George Milner, III developed a prolific reputation as a trial lawyer at a very young age. He began his career under District Attorney John Vance and proved his courtroom ability from the beginning. Milner tried his first jury trial the first day he was licensed to practice law. Milner faced the legendary Randy Taylor in that trial, which lasted more than a week. In the end, Milner won. He continued this hard hitting approach and had no fear of trying the hard cases.
In early 1994, Milner left the District Attorney’s Office to join his father, George Milner, Jr., and began defending those accused of the same offenses he’d prosecuted. Ironically, Milner was hired to represent some of the same people he’d prosecuted. One stated, “It didn’t take me long [in the first trial when you prosecuted me] to realize I needed you as my lawyer.” During his tenure as a prosecutor, Milner developed close friendships with many law enforcement agents. They liked his aggressive courtroom style. And, as has been the case, many officers themselves came under criminal accusation. A saying became well known in the law enforcement community, “If you’re in trouble, call Milner.” Now, over eight years later, Milner has represented approximately two dozen state and federal law enforcement officers. And, with one exception, every single case resulted in either acquittal, dismissal or a No-Bill by the Grand Jury.
Milner has lectured numerous times throughout the State of Texas and outside Texas. He is a well sought lecturer on a variety of criminal trial topics, particularly the areas of cross-examination and voir dire. A trial court bailiff once joked, after Milner’s jury selection, “Milner has already won this trial and the prosecutors don’t even know it.”
He has also represented many attorneys, as well. He has been called many times by prominent civil firms to assist in civil suits which have raised criminal liability issues. Milner has also been retained by civil firms to represent their clients or employees of their clients who have come under criminal accusation. These firms, knowing a criminal conviction would destroy their civil suits, turned to Milner.
Milner’s notoriety has increased exponentially during his young career. He has appeared nation-wide three times on Court TV to give his insight and opinions concerning pending litigation. He has been named two times to lists of Dallas’ Best Lawyers in D Magazine and Texas Monthly Magazine recently named him a “Texas Super Lawyer” in the filed of white-collar criminal defense. He is rated A-V by Martindale-Hubbell, a multi-volume national listing of attorneys. The rating means, Legal Ability: Very High to Preeminent; and Very High Ethical Standards.
Unlike most trial lawyers, Milner represents individuals on appeal. Although the odds of appellate reversal in state or federal court are heavily against the citizen, Milner has had considerable success in the appellate arena. He won the first appeal he ever did and began to think winning on appeal was to come as naturally as winning in the courtroom. But, even Milner came to realize the odds and the political environment make it difficult to achieve the same success rate on appeal. This drove home the belief which Milner, and most great criminal defense attorneys know, you must win in the trial court if you’re going to win at all.
Milner was a member of the Law Review and graduated law school summa cum laude. He won four scholarships for academic achievement and was a member of two national moot court teams. He was a Merit Scholar, member of the Order of Barristers and won five American Jurisprudence awards. He is presently a Director of both the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Association and the Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Association. He is also a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Association. He is admitted to practice before the Texas Supreme Court, U.S. District Court – Northern District of Texas, U.S. District Court – Eastern District of Texas, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.
