SAN ANTONIO TRIAL LAWYER AND CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER
Our adversary system of justice is both frightening and unforgiving. Trial is combat. Trial is war. Like war, one side wins and one side does not. Experience teaches that the side that wins is the side that has the strongest attorney-client relationship. The best team. The team that is most prepared, most confident, most creative, most able to communicate, most able to effectively advocate to the judge and jury. A strong attorney-client relationship is the focus of my practice. It is the key to winning. I would be proud to be your lawyer. I bring a unique blend of personal and professional skills and experience to the relationship. As an experienced trial lawyer, mediator and attorney ad litem I am ready to meet the challenges of the most difficult cases in both the civil and criminal courts. I am prepared to offer my clients the time and energy necessary to create the best possible attorney-client relationship and to win.After more than thirty years practice I have experience in the trial and settlement of many cases involving both civil and criminal law. It is true as most trial lawyers say, that if you can try one case you can try any case. The rules of evidence and procedure are the same. The facts and law of every case require preparation, but it is the court room presence that ultimately counts. My civil cases have included wrongful death, traumatic brain injury, professional malpractice, nursing home injuries, breach of fiduciary duty, mismanagement of trust funds, will contests, consumer fraud, industrial espionage and sabotage, libel, divorce and civil rights. As a condemnation commissioner appointed by the probate judges I understand the special rules of eminent domain and just compensation to landowners. As an attorney ad litem appointed by the judges to represent children and the disabled, I understand the special rules of guardianship, inheritance and trusts. As a certified mediator I have learned when and how to negotiate a favorable settlement. On the criminal docket I have had the privilege to represent many fine people who suddenly found themselves the subject of a criminal accusation. My clients have included doctors, lawyers, teachers and even more than one judge. I have tried cases ranging from capital murder to speeding. I have written articles and presented lectures to my colleagues in the criminal defense bar. I am a member of the A+ panel of lawyers for criminal cases in the federal courts of San Antonio and the Western District of Texas.
CRIMINAL DEFENSE PRACTICE
My board certification with the Texas Board of Legal Specialization is in Criminal Law. I was certified in 1986 after receiving the recommendation of judges and fellow lawyers. In law school I was most influenced by a professor who was also a sitting criminal district judge. That judge offered me the position of staff attorney in his court my first year out of law school. The pay was terrible. The experience was invaluable. My special love for the criminal law has continued to this day. Despite popular belief, being accused of a crime is not reserved for the "criminals." It can happen to anyone. If it happens to you or someone in your family your most important decision will be your choice of a criminal defense lawyer. Choose wisely. Here the attorney-client relationship is critical to your career, your family, your reputation and perhaps most importantly to your freedom. Never hire a lawyer who mails a solicitation letter to everyone who is booked into jail. Never hire a lawyer until you have interviewed others. Know what you are getting into in terms of fees. Choose a lawyer who has respect of the judges and the prosecutors. A lawyer who is a director of the local criminal bar and former director of the state criminal bar would be a good choice. A lawyer who has written and lectured on professional ethics in criminal law would be a good choice. If you follow these rules I will be one of the lawyers you consider.I am proud of my profession. I love what I do. I still wake up in the middle of the night rehearsing tomorrow's jury argument or cross-examination. I respect attorney-client confidentiality to a fault. I fight for my clients and I come ready to fight. I am not afraid to tell my clients what they don’t want to hear. The best legal advice is not always the best news. I continue to build my practice on the basis of referrals from former clients and other lawyers. I view this website as a means of communication and service to prospective clients. I am committed to offering the highest quality legal service in civil and criminal trials. Thank you for considering me as your lawyer.