Bivins Appeals & Appellate Lawyers

I provide bankruptcy solutions for consumers and business primarily in the greater Houston area but also in other parts of Texas and the rest of the United States. I also represent clients nationwide in federal appeals.

We are tough and practical regardless of the type of case that you bring to our office. In more than one consult, we find other attorneys or law firms offering services that the law simply doesn't allow, or that the client may not actually need. We pride ourselves on helping client's find practical, cost effective solutions. However, we are always ready to take a case to trial when needed. It is this balance of tough, but fair, that allows us to assert effective advocacy for all of our clients. We proudly serve clients in Kaufman...

Gerald “Gerry” Harris Goldstein is a nationally known and respected defense lawyer and Past President of both the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America and Texas Lawyer’s Legal Legends, has been profiled in numerous publications, has served as an adjunct professor of law at University of Texas School of Law in Austin and at St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, and is a fellow in the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of...

I am a board certified family law attorney practicing in Austin, Texas. I have been licensed and practicing in Austin since 1994 and I have been board certified in family law since 2000. My firm has 3 associate attorneys, all working toward board certification, but also practicing exclusively family law, and I have 3 paralegals, all board certified in family law, with an average career of over 25 years. We pride ourselves in helping our clients navigate this difficult time in their lives and to work toward unique solutions for their unique families. We have all...

William B. (“Bill”) Connolly is from Houston, Texas and he has been a family, juvenile, protective services trial and appellate attorney for nearly 40 years. He is Board Certified in Family Law and Juvenile Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He is a NACC Child Welfare Law Specialist and is a bar leader in the creation of the newly approved Texas Child Welfare Law Board Specialization. Bill is a former Adjunct Professor of Juvenile Law and has lectured and mentored attorneys, judges, CPS (DFPS) officials, juvenile court officials and healthcare professionals on a variety of subjects including substance...

John S. “Jack” Edwards, Jr. handles a wide variety of civil matters in state and federal courts throughout the country. He has represented clients in antitrust, contracts, copyright, ERISA, fraud, insurance coverage, product liability, securities, trade secrets, toxic tort, and wrongful death cases. Many of his cases involve highly technical industries, such as vehicle manufacturing or radio-communication systems. Others involve representing victims of financial fraud, whether in single-plaintiff actions or in class actions under ERISA or securities law. He has tried cases in Texas and Pennsylvania.

Farbod Farnia leads the Appellate Litigation Section at McCathern. Mr. Farnia represents parties in civil appeals and original proceedings in a broad array of cases from multiple practice areas. He has successfully prosecuted and defended appeals in cases including constitutional law, labor & employment disputes, non-subscriber negligence actions, and complex commercial litigation. Mr. Farnia has been named a Texas Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine in 2014 and 2015. His clients include individuals, small businesses, and large corporations, whom he has guided through both the trial and appellate stages of litigation.

A native of Commerce and Temple, Texas, Attorney Paul F. Wieneskie brings over 30 years of practice experience to Bailey & Galyen, with an emphasis on civil appeals, municipal law (representing cities or private citizens), economic development concerns, and land use and planning. He has been board-certified in civil appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1994, an honor accorded to less than one in every ten lawyers in the state of Texas. He is also AV-rated by his colleagues in the legal profession under Martindale-Hubbell’s Peer Review Rating System®* (since 1997). Paul has successfully represented clients...

I practice criminal defense in both state and federal court throughout Texas state courts and in federal courts all over the United States. I handle all criminal cases from misdemeanors to serious and complicated felonies at both the trial court level and post conviction. We handle trial cases, appeals, writs and parole as well as personal injury matters. As a former prosecutor, I can offer valuable insight and an aggressive defense in criminal cases and real experience in front of juries in all trial cases. We try cases when so many lawyers are at a disadvantage because they...

David Hodges, founding partner at Hodges & Foty, LLP, was born in McAllen, Texas, and moved to Cypress when he was seven. He attended Cy-Fair Senior High School, and discovered he wanted to go to law school after participating in a mock trial in his senior government class.

After graduation, he joined the Corps of Cadets and attended Texas A&M University where he earned his B.S. degree in 1989. After graduating from Texas A&M University, he was immediately commissioned in the Navy and deployed to the Persian Gulf. When he transferred from active duty to the Navy Reserves, he...

I worked in the Dallas County crime lab (SWIFS) after graduating from college. I worked as a DNA Technologist in the Forensic Biology department. Part of my job included testifying as a Forensic Biology expert in court. After three years of working at the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences I decided to attend law school with the purpose of being a lifetime prosecutor. Although I enjoyed being a prosecutor, my work in criminal defense is where I belong. I became part of an elite group of criminal defense attorneys when I became Board Certified by the Texas Board...

For more than 20 years, Attorney Jeffrey C. Grass has committed his life to safeguarding the rights and futures of those who have been accused of crimes. Due to his steadfast commitment to judiciary work, Attorney Grass has representation clients before the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Texas. His successes have led him to an inclusion among the Top 100 Trial Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers Association as well as the 10 Best for Client Satisfaction by the American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys. Before founding the Law Offices of Jeffrey C. Grass, he served as...

Beginning her legal career as a prosecutor with the Bexar County District Attorneyâs Office and as a special prosecutor at the Medina County District Attorneyâs Office, Attorney Kerrisa Chelkowksi has gained invaluable experience. Knowing and understanding how the other side of the courtroom operates provides a tremendous advantage to her overall case defense. Using creative strategies, she is more easily able to protect her clientsâ rights in a way that is both aggressive and strong. Ranked as a 10.0 Superb Avvo rated lawyer by both her peers and past clients, this is the highest possible score that an attorney can...

Jim Dunnam is a Board Certified Specialist in both Civil Trial Law and Family Law. Jim was born and has spent his entire life in Waco. He graduated from Baylor University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and from Baylor Law School in 1987 with a Juris Doctor degree. Since being licensed to practice law in 1988, Jim has worked as a member of Dunnam & Dunnam, where he is a partner. Jim was named Young Lawyer of the Year by Baylor University in 2001. Among other positions, Jim has served on...

I litigate and appeal in real estate and Constitutional law. I defend homeowners against HOAs, banks, and insurance companies. Foreclosure and foreclosure defense, eviction defense, and home equity loan litigation are most of what we do.

Prominent cases included Pangborn v. Burnet County over a bill of attainder limiting real estate development rights, Piatt v. City of Austin over racially discriminatory affirmative action in the Police Department, and Hendee v. Dewhurst over Texas constitutional spending limits.

Former clerk for Texas Supreme Court Justice Steven Wayne Smith.

John T. Floyd is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is rated as a Super Lawyer by the prestigious rating service of Thomson–Reuters, distinguishing him as a lawyer who has attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Mr. Floyd takes great pride in leading his premier criminal defense litigation firm, which focuses exclusively on successfully defending Individuals and businesses accused of serious crimes in Houston, throughout the State of Texas and in Federal Court across the United States. Mr. Floyd’s experience, determination, and talent has also earned him...

Jacob Blizzard stands out in the legal field, recognized for his exceptional skills and profound contributions as an attorney. His unparalleled dedication to the practice of law is demonstrated by his nationally recognized achievements and the professional certification that distinguishes him within the legal community. Born and raised in the Texas, Jacob Blizzard pursued his dream of becoming an attorney at the Texas Tech University School of Law, where he honed his skills and prepared to leave an indelible mark on the legal world. Post-graduation, he quickly demonstrated his competence and dedication, leading him to become the managing partner at Blizzard...

Laura D. Heard has practiced law in San Antonio, Texas for her entire career, spanning more than 3 decades. She is known for her motto: "Justice Flows from Truth, Compassion, Wisdom & Persistence." She is a Family Law Mediator, Divorce Attorney, Wills and Probate Attorney. Laura is tenacious and experienced, and also a great listener. She has handled hundreds of cases in Bexar County and the surrounding counties. She can help with child custody cases, property division disputes, alimony, child support, adoptions, executing new Wills, creating trusts, and probate after death. Laura is a family law Mediator...

I am a former prosecutor, and have been practicing criminal law since 2007. I am an aggressive trial lawyer that will fight for your rights! I was recently voted best criminal defense attorney, best criminal appellate attorney, and best juvenile attorney in Hays County.

Abogado Hispano con mas de 20 años de experiencia y autorizado a litigar casos Estatales y Federales. Atendemos principalmente casos Criminales, Inmigración, Familia y Apelaciones. Tenemos gran experiencia defendiendo casos de alcohol, abuso sexual y defensa de insanidad mental, entre otros. Bilingual attorney admitted to practice Law in Texas, the U.S. Federal Southern District of Texas, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. For the past years, I have been litigating and providing advice in the areas of Criminal law, Immigration, Appellate, and family law. I have strong experience litigating DWI, mental...

Multi-State Barred Attorney, Scott F. Lemanski began practicing law in the Corpus Christi area in 2005. Scott served as an assistant district attorney exlusively in County Court at Law No. 5, handlng all aspects of juvenile prosecutions. During his tenure with the district attorney's office, Scott handled certifications, pleas, bench trials, and jury trials, with an attention to hard work and a belief that his work was making a difference in the lives of victims, juveniles and the community. Scott is well educated in the legal requisites regarding guardianship law. All this experience has provided Scott with a firm foundation...

Sean’s years of experience as an active-duty US Army Captain in the selective and prestigious US Army Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps are a valuable asset to Tully Rinckey PLLC’s military law practice group. Having served his country honorably at the largest military installation in the world in Fort Hood, Texas as a Judge Advocate from 2009 until 2013, Sean is an aggressive and tenacious advocate for all service members facing legal issues. He is able to pull from his significant and diverse experience as an active-duty attorney in the Army JAG Corps, and as a civilian military law attorney,...

Krause Law Firm offers free consultations and free parking at our downtown office. Call 210-455-1333 to schedule your free consultation. Our office handles all criminal law cases in Bexar County, including DWI and Family Violence cases. Attorney Staci Krause first worked as an Assistant District Attorney for the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office before becoming a defense attorney. She then worked with Soyars & Morgan Law, a highly-respected criminal defense law firm in San Antonio, Texas, before starting her own law firm in 2018. Since then, Attorney Krause has defended hundreds of people with her knowledge of criminal law....

Levi G. McCathern, II is widely recognized as one of the premier litigation lawyers in Texas. He is Board Certified in both Civil Trial Law and Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a double certification held by only 26 of the 87,000 attorneys in Texas.

Mr. McCathern specializes in catastrophic damage litigation and is frequently summoned to defend specialized, high-damage claims, including all types of commercial litigation. In addition, he has served as lead counsel for numerous jury trials and is regularly called upon to provide legal consultation to companies throughout the country.

Mr. McCathern serves as...

Professional Summary
Experienced appellate and criminal defense counsel with accomplished background in State and Federal litigation. Over twenty years of experience in both whitecollar and blue-collar cases ranging from State misdemeanors to Federal felonies.

Education
University of Texas School of Law,
J.D., cum laude – 1995

Academic Publications
Yes: Juries Can and Should Correct the Overly Broad use of Criminal
Sanctions, in W.R. Palacios, P.F. Cromwell, R.G. Dunham, ed., Crime and Justice in America: Present Realities and Future Prospects, Prentice Hall,
2002

Jury Nullification: The Evolution of a Doctrine (Carolina Academic Press, 1998) 334 pages.

Professional...

Attorney Michelle May O’Neil earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in 1989 from Baylor University Hankamer School of Business, her Juris Doctorate in 1991 from Baylor University School of Law, and her Mediation Certificate in 2003 from Texas Women’s University. Ms. O’Neil has been practicing law for over 30 years, and is the founding partner of the Dallas family law firm, O’Neil Wysocki. Through the use of genuine compassion for her client’s difficulties, and her determination to help them maintain their most favorable outcomes, Attorney O’Neil has the ability to assist individuals through complicated matters including divorce, child custody, and...

Chris Perri is an award-winning criminal defense attorney dedicated to getting the best possible outcomes for his clients. With over 15 years of experience practicing criminal defense in Austin and all over Texas, Chris Perri has successfully helped clients win trials, overturn wrongful convictions, get cases dismissed, and expunge records. He’s had successful outcomes in a variety of areas, including: Appeals, DWI and DUI in Austin, Writs, Assault, Family Violence, Drug Possession, Theft, Expungements, Cyber Crimes, and more.

Through personalized, compassionate, and client-focused service, Chris Perri will protect your rights and prepare a vigorous defense that ensures the best possible...

As one of the founding partners at Lyons & Simmons, LLP, Attorney Michael Lyons is dedicated to providing top-tier legal services for each and every one of his clients. Currently, he handles a wide range of cases in several practice areas, including those that involve personal injury, products liability, professional liability, wrongful death, and complex business disputes. Before committing his life to trial work, Lyons attended The University of Texas where he achieved his Bachelor of Arts degree. Following his undergraduate studies, he attended South Texas College of Law where he achieved his Juris Doctorate, graduating cum laude and as a...

We Help Recover Denied Long Term Disability/Accidental Death/Life Insurance Benefits/ERISA. IT'S ALL WE DO! FORMER Insurance Company Attorney. NOW 100% Helping People Get Benefits. Click our website link for my FREE Claim Guide your insurance company doesn't want you to read! LOUISIANA BASED 30+ Years. I BEGAN practice as an insurance company attorney defending AGAINST personal injury and wrongful death accidents, from automobile and truck and eighteen wheeler accidents to offshore, maritime and Jones Act accidents. After leaving the insurance defense practice to serve as a Louisiana felony prosecutor for a few years, I founded McNamara Law Offices to fight against...

As the managing shareholder of Hendershot Cowart P.C., I look out for the best interest of our clients by utilizing our many years of combined experience practicing business law, business litigation, health law, and regulatory compliance. Our tagline is: "Your Attorneys. Your Team. Your Law Firm for Life." And that's true. It's my approach to client service, and it lays the foundation for our collaboration – now and into the future. My decision to practice law was inspired by the strong work ethic of my father and grandfather. Being a successful attorney requires dedication and experience. Whether reviewing an employment contract or...

Colin McLaughlin is a principal partner at Hoeller McLaughlin PLLC and is a former Assistant District Attorney (Prosecutor) and experienced trial attorney. Colin is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Note: we are only accepting new criminal and DWI cases in Tarrant County, Texas only. Colin's goal is to get the best outcome on your case and will fight to protect your rights, your future, and your freedom. His leadership has helped Hoeller Mclaughlin PLLC obtain over 250 5 star reviews in Google alone. Colin has over 15 years of experience dealing...

James P. Whalen is the owner of Whalen Law Office in Frisco, Texas.

James graduated from Southern Methodist University School of Law in May 1995 and was admitted to the Texas Bar in November 1995 and is admitted to practice in the federal courts of the Eastern, Northern, Western and Southern Districts of Texas, Northern District of Illinois, as well as the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. James has been Board Certified in Criminal Law since 2002 and has been Board Certified in Criminal Appellate Law since 2017. Mr. Whalen practices exclusively in federal...

An attorney with more than thirty-four years' experience in domestic and international trademark, copyright, licensing, unfair competition, anti-counterfeiting and mass media law, with a broad legal background, including active practice before state and federal administrative agencies, United States District Courts, United States Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Austin, Texas based criminal defense lawyer, E. G. "Gerry" Morris, has since 1977 represented individuals accused of state and federal crimes, both in trial and on appeal. He is Board Certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He has been elected by other criminal defense attorneys to leadership positions in both state and national organizations. He served as president of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association during the 1997-98 term and is also Past President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

The legal community as a whole has, through peer rating, given him...

I believe that trying a case to a jury is the best part of my job. That belief is the basis for the entire way I handle cases at Samples Ames PLLC. When our firm accepts cases, I am evaluating the prospects of that case in front of a jury. I size up the case, and I also size up the client. I always ask myself if a jury will relate to my client, and our firm regularly conducts focus groups before we accept the case.

I am Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal...

Scott D. Smith is a seasoned trial lawyer who has obtained favorable verdicts for clients on both sides of the docket. Mr. Smith has experience in all phases of litigation in both state and federal courts throughout the United States, including resolving a broad array of business and commercial disputes, as well as having extensive experience representing financial advisers and financial institutions in financial services litigation in FINRA and AAA arbitration proceedings. He frequently represents financial advisers and financial institutions in employment disputes, securities enforcement actions, as well as regulatory and compliance matters, and assists his clients...

TCDLA Percy Foreman Lawyer of the Year 2014
Board Certified in Criminal Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, conferred and recertified since1995
Board Certified in Criminal Appellate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, conferred and recertified since 2005
TCDLA Percy Foreman Lawyer of the Year 2008
Austin’s Best Unsung Hero, Austin Chronicle 2007
Super Lawyer, Texas Monthly 2003-present
Best Lawyers in America 2006-present
Martindale-Hubble Highest “AV” Rating from both peers and judges
Listed in the Registry of Preeminent Lawyers
President’s Award, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association 2007
President’s Award, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association 2006
President’s Award, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association 2005
President’s Award, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association 2004
President’s Award,...

During Law School, Sarah spent two semesters in SMU’s Criminal Defense Clinic handling over 120 misdemeanor cases in Dallas County and overseeing other student attorneys as a Clinic Chief. She took the Texas State Bar Exam and received her license to practice in 2012.

Since being accepted to the Texas State Bar, she has handled hundreds of misdemeanor and felony cases in multiple Counties including: Denton, Dallas, Collin, and Tarrant. Sarah began her own practice September of 2016 at her Denton Office. She is often referred to as “Coco” by her fellow Denton attorneys. Sarah has had a considerable amount...

Don Flanary serves as a passionate defense attorney to those facing criminal charges in the San Antonio area and across the State of Texas. He believes that attorneys should serve as more than just counselors to those in difficult situations, but that they are obligated to fight tirelessly for the futures of every client, no matter how challenging the situation may seem. With a decade of legal experience, Don Flanary has taken on a variety of both state and Federal charges in Bexar County, TX. Some of these charges include misdemeanors, felony drug charges, white collar crimes, and federal...