Shawn Michael Dorward

I am a Litigation Associate at The McShane Firm.  We Specialize in DWI / DUI cases.

I started my legal career at The McShane Firm as a Law Clerk with the firm. I graduated from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston, Texas. While a law clerk at The McShane Firm, LLC I have completely prepared (with Attorney McShane’s complete supervision) several trials that Attorney McShane tried which resulted in not guilties and a hung verdict. I have completed complicated motions and research as well as filing briefs with the Superior and Supreme Courts. I am proficient with PowerPoint and have helped the attorneys use this technology in the Courtroom as a presentation of Opening Statements and Closing Arguments to the benefit of clients.

I graduated cum laude from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Sport and Recreation Management. I am  also a graduate of Juniata High School in Mifflintown, PA.

My practice is primarily criminal law, but also have been trained in wills, trusts and estate law as well. I, like all of the attorneys at firm, am a certified Breath Alcohol Technician as recognized by the United States Department of Transportation. I hold a certificate as an Instructor in NHTSA/IACP approved courses such as Standardized Field Sobriety Testing and Drugs that Impair Driving. I am particularly well-versed in challenging the collection and analysis of blood used for forensic purposes such as Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) testing, DNA testing and sexual assault cases. I have received specialized training in aggressively defending DUI cases.

Click here to see the certificates and training that I have accumulated in the specialized field of DUI.

I have strong legal skills which derive from participating in Moot Court and working in various positions at law school. As a third year law student, I participated in Texas Southern University’s Legal Clinic where I represented individuals in misdemeanor cases in a Harris County court of law. I interacted extensively with clients and worked well with the employees in the courtroom and opposing counsel. Simultaneously, I worked with a solo practitioner from Houston, where I had the privilege of assisting with a capital murder (death penalty) case in which the jury returned a verdict of only the lesser included offense of aggravated robbery. This person’s life was spared. These experiences have given me a significant understanding of the process of law and the need to build trusting relationships with clients.

Additionally, I am certified as a Contract Advisor for the National Football League Player’s Association. As a result, I am licensed to negotiate contracts for NFL players.

I pride myself on returning all phone calls very promptly. I believe and practice client autonomy (allowing clients to make their own educated and informed decisions) because I understand that in the final analysis this is about a person and his/her future and his/her life and not about the attorney.