Shechtel, Stephen A.

I was born in McAllen, Texas, but spent the majority of my life living in the Houston area. My family moved out to Cypress when I was seven. By the time I went to Cy-Fair Senior High School, my rural school system had become a little more urban. People often ask me what made me go to law school. I went to law school because of a mock trial we did in my senior government class. Although I thought I wanted to be a doctor, I discovered that my true calling in life was to be an attorney.

After graduation, I joined the Corps of Cadets and attended Texas A&M University. While I soon discovered that I really wanted to practice law for a living, the Navy had other plans for me first. As a NROTC scholarship recipient, I had to fulfill my obligation to the Navy before I could attend law school. Upon graduation, I was commissioned in the Navy, sent to the Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center and then promptly sent to the Fleet, where I almost immediately deployed to the Persian Gulf. During Desert Storm, I often worked 20 hour days as an Aviation Intelligence Officer. I would find a few minutes each day to read law school guides. My passion for the law grew daily. I was finally able to take that passion to the University of Houston Law Center after transferring from active duty to the Navy Reserves.

At the University of Houston, I discovered that there was more to being an attorney than trying cases. However, trying cases was and still is my passion. After Galvin Kennedy and I won our intramural mock trial tournament, we joined the mock trial team, where I competed in Nationals for two years. During that time I also served as a reserve intelligence officer, an editor of the Houston Journal of International Law, and the Chief Baron of the law school's honor society. I graduated with honors in the top 10% of my law school class.

After graduating from law school, I worked for several defense firms. Eventually, my enthusiasm for the law grew into enthusiasm for "the little guy." I believed that my talents would be put to better use if I began representing victims rather than the victimizers. So, Galvin Kennedy and I started Kennedy Hodges LLP.

Some of my case results include the following:

• Successfully represented a class of hundreds of janitors in 13 states.
• Successfully represented a large class of employees who worked at multiple call centers for an international telecommunications company. The case was certified as a collective action by a federal judge.
• Successfully represented dozens of waiters and kitchen staff who worked at upscale chain of South American cuisine restaurants in Houston.
• Successfully represented large class of employees at a metal factory who were misclassified as independent contractors.
• Besides being Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, I am AV Peer Review Rated, a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, named a Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters for 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011, and named a Top Lawyer and Professional on the Fast Track by H Texas magazine (2005 - 2006).
• I have been interviewed by both local and national news organizations over the years. I have also worked on legislative efforts to protect the rights of Texans. I currently serve as the Panel Chair for the District 4A Grievance Committee, where I hear and rule on complaints filed against attorneys. I have served on various Houston Bar Association, Houston Trial Lawyers Association and Texas Trial Lawyers Association committees because I believe it is important for lawyers to give back to the community.