Dennis R. Bettison is the most senior member of the firm having begun his career as a law clerk in 1980.  Today, he is the managing partner of the firm with the responsibility of coordinating the attorney’s support staff and operations of the office.

Mr. Bettison brings invaluable experience in the areas of practice including estate planning, probate, income taxation, business planning and real estate law.

He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Galveston County Bar Association, Galveston Estate Planning Council, Board Certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law and Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Patrick F. Doyle’s numerous years of community service and innovative youth programs while serving as Justice of the Peace proudly earned him the honor of being named One of the Five Outstanding Young Texans by the Texas Jaycees and Citizen of the Year by the TC/LM Chamber of Commerce (2000). He is currently the Galveston County Commissioner for Precinct 1.

Mr. Doyle oversees operations of the South Land Title and American Title companies and concentrates his law practice in the area of real estate title insurance and title related matters, real estate document preparation, banking, corporate law, business planning and small business acquisitions.

He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Galveston County Bar Association, Texas Bar Foundation and Texas Land Title Association.

Darrell A. Apffel is an experienced trial attorney with a primary practice of plaintiffs’ personal injury trial law with numerous significant jury verdicts and settlements, and a secondary practice of criminal and family law with trial experience in each. He is currently the Justice of the Peace for Precinct 5, Galveston County.

As a mediator, Mr. Apffel has settled the majority of disputes in a single day due, in part, to his years of trial experience, as well as his experience as a municipal court judge.

He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, The College of Sate Bar of Texas, Texas Bar Foundation, Texas Trial Lawyers Association and Galveston County Bar Association (Member, Director and Past President).

Michael J. Guarino served as the elected Criminal District Attorney of Galveston for twenty years (1983-2003). He is active in many civic and community organizations. He has been associated with Gulf Coast Big Brothers Big Sister for over thirty years. He is a former three terms President of their Board of Directors and currently serves on their Advisory Board. He is a former Board member of the United Way of Galveston, a current member of the Rotary Club of Galveston as well as the State Bar of Texas and Galveston County Bar Association.

Mr. Guarino is an outstanding trial attorney with over thirty years of experience. He specializes in criminal law, personal injury, debt collections and general litigation.

Born in Galveston, Texas; Resident of League City; Admitted to the State Bar of Texas, 2003; Preparatory Education, University of Houston-Clear Lake (B.A. 1999); Legal Education, Thurgood Marshall School of Law-Texas Southern University (J.D. 2003). Former Assistant District Attorney for Galveston County (2003-2006). Member: State Bar of Texas, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Galveston County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Galveston County Bar Association.

Mr. Quintanilla as a former Assistant District Attorney has invaluable trial experience in handling all levels of criminal offenses from misdemeanor to felonies. He specializes in criminal law with an emphasis on DWI.

Jana L. Hartnett has been a legal practitioner in Galveston County for more than fourteen years as a private attorney while serving as a prosecutor for the City of Texas City for six of those years, as an Associate Judge for the City of Texas City for three of those years and as an adjunct professor in continuing education and criminal justice for College of the Mainland.

Ms. Hartnett concentrates her practice in the areas of family, probate, guardianship, estate planning and civil law with experience in real estate and title matters. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Galveston County Bar Association.

S. Benjamin Shabot is a native Galvestonian and former felony prosecutor.  In his years with the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office, Mr. Shabot gained invaluable trial experience.  Mr. Shabot sits on the board of The United Way of Galveston and is currently a member of The State Bar of Texas, The Galveston County Young Lawyers Association, and The Galveston Bar Foundation.

As a law student, Mr. Shabot was a member of trial teams that won first place in both The National Civil Trial Competition and The Garland Walker Trial Competition.  Mr. Shabot is the former president of the Galveston County Young Lawyers Association and was the recipient of the organization’s Outstanding Young Lawyer award in 2009.