What Sets Us Apart
There Are Dozens of Criminal Defense Firms in Austin, Fayette, Travis and surrounding counties. Why Choose Us?
Continuing Legal Education/Forensic Science Courses
Each year the State Bar of Texas requires every lawyer to obtain a minimum number continuing legal education hours (15) to remain in good standing. Many lawyers wait until the last minute to meet their 15-hour minimum and scramble to take whatever class might be available at the time in order to remain in good standing.
In contrast, I consistently seek out the most advanced legal and forensic science classes taught by leaders in the field. Rather than merely meeting some arbitrary low minimum standard, I want to be the most proficient attorney in the field of DWI and drug defense. This helps me with:
– Expanding my understanding of the law and science relating to DWI and drug cases.
– Defending DWI and drug cases through science and the law.
– Always learning new ways to win for my clients.
– Providing state-of-the art defense to clients accused of DWI and drug offenses.
– Staying one step ahead of the government’s expert witnesses.
ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist
Currently, I am the ONLY American Chemical Society’s Forensic Lawyer-Scientist with an office in Austin, Bellville, & La Grange. Our firm serves Austin, Fayette, Travis and all surrounding counties including but not limited to Bastrop, Burleson, Colorado, Lavaca, Lee, & Washington Counties.
Beyond continuing legal education, In 2018 I graduated from three advanced forensic science courses taught by Axion Analytical Laboratory in Chicago, Illinois. These courses included the Forensic Chromatography Course; Forensic Drug Analysis Course; and, The DUID course. These three courses represent more than 90 hours of classroom and hands-on laboratory training related to DWI and drug case defense and are taught by highly qualified instructors and leading experts in their fields.
CLE Coursework
Here is how my CLE coursework compares to the bare minimum that most attorneys abide by:
- In 2016 I participated in four advanced CLE courses totaling 77.25 credit hours exceeding the minimum requirement by 52.25 hours or more than 500%.
- In 2017 I participated in 106.75 hours of CLE totaling 106.75 credit hours (including 8.75 ethic hours) exceeding the minimum requirement by 91.75 hours or more than 700%.
- In 2018 I have participated in 64 hours of CLE (including 5.5 hours of ethics) exceeding the minimum requirement by 49 hours or more than 400% to date.
Course Description from the Axion Forensic Laboratory Website:
The Hands-on ACS Forensic Chromatography Course will teach you the classroom theory that underlies chromatography in general, as well as the specific theories that allow for headspace analysis and how Flame Ionization Detector, and Mass Spectrometry works. You will get to see the instruments used, and run tests yourself.
The Hands-on ACS Forensic Drug Analysis Course will teach you how seized drugs are analyzed and how the scientific opinion is formed that leads to the laboratory conclusion. This is for all drugs of abuse including illicit drugs. You will get to see the instruments used, and run tests yourself. Solid Drug Dose is as the name implies. It is about the analysis of seized items that are thought to be drugs. It is the evaluation of solids, liquids, powders and vegetable products. It goes into the synthetic drugs such as K2 or Spice. It answers the question of how can the police know that a white powder in the bag is really cocaine or if it is harmless baking soda. It focuses on the analytical techniques that are used in that field such as balances, colorimetric testing, FTIR, TLC, microscopy, and GC-MS. It is very heavy into GC-MS. Because there is so much GC-MS work in it, it is a prerequisite for the DUID course.
The DUID course focuses on the analysis of biological fluids (blood, urine, hair, oral fluid) for drugs of abuse. As the name implies it focuses on DUID from the motorist’s point of view. It is one full day of instrumental analysis on the qualitative and quantitative analysis. Plus, there are 2 full days of pharmacology both the time course of the drug in the body (pharmacokinetics) and the drug’s impact on psychomotor function (pharmacodynamics).
Legal and Forensic Science related materials:
I maintain a large and expensive library of reference materials regarding DWI and drug-related offenses. I subscribe to numerous printed and online journals to remain apprised of the newest developments in defending DWI and drug-related cases. I subscribe to numerous professional list serves and maintain close relations with other leading defense attorneys and experts. This network allows me to consult informally with leaders in the industry as I prepare for each case.
The ACS Forensic Lawyer-Scientist Designation as recognized by the Chemistry and the Law Division of the ACS
Like “poet-warrior” or “philosopher-king,” there are lawyers of a new breed known as the ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist. The ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist is one who uses validated and legitimate science for the benefit of justice. These are lawyers who study the science and apply it legitimately in the courtroom. They expose invalid or non-validated science and use valid science in the courtroom. They eschew the smoke and mirrors techniques of old and embrace the science for the benefit of all.
The official title is “The ACS Forensic Lawyer-Scientist Designation as recognized by the Chemistry and the Law Division of the ACS” but ACS-CHAL has approved a shorthand where the person who has earned the honor can say that he or she has earned “The ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist Designation” or the person as an “ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist.”
Awards, Certifications, and Specialized Training
2018
Top Shelf DWI Seminar September San Antonio, TX
DUID (Toxicology) Course September Chicago, IL
16th Annual Top Gun DWI Course August Houston, TX
Forensic Drug Analysis July Chicago, IL
Unleashing Your Inner Beast July South Padre Island, TX
Trainer of Trainers July South Padre Island, TX
Forensic Gas Chromatography June Chicago, IL
31st Rusty Duncan Criminal Course June San Antonio, TX
25th Mastering Scientific Evidence March New Orleans, LA
5th Lone Star DWI Course January Houston, TX
10.0 Top Attorney DUI/DWI AVVO
Recognized Member College of the State Bar of Texas
2017
To Kill a Sex Crime December Austin, TX
13th Stuart Kinard Advanced DWI November San Antonio, TX
Advanced Criminal Law October Self-Study
2017 DUIDLA Spring Seminar May Austin, TX
Advanced Criminal Law April Self-Study
10.0 Top Attorney DUI/DWI AVVO
Recognized Member College of the State Bar of Texas
2016
Recognized Member College of the State Bar of Texas
Criminal Writs Course December Austin, TX
DWI Defense September San Antonio, TX
Legal Aspects of Analytical Testing
Intoxication Cases August San Antonio, TX
Advanced Criminal Law August Self-Study
2015
Recognized Member College of the State Bar of Texas
10 Best American Institute DUI/DWI Attorneys
Recognized Member College of the State Bar of Texas
Client’s Choice AVVO
2014
Recognized Member College of the State Bar of Texas
Excellent Rating AVVO
2013
Recognized Member College of the State Bar of Texas
Client’s Choice AVVO
Very Good Rating AVVO
