John R. Teakell has over 30 years experience in criminal law as both a prosecutor and criminal defense attorney. Those charged with serious crimes seek John Teakell out for legal counsel because of his deep criminal law subject matter experience and firsthand knowledge of state and criminal court procedures. Teakell began his career as an Assistant District Attorney and worked as a Senior Trial Counsel for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission where he prosecuted civil enforcement actions of fraudulent schemes in White Collar cases. Before going into criminal defense Mr. Teakell spent over 12 years in the U.S. Attorney’s Office as a federal prosecutor, most of which at the Northern District of Texas where he was designated as a bank fraud prosecutor. However, during this period Teakell also prosecuted all types of federal crimes in the Northern District of Texas including extraordinarily large drug trafficking and money laundering cases as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Puerto Rico, as well as federal death penalty cases. Today Mr. Teakell represents defendants in criminal cases throughout the State of Texas in federal and state courts, as well as cases in federal courts throughout the United States including Puerto Rico. As a criminal defense attorney and trial lawyer, Mr. Teakell has successfully defended those charged with violent crimes, drug manufacturing and distribution, and white-collar crimes including money laundering, bank fraud, securities fraud, and violations of federal securities law.

The fact that one mistake, one bad day, or even a police officer’s mistake could completely ruin or change the trajectory of your entire life made me want to get into criminal law. I grew up in Dallas and attended SMU Dedman School of Law. I began my career fighting for people as a Public Defender in Dallas. I saw how unfairly the criminal justice system treats people, especially if they don’t have a good lawyer. I wanted to treat my clients how they deserved to be treated – by taking the time necessary to get to know who they are and what they need. I created my law firm to do just that. Understanding that people shouldn’t be judged on their worst day, I strive to help people through difficult times with compassion and integrity. Facing criminal charges is intimidating. Knowing this, I ensure my clients understand the process, their rights, and the possible outcomes for their case. I pride myself on getting to know my clients outside of their case files. When I represent you, you’ll have an ally to explain the process, your rights, your options, and how to best resolve the matter. We understand where you’re coming from, carefully walk you through each step of the criminal process, and directly answer your questions. We start every case with an initial one-hour consultation. Most lawyers only give a quick sales pitch in a 15-minute call. We don’t do that — we’ll discuss what happened and give you an idea of what to expect, including possible outcomes and strategies. We’ll also talk about pricing. Once we’re engaged, our team will get to work right away, giving you feedback along the way so you know that we’re on it. We’ll also familiarize you with our convenient online portal for existing clients and provide regular updates and clear lines of communication until we reach a satisfactory resolution.