Knapp, Leonard Kennedy

Trial attorney Ray Taylor has been in practice since 1969 and is a board certified attorney. He is board certified as a Criminal Law Specialist and in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal specialization. The Texas Board of Legal Specialization is a section of the State Bar of Texas and certifies that certain attorneys have a special competence in a particular area. In order to achieve board certification, an attorney must have been in practice a minimum number of years, has devoted a significant portion of his practice to the area of special competence, has received letters of recommendation from other attorneys familiar with the applicants skills and abilities, and passes a two day comprehensive examination in the subject matter. Additionally, to retain this certification, the attorney must demonstrate his efforts at remaining current in the law of the subject matter by continuing legal education, and again receive letters of recommendation from attorneys that have specific knowledge concerning cases that the attorney has handled for the previous five-year period.

Ray Taylor has also been certified as a Civil Trial Advocate and a Criminal Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. The National Board of Trial Advocacy certifies that attorneys have a special competence in the same manner as the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Ray Taylor is the only attorney in the State of Texas to have achieved all four certifications in these two areas. National Board of Trial Advocacy Criminal Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

As a result of his experience in criminal defense practice, attorney Taylor is nationally recognized by his peers and by the mass media as a defender of persons accused of drug offenses, sex crimes and white collar crimes. He is a noted author speaker, and trial lawyer.

He has authored seven books on criminal law, including "Representing Sex Offenders," "Self Defense in Murder Cases," "Defending Lawyers," "Forensic Document Examination," "Forensic Pathology," "Homicide Self Defense," and how to articles such as, "Getting Your client Out of Jail." He has been Interviewed on Good Morning America, the Phil Donahue Show, and 20/20 and profiled on 60 Minutes. He has spoken countless times for various section of the State Bar of Texas on topics ranging from legal ethics to plea bargaining.

Lawyer Phillip R. Spicer, Jr. who has been licensed since 1977, is associated with Ray Taylor's firm in an of-counsel position. This means that he works closely with Mr. Taylor on selected cases, but also has a practice and clients separate and apart from The Law Offices of Ray Taylor & Associates, P.C. He has been associated with Ray Taylor and his practice since 1979 and provides the vital research necessary to vigorously prepare the defense.

Mr. Spicer works closely with Mr. Taylor on important cases providing research on complex issues, preparing trial and appellate briefs, and occasionally providing assistance during trials, Mr. Spicer successfully wrote the appellate briefs in a great number of cases, including the cases of "United States v. Ovalle," "United States v. Maltos," and "State of Texas v. Lebo," and many others, reversing the trial court decisions. Although Mr. Spicer has handled criminal cases in his own right his practice now is more of a research and briefing, documentary, and civil orientation, and so he also provides assistance and direction for those portions of clients' cases which have a civil component, such as criminal forfeitures.

Mr. Spicer is also Board Certified as a Specialist in Residential Real Estate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He obtained this certification in 1988, and has maintained his certification of special competence ever since. He has a background in transactional real estate, representing both buyers and sellers of real estate. He has assisted in the purchase and sales of both residential real estate and commercial properties. Mr. Spicer's experience in real estate law has included representation of real estate brokers, construction contractors and sub-contractors, and insurance companies on both state and federal construction bonds. He has assisted individuals in selling their homes, businesses, and buildings, as well as assisted business and real estate investors with their purchases. Mr. Spicer has represented banks and banking interests on issues concerning general loans, as well as interim construction financing.

Mr. Spicer's research and appellate expertise has been invaluable in the many complex and technical aspects of criminal cases. For example he has assisted in the defense of real property sought to be forfeited by both the state and federal governments, in the defense of a real estate broker charged with fraud, and also in the defense of a real estate investor charged with equity skimming.

Mr. Spicer has authored and co-authored numerous legal articles. He wrote a law review article entitled "Plea Bargaining and Guilty Pleas," published in St. Mary's Law Journal at 14 St. Mary's Law Journal 57, coauthored "Unloaded Gun Litigation," published in American Jurisprudence Model Trials, and "Getting Your Client Out of Jail," 54 Texas Bar Journal 233.

Mr. Spicer is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, receiving a B.A. degree in political science, and a graduate of St. Mary's University Law School. He has been an instructor in real estate at the American College of Real Estate, and lectured on criminal appeals to law students at St. Mary's University.