After serving 3-1/2 years on active duty with the United States Army as an Armor Officer, I attended South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas. I graduated in 27 months and was licensed to practice law in November 1978.

Immediately after obtaining my law license, I opened a solo practice in Waller County working in the areas of civil litigation, criminal law, family law and general transactional law, with the help of two full-time employees. In December 1980 I closed the practice in order to re-enter the U.S. Army on active duty, again as an Armor Officer (not JAG).

After a service related injury, I left active duty in April 1987 and returned to Waller. I opened a solo practice in Waller, again working in the areas of civil litigation, criminal law, family law and general transactional law.

My client base included multinational corporations, substantial agri-business operations, multi-million dollar domestic corporations and an individual clientele consisting of hundreds of local and area residents. I generally maintained over 200 active files, supported by two legal assistants and a technology-equipped office.

Major areas of practice included commercial transactions and litigation; real estate transactions and litigation; creation and management of business organizations and entities; estate planning, probate, elder-law planning and asset protection; general litigation and transactions.

Example projects include: Multi-million dollar sales of domestic corporations to national and international concerns; coordinating details of sale of multi-million dollar ranching operation, including real estate, mineral interests, cattle and equipment; oil and gas litigation; organized and advised in the management of literally dozens of domestic and foreign business entities; regularly handled multi-million dollar real estate and business transactions, as well as handling the simple needs of persons of modest or average means. In the courtroom I regularly tried countless civil and criminal cases to judges and juries.

I served as Assistant District Attorney and Special Prosecutor in Waller County from June 1989 through October 1992. During that time I established the first autonomous office for prosecution of major criminal cases solely for Waller County. That position coincided with my private law practice

I maintained my qualification for first-chair capital murder cases for over 12-years. That qualification lapsed due to my redirecting my practice more toward civil litigation and transactional work. However, I continued to handle complex criminal appeals up until the time of my appointment to the bench.