The Role of Your Attorney
I want to emphasize at the outset that the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles does not encourage or discourage attorney representation at parole review hearings. Oftentimes, Institutional Parole Officers will tell inmates and families that hiring an attorney is a waste of time and money and that the Board doesn’t like to be bothered with attorneys. This is far from the truth.
Oftentimes, myths exist — usually generated by less-than-ethical attorneys — that they have the ability to deliver a favorable parole vote due to mysterious or illicit influence that they exercise over the Board members. This, too, is far from the truth.
A thorough and professional presentation by an attorney skilled in the field of parole who has the respect of the Board members can assure that the inmate will receive a more full and fair consideration of their case than they might otherwise receive through an ordinary review.
The best word to describe the attorney’s role in a parole hearing is “advocate”. A good parole attorney should examine the case, investigate issues that might not ordinarily appear in a file, organize the information, and present the facts to the Board Panel. The attorney should concentrate on the relevant issues instead of using a blunderbuss approach and hope that something useful might emerge. An effective attorney will present a clear and complete picture of his client as an individual with a plan of action, the tools to thrive in society, and the desire to succeed. A good attorney sets his client apart from the vast sea of white uniforms that the public thinks of when they think of a prison inmate. This is what a client can expect from an attorney and it is all an attorney can reasonably and ethically provide. When the potential client and his family understand the attorney’s role in the parole process they will, in all likelihood, wish to have legal counsel handle their parole presentation.
Best Parole Attorney in Texas
My grandson at age 16 accepted a plea bargain of 25 years after an attorney took his money and ran. A good attorney should not have had any trouble convincing a jury that it was self defense and not murder. After serving 12-1/2 years, he had his first review for parole this year. He was represented by Gary Cohen (from Austin Tx) and was granted parole in September.
Mr. Cohen has done a superb job of representing him. He visited my grandson several times and was open and personable to myself and other family members. He had done an enormous amount of research into the case, and had a phenomenal presentation at the hearing with a parole board member. My daughter and I were allowed to speak at the hearing also and we saw that Mr. Cohen was professional, yet very down to earth. I am delighted to highly recommend Gary Cohen for anyone in a similar circumstance. His fee is pricy, but remember the old saying, “You get what you pay for”.
RLT
When I needed a parole lawyer, my attorney said to me: “Gary Cohen is the best in Texas”. And he was right. Gary Cohen was instrumental in obtaining parole for our beloved brother. He has a very sharp understanding of the complexities of the Texas parole system and was able to leverage his wealth of experience and professional connections to deliver a positive result for our brother. In addition, Gary was highly supportive, courteous and understanding to us as he led us through the complicated and lengthy parole process. We would not hesitate to recommend Gary. Thank you again Gary!
Jorge R
Gary Cohen impressed me as an attorney by being professional and just caring. I found out early by research & reviews that he was considered one of the best parole attorneys in Texas & he didn’t disappoint! From day 1, I knew I was in capable hands! The parole packet he & his team prepared was incredible, written by caring & empathetic people. The detail, the photos, the way is was written was superb! There is no guarantee of outcome, of course, but I can assure you he & his team will do everything in their power to represent you or your loved one at this crucial time. They are easy to talk to & easy to reach. In our case, my loved one received an FI-1, and we couldn’t be happier with Gary & staff!
David P.