John W. Shaw
Attorney
From a legal aid lawyer, to practicing in one of the most prominent and respected hometown law firms in Fort Worth, John has gained considerable experience representing clients in state courts and administrative agencies. Regardless of where he has practiced, John has always had a deep-seated interest in the specific problems that his clients face in some of the darkest times of their lives. John is always prepared to work his hardest to obtain the best results for his clients. Whether that involves simple negotiation, pre-trial settlement in alternative dispute resolution, or trial, every decision that John makes is driven by his client’s best interests.
John’s peers have consistently recognized him for his hard work and dedication to his legal craft. John has been A.V. rated by Martindale-Hubbel as a Preeminent Lawyer – the highest rating that a lawyer can receive – since 2014. Every year since 2009 he has been recognized by Fort Worth, Texas Magazine as one of the Top Lawyers in Fort Worth.
John has been actively involved in legal organizations at both the local and statewide level and has been elected by his peers to several offices in those organizations in which he is a member. He is a Past-President of the Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association, was a Director and Treasurer of the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA), and was nominated by TYLA as one of the two President-Elect candidates for the organization in 2015. After losing the Presidential race by a thin margin, John was elected Chair-Elect and will serve as Chairman of the TYLA Board of Directors for the 2017-2018 State Bar year.
Access to Justice is something that John is passionate about. He firmly believes that everyone, regardless of their financial condition, should be able to turn to the American Jury System – the best legal system in the world – to address their grievances and right wrongs that have been done to them. In that regard, John currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of a non-profit law firm based out of Austin called Texas Legal Services Center (TLSC). TLSC provides assistance and training to poverty law advocates and their clients in the areas of litigation support, education, and communication. John is also a former board member of The Ladder Alliance, a non-profit organization that provides women victims of domestic violence with the tools to lead self-reliant, independent, and successful lives through education and training.
John grew up in Lubbock and San Antonio, but has called Fort Worth home for more than ten years now. He and his wife, Kelsey, are the proud parents of two amazing little boys.
Education
St. Mary’s University School of Law (J.D. 2006)
Wayland Baptist University (B.S.O.E. Criminal Justice 2003)
Honors and Awards
Fort Worth, Texas Magazine Top Attorney, 2009-2015
Rising Stars, SuperLawyers, a Thomson Reuters publication, 2017
AV Rated, Martindale-Hubbel, Preeminent, 2014-Present
Awarded “Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Advocacy in Representing the Mothers of the Children of the YFZ Ranch,” Presented by the Poverty Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, 2009
Involved in the Community:
Texas Young Lawyers Association; Chair-Elect (2016-Present)
Texas Young Lawyers Association; Treasurer (2014-2015)
Texas Young Lawyers Association; Director, District 10, Place 2 (2012-2016)
Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association; President (2012)
Texas Legal Services Corporation; Chair (2016-Present)
Texas Legal Services Corporation; Vice-Chair (2013-2016)
Texas Legal Services Corporation; Director (2012-2013)
Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court; Barrister (2013-2016)
Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court; Associate (2009-2011)
Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow
Texas Trial Lawyers Association
Tarrant County Bar Association
Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association
Admissions
State Bar of Texas
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas