Polk County Lawyers

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...

Rated AV-Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell; Houston Magazine's Top Family Lawyers; National Academy of Family Lawyers - Nationally Ranked Top 10 Attorney Award 2014; Board Certified in Family Law and in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Matthew Ploeger is dedicated to serving Sutliff & Stout’s clients with diligence, skill, and commitment. He enjoys the intellectual challenges, but even more importantly, finds great satisfaction in helping people understand and navigate the legal system and championing them in the courts. ———— Matthew Ploeger began his legal career serving as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Nathan L. Hecht, the Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. He then joined the appellate practice group at a major law firm, where, for over ten years, he handled all manner of appeals and worked closely with trial teams, providing crucial support...

Richard Fass joined Perdue & Kidd, bringing with him over 20 years of legal experience. His practice focuses on personal injury, including transportation and maritime litigation, and medical malpractice. He has been named a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. In his spare time, Mr. Fass enjoys playing golf and volunteers at the Shell Houston Open. He is also the Director of the Gulf Coast Chapter of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and a member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Barbecue...

Robert Cowan is a partner at Bailey Cowan Heckaman, PLLC where he oversees the firm’s award-winning trial and appellate briefing team. He is involved in all types of cases at BPB, including mesothelioma litigation, drug and medical device injuries, FLSA claims, dangerous products, and commercial litigation. Robert is a graduate of South Texas College of Law, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with his Juris Doctorate.

I have spent my entire legal career representing individuals and families wronged and injured by the negligence and misconduct of others. My current practice focuses on medical malpractice and personal injury matters. In addition to being an experienced trial attorney, I have worked on a wide array of civil cases. During law school, I clerked for a renowned Texas trial lawyer before being hired as an associate at the same firm after obtaining my law degree. I was quickly entrusted with working on a diverse docket that included hundreds of medical malpractice cases and complex personal injury, commercial, environmental and...

Since 2000, the Guzman Law Firm has helped debtors throughout Texas obtain financial relief. We understand emotional exhaustion inherent in bankruptcy matters, and we want you to know that you are not alone. With our personalized, supportive assistance, we can start on on your journey towards financial freedom. You can reach out to us today for a free case evaluation. Available on Saturdays by appointment only

I'm an international tax and estate planning attorney, focusing on foreign tax compliance and high-net-worth estate planning for individuals. When I'm not practicing law, I spend my time with my wife Emily and our rescued mutts Griswold and Molly, I run marathons (40 as of 4/1/18), and I volunteer with the Boy Scouts.

My practice includes traditional estate and disability planning, probate and estate administration, and the preparation of estate and gift tax returns. I design, implement, and administer trusts of all types and related business and investment structures, including taxation and compliance aspects of these structures.

After earning my BS...

Kaylee Rush grew up in rural east Texas and attended undergraduate university at the University of Texas at Arlington before settling in Houston, where she attended law school at South Texas College of Law Houston. While in law school, Kaylee earned multiple academic honors including the Dean's Merit scholarship and several CALI awards and participated in the Randall O. Sorrels Legal Clinics. Kaylee also completed a 2-year state district family court clerkship as a law student. Prior to law school, Kaylee discovered her passion for serving her community as a reporter for a small local newspaper, finding that the media we...

Rukhsanda Melissa Masoom grew up in Queens, New York before finding her way to Deer Park, Texas, where she attended school. She went on to attend Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Melissa decided to equip herself with the tools necessary to affect social change and seek justice for those in need of help. She matriculated at New England School of Law in Boston, before returning to Houston, her true home. After law school, Melissa has amassed extensive courtroom experience, with a focus on a variety of practice areas, including family law, mass tort litigation and personal injury. She has volunteered...

Daniel E. Sheppard loves what he does and has had the opportunity to assist clients with a variety of personal injury matters in Houston. Daniel fights for the people who need help — the “little guys” who get pushed around by a system that takes advantage of those without resources. Daniel strongly believes that people and corporations should be held accountable for their choices and cannot be allowed avoid the rules, regulations, and responsibility to keep people safe. Daniel takes pride in providing quality service to clients and brings his relentless work ethic into the office and the courtroom. Although a native...

Maryssa Simpson is a trial lawyer and partner in The Potts Law Firm’s Dallas office. Maryssa grew up in the small town of Bridgeport, Texas and is from a family of trial lawyers. Her background gave her a passion for trial work, and she carries that forward in her practice.

Maryssa graduated from Baylor University and received her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. During law school, Maryssa was an advocate for a national championship mock trial team and received the International Academy of Trial Lawyers Student Advocacy Award. While at UT, Maryssa also won Best Advocate...

Attorney Jermecia A. Beachem is dedicated to the practice of law and representing her clients. At the Beachem Law Firm, we represent clients with civil litigation, contract disputes, contested divorces, uncontested divorces, enforcement of child support, child support modifications, child custody matters, CPS cases, paternity matters, termination of parental rights, enforcement of visitation, modification of visitation, Wills, probate of Wills, contested probate matters, heirship proceedings without Wills, muniment of title, and guardianship matters.

The primary focus at the Beachem Law Firm is to provide excellent customer service, thorough, accurate, and affordable legal representation.

Attorney Beachem is admitted...

Attorney Brian White represents injured persons in personal injury matters. Brian has a very good reputation as a skilled trial attorney who will work tirelessly for his clients. Brian White is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Only about 5% of Texas lawyers are board certified. Brian has obtained significant trial verdicts as well as settlements on behalf of clients across the United States. The firm is located in Houston, Texas and handles significant personal injury cases across Texas.

Attorney Greg Enos, has over 38 years of legal experience and is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Mr. Enos handles divorce and child custody cases in Harris, Galveston, and Brazoria County, Texas. Greg speaks at legal seminars on family law educating attorneys and judges. He also publishes legal directories and a legal newspaper that are widely used and read by Houston area attorneys and courts. Greg Enos is a respected leader of the legal profession working to improve family courts.

Javier Gutierrez is a trial lawyer and President of the Gutierrez Law Firm, with extensive experience representing individuals and families in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits involving motor vehicle and workplace accidents.

Holly represents families students & their parents in multiple areas of education law, including special education, civil rights, & discipline. She litigates administrative matters & lawsuits in federal court - including due process hearings, MDR proceedings, disciplinary hearings, grievance hearings, OCR complaints, & civil lawsuits.

Charles Lee Mudd Jr. is the founder and principal of Mudd Law, located in Chicago, Illinois, Park City, Utah, and Houston, Texas. He focuses his practice on a wide range of business legal issues, including transactional and litigation matters involving intellectual property, Internet law, and emerging technology. Mr. Mudd and his firm serve a diverse group of clients, including local, national, and international individuals and businesses. Mr. Mudd received a B.A. in philosophy and a Master of Arts in political science from Purdue University and then went on to earn his Juris Doctor from the Quinnipiac University School of Law....

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...

Attorney Azam graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso, with a B.A. in Political Science, and a minor in Legal Reasoning in 2006. Before attending law school, he served as Director of Operations for an international corporation. He graduated from Thurgood Marshall School of Law in 2012 and has been licensed with the Texas Bar since then. He is also fluent in Arabic. Mr. Azam's philosophy is always to prepare every case as though it is going to trial. He is a zealous advocate and trial attorney, he is experienced in contract negotiations and drafting, business formation and all...

Mr. Brashear's legal career began with a tour aboard the U.S.S. Philippine Sea (CG58). While aboard this U.S. Naval vessel, he defended the United States while visiting and taking in the cultural values of many other countries such as Poland, Lithuania, Sweden, Germany, Spain, Italy and Greece. After completing his tour aboard U.S.S. Philippine Sea (CG58), Mr. Brashear had the pleasure of working with the Navy Legal Service Office Southeast Jacksonville, Florida; where he processed claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act. While in Jacksonville, he was also stationed with the Trial Service Office Southeast where he...

Margaret is a family law attorney, passionate about helping her clients shape their future. She understands that when someone hires an attorney, it can be a daunting and emotional experience. Margaret takes the time to explain the process, listen to the client, and then guides them in finding the best possible outcome. As a trained mediator, Margaret has successfully used her powerful negotiation skills to reach strong resolutions outside the courtroom. Mindful that a settlement outside of trial is not always possible, she has experience zealously advocating for her clients in the courtroom to achieve the desired results.

After graduating from...

Alton C. Todd has more than fifty years of experience fighting for the citizens of Friendswood, Texas. He earned his bachelor’s degree from North Texas State University in 1968 before going on to get his juris doctor from Southern Methodist University School of Law in 1971. He spent the first part of his career working for an insurance defense firm, which gave him a unique insight into how these companies structure their arguments and strategies. This allows him to build a stronger defense for the accident victims he fights for today. Alton quickly moved to the plaintiff’s side of personal injury...

Johnathan Silva is the Founder and Managing Partner of Veteran-Owned Law Firm J.D. Silva & Associates. He focuses his practice on personal injury and criminal defense cases, handling largely motor vehicle accident cases of all types – including car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, and more. Johnathan is natively bilingual, fluent in Spanish as a first-generation American son of Mexican immigrants. Communication and honesty are a key part of Johnathan’s philosophy, in part gleaned from enlisting in the United States Navy at the age of 17. He trained as a medic, serving overseas twice and traveling to 36 countries during his...

Houston personal injury attorney John K. Zaid is dedicated to helping people who have suffered serious personal injuries and/or death and assisting families that have lost loved ones in fatal accidents. If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle collision, car accident, workplace injury, dog bite or any other personal injury accident, attorney John K. Zaid is here to offer aggressive and relentless representation combined with personal one-on-one attention.

Attorney John K. Zaid is active among his peers in the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Houston Trial Lawyers Association, The American Association for Justice, American Bar Association,...

T.J. Roberts was born in Austin and raised in Lampasas, Texas. Playing baseball for the Lampasas Badgers earned T.J. a chance to attend Austin College in Sherman, Texas. T.J. graduated with a degree in political science and moved on to the Texas Tech University School of Law. In Law School, T.J. served as president of the Criminal Bar Association, Vice-Chair of The Board of Barristers, and was voted the Board’s most outstanding member. In addition to the Criminal Defense Clinic, where he received an American Jurisprudence Award, T.J. was also a member of several national trial advocacy teams. T.J....

Heather M. Bachman is a Board-Certified Family Law attorney committed to resolving family issues through collaboration and mediation. Guided by the principle that family relationships should be preserved and protected during crises, Heather prioritizes out-of-court settlements, using the courtroom as a last resort. Her extensive experience includes divorce, child support, visitation rights, enforcement of visitation and child support, collaborative law, and mediation. With a compassionate approach and thorough understanding of the law, Heather offers clients expert legal advice aimed at educating them about legal procedures, exploring solutions, encouraging settlements, maintaining reasonable fees, and protecting their rights when litigation becomes necessary. Her...

Daniel Lazarine is a Criminal Defense Attorney in Houston, TX. Mr. Lazarine is a former prosecutor, and a graduate of the University of Houston Law Center.

-Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. -Former Assistant Criminal District Attorney. -Thirty-one (31) years experience. -Free Consultation.

Professional Law Background B.A., University of Houston, 1972 J.D., South Texas College of Law, 1975 Admitted to the bar of Texas, 1975 Admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; and the U.S. District Court for the Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of Texas State Bar of Texas Texas State Bar College The College of Master Advocates and Barristers, Senior Counsel American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Sustaining Lawyer, President’s Club, (Leaders Forum 2003-2008), (National Finance Council, Justice List Committee 2007-2008), (National College of Trial Advocacy Civil and Criminal ; American College of Barristers, Senior Counsel;...

Dustin advises clients about their business-related matters at the federal, state, and international levels with experience in corporate, tax, securities, and related issues. Dustin has experience providing tax and business services, including the reformation and restructuring of large multi-national businesses to achieve strategic tax and business objectives. Dustin works with business owners, corporate officers, and other advisors in structuring acquisitions, dispositions, reorganizations, and corporate financing arrangements to provide efficient solutions to tax and business issues across a variety of industries. In addition to his business and tax planning experience, Dustin has experience resolving taxpayer issues during IRS examination or collection status,...

Frank J. Vendt, Jr., has been meaningfully involved with people that work all types of jobs, people that have various social statuses, and people that live with many different issues. This led him to practice family law.

We have all heard that “nothing takes the place of experience.” Mr. Vendt has been through a divorce himself and has shared custody of his child. He is a Richmond divorce lawyer who understands the battles one faces when it is time to end a marriage (money, children, reputation, failure, et cetera).

Outside of law, Mr. Vendt spends time with his family and in the...

Melody Poole is a solo immigration attorney in Galveston County, who enjoys helping clients in their journey to the US, be it temporary or permanent, whether joining family or pursuing opportunity. She is a graduate of the University of Houston Law Center and University of Texas at Dallas. In addition to helping clients navigate complex immigration laws, Melody is passionate about enriching the law as a profession. Melody is the appointed 2022-2024 Chair of the Texas Supreme Court’s Grievance Oversight Committee and previously served six years on a District Grievance Panel. She is a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation,...

For the first 12 years of my legal career, I represented injured railroad workers from various parts of the country. From 2015 until 2019, I worked with or was associated with the law firm that handled various types of personal injury cases including work injury cases, car crashes, premises liability and slip and fall cases. I am fully bilingual (English-Spanish) and so is my staff. We take great pride in being accessible to our clients at anytime that they need us.

Durante los primeros 12 años de mi carrera legal, representé a trabajadores ferroviarios lesionados de varias partes del país....

Former Prosecutor, now helping citizens in Harris County and surrounding counties fight cases against them. Tried dozens of cases to a jury, highly skilled at negotiations and getting cases resolved. Studied at SMU School of Law and University of Arizona.

Kunal Patel is an experienced tax attorney, having worked at the IRS, law firm, and public accounting before starting his practice. He represents individuals and business in tax matters before the Internal Revenue Service.

Mr. Palker was raised by a single mother and learned the value of hard, honest work from an early age and has unwaveringly been a member of the workforce since age fourteen. Having worked in a wide array of industries (including everything from restaurants, nightlife, events, and healthcare to professional sports), and even after starting multiple companies before the age of twenty, Mr. Palker found his passion for the law in college. In 2012, Mr. Palker discovered his true career path when he obtained a job as a legal assistant. While working as a legal assistant, Mr. Palker was involved...

Aileen has a diverse practice that focuses on various areas of family law. Her areas of family law practice include: 1. Divorce: Aileen provides guidance on matters such as property division, spousal support, and child custody. 2. Child Support: Aileen helps clients establish and modify child support arrangements, ensuring that the best interests of the child are upheld. She provides legal representation in child support hearings. 3. Child Custody: Aileen advocates for her clients' rights in child custody cases, whether it's determining custody arrangements during divorce or addressing custody disputes between unmarried parents. 4. Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDRO): Aileen assists clients in obtaining...

Houston bankruptcy lawyer attorney represents small businesses, consumers and creditors in chapter 7, Chapter 11, Chapter 12 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases, and bankruptcy litigation. 28 years experience. Board certified. Free consultation. Reasonable fees. All cases handled personally by attorney.