Timeline Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer and Harris is the continuation of a legal practice founded by Arthur Schechter in 1964, and continued by partners Dennis McElwee and Matt Shaffer when Mr. Schechter left to become a United States Ambassador in 1998. Jonathan Harris joined the firm in 1999 and later became a partner. When Arthur Schechter returned as Senior Counsel in 2006, the firm came full circle, while also expanding its capabilities.

Reputation Known as aggressive trial lawyers who prepare and try cases around the country

Expertise

• For over 5 decades, the lawyers of Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer and Harris have represented victims of serious personal injury includingseamen, railroad workers, offshore workers, longshoremen and harborworkers from around the nation and around the world
  
• The firm has also had numerous outstanding recoveries in serious 18-wheeler and other commercial vehicle accidents.
• Representation of victims of auto and motorcycle accidents, medical malpractice, construction and refinery accidents are also high priorities.
• The firm handles refinery and workplace injuries, and successfully represented workers injured in the recent British Petroleum Texas City Plant explosion.

Compensation Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer and Harris work on a contingency fee basis: there is no or bill for our services unless we recover for the client.

Geography

• Primary practice area is in state and federal courts located in Houston, Galveston, Beaumont, Angleton, Bay City, Corpus Christi and Brownsville, Texas, but our attorneys handle cases throughout Texas.
• We have had clients in all 50 states, and have handled cases in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Maryland, New York and California.
• The firm has represented clients from Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Mexico, Scotland, New Zealand, Australia, Israel and other countries.

Offices Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer and Harris maintains offices in Houston and in Galveston, where meetings are by appointment only.