Henry J. Novak Jr.

Henry is an Austin, Texas, attorney who has served clients for over 20 years in the areas of real estate and commercial law. A real estate investor himself, Henry has accumulated a wealth of business experience; developed an expertise in contract law and negotiations; and is an open-minded, progressive thinker who does not subscribe to the idea that something should be done today “just because that’s the way it’s always been done”.

Henry engages his clients with the mindset of an entrepreneur and an enthusiasm for exploring creative and innovative solutions to their issues and concerns. He is as interested in his personal development as he is in his continuing to expand his professional wisdom and his ongoing education in the fields of psychology, physics, physiology and neuroscience contribute to his depth of wisdom and insightfulness.

Henry spent many years in the courtroom litigating cases in which business relationships went crosswise and real estate deals of all kinds turned upside down. Those years in court gave him the unique ability to create sophisticated legal documents that are understandable and free of legalese; provide optimal protection for his client’s rights and interests; and minimize the likelihood of future disputes.

“I’m a much wiser transactional lawyer because of my trial experience – I know how and why contracts, business agreements, and real estate documents end up in court, and I’m constantly mindful of those pitfalls and diligent in making certain that the documents I create don’t end up there.” Henry learned his trial skills and gained invaluable trial (and life) experience as an aggressive federal criminal white-collar fraud prosecutor for over seven years.

Henry sits down and talks with each of his clients to understand their goals and objectives, then collaborates with them to explore the best way to craft a solution and provide them with real strives to arrive at a fair fee with his clients before beginning his legal services. Henry’s practice is built on transparency and candid conversations with his clients. He typically advises and counsels his clients on the phone or sends emails to them without charge, and bills them only when he actually does something for them.

Henry makes a practice of structuring a fixed fee for his legal services. “I believe the billable hour model of practicing law is flawed. It sets up a conflict of interest between the lawyer and the client because it allows for the lawyer to drag out the client’s work and bill as many hours as possible (good for the lawyer), while disregarding the consideration of whether more hours really add value to the client (bad for the client). I strongly believe that the fixed fee is the most efficient and effective way to deliver the highest quality legal services and value to my clients.”

“I’ve never been fond of the life of a typical lawyer in a typical law firm – having to bill 2,000+ hours a year or run the risk of reprisals or sanctions from senior management partners doesn’t make for happy lawyers. Most attorneys I know are stressed to the max and aren’t particularly happy. Stress is no longer an issue in my life, and I’m a happy person because of it. I enjoy supporting my clients in successfully managing their stress levels, which makes them better at their investment activities.

After graduating from law school, Henry clerked for the U. S. District Court in Dallas, and went on to clerk on the the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Los Angeles. He was an assistant U. S. attorney in Los Angeles and Houston, where he headed up the white collar fraud section of the Criminal Division.