Alex Miller was walking into the legal research and writing class he was teaching at St. Mary’s University School of Law in 2011 when he got a call from Valero Deputy General Counsel Rich Walsh saying they needed someone like him “to help out with analyzing some legal issues.”
“I told him I was about to start teaching and wasn’t really looking for a lot of work,” said Miller, who had retired a year earlier after being an appellate lawyer with Mikal Watts’ firm. “Rich assured me he wasn’t talking about much work.”
Miller and Walsh negotiated an agreement that he would work for Valero two days a week.
Over the next two years, Walsh kept asking Miller to join full-time. Each time, Miller turned him down.
“The third time he asked me to join Valero full-time with the assurance that I would never have to manage anyone, I agreed,” Miller said. “For several years I worked in my own little department where I would help out the other attorneys in various ways.”
In 2021, Walsh, “expressly recognizing he was violating his inducement,” asked Miller if he “would take over litigation.”
Miller’s courtroom successes over the past 18 months have been extraordinary. They include:
- Managing a trial team that achieved a complete defense verdict in a pipeline contamination matter that one of the largest ranches in Oklahoma brought against the company;
- Helping lead the charge in obtaining another defense verdict in a bellwether state court matter in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, stemming from a 2022 refinery flash fire; and
- Directing a major win before the Supreme Court of the United States, where the justices held that Valero and other industry participants had Article III standing to challenge the Environmental Protection Agency’s reinstatement of it’s approval of California regulations requiring automakers to reduce fleetwide greenhouse gas emissions and sell a specific percentage of zero-emissions vehicles, essentially challenging electric vehicle mandates that constitute a threat to the transportation fuel industry.
“Alex has not only overseen, supervised and coordinated all these projects, he has racked up one industry-leading and precedent-setting win after another in doing so, across various jurisdictions in both state and federal trial and appellate courts,” said Todd Mensing, a partner at Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing.
The Association of Corporate Counsel’s San Antonio Chapter and The Texas Lawbook have named Miller the recipient of the 2026 San Antonio Corporate Counsel Award for Senior Counsel of the Year for a Large Legal Department (21 or more attorneys).
“Alex is a one-man, hands-on army who strategically leads a team on all major disputes for Valero in the United States and across the world, including in Canada, Mexico, Peru and the U.K.,” said Mensing, who nominated Miller for the award. “Such a wide-ranging and overwhelming responsibility has required Alex not just to be a jack of all trades, but a master of all trades. His worldwide docket of matters reaching into nine figures runs the gamut of significant litigation.”
“It takes a special person to be at the helm of all litigation across the world spanning such a wide variety of subject matters,” Mensing said. “It takes an extraordinary person to handle that responsibility and do it superbly.”
Valero GC Rich Walsh said Miller is humble and quick to give others credit.
“Alex is to the practice of law, as John Wayne is to a western,” Walsh said. “He doesn’t have to say much to command the room; he is always on the side of justice, and nobody can match his stature. What a blessing to work with such a smart and ethical counselor.”
Miller, in an interview with The Lawbook, said while he “oversees all of the cases” for Valero’s litigation section, he is the lead lawyer in “none of them.”
“My background as an appellate attorney lends itself to overseeing the litigation attorneys,” he said. “It’s their case, and they do all the day-to-day work. I’m here primarily to provide guidance — sometimes legal research and drafting — and make sure the whole group (seven attorneys and three paralegals) is running smoothly and efficiently.”
The Valero litigation docket is large and diversified, including personal injury, ad valorem, foreign and domestic tax, bankruptcy, antitrust, contract disputes and maritime matters. He also works with Valero’s government affairs, public policy and corporate development groups on non-litigation issues.
“Alex has incredible mastery of the law, but what truly distinguishes him is his ability to see the bigger picture and chart a practical, strategic course forward,” said Valero Managing Counsel Daniel Ray. “His appellate background informs every aspect of his thinking, giving him a unique perspective on how arguments, decisions and risks will be viewed down the road. He approaches matters not in isolation, but in the context of the company’s broader litigation portfolio and business objectives. As a result, he ensures that positions taken in one case align with the overall strategy and do not create unintended consequences elsewhere, allowing the business to move forward with confidence and credibility.”
“Alex is not just a good legal advocate and person — he is also an excellent golfer and a decent fantasy football coach,” Ray added.
The Early Years
Miller was born and raised in San Angelo. His dad was in the dry-cleaning business, and his mother was primarily a stay-at-home mom who later worked in retail sales.
“My parents did not have college educations, but they understood the importance of education,” he said. “They made sure my sister and I focused on academics, and there was no question we were going to graduate from college.”
“Growing up, I knew I was going to be a professional of some kind,” he said. “I figured I would be a doctor — my doctors seemed smart and successful. But after not liking my high school biology class, I decided I would be an attorney instead.”
“I had no idea what attorneys did, but I was going to be one.”
Miller earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from St. Mary’s in 1990 and his law degree from the University of Texas in 1994.
“During law school and even at graduation, I still really did not know what practicing as a lawyer would look like,” he said. “All I knew was that I did not want to practice in litigation. I’m an introvert and a bit — maybe more than a bit — obsessive-compulsive. I read the other day that corporate counsel described the litigation world as ‘Contentious. Mean. Aggressive. Chaotic. Inventive.’ That’s how I saw litigation and knew that would not fit my personality.”
Miller landed a job in San Antonio at Plunkett, Gibson & Allen writing insurance coverage opinions. A year later, PG&A split up, and he joined his boss, Bobby Allen, in moving to the firm now known as Allen, Stein & Durbin.
“Bobby told me: ‘You’re the firm’s appellate lawyer.’ And just like that, I became an appellate lawyer,” he said. “Back then, appellate specialists were still relatively rare, and you couldn’t go on the internet and Google questions about how to be an appellate attorney. I read everything I could find to help navigate my way through the procedural and legal drafting issues I faced.”
Miller said former Texas Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson was a great mentor and “would always take my calls and patiently provide his learned insight about things as various as when to contact the court of appeals before filing a mandamus to the framing and order of legal arguments.”
Fast forward a few years, and several lawyers from Allen Stein joined with prominent plaintiff’s attorney Mikal Watts to open a San Antonio office.
“At the Watts firm, my practice became much more embedded with the litigation attorneys — being involved in the case from intake to resolution and always being at trial,” he said. “The legal analysis also became more complex because it was a national practice. But that all helped me qualify for and pass the exam to become Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.”
Watts promoted Miller to lead the firm’s appellate group — a position he describes as “very rewarding but very taxing work.”
At the end of 2010, Miller retired to teach law at St. Mary’s.
“I wasn’t sure exactly what I was going to do, but I had no intent of ever again practicing full time with a firm,” he said.
Miller said he took the call from Walsh in 2011 because he represented Valero in a handful of cases when he worked with Watts. In addition, their children played sports together at the YMCA in San Antonio.
Leadership and Oklahoma Pipeline Defense
The legal team at Valero uniformly praises Miller for his leadership and strategic thinking.
“Alex trusts his team, gives them room to grow, and instills confidence in their abilities, while also knowing exactly when to step in with guidance, insight, or support,” Ray said. “He strikes an exceptional balance between delegation and mentorship, empowering people to take ownership of their dockets while helping them develop into better lawyers. He is also a strong advocate for his team, ensuring their contributions are recognized and keeping them informed about the broader developments and priorities that affect their work. The result is a team that feels both supported and challenged, and that consistently performs at a high level.”
One of Valero’s biggest litigation wins during the past year has been the litigation brought by Lazy S Ranch Properties, which alleged that Valero had systematically contaminated its cattle property through a pipeline leak. Lawyers for the Lazy S claimed refined petroleum leaked from Valero’s pipeline.
AZA’s nomination points out that Miller “chopped down some of [Lazy S’s] claims on summary judgment.”
“Alex helped lead the team’s strategy through extensive trial preparation and trial, which included complex issues related to pipeline operations, chemistry, causation and property valuation,” Mensing wrote in the nomination. “He is a working member of the team across all the workflows that lead to a win. This proactivity and willingness to get his hands dirty explains his continued string of success.”
Miller’s leadership ultimately culminated in a complete defense verdict in Lazy S Ranch Properties, LLC v. Valero Terminaling and Distribution Company et al. in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The case is now on appeal. Miller notes that a handful of Valero lawyers, including senior managing counsel Megan Quinn, played major roles in securing the defense win.
Jim Bennett of Dowd Bennett, who worked with Miller in the litigation, said Miller was deeply involved in Valero’s efforts, from case strategy and witness preparation to jury instructions and trial motions.
“In particular, Alex’s contributions to motions for judgment as a matter of law and to the instructions that were submitted to the court were invaluable,” Bennett said. “He has deep experience in these matters, and he had a major role in these critical submissions. His deep experience in environmental law and on trial practice proved invaluable to the overall result.”
Challenging Federal EV Mandates at the U.S. Supreme Court
Miller makes it clear that one of his biggest successes came at the nation’s highest court in what he calls the EV Litigation.
“It can be considered a success on multiple levels,” he said. “It is unlike Valero’s historic litigation cases. It brought national attention to an issue that is extremely important to our business, and it resulted in a win at the United States Supreme Court. Valero has historically not been at the forefront of bringing litigation on industry issues.”
The EPA and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration passed rules that effectively mandated automakers transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles.
Valero and Walsh “noticed that none of our peers who usually take the lead on these issues was doing anything to combat an existential issue to our industry,” according to Miller.
Miller and Ray developed a coalition to file three lawsuits challenging the rules and standards implemented by the EPA and NHTSA, as well as the EPA’s waiver of preemption allowing California to enforce its EV mandate.
“From the beginning, we believed these issues would probably need to be decided by the Supreme Court,” Miller said.
Valero hired well-respected Supreme Court practitioners Jeff Wall and Morgan Ratner, then of Sullivan & Cromwell, now of Gibson Dunn to represent the company.
“It was a special experience to be able to work with the best and brightest in framing and briefing the issues in a way that attempts to ‘count to five’ from the initial brief,” he said.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit had ruled in April 2024 that Valero and the other plaintiffs did not have standing to challenge the EPA rule granting California a waiver to enforce its EV mandate. The Supreme Court granted the petition for certiorari on the standing issue and in June 2025, in Diamond Alternative Energy v. EPA, ruled 7-2 in Valero’s favor that the liquid fuel manufacturers had standing to challenge these EV mandates.
“Alex consistently navigates Valero’s most complex legal challenges with brilliance and ease,” said Michael Eaves of Calvert Eaves Clarke & Stelly. “From a purely practical standpoint, Alex is not afraid to get his hands dirty when it comes to supporting Valero’s outside counsel during trial or when preparing complicated legal briefs, and his input and assistance are always integral to achieving the goal sought, whether it be a favorable outcome at trial or winning an appeal involving a complex issue.”
“I cannot think of a more deserving person to receive the 2026 San Antonio Senior Counsel of the Year Award than Alex Miller, and he has my sincere, heartfelt congratulations,” Eaves said.
Click here for a Premium Subscriber Q&A with Miller, where he shares what outside counsel should know about working with him.
Fun Facts for Alex Miller
Favorite book: That’s difficult, books have such different purposes. If I had to choose one that I’ve read multiple times, it’s probably Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. The characters are so rich and somehow relatable even though the society they live in is so different from mine. And I won’t pretend to understand Dostoevsky’s references to contemporary Russian society or even all the religious themes, but every time I read it I discover new meanings. It also led me to read more Dostoevsky and other Russian writers.
Favorite music group: The two playlists in my streaming music app are based on U2 and Radiohead.
Favorite movie: That’s like picking a favorite child and there are too many to name. So, in keeping with the trial theme here, I’ll go with my favorite movie with realistic trial scenes: Anatomy of a Murder, with Jimmy Stewart and George C. Scott playing the attorneys and Joseph Welch — an attorney who delivered more famous lines during the McCarthy hearings — playing the judge.
Favorite restaurant: Silo – Terrace Oyster Bar on the outside patio. They have daily fish specials that are usually great, but the grilled Texas redfish is always a good option.
Favorite beverage: Non-alcoholic: Dr Pepper Zero. Alcoholic: Manhattan.
Favorite vacation: Scotland with three friends I have known since college. Not only were we able to play golf at the Old Course as well as several other great courses, we stayed at a condo on the Old Course that had a terrace overlooking holes 1 and 18 with the grandstands in place for the 150th Open Championship.
Hero in life: The person who has had the biggest influence on inspiring me to become a better, kinder, more thoughtful person is my wife, Molly.