Smithville Lawyers

Kevin Collins focuses upon environmental crime and other litigation, counseling during grand-jury investigations, and internal corporate investigations. He practices in state, federal, and administrative courts. Prior to joining Baker Botts, Mr. Collins served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Texas. As a former federal prosecutor, he has signficant experience leading government investigations and prosecuting individuals and corporations who committed crimes in several areas including environmental crime, health-care fraud, bank fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering.

Anthony Choueifati graduated from the University of Houston with a B.A. in Psychology in 2002 and from South Texas College of Law, receiving his Juris Doctorate in 2005. His 19+ years of experience plays a significant role in advising clients, whether that involves forming business entities, complex partnership agreements, contract drafting and negotiation, estate planning, or mergers and acquisitions. Anthony enjoys meeting business owners of all types and strives to form long-lasting relationships with his clients. Anthony is married, has two children, and enjoys golf and traveling.

Scott Cook represents employees in a variety of employment disputes with their employers. Scott Cook is Board Certified in Labor & Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has dedicated his career to extensive knowledge and practice in the area of employment law. His law firm, the Cook Law Firm, also focuses primarily on the representation of employees in employment law cases, ranging from disputes regarding unpaid overtime to discrimination to retaliation (and a long list of other matters). Dedicated to obtaining justice and fairness in the workplace, the Cook Law Firm continues to...

Blair Leake is a young attorney with considerable litigation experience and success. His practice thus far has focused on civil and criminal trial work, as well as estate and business planning. Blair attended the University of Texas for his undergraduate degree and received his doctorate of jurisprudence at the University of Houston Law Center.

Rand recently joined The Butler Firm after heading up the bankruptcy department at Patricia Brown & Associates, P.C. He has extensive knowledge and experience handling bankruptcy cases and enjoys finding creative ways to obtain debt relief for consumers and businesses. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Rand moved to Austin in the late-nineties to attend the University of Texas at Austin. While in college, Rand met his wife and developed a love of Austin that would stay with him for the remainder of his life. After acquiring a bachelor's degree in Economics with a minor in Business Administration, Rand enrolled in...

Registered lobbyist Steve Koebele provides public policy representation, counseling, and advocacy for a diverse range of clients composed of market leaders in their respective industries. He successfully improves laws and government toward clear goals: increasing job creation and enhancing economic opportunities. From the best Texas lobbyist office location, Steve Koebele has successfully achieved legal and public policy goals before diverse state agencies.

Noe Valles is the firm’s pre-litigation managing partner and has extensive experience handling serious injury cases such as car, motorcycle and truck wrecks, on-the-job injuries and oilfield cases. Noe understands the emotional distress and hardship that a debilitating injury causes a person. He has handled cases throughout Texas and New Mexico and is experienced in handling cases involving all types of injuries, from soft tissue injuries to catastrophic injuries. As a catastrophic injury attorney, Noe takes the necessary measures to ensure his clients’ needs are met, beyond mere legal representation. Noe was born in a small town outside Juarez, Mexico, and...

Before starting his own law practice, Don worked for a well-regarded corporate law firm, for a state attorney general, and as a judicial law clerk. He has seen first-hand how the law is made, how it is shaped by court decisions, and how it affects business clients. Don began his legal career with a one-year clerkship at the Texas Supreme Court, which is Texas's highest court and focuses on civil (not criminal) cases. Law clerks help the Court evaluate which of the roughly one thousand petitions filed each year should be granted and help the Justices write their opinions. His private practice...

Yurbin E. Velasquez is a practicing attorney with more than twenty five years of experience. Yurbin is a licensed attorney in two countries: the United States and Venezuela. He also holds a Master of Laws (LLM) from Tulane University. He specializes in the area of Personal Injury law, working to bring his clients in Texas and Louisiana the compensation they deserve for physical or emotional trauma associated with Personal Injuries caused by the negligence of another. Yurbin also works to advocate for the families of someone killed as the result of another's negligence or dangerous actions (wrongful death). One hundred percent...

David is a personal injury attorney who handles cases throughout Texas and New Mexico. With a particular focus on truck wrecks, car wrecks, oilfield accidents, and work injuries, David’s extensive experience and compassionate approach make him a trusted advocate. He approaches each case with empathy and determination, recognizing the physical, emotional, and financial toll that serious and catastrophic injuries cause to clients and their families. By forging strong attorney-client relationships built on trust and open communication, David ensures that his clients feel supported throughout the legal process. David was born and raised in Lubbock, Texas, and graduated from Lubbock High School....

Nick has focused his career on representing people, and their families, who have suffered catastrophic injuries or death. No matter the size of the case, Nick is responsive and aggressive with every case he handles. As a Spanish speaking attorney, Nick helps break the language barrier and aggressively fights for his clients. His personal injury experience includes representing clients seriously injured in automobile and truck wrecks, slip-and-fall incidents, and on-the-job injuries. A native of Lubbock, Texas, Nick received his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Texas A&M University in 2001. Following graduation, Nick attended the George Bush School of Government...

I'm a Board Certified Administrative Law problem solver: a litigation attorney specializing in administrative law (a special area of law focusing on representation before licensing boards, regulatory agencies, and commissions). I aggressively represent and defend clients at informal settlement conferences (ISC), enforcement committee meetings (EC), the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH), Travis County district court, and the courts of appeals, specifically related to these agencies:
•Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners
•Texas Medical Board
•Texas Board of Nurse Examiners
•Texas State Board of Dental Examiners
•Texas Board of Architectural Examiners
•Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners
•Texas Board of Professional Engineers
•Health and Human Services Commission...

Don R. Cotoon joined The Bob Richardson Law Firm in 1992. Don focuses his practice on assisting accident victims and their families in personal injury and wrongful death cases. He has successfully settled and tried cases ranging from minor-impact car accidents to catastrophic medical malpractice actions.

After graduating summa cum laude from UCLA and joining the Eta of Los Angeles chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, I moved back home to Texas. Once in Texas, I began my legal pursuits at the University of Texas School of Law. While studying at UT, I participated in the Texas Law Fellowships, raised money so my classmates could afford to dedicate their summers to doing pro bono work, and mentored through the Law Students Mentoring Undergraduates program. In the fall semester of my third year, I had the opportunity to study abroad in London.

I received my license to practice law...

I graduated with dual degrees from the Arts & Sciences and the Business schools at Washington University and set out to find employment in the corporate workforce. I quickly found corporate life to be monotonous, so after a year of working in the business sector, I returned to school to study law.

In 2010 I graduated from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and I immediately began litigating with Lone Star Legal Aid, handling cases under VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) grant work.

In these roles, I noticed that—regardless of the specific subject matter of the case—familial problems often caused, contributed to, or...

Megan is an associate attorney at Cofer Connelly. She practices criminal and family law in Travis and surrounding counties. Megan is a native Austinite and graduate of the University of Texas School of Law. While at UT, Megan’s work focused on protecting the civil rights of vulnerable people. She represented asylum seekers, survivors of domestic violence, and children accused of criminal offenses.

Megan clerked for the Special Litigation Division at the Public Defender Service, where she assisted in a wide variety of litigation seeking to protect the rights of criminal defendants in the District of Columbia. During her second summer...

I focus on advising clients about their estate planning and probate needs in the Austin, Texas area. I enjoy meeting directly with clients, paying close attention to their needs and concerns to identify solutions based on my knowledge, skills, and experience.

A true champion of justice, Chelsea Cates has always carried with her a strong will to fight for the rights of those who cannot fight for themselves. A personal injury attorney at our office in Austin, she focuses her practice on car accidents, trucking collisions, premises liability, motorcycle accidents, dog bites, and more.

Chelsea uses her strong attention to detail to help people during crucial times in their lives. Her grandfather was a lawyer who instilled in her the desire to achieve justice for those who have been wronged. In addition to being a stalwart advocate for her clients, Chelsea is...

Alex graduated from the University of Concordia with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and she earned her Juris Doctor from St. Mary's University of Law.
Alex chooses to practice family law because of her strong desire to help navigate clients through one of the most difficult and important times in their family’s lives. She recognizes that every family law case is unique to the individual involved, and her intention is always to advise clients on the distinctive facts of their case while keeping the client's individual goals as well as the best interest of the children at...

Mike began his legal career as a prosecutor at the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s office representing the State of Texas in the prosecution of Misdemeanor and Felony criminal cases. He learned to prepare cases for trial and go to trial on a wide variety of criminal matters. Mike was then recruited by a leading employment law firm, Aaron Pena & Associates in the Rio Grande Valley representing clients in all aspects of employment litigation. During his tenor at Aaron Pena & Associates he learned the civil aspect of litigation. Mike handled cases from the inception of...

Jodi Lazar practices family law exclusively and represents clients in both the traditional litigation and collaborative law models, depending on the client’s needs.

Jodi is also an Adjunct Professor in the Advocacy Department at The University of Texas School of Law, where she teaches Intensive Trial Skills and works with the Interscholastic Mock Trial Program.

EDUCATION
The University of Texas School of Law, 1988
The University of Texas at Austin, 1985

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS & HONORS
Member, State Bar of Texas (Family Law Section)
Member, Oregon State Bar
Member, American Bar Association (Family Law Section)
Member, Austin Bar Association (Family Law Section)
Member, College of the State Bar of Texas

COLLABORATIVE LAW...

Jim Rodman is a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial lawyer located in Austin, Texas. Jim Rodman was originally licensed in Texas in 1986. He received his Board Certification in Personal Injury Trial Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in 1994.

Jim was born and raised in Odessa, Texas. He graduated from Permian high School in 1978 and attended the University of Texas at Austin where he received his BBA in Petroleum Land Management in 1983. Following undergraduate school Jim attended the University of Texas Law School, graduating in 1986. After law school he joined the United States Marine Corps...

Specializing in Elder Law and certified as a Private Professional Guardian

Aishah McCoy, a dedicated attorney, is driven by her belief that clients deserve personalized counsel and expertise in every aspect of their case. With a focus on both in and out of court, she is committed to helping clients achieve their goals, whether it's navigating high conflict custody cases or developing generational legacy plans. Aishah's determination and unwavering dedication to her clients are evident in her practice. Aishah McCoy holds a Juris Doctorate certificate from Thurgood Marshall Law School. She also generously volunteers her time to organizations such as RAICES, Legal Line, and Volunteer Legal Services, offering legal assistance to low-income...

Pamela Hailey-Petty is an experienced attorney and owner of Hailey-Petty Law Firm, PLLC. She has legal offices in both Austin and San Antonio. Since 2014, Mrs. Hailey-Petty has helped numerous Texans organize their futures through her knowledge and expertise in estate planning law. She also regularly provides legal counsel to clients navigating the probate process and to those interested in business formation.

Prior to her career as an attorney, Mrs. Hailey-Petty worked for the Governor of Texas. During her time at the Governor’s office, she served as the Investment Manager and Deputy Director of the 300-million-dollar Emerging Technology Fund.

Mrs....

Teresa Christian specializes in personal injury and prides herself on her dedication to serving the client and her commitment to defending the rights of the client. Teresa Christian's goals are to make sure that the injured client understands the process and walks away satisfied and with the results his or her case deserves. Teresa Christian handles personal injury cases, including car accidents, trucking accidents, wrongful death, oil field injuries, premises cases, slip and falls, work place injuries, and dog bites. If you are looking for highly personalized service from a personal injury attorney who makes the client the priority,...