Courtesy of Varghese Summersett
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The following is sponsored content by Varghese Summersett.
Ty Stimpson’s law career took an unlikely path spurred by life changes, his passion for sports and, most important, the support of his family and community. Now he’s working inside and outside the courtroom to give back to the community that helped propel him forward.
When Stimpson decided to pursue law school in New York, his North Texas village offered support wherever it could, including mailing him LSAT prep books and helping him pay for out-of-state housing.
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“My community that I grew up in, my village, they protected me,” Stimpson says. “They looked out for me. They poured into me. If it wasn’t for the village that was around me that was helping us out, I wouldn’t be where I’m at today.”
Now he’s giving back to that village through his work as Varghese Summersett’s Personal Injury Division leader and through his community engagement.
“Because my community means so much to me, I want to do my part to give back to it,” Stimpson says. “I know what that means when you pour into people.”
Stimpson’s Road to Law
One could argue that Stimpson’s career as a personal injury lawyer started with his own personal injury, though that might be oversimplifying things.
It all started with Baylor University.
Stimpson was born in Waco, and even after his parents divorced and he moved with his mother to Arlington, he continued to spend his summers in Bear Country with his father. Together, they attended Baylor basketball and football games, and he became immersed in the sports culture there.
“I remember Brian Skinner in ’96,” Stimpson says, reminiscing about his childhood. “He put me on top of his shoulders and let me dunk a basketball after one of the games, and I got to run on the field when it used to be the old Floyd Casey Stadium. I didn’t really notice that they weren’t winning much,” he adds with a slight chuckle. “I was able to run on the field and get on people’s shoulders and touch the rim.”
When it came time to apply to colleges, he had his heart set on attending and playing football at Baylor, but that wasn’t an option at the start. He eventually transferred in as a walk-on with the intent of being placed on scholarship. He got to live out his childhood dream of playing football for Baylor, but that dream was short-lived.
Stimpson sustained a knee injury that prematurely ended his football career. As a first-generation college graduate, he turned his attention to graduating with a degree in business, marketing and finance. His new goal was Wall Street, and he moved to New York, where he secured a job in finance at Liz Claiborne. However, he was a man with humble beginnings and a limited network in a new state, and the recession ultimately forced him to reconsider his career in the financial sector. Then a door opened for him in the form of a Yankees ticket and an unexpected conversation.
An assistant general counsel at Liz Claiborne offered Yankees tickets to his co-workers on a first-come-first-served basis. A huge Derek Jeter fan, Stimpson immediately scooped one up. He asked the man how he got such coveted tickets. The answer? Law school. The assistant general counsel was a former attorney with the Yankees. Following that conversation, Stimpson was motivated to pursue a career in law.
“I remember leaving his office, calling my mom and saying, ‘Hey, I want to go to law school,’” he says. “And my mom, being who she is, went to Barnes & Noble and mailed me some LSAT prep books and things about law school. And I was on my on my way to becoming a lawyer.”
The dominoes continued to fall in perfect succession. St. John’s University in New York had recently opened an international and comparative sports law master’s program that offered one semester in the classroom and the second semester in the sports industry, with a coveted opportunity to work for the National Football League. Stimpson applied and got into the program. That second semester, he began his law career as a graduate attorney intern, securing the sought-after position within the NFL.
“I jokingly say that, you know, maybe athletically I wasn’t able to make it to the NFL, but I still made it,” Stimpson laughs.
After leaving the NFL, he returned to North Texas as a prosecutor in Dallas County. He likened the feeling of trying cases to sports through the clear lines between winners and losers and the rush that comes with the competitive nature of trials. Beyond such fulfillment, though, he found purpose in helping people who needed it most.
“Helping people seek justice and now helping people get justice” has been one of Stimpson’s main motivators throughout his career. As he’s shifted from being a criminal prosecutor to being a personal injury lawyer, he also finds it rewarding to help people regain “monetary value for the wrong that they’ve had to suffer through the hindrance or negligence of other people,” he says.
Stimpson’s deep roots in both sports and his North Texas community make him a powerhouse. Competitiveness and care for his “village” give him a particular edge as an attorney willing to fight for his clients’ rights.
Outside the Courthouse
Stimpson’s gratitude for the community that uplifted him is not silently expressed. While his passions in his career make him a formidable ally in the courthouse, his passion for giving back makes him a pillar of the North Texas community.
He currently serves as board chair for the Tarrant Area Food Bank, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County, and the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce.
“Those are missions that are near and dear to my heart that I love to give back to,” Stimpson says. “But also the chamber aspect is building our community, building our commodity by building up small businesses, and particularly businesses of color.”
His community impact doesn’t stop there. This year, Stimpson was recognized by Fort Worth Inc. as a 40-Under-40 leader, and he was named the inaugural Strong Man Honoree by Girls Inc. of Tarrant County for his work “championing causes that empower women and girls.” He was also named the Best Personal Injury Attorney in Dallas in the 2025 Best of Dallas Readers’ Choice awards.
His mission in returning to North Texas is centered on creating a positive community impact. As a partner at Varghese Summersett — another 2025 Best of Dallas Readers’ Choice winner — and as a mover and shaker in his own community, he is well on his way to achieving that goal.
