Do you need a relentless criminal defense? If you have been charged with a crime in Texas, you deserve the aggressive, detail-oriented, and cutting-edge defense that Attorney John L. Venza Jr. will provide. Based in Sugar Land, Texas, John L. Venza Jr. defends citizens accused of crimes throughout Southeast Texas, including the following counties: Fort Bend County, Harris County, Brazoria County, Wharton County, Matagorda County, Galveston County, and Montgomery County. From the time he was old enough to think about it seriously, John L. Venza Jr. aspired to be a criminal defense lawyer, and he began laying the groundwork for this goal early. When other children were reading the comics, John L. Venza Jr. was sitting at his parents' breakfast table, scouring the newspaper for stories about big trials and the lawyers who argued them. Later on, while other high school students busied themselves with typical teenage pursuits, John L. Venza Jr. took on a demanding schedule that involved honors classes, writing for the school newspaper, playing football, serving on the student council, and working at a pizza restaurant. Ultimately, John L. Venza Jr.'s dedication and hard work enabled him to graduate cum laude from Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas, Texas.Staying focused on his goal, John L. Venza Jr. enrolled in college at the University of Texas in Austin, where he majored in Government and minored in English. He concentrated on the system of government, the motivations behind it, and - most importantly - how the government could direct its power at its citizens through the court system. During those studies, John L. Venza Jr. developed an insider's understanding of the challenges people face when they are criminally accused by the government.After obtaining his undergraduate degree, John L. Venza Jr. enrolled at South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas. In law school, John L. Venza Jr. excelled academically. He graduated in the top fifteen percent of his class and, based on his high grades, was honored with a position on the prestigious South Texas Law Review. While on Law Review, John L. Venza Jr. wrote two lengthy research papers on criminal law topics, one on capital punishment, and the other on Texas constitutional search and seizure law. A brilliant writer, John L. Venza Jr. volunteered for and was granted the honor of serving as an Assistant Articles Editor on the Law Review While Law Review and his studies enabled John L. Venza Jr. to assimilate an incisive understanding of the law, it was his tireless work in mock trial that John L. Venza Jr. believes best prepared him for the things to come. Like his other extracurricular pursuits, John L. Venza Jr.'s enlistment in mock trial was purely voluntary. He could have been at home at night watching television. Instead, he concentrated on evidence law, rehearsed opening statements, and crafted the first of what would later become his calling card: excruciating cross examinations. John L. Venza Jr. competed in a series of rigorous mock trial tournaments, which often went on late into the night. During these simulated trials, John L. Venza Jr. began to develop a keen understanding of the law of evidence, an awareness of how judges evaluate cases, and an appreciation of what juries want. For his total commitment to mock trial work, John L. Venza Jr. was recognized with several individual awards and a school-wide team championship. In addition to classes, homework, Law Review, and mock trial, John L. Venza Jr. also worked during law school as an intern for the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office. In this capacity, John L. Venza Jr. was awarded a temporary bar card, which enabled him to prosecute actual criminal cases == while still only a law student. Also during law school, John L. Venza Jr. worked as a law clerk for a Houston law firm, which specialized in white collar criminal defense. His work at that firm included researching federal criminal issues and coauthoring articles, which were published statewide, on federal white collar crime. Both of these jobs, which John L. Venza Jr. held at the outset of his legal career, helped John L. Venza Jr. hone his understanding of the government, its powers and its ways.After graduating law school, John L. Venza Jr. went to work as a Do you need a relentless criminal defense? If you have been charged with a crime in Texas, you deserve the aggressive, detail-oriented, cutting edge defense that attorney John L. Venza Jr. will provide. Based in Sugar Land, Texas, John L. Venza Jr. defends citizens accused of crimes throughout Southeast Texas, including the following counties: Fort Bend County, Harris County, Brazoria County, Wharton County, Matagorda County, Galveston County and Montgomery County. From the time he was old enough to really think about it, John L. Venza Jr. aspired to be a criminal defense lawyer, and he began laying the groundwork for this goal early. When other children were reading the comics, John L. Venza Jr. was sitting at his parents' breakfast table, scouring the newspaper for stories about big trials and the lawyers who argued them. Later on, while other high school students busied themselves with typical teenage pursuits, John L. Venza Jr. took on a demanding schedule that involved honors classes, writing for the school newspaper, playing football, serving on the student council, and working at a pizza restaurant. Ultimately, John L. Venza Jr.'s dedication and hard work enabled him to graduate cum laude from Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas, Texas. Staying focused on his goal, John L. Venza Jr. enrolled in college at the University of Texas in Austin, where he majored in Government and minored in English. He concentrated on the system of government, the motivations behind it, and - most importantly - how the government could direct its power at its citizens through the court system. During those studies, John L. Venza Jr. developed an insider's understanding of the challenges people face when they are criminally accused by the government. After obtaining his undergraduate degree, John L. Venza Jr. enrolled at South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas. In law school, John L. Venza Jr. excelled academically. He graduated in the top fifteen percent of his class and, based on his high grades, was honored with a position on the prestigious South Texas Law Review. While on Law Review, John L. Venza Jr. wrote two lengthy research papers on criminal law topics, one on capital punishment, and the other on Texas constitutional search and seizure law. A brilliant writer, John L. Venza Jr. volunteered for and was granted the honor of serving as an Assistant Articles Editor on the Law Review. While Law Review and his studies enabled John L. Venza Jr. to assimilate an incisive understanding of the law, it was his tireless work in mock trial that John L. Venza Jr. believes best prepared him for the things to come. Like his other extracurricular pursuits, John L. Venza Jr.'s enlistment in mock trial was purely voluntary. He could have been at home at night watching television. Instead, he concentrated on evidence law, rehearsed opening statements, and crafted the first of what would later become his calling card: excruciating cross examinations. John L. Venza Jr. competed in a series of rigorous mock trial tournaments, which often went on late into the night. During these simulated trials, John L. Venza Jr. began to develop a keen understanding of the law of evidence, an awareness of how judges evaluate cases, and an appreciation of what juries want. For his total commitment to mock trial work, John L. Venza Jr. was recognized with several individual awards and a school-wide team championship.

A native of Angleton, Texas in Brazoria County, Jeff Gilbert is a 6th generation Texan with deep roots to his community. Graduating from Angleton High School in 1978, Mr. Gilbert attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas where he was involved in the leadership of many campus service and social organizations. Upon completion of his business degree (BBA) in 1982, Mr. Gilbert returned to Brazoria County going to work for the First Freeport National Bank in Freeport, Texas. Mr. Gilbert later returned to Baylor where he enrolled in the graduate school of business obtaining his degree (MBA) while working as the night manager of the Baylor Student Union. Upon graduation, Mr. Gilbert began a career in banking and corporate investments before entering South Texas College of Law at the age of 27. While in law school, Jeff participated in many intramural moot court and mock trial competitions. Interestingly and of note, Jeff tried and won his first jury trial while in law school serving as an intern with the Harris County District Attorney's office before receiving his J.D. from South Texas College of Law in December 1989. Mr. Gilbert then accepted a position in the Trial Bureau of the Harris County District Attorney's office in Houston, Texas where he tried multiple jury and non-jury cases as a juvenile, misdemeanor and then felony prosecutor. In 1993, Mr. Gilbert left the District Attorney's office to join a prestigious Houston based civil litigation firm. Since that time, his practice has concentrated on litigation, including medical malpractice, pharmaceutical and toxic tort litigation with firms in Houston, Angleton and Dallas, Texas. In January 2006, Mr. Gilbert began a Brazoria County based practice and formed Jeffrey R. Gilbert, P.C. Mr. Gilbert is a member of The State Bar of Texas (Section Memberships include: Criminal Law, Family Law, Juvenile Law), The Brazoria County Bar Association (Past President 2008-2009), The Houston Bar Association, and is a Fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation. He is also a member of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, The College of the State Bar of Texas and is a Fellow of the Trial Advocacy Institute of the Fireman's Fund Insurance Company. He is admitted to practice before all courts of the State of Texas and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Mr. Gilbert remains a Trial Attorney. His practice focuses on criminal, family and general litigation. Mr. Gilbert was honored to serve two terms (1996 through 1998) as a special judge of the Harris County Criminal Courts at Law. This appointment was made by the 15 county criminal court at law judges of Harris County. Mr. Gilbert presided over hundreds of case dispositions and numerous trials in this position. Active in his community, Mr. Gilbert currently serves on the City of Lake Jackson Planning Commission, as a Board Member and Preseident-elect of the Brazosport Symphony Orchestra Council, as a three-term President of the Brazoswood Buccaneer Band Booster Club (2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010-2011), he is a past president and former board member of the Downtown Houston Pachyderm Club, and has been a delegate to every Senate District (1996 and 1998, SD #7; 2000, SD #8; and 2002, 2004 , 2006 and 2008, and 2010, SD #17) and State Republican convention since 1996. Mr. Gilbert and his family are proud to trace their Texas roots to John Bradbury Follett who settled in Texas on Follett Island near San Luis Pass in Brazoria County. Accordingly, Mr. Gilbert is a proud member of the Stephen F. Austin Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas. Mr. Gilbert attends BrazosPointe Fellowship in Lake Jackson, where he serves as an usher, greeter, has previously led an adult "Home Team" and has been active in its children's ministries. Mr. Gilbert is the father of two children: Will, a student at Texas A&M University and Morgan, a student at Brazoswood High School. Mr. Gilbert is the son of the late Ralph W. Gilbert, a long-time Angleton attorney, and Fannie Mae Follett Gilbert a life-long resident of Brazoria County. Special Training and experience - Trained Mediator - AA White Dispute Resolution Institute; University of Houston Law Center; Certified for Approval of Court-Ordered Mediations; Trained Family Law Mediator Travis County Dispute Resolution Center; Credentialed and Qualified Family Law Mediator; Trained Ad Litem - Harris County Civil Court Ad Litem Training Course, 1998, 2005; Trained Guardianship Attorney Ad Litem - Completed Training Required by Texas Probate Code for service as Attorney Ad Litem in State Courts Areas of Practice Mediation Business & Commercial Law Contracts Business Organizations Sexual Harassment Construction Law Criminal Law DUI/DWI Guardianships & Conservatorships Wills Family Law Adoption Custody & Visitation Divorce Litigation & Appeals Personal Injury -- Plaintiff Motor Vehicle Accidents -- Plaintiff Probate & Estate Administration Products Liability Law Medical Malpractice Real Estate Law