Equipped with over 10 years of professional experience, R. Kent Piacenti is a rising leader in legal services, having garnered much success in business litigation, securities litigation, complex commercial litigation, and alternative dispute resolution. Since 2022, he has served as the principal of the Law Office of R. Kent Piacenti, PLLC in Dallas, Texas. Recognized for his astute leadership in business and appellate litigation, Mr. Piacenti has notably represented various whistleblowers reporting suspected security fraud and has worked on numerous pro bono cases.
Previously, Mr. Piacenti served with Vinson & Elkins as an associate from 2013 to 2020 and as counsel from 2021 to 2022. After earning a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2012, he clerked at the United States Court of Appeals for one year. Likewise, Mr. Piacenti is well regarded in the field of education, having been a teacher for the Irving Independent School District. Notably, while tending to his studies in law at the University of Virginia, Mr. Piacenti received the Bracewell & Guiliani Oral Advocacy Award and the Mary Claiborne and Roy H. Ritter Prize. He also authored, “Toward a Meaningful Response to the Problem of Anti-Gay Bullying in American Public Schools” in 2011.
Throughout his career, Mr. Piacenti has lent his expertise to the Virginia Law Review, having penned “Immigration Law’s Family Values” in 2014. He also served as the editor-in-chief of the Virginia Law Review Association and an articles editor for the Virginia Environmental Law Journal. A recipient of the Family Law Book Award from the Virginia State Bar Association, Mr. Piacenti maintains membership with the Lambda Law Alliance in his spare time, where he has been recognized as vice president.
Testifying to his success, Mr. Piacenti has been named to the Best Lawyers list each year between 2022 and 2024. Moreover, he was named to the LGBTQ+ Lawyers 40 Under 40 list in 2016 in light of his legal prowess. Although he has experienced many career highlights, he is particularly proud of leading a team of six individuals to help release three men from immigration detention during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking ahead, Mr. Piacenti endeavors to further develop his law practice, hire associates and conduct more charitable work in his community.
