The answer is almost always YES! Good cases are lost because people think things like: "I am in the right", "Everyone knows he did it", "I have witnesses". None of these things matter if you don't know how to get them in front of the Court, Judge, or Jury. Almost all Courts hold you to the same standard of knowledge of the laws and the rules as professional attorneys. This means that being right doesn't really matter.. This means even though everyone else knows he did it, you may not be able to tell the judge what everyone knows. And lastly, this means that even with witnesses you have to know how to have them properly found, noticed, served, subpoenaed, and professed to the opposing counsel in the proper time as required by law. It doesn't matter if it is criminal, civil, family, contract, whatever, the rules apply. Unless you are in a small claims or JP court, you need an attorney, Even then you have the advantage if you have an attorney. The old adage I use around my office when asked this question is "You can be the smartest, wisest, well known, good looking, and well read person in the world, but when going to Court without a lawyer you are the equivalent of the smartest, wisest, well known, good looking, and well read Roman slave or criminal in the ancient Coliseum where you are basically naked and unarmed and everyone else is either a wild animal or a well armored and well armed Gladiator." You have the same chances of survival in both situations. I hope this short article brought the point home. Good luck and God Bless. Bert Steinmann.

Practices in the areas of civil litigation, business and corporate matters, energy, transportation, insurance, environmental issues, land use, real estate, estate planning, and probate. He was admitted to the Texas State Bar in 1994 after graduating the same year from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law (Now Texas A&M). He is also licensed in the State of North Dakota. He is a member of the Insurance Section of the Texas State Bar, in addition to the Native American Law Section. When William J. Brotherton obtained his law degree in 1994 at the age of 44 after five years of night classes, he was the regional manager for BCM Engineers, Inc., a national environmental engineering firm. Prior to becoming an attorney, William worked at developing complex treatment plans for national Superfund sites and RCRA facilities as an environmental scientist. He received his MS in Environmental Science from the University of Texas at Dallas, and his undergraduate degree from the University of North Dakota. After obtaining his law degree, he then went on to teach environmental law as an adjunct professor for 12 years at Texas Christian University, and lectured in environmental and land-use law at the Center for Environmental Research and Training at the University of Texas at Arlington. He has also lectured at Lamar University, the University of North Texas, and the University of Texas at Dallas. William has served as a court-appointed special commissioner to determine the value of condemned property since 2006. Knowledgeable in that area as a result of his experience serving on the Planning & Zoning Commission for Flower Mound, Texas for over 6 years in addition to his service as a director of the Upper Trinity Regional Water District. Besides being licensed in the States of Texas and North Dakota, William is licensed in the United States District Courts for the Northern District of Texas and the Eastern District of Texas. He is also licensed in the Supreme Court of the United States of America.

Andrew Howard is a practicing attorney in the state of Texas specializing in Accident & Injury, Divorce & Family Law, and Criminal Defense. Mr. Howard received his J.D. from the Regent University School of Law in 1995.

Born just south of Dallas, and true to his Texas roots, Andrew M. Lloyd fights proudly for families and justice. He exemplifies the attitude contained in the phrase – Don’t mess with Texas! He doesn’t let people mess with his clients, either. Big government and belligerent litigators threaten his clients’ lives, so he defends them. He’s a negotiator by birth and an attorney by trade, whose ultimate prowess and skill lie in the courtroom. He’s tenacious, witty, intelligent, and scrappy. With a nickname like “Texas Spanker,” what else would you expect? A former prosecutor and Texas Super Lawyer 7 years in a row, he’s been handling criminal and family law cases in front of Judges and juries for a decade and a half with finesse and charisma that leaves people in awe. He can change the pace of a case quickly, understanding the underpinnings of the justice system and the inner workings of a case file. He’s real. He’s personal. And he’s a fighter. He’s the former Vice President of the Denton County Bar Association, former Vice President of the Denton County Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association, and 7-time Master of Ceremonies for the annual Denton County Bench Bar Conference, where all the local Judges and lawyers spend time learning the law. He’s been a guest speaker several times over the years at these and other legal conferences. Outside of the courtroom, Andrew is the ultimate family man and churchgoer. He’s a father of four awesome children and husband to his beautiful Inga. He enjoys cycling, running, and racquetball and has competed in many triathlons. He’s also a martial artist, having studied and practiced the craft of Wing Tsun Kung Fu, Latosa Escrima, Karate, and American Taekwondo, for almost two decades.

Over 30 years of experience in providing individualized legal services. Fishing is one of my favorite activities. Fly fishing is my preferred method. But I love teaching kids how to fish. Sailing is another passion of mine, and I lived aboard my sailboat in the mid-1990s in the harbor just off Galveston Bay. Travel fascinates me, too. My next destination is Italy. I’ve been to Greece, and to stand in the palace of King Mynos was thrilling. I enjoy cooking and gardening, and I’m always searching for new foods and new recipes.

Jill S. Williams is a Partner with more than 20 years of legal experience and manages our Corpus Christi office. Jill pulls her extensive litigation experience from many years spent as a Municipal Court Judge and as an Assistant District Attorney in counties across Texas. Jill led a Texas Attorney General’s office that presided over a nine-county area. Having served as a school board trustee for Santa Gertrudis ISD, Jill understands the needs and challenges of Texas public schools and is invested in contributing to the interests of Texas school districts.

Since 1976, licensed Texas attorney John W. Mikus has been working on behalf of his clients in probate, real estate, and family law transactions and litigation, both simple and complex, serving Harris County and surrounding counties within about a 100-mile radius of Houston. During the initial telephone consult, Mr. Mikus is willing to listen to the potential client, ask questions about the facts, and describe possible solutions and costs and fee arrangements needed to represent his potential client's interest before confirming the scope and fees of his employment by either email or after meeting with the potential client at his office or a place more convenient to the potential client to sign a mutually acceptable written fee agreement providing for the negotiated initial retainer to be paid in advance by the potential client in order for Mr. Mikus to be responsible to start providing the agreed legal services.

The Law Office of Ryan C. Moe PLLC is a skilled and knowledgeable San Antonio firm, providing guidance and direction you need. Attorney Ryan C. Moe focuses primarily on elder law, estate planning, probate, and guardianship. Ryan understands that every family is different, and customizes his representation to reflect that. To schedule your initial consultation with the San Antonio Guardianship Attorney, visit online or call 210-861-6000.

The attorneys at the Law Office of Derek R. Van Gilder bring decades of experience and success to the table representing individuals and businesses in all aspects of civil law. Mr. Van Gilder has achieved the highest possible rating from Martindale-Hubbel and AVVO that a Texas lawyer can earn during his more than 30 years of practicing law. We represent clients in lawsuits and other legal matters throughout Texas. Nothing is a substitute for actual legal experience when you need an experienced Texas attorney. When the time comes for you to find a Texas lawyer you can rely on, the Texas attorneys at the Law Office of Derek R. Van Gilder will be there with you every step of the way. We are your "home town" Bastrop, Texas lawyers--providing "big city" experience with "small town" service. When you need a responsive and attentive Texas lawyer to take on your legal problems, the Law Office of Derek R. Van Gilder is here for you. Located just minutes from the State Capital of Austin, our Texas lawyers regularly represent individuals and businesses in Bastrop County, Travis County, Williamson County, Lee County, Caldwell County, Burleson County and across the great State of Texas in all types of civil legal matters. When you need an Austin, Texas lawyer, the Law Office of Derek R. Van Gilder is located right outside of Austin. We routinely and regularly accept cases in Austin.

Charlie Henke is the founding partner of Henke Law Firm, LLP, the predecessor to Henke, Williams & Boll, LLP. The firm was founded in 1992. His practice focuses on the prosecution and defense of commercial and contract disputes, breach of fiduciary duty claims, business tort claims, and probate litigation. He has first-chaired jury trials to verdict in state and federal courts and has handled the arbitration of securities disputes, law firm partnership disputes, and construction claims. Charlie is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Of the more than one hundred thousand attorneys licensed to practice law in Texas, less than one percent hold this distinction. Charlie is a member of various sections of the State Bar of Texas including the Litigation, the Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law, and the Antitrust and Business Litigation sections. He belongs to the Houston Bar Association, and is active in the Litigation (former Chair) and the Probate, Trusts, and Estates sections of the HBA. Charlie was appointed to serve on the HBA Fee Dispute Committee for over a dozen years where he served as an arbitrator of fee disputes between attorneys and their clients. He is a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas and a Life Fellow of both the Texas and Houston Bar Foundations. Charlie has been a member of the Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas since 1994. He is a member of the prestigious American Board of Trial Advocates and currently serves as Treasurer of TEX-ABOTA. Charlie was appointed by several Presidents of the State Bar of Texas to serve three terms on the State Bar Standing Committee on Pattern Jury Charges for Business, Consumer, and Employment cases. As a member of this prestigious committee, over 6 years he helped draft the written instructions and questions given to all juries throughout Texas. Charlie was named a "Lawyer on the Fast Track" in business litigation by H Texas Magazine in 2004, has been recognized as one of "Houston’s Top Lawyers" for business litigation since 2005 by the same publication. He has been recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly Magazine since 2007. Charlie earned an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from the University of Houston Law Center where he was active in student governance and alumni relations. Charlie received his license to practice law by the State of Texas in 1992. He is licensed to practice law in the United States Supreme Court, United States Courts of Appeals for the Third, Fifth, Seventh and Tenth Circuits, and the United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas, the Northern District of Indiana and Colorado. An active contributor to his community, Charlie has served on the Board of Directors of several charitable organizations and served as a Director and past President of The Houston Club. Charlie Henke is an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Houston.