Personal Background
Kent has served as a justice on the Texas Court of Appeals, a judge for the 80th District Court in Harris County, Texas, and as First Assistant Attorney General, the second-highest-ranking official of the Texas Office of the Attorney General.
In 2017, he was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to serve as the Texas Commissioner of Insurance, the state’s top insurance regulatory position, responsible for the policies, operations, and enforcement activities of the Texas Department of Insurance. In this role, Kent helped protect consumers in the second-largest insurance market in the nation and the eighth largest in the world. Also, he was appointed by the United States Department of the Treasury to its Federal Advisory Committee on Insurance.
Education
- J.D. – University of Virginia Law School
- Bachelor of Arts in Economics – University of Virginia
Admissions and Certification
- Member of the State Bar of Texas
- Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation
Awards
- He was awarded Presidential Citations from two Texas Bar presidents for service to the Bar, including one award for his work as Vice Chair of the Pattern Jury Charge Committee, where he championed the need for plain language in jury instructions. The committee received a ClearMark Award from the US Center for Plain Language.
- Recipient of the Raven Society Award, at the University of Virginia which is given to the University’s distinguished alumni.
- Best Lawyers 2024 – Appellate Practice
- Best Lawyers 2025 – Appellate Practice
Community and Professional Activities
Kent currently serves on the Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee, appointed by the Court to advise on the rules of civil procedure, evidence, and appellate procedure. He is also a member of the Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee, appointed by Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz to offer counsel on candidates being evaluated for federal judiciary and US Attorneys positions.
