Brian Schmidt

Brings an unwavering, aggressive approach to defending his clients against criminal accusations in courtrooms around East Texas.

Based in Henderson County, Brian’s practice focuses on all aspects of criminal defense, including misdemeanor & felony DWI, drug possession, aggravated assault, and murder, to name a few. 

Brian also helps his clients with expunctions, occupational driver’s license applications, motions for early release from probation, and administrative driver’s license revocation hearings.

Brian has authored a number of articles for the Voice for the Defense, the official magazine of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and the Texas Bar Journal. 

He has spoken at multiple conferences on the aspects of criminal history in relation to mental health, and his work has been noted in the New York Times, The Texas Tribune, and the Texas Prosecutor, the official magazine for the Texas District and County Attorney’s Association.

Brian graduated from the University of Texas in Austin in 1995 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science with a minor in Sociology. 

While at the University of Texas, he served as the President of Phi Alpha Delta, the Political Science Honor Society. 

His passion for criminal law took him to the University of Texas Law School, where he became a member of the American Journal of Criminal Law and a student lawyer in the University of Texas Criminal Defense Clinic. 


At the Criminal Defense Clinic, Brian was awarded a temporary bar card which, as a third-year law student, allowed him to represent indigent criminal defendants in the courts of Austin, TX. Brian graduated from law school in 1998 and subsequently began his career at the Henderson County Attorney’s office. 

Brian obtained a unique perspective on the criminal justice system during his time as a prosecutor that has helped him in his quest to defend those accused of crimes over the last twenty years.

Brian, his wife Brandy, and their son Jerry live in Athens, Texas. In his spare time, Brian enjoys fishing, aerial drone photography, and competitive poker playing.

If you need an experienced attorney to guide you through the intimidating criminal justice process, please contact Brian for a free consultation.