LESSMAN & LESSMAN, ATTORNEYS AT LAW
Experienced, Hardworking, and Professional Attorney in Waco TX area!
Resources to help you choose the right Lawyer
The American Bar Association has a webpage of videos, article, and other content to help you make an informed choice.
How to Select a Lawyer is a pamphlet that you can download. The State Bar is also responsible for investigating lawyer professional misconduct.
The Texas Board of Legal Specialization website has helpful information, searches, and videos.
How do you know that a lawyer is any good?
Experience, Education, and the Courthouse or not?
Experience
Experience is made of two things - doing something and how much of it is done. And, older doesn't always mean more experience.
What areas of law does the lawyer practice? In what courts does the lawyer practice?
The State Bar of Texas Attorney Profile
Each Texas attorney has a State Bar attorney profile which provides a lot of information about the lawyer.
Education
There are three parts to a lawyer's education - academic degrees, continuing education programs and classes, and research.
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All lawyers should have their J.D. (Juris Doctor) degree. In what continuing education programs does the lawyer participate? What research has the lawyer done?
Texas Bar College
The Texas Bar College is an honorary society of lawyers and judges established by the Texas Supreme Court in 1981. Comprising about four percent of the total membership of the State Bar of Texas, the members of the College are attorneys in good standing who distinguish themselves through their public commitment to enhanced competence and professionalism by attending at least double the number of hours of accredited continuing legal education required each year.
Courtroom or Not?
Some legal work is in courtrooms and some is the office. Does the lawyer practice in transactional areas of law such as taxes, compliance, or contracts? or Does the lawyer practice in courtroom litigation areas of law such as criminal law, family law, and civil litigation? Does the lawyer practice in federal courts?
Board Certification
A Board Certified Attorney is one that has substantial experience, the respect of their peers, and proven specialized competence in their select area of law.
The Texas Board of Legal Specialization governs attorney certification in Texas. There are more than 110,000 attorneys licensed to practice in Texas. Only 784 are board certified in Criminal Law. The National Board of Trial Advocacy administers the national certification in criminal law. As of 2024 there are only 32 attorneys in Texas that have both their Texas and National board certification in criminal law.
Denny is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and in Criminal Trial Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.