A Discussion with Cesar Ornelas — Personal Injury Lawyer in Texas

Originally from Kyle, Texas, Cesar Ornelas is a first-generation college graduate and attorney. Licensed in Texas, Cesar Ornelas’s nationwide law practice is entirely contingency fee-based and consists of a wide variety of catastrophic personal injury and death cases. He has represented countless victims of catastrophic accidents across the United States. Cesar Ornelas has devoted his entire career to giving a voice to the voiceless and has made it his duty to ensure that the big corporations do not take advantage of ordinary individuals. His success in and out of the courtroom translates through his diligence, discipline, and perseverance.

Cesar Ornelas started to practice law after graduating from St. Mary’s Law School in record time. He has been handling catastrophic personal injury and death cases since his first day in practice. Since becoming a lawyer, Cesar Ornelas has done significant work for his clients throughout the state of Texas and the United States.

Cesar Ornelas is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association. Additionally, he has been named as a life member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. The Million Dollar Advocates Forum is recognized as one of the most prestigious groups of trial lawyers in the United States and less than 1% of U.S. lawyers are members.

In the spring of 2021, Cesar was selected to be a part of The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, an invitation-only program extended exclusively to those trial lawyers practicing civil plaintiff and/or criminal defense law.

Cesar Ornelas continues to give back to the community. He has provided thousands of children with a Christmas with toy drives, hundreds of families with Thanksgiving meals, and thousands of shoeless children with brand new Nike and Reebok shoes.

We talked with Cesar Ornelas where he shared everything from the entrepreneur who has been his greatest inspiration to the advice he’d give his younger self. 

Who is the one entrepreneur that is your greatest example and inspiration?  Why?

I have always admired Elon Musk for his hard work and dedication. He is a true visionary, so I feel that I relate to him on that level. He had an idea that he believed could change the world, and he has stopped at nothing to see that his visions come to fruition. 

In the process of turning his dreams into a reality, he has succeeded in providing society with a new and innovative approach to something that most of us do every day. 

What is the one book that you recommend everyone should read and why? 

I believe everyone should read “Rich Dad Poor Dad”. This book teaches you to understand that you have choices in life. It also shows you that learning doesn’t end when you leave school.

What people have influenced your thinking and might be of interest to others? 

Warren Buffet, Robert Kiyosaki, and Rockefeller have each influenced my thinking. 

I believe that these men might be of interest to others because each of them helped pave the way for bigger and better things. 

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would tell myself that through hard work, everything will get better. I would also advise my younger self to keep on dreaming and to never stop. External circumstances do not determine whether you have a strong internal drive. It is okay to think differently than others. What others have already done did not work for them. There are opportunities out there for everyone, you just must keep working hard to make yours become a reality. 

Why is your city a great place to live and work?

San Antonio is a beautiful city. It is very diverse and a great place to raise your family. You can get the big and small city feel all in one. 

Plus, the community rallies together when members of their neighborhood are in need. Our city has the heart it does because the people who live here actually care about one another, and it shows.

Please share a quote that has been most meaningful to you.

There are two. “I survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me” and “It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

Can you share an example of a recent decision you made and the steps you took to reach your goal?

I recently decided to hire a professional assistant. I realized that the firm was growing, and the time I spent traveling was increasing. This meant that I needed to have someone on staff who could handle the smaller details of my business for me. 

The first step I took was establishing the need, and the second was promoting the job via job boards. The final step was interviewing and selecting the best person for the role – one who I believe will help keep not only myself organized, but also be able to iron out details that benefit the greater good of the firm. 

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why? 

The best $100 I recently spent was when I purchased flowers for my wife. I am traveling quite frequently and wanted to make sure that she knew I was thinking about her, even while I was out on the road.