John D. Jacks

To whom it may concern: John Jacks represented my wife and I in a lawsuit against our builder. I’ve had many dealings with other attorneys and other firms through the years both in a personal and in a professional capacity. I can’t say enough kind words about John nor can I proclaim enough accola...des regarding his services. Instead, here are the material facts that I think most appropriately differentiate John from other attorneys: 1) Responsiveness and Customer Service: Rarely did my phone calls (which often occurred daily) go to voicemail and when they did, he almost always called me back before he left for the day. For me this is very important because in my dealings with other attorneys, I’ve always been made to feel like my business wasn’t appreciated and that my calls were unimportant. It’s the complete antithesis with John, and I’m grateful for this. 2) Practicality. John guided us through the process, always with any eye toward the “end game.” Where I might have wanted to pursue a different course, he helped me consider the cost-benefit of the course and adjust our strategy accordingly. To this end he would often consider my ideas for strategy and was never arrogant or dismissive. He was always resourceful, never hesitating to get 2nd and even 3rd opinions from within or outside his firm, hence, he was also seeking out the best strategy. (3) Aggressiveness. Our builder like many others was as slick as they come, a true deviant with a sophisticated criminal mind. John recognized this early on when problems began to arise. Fortunately for us he had the foresight to pen agreements with the builder so that if anything went awry, as they did, the builder would be personally liable, negating any protections that would have otherwise been afforded to him through his sham construction company. John is a nice guy, soft spoken, personable and kind but don’t let his pleasant demeanor fool you. When it comes time to contest something—in our case, arbitration—John is as tough as they come. In our case, John sought and obtained an arbitration award that included findings for fraud, deceptive trade practices, and several other causes of action, with an award of punitive damages, as well all attorney fees. (4) Preparedness. John brought in expert witnesses and compiled evidence binders over 200 pages thick. I was frankly in awe. During the arbitration hearing, the builder was lying and contradicting the testimony he gave in his deposition. I exaggerate not in pointing out that John called this builder out on every instance, always prefaced with “let’s go back to you deposition, page …”. John ran circles around this conman and when doing so, only then did I realize how John had anticipated his responses, evidenced by the very questions he had previously asked during the deposition. It’s no exaggeration when I say that during the arbitration, John already new exactly where to turn to in the transcripts! (5) Reputation. While I have only my experience to go on, it appeared to me that John is well respected by his colleagues in the legal profession, including judges, mediators, arbitrators, and opposing counsel. John was courteous and respectful throughout, and his professional colleagues were respectful and courteous in return and treated him as the honest and ethical attorney he is.

John represented me in a divorce litigation involving complex business valuation issues that involved two depositions and a final two day trial. John's complete command of the financial and accounting issues in this case ensured that our narrative was communicated in a clear and easily understandable... way to the court. John was a strident advocate for my rights in this case and I would strongly recommend John in any case involving complex business issues. John truly stands out among his peers as one of the finest attorneys in Austin, Texas.

When I first met John, I was worried because my ex-husband had hired a very well known lawyer from Bell Co who has a reputation for raking people of the coals. I was fooled! John is a very polite gentleman with proper manners and ethics. Do not let that fool you. He is a hard worker, very knowled...geable and trustworthy lawyer. I was so emotional during this time, but John was so patient with me. He encouraged me and gave me great advice along the way. He also reminded me he was looking out for me and was going to get me the very best settlement. John worked late hours and on weekends preparing for court, deposition and mediation. He did not put up with Carol Prater's rude and sarcastic attitude during these meetings. John is very strong at advocating when we went to court and also when we went to mediation. He is a strong negotiator. The end results I received a very good settlement. The firm of Gray and Becker are so lucky to have John along with his legal assistant Susan Jennings. Susan has taken my calls on weekends and helped me though a few bumps in the road. Not just with getting John informed but to talk me though a melt down or 2!!! I hope whoever reads this never goes though a devastating divorce like I have, but if you do John is on all levels the person to call. He did not want to just keep dragging this on unnecessarily to trail just for extra money and the extra emotional stress on me. Which is what the other lawyer, Carol was hoping to do. John traveled to Williamson Co. for court and mediation. Thank you John for all you have done. At this time, I see a new path in my future. I can not thank him and say enough about his good hard work.

I would not hesitate to recommend John Jacks of Gray & Becker, P.C. He is of the highest caliber both professionally and ethically. Mr. Jacks, due to his honesty, knowledge, professionalism, and timely communication, made my litigation process far less stressful than it could have been. Furthermor...e, I always felt like he had provided me with all the information and appropriate advice warranted for me to make the most suitable decisions regarding my case. Overall, relying on Mr. Jacks as my legal counsel turned out to be an excellent decision and, therefore, I highly recommend him.