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EXPERIENCE

JUNE 2019 -- PRESENT
CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER
State and federal trial and appellate defense

 

FEBRUARY 2017 – MAY 2019
FIRST ASSISTANT, HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
Managing assistant district attorney for 330 state prosecutors handling over 100,000 criminal
cases a year. Policy maker for bail reform and other progressive initiatives

 

OCTOBER 2009 – FEBRUARY 2017
CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER
State and federal trial and appellate defense

 

NOVEMBER 1982 – OCTOBER 2009
ASSISTANT FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER
Federal criminal trial and appellate defense. First Assistant 1986 – 2004 and supervisor of
various border branch offices throughout the Southern District of Texas

 

MAY 1978 – NOVEMBER 1982
CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER
State and federal trial and appellate defense. General practice of law

 

FEBRUARY 1986 – MARCH 2012
JUDGE ADVOCATE, UNITED STATES ARMY RESERVE
Colonel (retired). Served in variety of operational positions during hazardous or combat
deployments to Bosnia, Guantanamo Bay, Afghanistan and Iraq. Army trial and appellate judge
for courts-martial (2005 -2012). Awarded Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal (X2), and other
commendations for merit and service

 

 

EDUCATION

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AUGUST 2007
MASTER’S IN STRATEGIC STUDIES, U.S. ARMY WAR COLLEGE, CARLISLE BARRACKS

 

DECEMBER 1978
DOCTOR OF JURISPRUDENCE, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LAW CENTER

 

MAY 1974
BATCHELOR OF ARTS, RICE UNIVERSITY, HOUSTON
History and Political Science double major

 

MAY 1970
DIPLOMA, AMERICAN SCHOOL, MEXICO D.F. MEXICO

 

 

SKILLS

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• Licensed State Bar of Texas 1978.

• Board Certified – Criminal Trial and Criminal Appellate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

• Tried in excess of 200 jury trials.

• Filed in excess of 100 appellate briefs.

• Admitted to US Supreme Court, 5th and 11th Circuit Courts of Appeals, US district courts for the Southern, 

        Eastern, Northern and Western Districts of Texas, Army Court of Criminal Appeals and Court of Appeals for

        the Armed Forces.

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ACTIVITIES

Board Member – League of Women Voters of Houston and federal liaison for naturalization and voter registration activities. Harris County volunteer deputy voter registrar of the month, May 2019. Former board member, Latino Giving-Houston, Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Frequent commentator on Univision and Telemundo local channels regarding criminal law and politics. Bilingual English Spanish, Conversational Portuguese.