View Our Extensive Qualifications
RAY TAYLOR
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Of Counsel:
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DEAR POTENTIAL CLIENT:
Choosing the right criminal attorney will be one of the MOST IMPORTANT decisions of your life. Choosing the right person is simply a matter of choosing a lawyer with the right qualifications, experience, and willingness to vigorously try criminal cases, if necessary. A willingness to try cases means that, if you must negotiate, you will get a far better deal than an attorney who rarely or never tries cases. Here is a simple and effective way to compare attorneys. Don't let other less qualified attorneys wiggle out of giving you straight written answers.
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Question |
Ray Taylor Yes/No |
Other Attorney Yes/No |
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1 |
Has your attorney tried, and won a criminal jury trial within the last six months? |
Yes[1] |
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2 |
Is your attorney one of the less than 1% of the Texas lawyers Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization? (It is also called a Certificate of Special Competence by the State Bar Association.) |
Yes, since 1979. Ray Taylor was among the first in San Antonio to be certified.. |
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3 |
Is your attorney one of the 32 Texas attorneys Board Certified in Criminal Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy? |
Yes, since 1984. |
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4 |
Has your attorney been designated by the Martindale-Hubble Lawyer Rating Service as one of the Preeminent Criminal Attorneys in the area? |
Yes |
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5 |
Is your attorney a Senior Counsel - College of Master Advocates & Barristers? |
Yes |
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6 |
Does your attorney have a full time Research Lawyer available in his firm to research complex legal issues immediately and during trial? |
Yes, Phillip Spicer, who has been with Ray Taylor since 1978. |
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7 |
Do you have on premises, a large criminal law library available for immediate use? |
Yes[2] |
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8 |
Does your attorney have an experienced professional staff of secretaries and paralegals available to assist with your case? |
Yes, Ms. Madero, our senior para-legal has 44 years criminal experience. |
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9 |
Are there full-time secretaries to help you or to answer your questions, or just an answering service?[3] |
Yes |
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10 |
Does your attorney handle criminal appeals from cases lost by other attorneys? How often? |
Yes, Phillip Spicer has done research for us and appeals for cases lost by other firms since 1978. |
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11 |
Has your attorney been an instructor at the Advanced Criminal Law Seminar? |
Yes. |
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12 |
How many Law Books has your attorney written?[4] |
7 law books |
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13 |
How many articles has your attorney had published by the Texas Bar Journal? |
2 - another article is in preparation. |
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14 |
What awards for outstanding publications on legal topics has your attorney received? |
Texas Bar Foundation Award Bancroft-Whitney Award Lawyers Cooperative Publishing Award |
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15 |
Does your attorney have the highest ethical rating of "AV" as rated by Martindale-Hubbell National Lawyer Rating Service? Ask to see it. |
Yes |
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16 |
How many years has your attorney practiced criminal law in the San Antonio area? |
38 years |
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17 |
Has your attorney tried, and won major criminal cases in other states? |
Yes |
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18 |
Does your attorney have an office? You will be amazed by the number of self-styled criminal attorneys who will want to meet you at a restaurant or the courthouse! Would you go to a doctor who does not have an office? A lawyer's office will tell a lot about his law firm, and how he practices. |
Yes |
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19 |
Are Mr. Taylor's fees in line with those charged by equally experienced and qualified attorneys?[5] |
Yes |
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______________ Ray Taylor |
_____________Signature of Other Attorney |
The written answers to the above questions will tell you who is best qualified to represent you.
[1] You will find that an incredibly high percentage of self-styled "criminal lawyers" have not tried a criminal jury trial in years or even in decades. They have accepted the money from the client, then pled him guilty.
Be sure and ask, and ask for an answer in writing. Ask for the year, case number and the name of the defendant of his last three jury trials, and the results obtained. These files are public record and kept by the district clerk of the courthouse. Feel free to check them out.
[2] The usual evasive answer you'll get from less qualified attorneys is that they do their research on-line, on a computer. But there is no way to verify their extensive use, and there is no substitute for a first class criminal library in book form right at hand. Besides, on-line research is expensive, and charged by the minute, and a lawyer can save a lot of money by simply not using the computer for legal research. The client will never know.
If the law books are right there, however, they're paid for and you can be sure they will be used for your benefit.
Another dodge some use: "I can use the library at the Courthouse". But will he make the trip? How can he do research, after hours, or on weekends, or during a trial? The courthouse computer charges by the minute for use. Will another lawyer go to the expense?
Again, there is no substitute for a fine criminal library in book form in the office of your lawyer.
[3] Have you ever seen a first class law firm on TV that did not have a full time secretary? As basic as it sounds, a full-time, skilled paralegal is indispensable to any first class law firm. Beware of those who do not have this critical support.
[4] You can see the books in our library.
[5] There is a huge gap in competence and quality control between Board Certified Criminal Specialists and those not Board Certified. Specialists must demonstrate continuing criminal legal education, the highest ethical standards and a consistent pattern of excellence in handling criminal cases to stay Board Certified in Criminal Law.
