

ABOUT TOM
CANDIDATE FOR HARRIS COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT NO. 10
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
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.
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Board Certified – Criminal Trial and Criminal Appellate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
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Tried in excess of 200 jury trials.
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Filed in excess of 100 appellate briefs.
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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.
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.