SCHECHTER - Key Persons

AJ Rosenfeld began his career at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris working as a law clerk before becoming a personal injury attorney in 2009. He has been with the firm ever since, and has helped multiple families involved in auto and other personal injury accidents recover millions of dollars in compensation. His calm presence when helping his clients, along with his keen attention to detail, are what make him notable at SMSH and attribute to his many referrals and repeat client's.

Job Titles:

• Attorney
• Founding Partner
• Senior Counsel
• Founder of Schechter, Shaffer & Harris

For over 20 years, Dennis McElwee has been dedicated to the practice of Maritime Law including Jones Act claims, General Maritime Law claims and Seaman's Wage claims. He also handles general personal injury claims and has enjoyed a high rate of success for his clients over the years. Mr. McElwee began his legal career working under Arthur Schechter, founder of Schechter, Shaffer & Harris. As Mr. Schechter's understudy, he learned not only the fine points of trial law in U.S. courtrooms but also the arguments and cross examinations that win cases. "A funny thing happens when you put people under oath - the truth comes out," he's known to say. Mr. McElwee is licensed to practice law in Texas and Minnesota, and also handles cases in four U.S. District Courts, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. He also taught at the Southeast Admiralty Law Center and the University of Texas Maritime Law Conference. Arthur Schechter is the founding partner of Schechter, Shaffer & Harris. Since 1964, he's practiced personal injury law and has helped thousands of clients successfully resolve their cases and begin new lives. He has represented a diverse array of clientele including people from local seaman's unions, the National Maritime Union, the Indian Seaman's Union, the Pakistani Seaman's Union, and individual seaman throughout the world. Mr. Schechter serves as Senior Counsel and litigator for personal injury cases. He has also previously served as U.S. Ambassador to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, as Board Chairman of METRO, and as a partner in a major national litigation firm. Mr. Schechter received numerous honors and awards for his work including the Highest Civilian Award given by the United States Coast Guard and recognition as a Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly Magazine, an honor only given to 5% of Texas attorneys. H Texas magazine has also recognized him as one of the Top Lawyers for the People.

Cynthia Huerta began her legal career in 2001. For the first decade of her career, she represented insurance companies and acquired critical knowledge of the insurance industry. In 2012, Cynthia made a decision to protect the rights of people who have suffered injustices. Cynthia provides first-class legal representation on every case she handles. She treats her clients with respect and compassion throughout the litigation process. In the courtroom, she is aggressive and well-prepared. Cynthia has a proven track record of litigating against corporations' army of lawyers and obtaining favorable jury verdicts and settlements. As of 2016, she is licensed to practice in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

Gabriel Gonzalez is the newest attorney to join the team at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris. Gabriel joined the firm back in January of 2016 working as a Law Clerk and began his career as a personal injury attorney in 2017. He graduated from South Texas College of Law with honors and is a member of the American Bar Association and the Houston Young Lawyers Association. Gabriel comes from a family of lawyers, so it was a natural decision for him to choose this career path. Gabriel personally understands the frustrations of being involved in an accident, and wants to help others with the process of healing and recovering what is just. Gabriel is a husband and father of two, and enjoys fishing, playing golf, and coaching his daughter's softball team.

Job Titles:

• Managing Partner at Schechter, Shaffer & Harris

For two decades, Jonathan Harris has devoted his career to serving and defending those involved in all types of personal injury, specifically auto and big trucking accidents. His early experience as an insurance defense lawyer has contributed to his unprecedented insight on dealing with insurance companies from both sides of the docket. As a plaintiff attorney for 17 years, Jonathan's strong work ethic and unique perspective and ability to build strong cases on behalf of his injured clients have led to him receive numerous honors including " Texas Super Lawyer" and "10 Best" Personal Injury Attorneys in Texas. Within his first five years of practicing law, Mr. Harris became board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization ( an honor achieved by only 3% of attorneys in the State of Texas.) Mr. Harris thoroughly believes that hard work gets the best results, and is never going to lose a case because another lawyer worked harder than he did. His industrious nature sparked at an early age and he held several jobs that ranged from running his own lawn service and window washing businesses to even working as a magician at children's birthdays! His decision to become a lawyer stemmed from his grandfather who was also a lawyer and his uncanny desire to help people. Today, he considers many of his clients close personal friends and keeps up with them regularly. Mr. Harris' impressive legal record includes several million dollar settlements. In his spare time, Mr. Harris enjoys fishing and spending time with his wife and two sons watching and supporting Houston sports teams including the Astros, Texans and Rockets.

Laura De La Cruz is the firm's newest attorney. She joined Schechter, Shaffer & Harris in 2010 and worked as a legal assistant for managing partner, Matthew Shaffer, until she became licensed to practice law. Laura strongly believes that the law is meant to serve individuals and their families. Her practice focuses on advocating for injured workers in maritime and other work accidents across the country. She is proud to have been a part of the firm's success in obtaining justice for its clients over the past 5 years, and her experience has given her the knowledge and practical skills to see a case through from beginning to end.

Matt Shaffer joined Schechter, Shaffer & Harris, L.L.P. in 1992. He is a managing partner at the firm and represents thousands of clients across the United States. Mr. Shaffer began his career in law 25 years ago by representing large corporate clients. At SMSH, he began using his experience to help working men and women recover damages for on-the-job injuries, including maritime injuries. He has worked on several notable cases including the Deepwater Horizon explosion, and has recovered millions of dollars for his clients. Mr. Shaffer takes pride in hard work, and bringing an experienced and thorough approach to every case. He is dedicated to providing high level of support for his clients. Mr. Shaffer is among the small percentage of Texas attorneys who are certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial law. Since 2006, Mr. Shaffer has been named a Texas Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly Magazine, an honor bestowed for only 5% of the state's attorneys. He's also been recognized by H Texas magazine as one of Houston's Top Lawyers for the People and was selected for inclusion in the 23rd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America (2017) in the practice area of Admiralty and Maritime Law.