With more than two decades of experience, I have an active criminal defense practice with a focus on complex investigations and litigation in both federal and state court. I am a fourth generation Texan born in Dallas in 1972. I graduated from St. Thomas’ Episcopal School here in Houston and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of St. Thomas. After gaining a couple years of practical experience in a banking management program, I attended Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. After my first year of law school, I worked as a full-time law clerk at the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office assisting in felony trial preparation and appellate brief writing. While I found the experience very educational, I knew that I never wanted to be a prosecutor, marking my convictions on a scorecard. The next year, in my criminal trial advocacy class, taught by none other than former state senator and brilliant trial lawyer Craig Washington, guest speaker, Kent A. Schaffer, a master of criminal trial litigation, lectured on how to cross exam a government snitch. It was at that moment that I knew that defending citizens accused of crimes was the area of law that I wanted to master. Within a month (7 years ago now), I was offered a position as a full-time law clerk for David R. Bires, another stellar legal mind, working at the criminal law boutique of Bires & Schaffer.

I had the honor of clerking for Bires & Schaffer throughout my second and third year of law school gaining valuable experience and insight into being a powerful, successful criminal defense lawyer. After becoming licensed to practice law, I was given the privilege of staying with Bires & Schaffer as an associate attorney. While the firm has grown and expanded, with different partners coming and going, I have been working with Kent Schaffer ever since. In 2021, I partnered with Kent Schaffer, along with trial lawyer Nathan Mays and former judge of the 228th Judicial District Court, the Honorable Marc Carter, to form the law office of Schaffer Carter Kennedy & Mays. 

I have spent my law career defending our citizens accused of crimes by the government. I pride myself when I say that I have never prosecuted or sent another fellow man to prison. I feel that ever person investigates for or accused of a crime deserves zealous representation and I have gladly taken on the challenge of aggressively defending each and every person that I represent. As the famous criminal trial lawyer, Tony Serra, so eloquently stated, “I continue to battle for more freedom for more people through law!”

My practice is dedicated to representation of all areas of federal and state criminal litigation. I am experienced in defending individuals in a vast array of state criminal law prosecutions ranging from state court prosecutions to federal trial litigation. I am experienced in representing individuals in all areas of federal criminal law ranging from pre-charging investigations, money laundering, drug conspiracy prosecutions to white collar crimes. My practice includes representing individuals in front of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) – Parole Division. Additionally, I have extensive experience in representing juveniles charged with engaging in delinquent conduct. I am currently licensed to practice in the following courts:

• State Courts in Texas
• United States District Court – Southern District of Texas
• United States District Court – Northern District of Texas
• United States District Court – Eastern District of Texas
• United States District Court – Western District of Texas

Working in one of the most prestigious criminal defense law offices in the Unites States, I am surrounded by the best and brightest minds in the field with over 100 years of combined experience. Due to my diverse, extensive background and experience as well as the ability to associate with my fellow colleagues at Schaffer Carter Kennedy & Mays, I am able to offer a complete, comprehensive service as a criminal defense lawyer. I am based out of Houston, Harris County, but I handle criminal cases both state and federal all over the state and the country. I have personally defended individuals in federal and state courts in Texas from Alpine to Orange, from Amarillo to Laredo and countless counties in between, just to name a few. In any given week, it is not uncommon for me to appear in court in Galveston, Conroe, Richmond and Houston to represent my clients. Out of the state, I have been admitted to practice pro hac vice in California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Colorado, Washington, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

I am a member of the State Bar of Texas and I am either currently or formerly a member of the Harris County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, National Association of Criminal defense Lawyers, American Association for Justice, Houston Young Lawyers Association and the American Bar Association.

When I am not in the courtroom or at the office preparing for court, I enjoy spending time at home and away with my best friend and wife, Alexis, and our children.

• Federal and State Criminal Litigation
• White Collar Crimes
• Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) Investigations and Prosecutions
• Medicaid / Medicare Fraud Investigations and Prosecutions
• Wire Fraud / Bank Fraud Investigations and Prosecutions
• Internal Revenue Service and Tax Fraud related Investigations and Prosecutions
• PPP (Payroll Protection Plan) Fraud Investigations and PPP Prosecutions
• Hobbs Act Violations
• Drug Possession & Conspiracy Prosecutions
• Money Laundering
• Asset Seizure and Forfeiture
• Grand Jury Investigations
• I.C.O. Prosecutions
• W.I. (Driving while Intoxicated)
• L.R. (Administrative License Suspension)
• D.L. Suspensions
• Occupational / Restricted Driver’s License
• Probation Violations / Revocations
• Parole Hearings / Revocation Hearings / Blue Warrants
• Juvenile Criminal Prosecutions
• Criminal Records Expunctions (Cleaning Records)
• Petition For Non-Disclosure (Sealing Records)
• Juvenile Record Sealing
• State / Federal Criminal Appeals
• Post-Conviction Writs of Habeas Corpus
• Motions For New Trial
• Bond reductions

• Texas, 2001
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas, 2001
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas, 2006
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas, 2002
• U.S. District Court Western District of Texas, 2008

• Texas Bar Association
• Harris County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
• Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
• National Association Of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• American Association for Justice
• Houston Young Lawyers Association
• American Bar Association

Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Houston, Texas
J.D. – 2001

University of St. Thomas, Houston, Texas
B.A. – 1995
Major: Psychology
Minor: Biology