LOONEY, SMITH & CONRAD, P.C. - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Professor of Law, Boston University
Clay is licensed in Texas and has been admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, several United States Circuit Courts of Appeals and the Eastern District of Michigan as well as the Supreme Court of Texas. He is active in many organizations and has authored many academic, professional and general interest publications. As a frequent lecturer, Clay has spoken on topics throughout the country on the subject of juries.
Clay has made extensive continuing legal education presentations as well as presentations to civic and political associations across the country including in Virginia, California, Texas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah and Washington D.C. He has been the guest of many radio talk shows.
Clay has been named a "Top Lawyer" for 2013 and 2014 in the December issue of Houstonia magazine. To compile this year's list, attorneys were rated on a 10-point scale by factoring in peer endorsements as well as experience, education, training, speaking, publishing, and awards.
Job Titles:
- Legal Secretary
- Hempstead Legal Secretary
- Hempstead Secretary
- Member of the Alpha Phi Sigma Criminal Justice Honor Society
Celine is a legal secretary for Looney Smith & Conrad. She assists with filing, drafting, and editing legal documents.
While working full-time for our law firm, Celine is also a full-time student at Prairie View A&M University where she is studying for her Bachelors in Criminal Justice and Psychology.
Celine is also a member of the Alpha Phi Sigma Criminal Justice Honor Society.
After graduation, Celine will be attending Thurgood Marshall School of Law, where she will be studying to become an attorney.
In her spare time, Celine enjoys traveling, spending time with her family and binge watching crime documentaries.
Job Titles:
- Bono Lawyer of the Year Presented by the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association ( TCDLA )
- President of TCDLA
Named after Charles D. ("Charlie") Butts, President of TCDLA (1987-88) and a member of TCDLA's Hall of Fame, in recognition of his over 63 years of service as an attorney, the award is presented each year at TCDLA's Rusty Duncan Advanced Criminal Law Course by the TCDLA President.
Clay S. Conrad graduated cum laude from college (Franklin-Pierce College in Rindge, New Hampshire) and law school (University of Texas School of Law). But that's not the reason Paul Looney says Clay is the smartest man he knows. "If you have to have somebody at a computer trying to figure out how to win a case, there isn't anybody else I want at my computer."
Bringing over 16 years of appellate, pre-trial litigation and State and Federal criminal defense and related litigation to his clients in Houston, throughout the state of Texas and many states across the nation, Clay represents individuals from all walks of life and all types of social, cultural and financial backgrounds. His experience includes both white-collar and blue-collar cases ranging from State misdemeanors to Federal felonies. He has excellent research and complex pre-trial drafting skills as well as electronic case presentation and criminal and civil forfeiture litigation. Clay has litigated to completion over fifty appeals in numerous Federal and State jurisdictions.
"Before law school, I was a field engineer in the theatrical lighting business. I worked television studios, auditoriums, handled technical support for traveling productions, etc. Now I do appeals and pre-trial litigation so in a very real sense, I still work backstage. It's my job to ensure when we are in trial, all the ducks are in a row. And it takes both of us. It takes Paul's skill in the courtroom and it takes my preparation work. In a very real sense, I still work backstage. That's my role and I like it."
Clay has been instrumental in achieving the high record of success Looney, Smith & Conrad P.C. has in winning cases. His appellate work is thorough and successful. "We had a case fought through a motion to suppress and were denied. We fought it on appeal and it was reversed. Our client is a really big guy with a black belt in Karate serving time in prison. We spoke right after it was reversed and when I told him we won, he broke down crying. That was such a memorable moment because it meant he was going home to his family."
Producing convincing paperwork with outstanding research and writing skills, Clay has many years of experience beginning as a Research Assistant/Editor and Staff Counsel Member of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association in Austin. Clay was the content editor for the membership journal and prepared and edited materials for fourteen continuing legal education seminars annually. He assisted membership with legal research and drafting and represented the Association before the Texas State Bar, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and the Texas legislature. Analyses of all Texas bills with criminal law ramifications were drafted by Clay before legislative sessions. He also briefed lobbyists and speakers for presentations before legislative committees.
Since then, Clay authored the book, Jury Nullification: The Evolution of a Doctrine where he explores the history of trial by jury and the right of jurors to vote "not guilty" if the law is unjust or unjustly applied. The Founding Fathers believed juries in criminal trials had a role to play as the "conscious of the community," and relied on juries' "nullifying" to hold the government to the principles of the Constitution. Clay examines the power of jurors being ignored by American courts to the point that today few jurors are aware that an important part of their role is, in the words of the Supreme Court, to "prevent oppression by the government."
"This is the most important book on the independence of juries since Lysander Spooner's Trial by Jury in 1852. It is meticulously researched and balanced. The enjoyment of reading it stems as much from the beauty of Clay Conrad's writing as from the comprehensiveness of his analysis and the fascinating and important nature of his subject."
Job Titles:
- Senior Administrative Assistant
- Firm Administrator and Paralegal
Cynthia is the Senior Administrative Assistant/Paralegal for our law offices where she manages both offices in Hempstead and Houston. She also handles our finances.
Jean has practiced law for over 22 years and works civil law cases from our Hempstead office.
She grew up in Danevang, the Danish capital of Texas, a small town outside of El Campo. Her great-grandparents immigrated to the United States from Denmark and were some of the settlers of Danevang in 1894.
Receiving her law degree from the University of Houston Law Center, Jean won the Maurice Howard Treiman award for writing excellence. Her legal education focused primarily on health law, but she has vast experience in most areas of civil law.
Her primary practice areas include family law, elder law, probate and estate planning. She's a trained mediator and is also trained in collaborative law. Jean was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1999.
Prior to law school, Jean worked in the mental health field. She holds a master's degree in psychology and worked for the mental health authority in the youth services program. This experience served invaluable in assisting her with clients in all areas in which she practices, especially family law.
Jean enjoys volunteering for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and serves on the International Committee where she enjoys welcoming international guests to the rodeo. While serving on that committee, Jean met her current husband and now they enjoy serving on the committee together.
Until a few months ago, Jean lived in Katy. She now lives in Hockley and enjoys spending her free time outdoors. The mother of three children, the youngest started college this fall, so she and her husband are now "empty nesters".
Education:
· University of Houston Law Center - J.D. 1998
· University of Houston-Victoria - M.A., Psychology 1994
· University of Houston-Victoria - B.S., Psychology 1989
Kiara is currently a senior at Blinn College and will transfer to Prairie A&M University in the fall where she will be for two years.
She's majoring in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology. She holds a 3.8 GPA.
Job Titles:
- Hempstead Receptionist / Secretary
Laura is the friendly voice when you call our Hempstead office in the mornings and is the reason our office is so neat and clean!
Prior to this position, Laura worked for Houston Unlimited Inc. located in Chappell Hill, Texas for 25 years as a shipping/receiving supervisor. She and her husband reside in Hempstead where they have lived for 27 years.
Laura is the mother to four sons and one daughter. She's a grandmother to 18 grandchildren. Laura enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Paul Looney brings over 30 years of criminal defense law to his clients in Houston, throughout the state of Texas, and across the nation. A graduate of West Texas State University, Mr. Looney earned degrees in economics and political science and his Doctorate of Jurisprudence from the South Texas College of Law. Mr. Looney has a lot of experience trying civil cases as well and says "trying civil cases is easy compared to the trial of a criminal case."
Mr. Looney has won 60 criminal defense trials since 1995
Job Titles:
- Criminal Trial Preparation Specialist / Publicist / Writer / Optioned Screenwriter
Roxanne helps prepare trials by interviewing witnesses and investigating cases. On May 17, 2015 at a restaurant in Waco Texas, nine people died, 22 were severely injured and 177 indicted. Because the bonds were $1 million each, Looney & Conrad initially became involved to assist with excessive bail. Later, after outlining nine terabytes of discovery, Roxanne became the researcher for lawyers and international media.
Roxanne is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma Gaylord College of Journalism with a degree in professional writing. She has many years of experience in writing, marketing, public relations and management. Roxanne is a Life Member of the University of Oklahoma Alumni Association.
Raised in Cypress, Texas, Wade is a native of the Houston area and graduated from Cy-Fair High School. While in high school, Wade excelled as an athlete for the cross-country and track teams. He participated in the school's first ‘Student Court,' defending fellow classmates. Wade attended Texas Tech University and continued his running career with Texas Tech's cross-country and track teams. As a student-athlete, Wade pursued a degree in political science and minored in history.
After graduating from Texas Tech, Wade returned to Houston to study law at South Texas College of Law. There, he focused on criminal law and trial advocacy. Wade was an internship with the 9th District Court in Montgomery County as a briefing attorney for the judge. He was also a two-time intern at the Harris County Public Defender's Office. After passing the bar exam, Wade opened his law practice, focusing on criminal defense.
Wade was accepted into a pilot training and mentorship program with the Harris County Public Defender's Office. Only one of ten young attorneys selected from Houston, Wade received specialized training in criminal defense and trial work. As part of that program, Wade was sent for additional training with a national organization for public defenders; Gideon's Promise. Gideon's Promise consisted of a specialized training program spanning three years, focusing on trial skills and client-centered representation.
Upon learning about the 177 citizens arrested on May 17, 2015 at Twin Peaks in Waco, Wade became involved. He defended one of those who were indicted working the case all the way to dismissal. Wade continues to practice law in Houston and across Texas, defending the rights of citizens accused of crimes.
Wade is licensed to practice law in Texas and is a member of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. He is also a member of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association and Fort Bend County Criminal Defense Attorneys Association. Wade is a member of Gideon's Promise. On January 1, 2020, he became a shareholder in the law firm of Looney, Smith & Conrad, P.C.
Education
Texas Tech University, B.A. (2009)
South Texas College of Law, J.D. (2012)