Joe De Leon

Attorney

Biography

Joe De Leon is a Senior Associate Attorney with Daly & Black, where he represents individuals and families in personal injury and wrongful death matters involving motor vehicle collisions, commercial trucking crashes, premises liability incidents, workplace accidents, and other serious injuries caused by negligence. 

Joe’s approach to personal injury litigation is shaped by both professional experience and personal perspective. In 2016, his younger sister was seriously injured in a motor vehicle collision. Witnessing firsthand the physical, emotional, and financial challenges that can follow a preventable injury helped shape his decision to pursue a legal career dedicated to advocating for those harmed by the negligence of others. 

Before representing injured clients, Joe gained valuable defense-side experience representing employers and insurance carriers in litigation matters. That work provided insight into how claims are evaluated, how risk is assessed, and how defense strategies are developed. Today, he uses that knowledge to anticipate and counter defense tactics while advocating for individuals and families seeking justice after serious injuries. 

Since transitioning to plaintiff-side practice in 2021, Joe has handled personal injury and wrongful death matters throughout Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. His experience spans every stage of case development, from initial investigation and pre-suit advocacy through litigation, depositions, motion practice, mediation, and trial. Throughout his career, he has helped recover more than $47 million on behalf of injured clients and their families. 

In 2026, Joe founded The J.R. De Leon Law Firm, PLLC, where he continued representing individuals and families across Texas. The firm was built around a simple principle: every case should be prepared as though it may ultimately need to be proven before a jury. That philosophy continues to guide his work today at Daly & Black. 

Joe earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Houston Law Center and his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, with a minor in Psychology, from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He is licensed to practice law in Texas and before the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. 

A proud native of the Rio Grande Valley who has called Houston home for nearly a decade, Joe remains committed to serving clients throughout Texas. He understands that behind every case is a person or family navigating one of the most difficult periods of their lives and is dedicated to providing the preparation, communication, and advocacy necessary to help clients move forward. 

Outside the office, Joe enjoys mentoring aspiring attorneys through the University of Houston Law Center’s pre-law pipeline program, traveling, and spending time with family in the Valley. He is also an avid Star Wars fan, enjoys Houston’s live music and sports scene, and is a proud dog dad to his rescue companion, Nugget.