William Field Davidson | San Antonio Criminal Lawyer

Earlier in 2016, an elderly couple came into my office for a ""guardianship."" After listening carefully to their situation, I recommended some less expensive options which essentially solved their problem without them having to go through a lengthy and expensive court process. I then did their estate planning which was somewhat complex due to their particular situation. However, at the end, they were happy with both the outcome and the price. In another case, I had a client arrested, falsely, as the police had gotten him ""mixed up"" with someone else with the same name and birth date. Though he lived in a very nice section of town, the police burst into his house, and, according to him, roughed up his wife and hauled him out of the house in front of this two small children. This man had never been arrested in his life. I got the case quickly resolved, dismissed, and am now working on an expunction. Not everyone charged is guilty.

The key is to listen to your clients, your peers, and be open minded to both reject advice and take it when it seems right. I learned to say "no" to cases which would overtax my resources so I could say "yes" to those cases in which I knew I could be of help. Over time, success is built one brick at a time. Each day is a completely different experience so you have to be open to those new experiences in order to learn and be willing to do whatever it takes, within ethical considerations, to win a case of any type, or a negotiation or whatever you are hired to help someone on.

Integrity, trustworthiness, someone who cares, someone who will fight for you. I think you should meet personally with anyone you are contemplating hiring as your case is important. By meeting the lawyer, you will have a "gut" feeling if you "click" with that person or not. Go with that feeling 90 % of the time you will be right as those feelings are coming from deep parts of our brains which may not be directly accessible but work "under the hood" so to speak. Look for the "list" but go with your "gut feeling" before hiring anyone. Also know, you will absolutely get exactly what you pay for, nothing less and nothing more. The cheapest lawyer in town is able to "work" cases for next to nothing for a reason.

Local knowledge is very important. For example, knowing the personalities of the Judge, Prosecutor, and everyone else you work with helps in everyone getting along better to move any case forward. As well, especially in criminal cases, it helps to go out to the scene and check on things yourself. Living in the area, knowing the players, going to the Judge's lunches and so on all helps things work out better. That is also why I usually employ "local counsel" for consultation when working out of town cases. Someone at the location knows a million things you don't that makes a difference.

I don't really like phone consultations because I know almost nothing about the person and they know nothing about me. I don't do any ""cookie cutter"" cases and because each case is different, the only thing I like to do on the phone is set up an in person interview. Other than that, I don't discuss anything more unless it is truly the kind of case that is so common there are not many variations among lawyers on the price. An example would be an expunction. However, even that kind of case is handled vastly different among lawyers. I have learned to do some things to help the client right now and not have to just wait for a long, drawn out expunction to take effect. It is proprietary and I share it with my paying clients. Ethically, no lawyer is allowed to give out legal advice to non-clients. So, accordingly, until someone has hired me, I can give out very little information on the phone, as per Texas Bar Rules. It can be construed as ""legal advice"" and I can be held responsible if it is used in any way whatsoever.

Every lawyer is a person and every person is different. Thus, every lawyer is different. I think if you ask any lawyer if they are good and so on, they will say yes. I think what does differentiate me is the extra miles I go because I do care. That is something that can only be experienced by the client.

The most rewarding aspect of this kind of work is when you are able to help someone through any kind of problem. Most people come in with their problems crowding out everything else in their minds and thus when you get them out of the problem, or resolve it in some way, they are once again ""free"" to be the person they are; and not locked into an endless, sleepless cycle of worry.

In addition to law, I enjoy writing, both fiction and nonfiction. I have had several articles published and I used to be involved in TV acting and have done some commercials, and various other gigs including participating in a part in the TV series ""The FBI Files"" in which I was kidnapped and killed off. This was based on a true story of a border agent who was kidnapped at the border crossing station, tortured, and killed. I've participated in numerous Dinner Theatre's here in San Antonio, as a volunteer actor, when I get the part. I also enjoy going to my church and doing activities with groups. As for now, I'm currently writing a novel which is expected to be finished very soon. Prior to becoming an attorney, and prior to the advent of ""cell phones"" I traveled extensively in Europe and enjoyed that very much, sleeping in castles, riding in a Gondola at Venice with a close friend. On the other hand, I accidentally went past a train stop in Italy, and ending up in the middle of a huge war being waged in 1995. I got out as soon as I was able to do so. When I got back, I took horseback riding lessons for many years and enjoy riding from time to time. I'm also a licensed gun dealer and enjoy both the nature of guns and perfecting my shooting. Mainly, I think just being open to new experiences can open up a new life everyday so that you end up with 80 years of life experience at the end instead of 1 year repeated 80 times.

I've worked for Habitat for Humanity, I've done many "mock trials" for St. Mary's Law School, and I have traveled to different Elementary Schools doing a program that is designed to help turn kids away from drugs at an early age. I've also run for public office a few times and enjoyed meeting so many different people from different groups and learning more about how to be involved in the community. It is a balance between being involved in the community and as well keeping abreast of new law, and all my legal cases and making sure no deadlines are missed. Recently, I've done certain free clinics that help low income people do Wills and other legal documents.

• Member | State Bar of Texas
  Member | San Antonio Bar Association
  Member | San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
  Member | Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
  Member | College of the State Bar of Texas
  
  

• Classes/Seminars
  
  School Law
  National Firearms Act (N.F.A.) Trusts
  Special Education Laws Made Simple
  Innocence for Students
  Juvenile Law
  Legislative Update: Criminal Law
  Estate Planning, Guardianship and Elder Law
  Historical Perspective on Stand Your Ground & Castle
  Docket Call in Probate Court: Guardianship Seminar
  Extreme Family Law Makeover XIV Avoiding the Crash
  Juvenile Law 2016 Seminar

 Contact The Law Office of William Davidson. Call for an appointment today.

• Facebook
• Testimonials