James B. "Brett" Landriault is a Houston criminal defense attorney and Senior Trial Attorney at Michael & Associates Criminal Defense Attorneys. Since being licensed in Texas in 2015, he has focused exclusively on criminal defense, representing clients facing misdemeanor and felony charges throughout the state. His practice includes DWI, assault, drug, weapons, and probation-related cases, with particular experience handling complex matters involving forensic evidence and other evidentiary challenges.
During his tenure with Michael & Associates, Mr. Landriault has handled more than 350 criminal matters, including more than 140 DWI cases ranging from first-offense misdemeanors to felony DWI prosecutions. His experience spans every stage of a criminal case, from pre-charge investigations and evidentiary challenges to negotiated resolutions and trial preparation. He has extensive familiarity with the legal, procedural, and scientific issues that frequently arise in criminal prosecutions.
A significant portion of Mr. Landriault's practice involves defending individuals accused of impaired driving offenses. He has handled cases involving breath and blood testing, field sobriety evaluations, search warrants, and other complex evidentiary issues commonly encountered in DWI litigation. His approach includes carefully examining the government's evidence, scrutinizing law enforcement procedures, and identifying potential weaknesses in forensic testing and investigative methods.
To deepen his understanding of forensic evidence, Mr. Landriault successfully completed the Hands-On 40-Hour Forensic Chromatography XXXIV: Theory and Practice program conducted by the Axion Training Institute in Chicago, Illinois, in 2025. This advanced laboratory-based training focused on the scientific principles underlying forensic testing frequently used in DWI and drug prosecutions, providing firsthand exposure to analytical methods commonly relied upon by crime laboratories and prosecutors.
Mr. Landriault's criminal defense experience also includes domestic violence allegations, assault charges, drug crimes, unlawful weapon offenses, aggravated assault allegations, probation violations, and other serious misdemeanor and felony matters.
Mr. Landriault earned his Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law Houston in 2015 and his Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University in 2011.
In addition to his courtroom practice, Mr. Landriault remains active in organizations that support criminal defense attorneys throughout Texas. He is a member of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, and the Galveston Bar Association.
Today, Mr. Landriault represents clients accused of DWI, assault, drug, weapons, domestic violence, and other criminal offenses, drawing on his courtroom experience, forensic training, and extensive familiarity with the evidentiary issues that often determine the outcome of a case.
