E-mail: rkraft@kraftlaw.com
Phone: (214) 999-9999
Warning — this page is all about me. You
don't have to read the whole page before
making your decision to hire a lawyer. If you’re
looking for a friendly and honest law firm
you’ve come to the right place here at Kraft
& Associates. That’s the most important
thing you need to know.
I’ve been representing injured, disabled,
and elderly
people for more than 40 years, and it’s what I
love to do. The great feeling of making a
real difference in people’s lives is what
keeps me coming to the office every day.
This firm celebrated our 30th anniversary
October 8, 2009. I worked at another
personal injury firm before starting this
one
Our firm represents people who are in unfair
fights. Some are car wreck victims fighting
big insurance companies. Some are physically
or mentally disabled people fighting the
huge bureaucracy at the Social Security
Administration or at the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
I have a separate law firm,
Kraft Elder Law,
in which I represent people who need
Medicaid Planning in order to qualify
for Medicaid nursing home benefits, and
represent veterans or their widows or
widowers who want to qualify for Veterans
Pension Benefits.
I understand and sympathize with working
people because I come from a working family
myself. My father was a letter carrier for the
post office, and my mother was a bank
teller. I didn’t have the luxury of being
born to wealthy
parents, but I think I got the two best
parents anyone could ever hope to have.
I’ve been working part-time or full-time
since junior high. I started by mowing yards
around our neighborhood, and had a few other
odd jobs as a kid. In high school I worked
two years at Putt Putt Golf Course in Waco —
maybe the best job ever.
At Baylor I worked part-time in the Texas
History Collection, which is a library of valuable
old books about Texas. Later I started
working full-time at the Waco Tribune-Herald
newspaper, first as a copy boy and then as
an engraver. I worked the night shift during
the week, and worked a double shift on
Saturdays. I put myself through Baylor
undergraduate school and law school that way
(with help from government student loans).
While attending Baylor I met and married my
beautiful wife. In 2012 we will celebrate our
43rd wedding anniversary. I was 21 when we
got married, and only 23 when I graduated
from law school and started practicing law
in Dallas.
My wife and I have two beautiful daughters,
both grown and married, and we have recently
been blessed with a terrific grandson from each
daughter, and finally a granddaughter also!
I don’t smoke or drink. My only vice is
golf...
On October 15, 2002, I was proud to
be admitted in person to practice before the
Supreme Court of the United States. The
swearing-in ceremony was performed by Chief
Justice William Rehnquist, with the full
Supreme Court in session.
OK, that’s pretty much my entire life story.
Thank you to anyone who read the whole
thing. I feel a little silly putting all
this information here, but I’ve been told
that lengthy lawyer bios are “the thing to
do” these days.
The main thing to know is that I’m just like
you. I understand your situation, and I want
to help you. And all the people at this law
firm feel the same way I do. Please call us and let
us try to solve your legal problems.
Now, here’s the formal stuff:
General:
Born in Waco, Texas. Married since 1969, two
beautiful daughters – one lawyer, one teacher. Two
handsome grandsons and one gorgeous
granddaughter.
Education:
Undergraduate: Baylor University, B.B.A.
Law: Baylor University School of Law, J.D. 1971
Practice:
Plaintiff Personal Injury and Social
Security Disability law in Dallas since 1971.
Elder Law, Medicaid Planning, and Veterans
Benefits law.
Memberships:
North Dallas Bar Association – Former
President, current Officer and Director
Dallas Trial Lawyers Association – Director
Emeritus
Texas Trial Lawyers Association – Sustaining
Member
American Association for Justice –
Sustaining Member
Dallas Bar Association – Member
American Bar Association – Member
National Organization of Social Security
Claimants Representatives – Sustaining
Member
Personal Injury Lawyers Marketing and
Management Association – Advisory Board
Member
College of the State Bar of Texas – Fellow
Texas Center for Legal Ethics and
Professionalism – Member
ElderCounsel - Member
Veterans Advocates Group of America - Member
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
- Member
Senior Services Alliance Committee of the
Irving Chamber of Commerce - Member
Military Law Section of the State Bar of
Texas - Member
Department of Veterans Affairs - Accredited
by the VA to represent veterans in claims
for benefits, including Aid & Attendance
Pension
Court of Veterans Appeals - Licensed to
practice since 1994
Books:
Seven Fatal Mistakes Texas Accident Victims
Make
Nine Fatal Mistakes Social Security
Disability Claimants Make
American Bar Association Magazine
Articles:
The Client Matters
Rallying the In-House Team
Accommodations for Diversity
A Blueprint for Marketing with Staff
Hiring, Training, and Retaining Staff
Social Security Disability: What Every Lawyer
Should Know
Legal Pitfalls When Hiring Domestic Help
American Bar Association Book Chapter
Contributions:
How to Capture and Keep Clients
Effectively Staffing Your Law Firm
Recent Presentations:
2012, Dallas, Texas
Sponsor: Dallas Bar Association, Media
Relations Committee
Topic: Ethical Considerations of Use of
Social Media
2012, Dallas, Texas
Sponsor: Dallas Bar Association, Senior
Lawyers Committee
Topic: Medicaid Planning and VA Pension
Benefits
2012, Dallas, Texas
Sponsor: Dallas Bar Association, North
Dallas Clinic
Topic: Medicaid Planning and VA Pension
Benefits
2011, Dallas, Texas
Sponsor: Medallion Assisted Living Center
Topic: VA Pension Benefits
2011, Plano, Texas
Sponsor: LifeCare Hospitals of Plano
Topic: Long Term Care Options
2011, Irving, Texas
Sponsor: Heritage Senior Center of Irving
Topic: VA Pension Benefits
2011, Irving, Texas
Sponsor: Heritage Senior Center of Irving
Topic: Medicaid Planning for Long Term Care
2011, Dallas, Texas
Sponsor: North Dallas Bar Association
Topic: Medicaid Planning and VA Pension
Benefits
2009, Cary, North Carolina
Sponsor: Personal Injury Lawyers Marketing
and Management Association
Topic: Attracting Clients Through Blogging
2009, Dallas, Texas
Sponsor: International Women's Insolvency &
Restructuring Confederation
Topic: Using Avvo & Twitter to Build Your
Law Practice
2008, Phoenix, Arizona
Sponsor: ATLAS Lawyer Group
Topic: Client Relationship Marketing
2008, Austin, Texas
Sponsor: State Bar of Texas
Topic: The Ethics of Law Firm Blogs
2008, Durham, North Carolina
Sponsor: Lawyers Inner Circle
Topic: Internet Social Networking for
Lawyers
2007, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Sponsor: Lawyers Inner Circle
Topic: Marketing to Your Client Base
2006, Dallas, Texas
Sponsor: Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
Topic: Preventing Employee Turnover
2005, Dallas, Texas
Sponsor: Carrollton Bar Association
Topic: Ethical Attorney Advertising
2004, Dallas, Texas
Sponsor: North Dallas Bar Association
Topic: New Rules for Attorney Advertising
Blogs Published:
P.I.S.S.D.
(Personal Injury, Social Security
Disability) — About the ways injured
and disabled persons are mistreated by
governments and insurance companies
Kraft Elder Law Blog — Providing
information about Elder Law, Medicaid
Planning for Long Term Care, and Veterans
Pension Benefits
Find Me Elsewhere:
