Government

We give you the leverage you need to make sound decisions when disputes rise to the level of litigation. By quickly and aggressively advancing your interests, we efficiently and effectively move cases toward conclusion, whether by pre-trial settlement, alternative dispute resolution, pre-trial judgment, or trial. Every minute and dime you spend on litigation is time and money taken away from what's important to you. Therefore, we actively prosecute your claims and defenses so that you can focus on what's most important to you.

Shane M. Boasberg was born and raised in New Orleans, LA and moved to the Lone Star State to attend The University of Texas in Austin, TX. After receiving undergraduate degrees in Government and Business from the University of Texas in Austin, TX; Mr. Boasberg attended South Texas College of Law in Houston, TX. While attending law school, Shane worked as a law clerk for the prestigious law firm of Gallagher, Lewis, Downey, and Kim. During this time, he gained experience in legal and appellate research and writing and trial preparation working on the largest commercial litigation civil settlements recorded in United States jurisprudence history. Shane graduated from South Texas College of Law in 2002 and immediately made an impact in the legal field. He began his career at Heard, Robins, Cloud, Lubel, and Greenwood LLP in Houston, and in 2003, he returned to Austin, TX, to serve as General Counsel to the Honorable Senator Mario Gallegos at the Texas Senate. In this role, Shane’s legal acumen and drafting skills were put to the test as he provided legal advice, prepared opinions, bill analyses, briefs, and drafted bills and amendments for legislative consideration, serving the citizens of Texas with distinction. Following his tenure with Senator Gallegos, Shane worked for the Texas Office of the Attorney General-Greg Abbott where he worked on a variety of legal and political issues. Shane represented TxDOT in litigating and resolving contractual, construction, licensing, and engineering disputes in the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH). Shane gained valuable experience at the TX-OAG where he was able to learn and work on various legal and political issues, including but not limited to, transportation law, employment law, environmental law, and eminent domain law. While working for the Texas Attorney General, Shane also served as the Legislative Liaison between the Texas Attorney General – Transportation Division and the Texas Legislature. After working with the Texas Legislature and for the OAG-Texas, Shane re-entered private practice in 2010 and opened his law firm in Austin, TX with a satellite office in Georgetown, TX. He has handled almost every type of civil case at some point during his career but primarily focuses his practice on civil litigation, whether it be business and commercial law, real estate and eminent domain law, family law, or injury law. Shane actively engages with the community and is a member of the Texas State Bar, the Austin Bar Association, and the Capitol Area Trial Lawyers Association. He was also selected to Texas Monthly’s “Rising Stars” list for 2012, 2014 – 2016. Only 2.5% of eligible Texas attorneys are chosen by Super Lawyer based on nominations from their peers. His dedication to advocating for his clients and his consistent ability to deliver desired results have earned Shane the reputation of being a trustworthy legal advocate who will provide high-quality legal services. Shane also actively participates in the ATX DAO, a city DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) based in Austin, TX. The goal of the ATX DAO is to unite Austin’s crypto communities, enable artists and local businesses to participate in the crypto ecosystem, and educate local and state government officials about the benefits of Web3.

Tony began his practice in Mississippi as an associate with the Austin Law firm after practicing for one year in Tennessee. With the Austin Law firm he primarily handled matters of civil litigation and domestic relations. In 2001 he co-founded the firm Chamberlin-Nowak, P.C., a general practice firm that also served as counsel to the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors. In 2006 Tony merged his firm with Smith, Phillips, Mitchell and Scott to create Smith, Phillips, Mitchell, Scott and Nowak. Since 2005 Tony has focused his practice on government law. In addition to serving as the Board Attorney for the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors, the DeSoto County Recreational District and the DeSoto County Sheriff's Department. He also formerly represented the DeSoto County Convention and Visitors Bureau (d/b/a Landers Center). Tony also proudly serves as the Municipal Court Judge for the City of Hernando. He has been in that position since 2001. Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire What should clients look for in a lawyer? There are several things clients should look for when hiring a lawyer. First, clients should hire a lawyer who has the knowledge and ability necessary to handle your case successfully. It is important to find a lawyer who has a proven track record of handling cases like the client’s and who has the staff and resources necessary to handle your case at the highest level. It is also important that clients hire a lawyer who they are comfortable with and will be available to answer any questions they may have about their case and who will keep them updated on the case as it progresses. How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases? Local knowledge is extremely important and provides great assistance in the advancement of your case. Many times, different court jurisdictions implement different procedures and local rules as to how matters are handled. Different judges have different ways of conducting their courtroom. Having an attorney to represent you that understands these procedures and requirements and who has strong ties in the community provides strength to your case. Local knowledge is about relationships and engaging with people. As an attorney I have always been committed to helping others and in so doing understand that local knowledge plays a vital role in my representation. What information can you provide in a free phone consultation? Free phone consultations are a great way for prospective clients to get a feel for their legal rights and also get a feel for the attorney. The more information the client and attorney have at their disposal, the better the advice that can be provided. It is important for persons to have the chance to “interview” the lawyer, and a phone consultation is a great first opportunity. Further, an initial assessment as to rights and remedies given the particular facts of a case can be provided. Prospective clients can use the opportunity to ask the lawyer if they have handled that particular type of case before?; how many other similar cases have they handled?; Case results?; Does the lawyer represent himself or herself with a demeanor you think would benefit you?; Do they have the time and resources to fully dedicate themselves to the matter? The more a person puts into a free phone consultation the better prepared both the client and attorney will be to decide how to will move forward. What differentiates you from other lawyers in your community? My firm has had a presence in the community for 30 years. Many of the attorneys are “local” and grew up in the area. There is great diversity in practice areas allowing representation of clients across a broad spectrum of matters. We like to emphasize the personal touch with the representation. While our firm has had success on a nationwide basis, we believe we still offer the hometown feel and commitment to all clients.

John W. Day is an attorney who practices in criminal defense, civil litigation, wrongful death and government misconduct/civil rights litigation. John W. Day serves clients throughout New Mexico, including the communities of Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Taos and Farmington. Prior to opening his own office, John had a long and successful tenure as a partner in one of Santa Fe’s oldest and largest law firms where he practiced in the same areas of criminal defense, wrongful death, civil litigation and government misconduct/civil rights litigation. John has represented clients in federal, state and tribal courts throughout New Mexico. He has successfully defended cases involving national security clearance matters, white-collar offenses and homicide, among others. John has provided personalized legal representation to families and institutions with special legal problems and crisis situations. John serves as general counsel to large high-wealth families and to specialized not-for-profit organizations that value his unique set of problem-solving skills and his experience. John serves as an on-air legal analyst for KOAT-TV, Channel 7, the ABC affiliate station for Albuquerque and all of New Mexico.

I focus my practice on immigration and citizenship law and have handled every type of immigration case, from family immigration matters to business and investor cases and citizenship applications. I am a nationally known expert on immigration and national security laws, and have testified regularly before Congressional committees on immigration, homeland security, and military matters. As a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Military Police, U.S. Army Reserve, I have extensive experience with U.S. military issues. I have also worked as a professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point, and have served as an adjunct instructor at the University of Alaska. I was a member of the American Bar Association Commission on Immigration from 2008-2012. I regularly author articles on military-related immigration issues, and am well-versed on “parole in place” for military family members and the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (“MAVNI”) Program. I authored the book Immigration Law & the Military, which was published by the American Immigration Lawyers Association in 2012. On September 25, 2013, I was named a 2013 MacArthur Fellow by the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Glen Henkle is a lifelong Virginian whose family has proudly called this state home for over 200 years. Although born in Richmond, he was raised and attended school in Amelia County and still makes his home there. His upbringing in a rural area taught him the value of hard work, faith, family, community, and that bad things do happen to good people. As a state prosecutor, he was a strong advocate for crime victims, and today he tries to bring that same strength of advocacy to bear for all his clients, both civil and criminal. Glen has successfully prosecuted or defended (or both) most of the common crimes in Virginia, including, but not limited to, abduction, assault, attempted murder, bad check, burglary, conspiracy, credit card offenses, destruction of property, disorderly conduct, domestic assault, DUI, driving suspended, drug possession, drug distribution, forgery/uttering, habitual offender, larceny, malicious wounding, probation violation, reckless driving, robbery, sexual assault, speeding, and underage possession of alcohol. Additionally, as a prosecutor, Glen successfully handled many civil forfeiture cases in which the state sought to have assets, seized as a result of narcotics investigations, forfeited to the government for the use of law enforcement. Having had the experience of building and presenting cases for the government, Glen is well equipped to defend his clients' interests by finding the weaknesses in any opponent's position and exploiting them. He founded this firm in 2012 to share his experience and skills with the public, help them navigate the often complicated and confusing world of laws and courtrooms, and to strive for the best possible outcome for each client, whether in the courtroom or elsewhere.

Bernard Crane graduated from George Washington University with a triple major in Criminal Justice, Sociology and Dramatic Art. He earned his JD degree from The Catholic University's Columbus School of Law, in Washington, DC. He has been practicing criminal and business law in Washington DC and the surrounding areas since 1985.

Attorney Joseph A. Scrofano is a passionate trial lawyer who will aggressively fight for your rights in a DC criminal case. Mr. Scrofano has litigated more than 300 cases in the District of Columbia Superior Court. Referred to affectionately by his colleagues as “Scruff Justice,” he has a reputation as a forceful advocate who fights harder than other more conventional criminal defense lawyers. He has gone so far as to subpoena an individual prosecutor and file for contempt against another to protect his clients’ rights.

WHEN IT MATTERS The trial lawyers at Votava Nantz & Johnson specialize in claims involving catastrophic injury and wrongful death. It attorneys have consistently secured for their clients many verdicts and settlements totaling millions of dollars since the law firm was founded. We focus on cases involving trucking and commercial motor vehicle crashes, worksite and construction accidents, bad faith insurance claims and other cases involving death or catastrophic injury. Call or email us when you or a loved one suffers injury or is killed due to someone else’s negligence. We happily provide free consultations to potential clients. Contact us at 816.895.8800 or help@vnjlaw.com to request your FREE consultation to get started.

Brian Custy is no stranger to hard work, securing his first paying job in rural Colorado after 2nd grade working in grain elevators and maintaining physical jobs through college including drilling water wells, maintaining government wildlife property, and fencing acreage throughout the Rocky Mountains. He carried this work ethic through undergrad where he studied Civil Engineering while starting all 4 years on the varsity football team. Brian then attended law school where he earned scholarships based on his academic performance and graduated among the top 10 students in his law class. Following law school, Brian secured a position with a well-known Indiana and Illinois personal injury firm, where he was closely mentored and assisted the firm founder in obtaining a significant verdict in his first jury trial. Brian then accepted a position with Sidley Austin in Chicago, one of the largest and most prestigious international law firms in the world, where he represented major institutional clients including Wall Street investment banks. Desiring to be closer to his growing family and help people, Brian began representing one of Indiana’s most successful entrepreneurs and his business and personal interests before he founded Custy Law Firm. Brian was accepted to and attended the prestigious Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College in 2016. The Trial Lawyers College was established by legendary trial lawyer Gerry Spence to train attorneys who represent people and not insurance companies, the government or large corporations. He enjoys spending time with his wife and 3 boys, the outdoors, coaching his sons’ sports teams and working out. Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire Please describe a case(s) in the last year or two where you made a big difference. We’ve recently helped Clients obtain successful results in cases that other attorneys previously handled, referred over or brought us into including: - $550,000 recovered for client injured in car wreck in a case referred in by a local injury attorney; - $500,000 recovered for client hit by commercial motor vehicle after attorneys who filed the case quit and many others refused to get involved; and - $300,000 jury verdict for injured railroad worker after original union designated counsel quit the case. How did you build a successful practice? We provide the harmed with real, honest representation built on human interaction and trust. By always striving to adhere to these core principles, our Clients will be served well and our practice will benefit. What should clients look for in a lawyer? Clients should listen to their gut when selecting a lawyer to entrust with their case and lives. Clients come to us with difficult and life-changing problems that they did not create and have suffered financial losses and have often had valuable health and freedom to enjoy their lives taken from them.  Clients should ask themselves: Do I trust the lawyer? Does the lawyer listen to me? Can I communicate freely and openly with the lawyer? Does the lawyer care? If the answers to these questions are all “yes”, then the lawyer is likely one that will serve the Client’s best interests first and foremost.  Oftentimes, legal matters can take time to resolve, especially if a trial is needed to obtain a fair outcome. The strong Client and lawyer relationship is a close personal one. What differentiates you from other lawyers in your community? We focus on the Client and understanding the impact of the event at issue on the lives of them and their Family. By working to understand the true story of their situation, we are able to provide powerful and effective representation by sharing the truth with a jury or the other side.   What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? Helping people who cannot help themselves through trying situations is a reward in and of itself. We often come to know our clients as friends, we spend time with them and their Families. These relationships allow us to learn and effectively share the truth of their case with jurors, judges or insurance companies as if we were telling the story of a close family member who has been harmed. Gerry Spence teaches that we cannot ask a juror to do something we will not. If we do not care about our Client and what has happened to them, we cannot ask a juror to do so. What are your other interests in addition to law? I enjoy the outdoors, being physically active, and spending time with my wife, our 3 boys and our family dog “Bandit.” Are you involved in your community? I’m an active coach of my son’s pop warner and flag football teams and a board member of Our Greater Good which focuses its efforts on improving opportunities for disadvantaged youth and strengthening family relationships.