, which signals sustained involvement in cases involving elder care and facility liability. Membership in the Christian Trial Lawyers Association reflects another dimension of his professional network.
In the courtroom he is known for methodical case preparation. He files and fights civil suits in Texas courts, working to assemble expert testimony, depose witnesses and pursue discovery that supports clients' claims. He takes matters through trial when necessary. That work requires attention to procedural detail, persistent motion practice and advocacy before juries and judges.
Colleagues describe his approach as straightforward. He tends to favor clear legal theories and practical strategies over elaborate litigation theater. That approach shows in the type of matters the firm advances and in the organizations he joins, which prioritize training and trial practice.
Outside the courtroom he remains active in the professional community, attending conferences and seminars offered by his associations. He also engages with issues affecting nursing home litigation, an area that combines medical, regulatory and liability questions.
He practices in Texas and maintains his role at Hotze Runkle, where his caseload centers on civil litigation, including matters arising from nursing home care and other injury claims. His current practice focuses on trial litigation in Texas courts.
