Robert Cowie, Fort Worth Criminal Attorney

Robert R. Cowie is a seasoned criminal defense attorney whose career has been dedicated to representing individuals charged with capital murder at the trial level. For more than 17 years, Mr. Cowie has handled every phase of capital litigation—from early case investigation and life-history development to jury selection and sentencing. He has served as lead trial counsel in two capital murder jury trials and played a pivotal role in the preparation and defense of numerous others across Texas.

From 2008 to 2025, Mr. Cowie served as an Assistant Public Defender with the Regional Public Defender’s Office for Capital Cases (RPDO), where he was entrusted with some of the state’s most serious and complex cases. His work required extensive jury selection, in-depth mitigation investigations, and coordination with mental-health professionals on issues of competency, mental illness, and intellectual disability. Before becoming trial counsel, he served as Chief Mitigation Investigator at RPDO, developing specialized experience in life-history investigation and case strategy.

Mr. Cowie’s academic foundation in the biological sciences uniquely informs his approach to criminal defense. He holds a Master of Science in Botany from Texas State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Zoology from the University of Wyoming, disciplines that provided him with a strong understanding of DNA and other forensic evidence often central to serious criminal trials. He earned his Juris Doctor from Texas Tech University School of Law.

In addition to his trial practice, Mr. Cowie is an active faculty member and presenter in continuing legal education. He has taught at state and national programs on topics including jury selection in death penalty cases, mental-health and competency issues, and mitigation investigation. His contributions to professional education reflect his commitment to advancing effective defense strategies and supporting the next generation of criminal defense lawyers.

Selected Presentations & CLE Faculty Roles

• Faculty/Demonstrator– “Capital Trial Voir Dire” (CAIL, Feb. 5–7, 2019)
  Co-led the capstone demo “Putting It All Together”, a live walkthrough of capital voir dire strategy with focus on the Colorado Method.
• Faculty – Capital Defense College (CAIL, Apr. 10–12, 2019)
  Taught “Insulating, Isolating & Teaching Respect” and co-demonstrated the Colorado Method.
• Presenter – Program on Child Injury and Assault (CAIL, Mar. 29–30, 2016)
  Session: “Case Study: Understanding the Client”, addressing client-centered case development and mitigation strategies.
• Presenter – Texas Code of Criminal Procedure 46B
  Delivered presentations at the Center for American and International Law in 2016 and 2017.
• Frequent Presenter – Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (TCDLA) and national programs on mitigation development and punishment-phase case investigation.
• Course Director – TCDLA Forensics Seminar
  Directed the program from 2005–2011 and again from 2022–2025.

Criminal Defense Trial Attorney | Capital Trial Experience | Continuing Legal Education Faculty

Robert R. Cowie, Attorney at Law