I was born in Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas and graduated from Lufkin High School in 1973. My mother was a school teacher and my father worked at the local paper mill. I attended the University of Texas at Austin on full academic scholarship from 1973-1977, and I graduated with Honors with a Bachelor of Arts in History. I attended the University of Houston Law School from 1977-1980 and graduated therefrom with Honors. I passed the Texas Bar in March 1980. I came home to East Texas and began practicing law in March 1980 primarily focusing on personal injury trial law. I became a member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association. I continued that practice and also began practicing bankruptcy law in 1980. In the mid 1990s, I became so overwhelmed with the volume of new bankruptcy clients that I had to give up my trial practice to concentrate full time as a bankruptcy lawyer. I have exclusively concentrated on consumer and business bankruptcy cases since that time.
I was awarded a Board Certification in Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in 2001, and I have been so certified ever since. I have represented literally thousands of satisfied clients over the past 40 years in my practice. Since 2010, I have filed more than 4,900 bankruptcy cases. I was voted 'Best Attorney- Bankruptcy' in 2007 by the Lufkin Daily News [the only year they gave that award]. I am rated with AV Preeminent - Peer reviewed for highest level of professional excellence, and a Distinguished - Peer reviewed for high professional achievement, by Martindale-Hubbell®.
I have been married to Sheila Henderson Stephens for 24 years and we have six (6) grown sons who are all successful in their own right.
