Arthur Schechter (1939-2026) was one of the nation’s most respected trial lawyers and maritime advocates, dedicating more than six decades to representing injured individuals, seamen, and their families throughout the United States and around the world. Beginning his legal career in 1964, he helped thousands of clients successfully resolve their cases and rebuild their lives through his tireless advocacy, compassion, and commitment to justice. Over the course of his distinguished career, Arthur represented clients from local seamen’s unions, the National Maritime Union, the Indian Seaman’s Union, the Pakistani Seaman’s Union, and individual mariners across the globe. His reputation for extraordinary client service and courtroom success earned him the admiration of colleagues, clients, and the broader legal community alike. As the founding partner of Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, Mr. Schechter helped build one of the nation’s premier maritime and personal injury law firms. He served the firm for decades as Senior Counsel and lead litigator in complex personal injury and maritime matters. In addition to his legal practice, he served as United States Ambassador to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas from 1998 to 2001, Chairman of Houston METRO, and a partner in a major national litigation firm. Mr. Schechter received numerous honors throughout his career for his legal accomplishments, civic leadership, and public service. Among his many recognitions, he received the Distinguished Public Service Award from the United States Coast Guard, earned Martindale-Hubbell’s AV Rating, and was repeatedly recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly magazine. H Texas magazine also named him among Houston’s “Top Lawyers for the People.” Beyond the courtroom, Mr. Schechter devoted substantial time and energy to charitable, educational, and civic organizations throughout Houston and beyond. He served in leadership roles with Congregation Beth Israel, the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, the American Jewish Committee, SEARCH Homeless Services, the Houston Holocaust Museum, Career and Recovery Resources, and numerous other philanthropic and community organizations. His public service and humanitarian efforts earned recognition from organizations including the NAACP, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Customs Service, Baylor College of Medicine, and many others. Mr. Schechter was admitted to practice in Texas in 1964 and before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. He earned his J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law in 1964 and his B.A. from The University of Texas in 1962, where he participated in the Honors Program and served on both the Dean’s Council and President’s Council. His practice focused extensively on personal injury and maritime law, including Jones Act claims, offshore and maritime accidents, trucking and motor vehicle accidents, railroad accidents, wrongful death claims, products liability, medical malpractice, premises liability, and complex commercial and insurance litigation. Arthur Schechter’s legacy of advocacy, leadership, and public service continues to influence the firm, the legal profession, and the countless individuals and families whose lives he touched. Mr. Schechter received numerous awards for his work, including the highest civilian award given by the United States Coast Guard. He was also been recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly Magazine, an honor only given to 5% of Texas attorneys. H Texas magazine also recognized him as one of the Top Lawyers for the People.

For over 20 years, Jonathan Sol Harris has exclusively handled all types of personal injury cases, with an emphasis on auto accidents and 18-wheeler truck accidents. Jonathan began his legal career working on the dark side as the lawyer hired by insurance companies to defend cases. By working for insurance companies, Jonathan gained invaluable knowledge on how insurance companies defend and value personal injury cases. For the last 17 years, Jonathan has exclusively represented the injured person in personal injury cases. Jonathan is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law. To be board certified, a Texas lawyer must pass a six-hour exam, provide references from peers, provide references from judges and have tried at least 10 personal injury cases as lead counsel. Within his first five years of practicing law, Jonathan became board certified in Personal Injury Trial, an honor achieved by less than 2% of attorneys in the State of Texas. Before becoming a lawyer, Jonathan had a long history of being a hard worker. As a teen, he mowed yards, washed windows, bagged groceries, delivered newspapers, flipped burgers at Wendy’s and even worked as a as a magician at children’s birthday parties. During college, he was a hotel bellman and began working as a legal secretary. Jonathan went to college at the University of Texas at Austin where he got a business degree. Jonathan went to law school at South Texas College of Law in Houston. Jonathan believes that hard work gets the best results, and is never going to lose a case because another lawyer worked harder than he did. Jonathan’s became a lawyer to help people. He is passionate about being able to provide legal representation against powerful insurance companies and huge corporations to good people who may not be able to pay up front for the best lawyer. According to Jonathan, “Being able to hire your lawyer and wait to pay him from your recovery really levels the playing field for the average person living from check to check.” Jonathan gets to know his clients. He many times will visit a client’s home to learn how a catastrophic accident has changed their lives. Many of Jonathan’s clients have become life-long friends. Jonathan encourages people looking for the right lawyer to read the lawyer’s reviews and even ask for a reference from former clients. Jonathan says, “who knows better how you will do in court than a client that has been there and experienced you doing the job.” Jonathan is a firm believer in employing cutting edge techniques to gain a strategic advantage. One example of this is the focus groups Jonathan does monthly. The focus groups are presented cases and deliberate just like a real jury. “Why would any lawyer want to learn how average people view a case for the first time at the court house” says Jonathan. In his spare time, Jonathan enjoys any type of fishing, but his passion is saltwater fly fishing. Jonathan also enjoys spending time with his two sons watching and supporting the Astros, Texans and Rockets.

AJ Rosenfeld has been an attorney for Schechter, Shaffer & Harris LLP since 2009. He has helped hundreds of individuals and families involved in personal injury accidents recover millions of dollars in compensation. AJ understands that suffering an injury can be a stressful and frightening situation. He keeps a calm presence with his clients and encourages them to focus on their recovery as he handles the nuances of their claim and/ or lawsuit. AJ pays keen attention to the details of every case he handles. He is a fierce advocate and problem solver who stands behind his clients. AJ is a member of the State Bar of Texas, State Bar of Minnesota, the Houston Trial Lawyers Association and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association. AJ has very little spare time, but he loves spending it with his wife and three sons and coaching Little League.

In 1992, Matt Shaffer joined Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P., the continuation of a firm that has focused on representing injured men and women since 1964. As a managing partner of the firm, Mr. Shaffer has represented thousands of clients across the United States. Most recently, he successfully settled the largest single victim Jones Act case on record for a client with a brain injury. He has played a significant role in litigation related to several major maritime disasters, including the Deepwater Horizon explosion. Mr. Shaffer takes pride in bringing an experienced and thorough approach to every case. He is dedicated to providing a high level of support for his clients, who are often surprised to get return phone calls and emails from him well after business hours are done. More than 25 years ago, Mr. Shaffer began his career in law by representing large corporate clients. In 1992, he came to SMSH and began using his experience to help working men and women recover damages for on-the-job injuries. Mr. Shaffer is among the small percentage of Texas attorneys who are certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial law. He has previously served as chairman of The Texas State Bar’s Grievance Committee for District 4C. He’s also licensed to practice law in Colorado. Every year since 2006, Mr. Shaffer has been named a Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly Magazine, an honor bestowed on only 5% of the state’s attorneys. He’s also been recognized by H Texas magazine as one of Houston’s Top Lawyers for the People and was selected for inclusion in the 22nd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America (2016) in the practice area of Admiralty and Maritime Law.

Laura De La Cruz first joined Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, LLP in 2010 as a paralegal for managing partner, Matthew D. Shaffer. She continued to work at the firm through law school until she became licensed to practice law in 2015. Laura believes the law is meant to serve those who have been wronged. She has devoted most of her practice to advocating for maritime workers and other individuals injured in serious accidents throughout the country. She understands how a serious injury can transform an individual’s life and fights hard to obtain the best outcome for her clients in every case. She is licensed to practice law in Texas and Louisiana and regularly practices in both federal and state court. Laura was born in Puerto Rico and spent much of her childhood moving across different parts of the United States. She now considers Texas her home. She is a graduate of the University of Houston Law Center and has spent her entire legal career representing claimants. In her spare time, Laura enjoys spending time with her two young daughters and traveling to new places.

We are excited to welcome Jonathan Bever to our legal team. Jonathan brings with him a strong foundation in federal workers’ compensation law, a tireless work ethic, and a genuine passion for helping injured workers and their families navigate complex claims processes. Jonathan earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Houston-Downtown in 2018. He went on to attend the University of Houston Law Center, where he graduated cum laude in 2021 with a Doctor of Jurisprudence. During law school, he developed a strong interest in workers’ compensation law and began shaping his legal career around it. Immediately after law school, Jonathan began representing injured workers under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act and the Defense Base Act. Over the years, he has expanded his practice to include claims under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and the Nonappropriated Fund Instrumentalities Act. His commitment to advocating for those injured while serving their country or working in high-risk environments has earned him a reputation for being both compassionate and results-driven. Jonathan is known for his approachable demeanor, attention to detail, and deep understanding of federal compensation systems. Whether he’s advocating for overseas contractors injured in conflict zones or harbor workers injured on the job, he works diligently to ensure each client receives the care, benefits, and justice they deserve. Outside of his legal practice, Jonathan is a devoted husband and proud father to three energetic young boys, ages 4, 2, and 1. He enjoys coaching Little League and finds great joy in watching his sons learn and grow through sports. In his free time, Jonathan also enjoys cooking for his family, golfing with friends, and fishing whenever he gets the chance. Jonathan’s blend of professional experience and personal values makes him a tremendous asset to our firm and a strong advocate for the clients we serve. We are thrilled to have him on board.

Austin Marin is a Houston native who takes pride in serving the community that shaped him. Raised in a working-class family, he understands the value of hard work, resilience, and treating people with respect. He earned his law degree from South Texas College of Law, where he was recognized on the Dean’s List, and graduated cum laude from the University of Houston as a member of the Honors College. He approaches every case with dedication and a client-first mindset, ensuring those he represents feel heard and supported throughout the legal process. When he’s not practicing law, Austin enjoys staying active, traveling, and spending quality time with family and friends.

When you’re facing a divorce, custody issue, or enforcement matter, experience matters—but so does having an attorney who understands how the system actually works. At the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, founded by Houston family law attorney Bryan Fagan, Kiri Martin brings over 30 years of experience in Texas family law, including extensive courtroom experience and more than 100 bench trials. She focuses on helping clients navigate divorce, custody, and enforcement matters with clarity, structure, and practical legal guidance.

D. Douglas Grubbs has been helping victims of defective pharmaceutical products since early 2004 when he assisted with a nationwide Fen-Phen docket comprising more than 7,000 injured men and women. From 2005 to 2008, Doug attended South Texas College of Law where he made the Dean’s Honor List. Throughout law school, Doug also clerked at a nationally recognized mass tort law firm in Houston. After earning his jurisprudence doctorate in 2008, Doug accepted an associate position at a prominent East Texas law firm where he focused his practice on the firm’s national pharmaceutical and medical device dockets. During that time, Doug also advocated for those who had been injured as a result of negligent drivers, medical malpractice, and unsafe work premises. Mr. Grubbs returned to Houston in 2012, continuing to represent those wrongfully injured by negligent pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Doug’s diverse experience in products liability litigation allows him to quickly determine the merits of a potentially successful claim. He has also been involved in numerous facets of mass tort litigation including depositions, motion practice, written discovery, witness and trial preparation, as well as settlement negotiations. In honor of his excellence in the practice of law, Doug has been recognized by his peers as a 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 Texas Super Lawyers – Rising Star (a Thomson Reuters service). This recognition is awarded to only 2.5% of emerging attorneys in Texas 40 years old or younger, or those who have been practicing law for 10 years or less. In 2013, Doug joined a select group of lawyers recognized for their legal ability and professional ethical standards by receiving an AV® Preeminent Peer Review rating (a Martindale-Hubbell service). An AV® certification mark is a testament to the fact that Doug’s peers ranked him at the highest level of professional excellence. Doug has also received a 5 out of 5 preeminent client review rating from an IVC filter client. In 2016, Doug was invited to join The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 under 40. Membership is extended solely to a select few of the most qualified attorneys from each state who demonstrate superior qualifications of leadership, reputation, influence, stature, and public profile. Invitees must exemplify superior qualifications, trial results, and leadership as a young lawyer under the age of 40.

Ashok Bail is the principal attorney for The Bail Law Firm, a Houston, Texas law firm that practices federal & private sector employment law and labor law nationally and throughout the state of Texas. Mr. Bail has represented clients in the following Texas cities: Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, McAllen, Marshall, Tyler, Corpus Christi, Laredo, El Paso, Beaumont, Brenham, Brownsville, El Campo, and Orange. Mr. Bail has represented clients in the following states across the United States of America: Texas, Washington D.C., Louisiana, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, New York, and North Carolina. With nearly two decades of experience, Mr. Bail's client centered approach is what distinguishes The Bail Law Firm from many other law firms. In our profession we are known as "Attorneys" and "Counselors of Law." Mr. Bail understands that his role as counselor is equally important as his role as attorney. When a client comes to visit Mr. Bail for the first time, Mr. Bail understands that it might be the first time the client has spoken to anyone who is interested in helping them with their legal issues. Mr. Bail listens to his clients.