We are trial lawyers. Everything we do is geared towards putting our client in the very best position to win at trial. The ability to persuade an audience to embrace your side of the story—and not your opponent’s—is an art. It brings you leverage in battle. It fosters success.
Winning a trial requires great preparation. We ask questions, gather evidence, and really test the opponent’s case. Thoroughly preparing a case for trial, however, has another effect—it often helps to avoid one. Cases that are properly prepared from this vantage point often raise options that make a trial unnecessary. Cases that appeared unwinnable end up with seemingly impossible outcomes.
Our Philosophy
At Shellist Peebles McAlister LLP, we believe that every case is unique and requires its own creative and well-planned strategy. This starts with the client: who they are, where they come from, and what they say happened. These critical factors must be explored before mapping out a sound legal strategy.
Next, we must know the opponent. In the words of Sun Tzu, “know thine enemy.” Money spent learning the tactics and weaknesses of your adversary is money well spent. Knowledge is power, and by knowing more than the opponent we keep the upper hand.
Finally, we must develop a strategy that is realistic yet optimistic. If you are innocent, or if the Government’s case is riddled with doubt, then you should expect the charge to be dismissed. If you’ve been hurt because of someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, then you deserve to be compensated. The attorneys at Shellist Peebles McAlister LLP are not afraid to fight if that’s what it takes to win your case. In law, you cannot force your opponent to give you what you want. You must either convince them that it is the right thing to do, or you must have the courage to let a jury decide your fate. And if you take your case to a jury, then it is imperative that you have an attorney that is battle-tested. We are battle-tested.
Our Experience
The lawyers at Shellist Peebles McAlister LLP have spent over 50 combined years in the trenches. Steve Shellist, Peyton Peebles, and Sean McAlister all started their legal careers at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. After amassing years of experience as prosecutors (Assistant District Attorneys), we joined forces and put that training and experience to use defending people charged with crimes. We have helped people throughout Texas and the United States. Our experience ranges:
From nonviolent misdemeanors to multi-victim homicides.From state court to federal court.From trial courts to state and federal appellate courts.From juvenile cases to adult cases.
Our lawyers have tried hundreds of cases to juries. This experience has allowed us to talk to over a thousand jurors. We have learned what they expect to hear, what moves them, what impassions them, and what they resist. Simply put, we know how to connect with judges and juries.
After many client requests, we decided to expand our practice to include a limited number of other areas: CPS investigations, corporate investigations, and personal injury cases. There is a natural connection between our criminal trial experience and these areas. More importantly, the deep toolbox of skills we’ve developed in criminal law applies with equal force to these other areas.
Our Client Relationships
We tend to meet people when they are most hurt and vulnerable. For that reason, we offer a safe and open atmosphere to talk in a confidential setting. Each of our “attorney-client relationships” is just that—a relationship. Open and honest communication is essential to properly defending our clients.
Too many attorneys tell their clients what they think the client wants to hear, and not what they need to hear. Clients are often extremely stressed when they come to our office. They are scared, depressed, and uncertain. Our firm believes that direct, accurate, and compassionate communication is indispensable for that client’s emotional health.
Our Holistic Defense
This open and honest communication often reveals something else: our clients have fallen victim to misfortune in multiple areas. Sometimes the problems are related, such as a driver’s license suspension related to a DWI arrest. Other times they are not, such as a criminal case along with an unrelated car accident, employment dispute, or corporate compliance problems. We will work with the client to put measures in place to address them all, whether through our firm or our wide network of resources. Our shared goal is to make the client’s life better in all possible ways.
Our Promise to You
No lawyer can guarantee results. Doing so is reckless and foolish. We are neither reckless nor foolish. Our guarantee is simple: We are experienced trial lawyers who will work hard for you.
If you want to protect your legal rights, seek out aggressive, skilled attorneys with years of trial experience. Put yourself in good hands. Contact Shellist Peebles McAlister LLP today.
