Crandell, Rusty D.

Justin took a long road to the practice of law, despite the fact that those around him had long assumed him destined to become a lawyer. Born in Houston and raised in Sugar Land, he attended Clements High School, where he met his wife Kathryn. Like both of his parents before him, Justin became an Aggie, studying history, English, political science, and French at Texas A&M University. He earned a bachelor's degree in history, graduating magna cum laude with University Honors, Foundation Honors, Liberal Arts Honors and as an Honors Research Fellow. While completing his senior honors research thesis, "Arthurian Legend as Tudor Propaganda," Justin discovered a love for the interplay between history and literature. He decided to pursue a graduate degree in English, focusing on medieval and Renaissance literature. This led him to the University of Texas (until A&M left the Big 12, Justin used to say that he always wins at the Thanksgiving game).

Although Justin loved teaching, he longed for a pursuit that combined a more practical component with the theoretical aspect of scholarly study. After writing his master's thesis on "Shakespeare, the Sword, and Self-Fashioning" and earning his master's degree, Justin decided not to pursue a doctorate in English. Not long after this decision, Justin had the realization that many had already had for him: his personality and past suited him well to the study of law. He chose to attend Baylor Law School because of its reputation for rigor in the instruction of the law and the production of first-rate litigators. During his legal education, Justin never found an area of the law that failed to fascinate him, whether planning wills and trusts or litigating criminal law issues. Perhaps the Renaissance men he had studied for so long unduly influenced him, but Justin firmly believes that the broader and more diverse the fields that one studies, the more creatively and critically one may investigate any other subject.

While his greatest passion within the law lies with trial and appellate practice, where he can combine his fondness for theory and study with his love of communicating with others, he finds that this focus also improves his ability to draft documents for clients, because potential issues in litigation can be more easily spotted and avoided. Most of all, Justin is excited to serve the people of his home county through the practice of law.