Landlord-tenant attorneys
Dallas Landlord Lawyer
Dallas Landlord Lawyer is the landlord-tenant practice of Cook Keith & Davis, a Dallas firm representing landlords, property owners, and property managers across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Clients range from an individual renting out a single home to property management companies, owners of large multifamily and apartment complexes, HUD-governed housing operators, and commercial property owners. The firm also represents commercial tenants in disputes with their landlords, but does not represent residential tenants.
Matters handled include evictions, writ of possession proceedings, eviction appeals, security deposit disputes, lock change and utility interruption claims, sublease and assignment questions, landlord lien matters, tenant improvement disputes, tenant bankruptcy filings, death of a tenant, and commercial lease disputes. Litigation runs in Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, and Denton county courts, in both justice court and county court.
The site doubles as a reference library for landlords, with practice-area pages on Texas Property Code chapters 92, 93, and 94, habitability and repairs, retaliation, security deposits, late fees and rent acceleration under section 92.019, attorney's fees recovery under section 24.006, application screening and the FCRA, fair housing and reasonable accommodation, assistance animals, VAWA, SCRA, CARES Act and Section 8 housing, criminal activity and nuisance, and commercial default and cure. The content reflects Texas law as of 2026, including SB 38's eviction reforms effective January 1, 2026 and SB 1333's squatter removal framework effective September 1, 2025.
The firm states that it has 15 attorneys and draws on over 30 years of representing Dallas-area landlords. A free email consultation is offered through the site, and the published guides are general legal information rather than advice. Fees are not published.
Best for
Texas landlords, property managers, and commercial property owners in Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, or Denton counties who need evictions or lease litigation. The firm does not represent residential tenants.
What they do
- Residential and commercial evictions
- Writ of possession and eviction appeals
- Security deposit dispute representation
- Landlord lien enforcement
- Commercial lease dispute litigation
- Lease drafting and review
- Post-eviction collections
- Fair housing and reasonable accommodation matters
Details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Team size | 11-50 employees |
What stands out
- The firm states it has 15 attorneys and over 30 years representing Dallas-area landlords.
- Represents landlords, property managers, and commercial tenants, but not residential tenants.
- Publishes practice-area guides covering Texas Property Code chapters 92, 93, and 94.
- Content reflects SB 38's eviction reforms effective January 2026 and SB 1333's squatter removal framework effective September 2025.
Common questions
- Does the firm represent residential tenants?
- No. Cook Keith & Davis represents landlords, property managers, and commercial tenants. The site directs residential tenants to the Dallas Bar Association and the Texas Tenants' Union for referrals.
- What does Texas law cap residential late fees at?
- Section 92.019 of the Texas Property Code caps a residential late fee at 12% of the rent where the property has four or fewer rental units, and 10% where it has more. The fee can be charged once per rental period and must still be reasonable in light of actual damages. Lease provisions above the cap are unenforceable, and a landlord who collects more can be ordered to refund the overage and pay statutory damages.
- When can a landlord recover attorney's fees in an eviction?
- Texas Property Code section 24.006 lets a landlord recover fees in a residential forcible detainer case if the landlord prevails and gave the tenant at least 10 days' written notice of the lease violation before filing. Without that pre-suit notice, fees are not recoverable under the statute even when the lease provides for them. A lease fee provision and Chapter 38 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code are the other common bases.
- What kinds of landlord-tenant matters does the firm handle?
- Evictions, writ of possession proceedings, eviction appeals, security deposit disputes, lock change issues, utility interruption claims, sublease and assignment questions, landlord lien matters, tenant improvement disputes, tenant bankruptcies, death of a tenant situations, and commercial lease disputes across every type of Texas property.