I am a local Bandera Attorney. My office is at 410 Main Street, Bandera, Texas.

I was born and raised in Texas. I am 63 years old. I live in Vanderpool, Texas. I have two daughters: Blanche, who is 23 years old, and Cecelia, who is 20 years old. My daughters are actively engaged in the Uvalde County 4-H program and the Utopia Horse Club. Cecelia loves sports. She plays basketball and volleyball for Utopia High School, runs cross country, and golfs. She is also involved in the local Helping Hands Program. Blanche participates in UIL competitions, and is Editor-in-Chief of the Utopia Times, a community newspaper published by Utopia High School students. Blanche also rodeos, specializing in barrels, and, along with her sister Cecelia, competes in several weekly Horse Club speed events in the surrounding counties. Blanche competes statewide in barrel racing. I am a hunting, fishing, and shooting enthusiast, and along with my daughters, enjoy our life on the ranch.

I have extensive experience in the courtroom. I am a trial specialist, Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. I had to take and pass an additional bar exam beyond what other lawyers have had to take. To obtain specialization, I had to be in practice trying jury cases a certain number of years to be eligible. I was also required to have a minimum number of jury trials completed through verdict, and had to survive the scrutiny and review of judges and defense lawyers familiar with my skills, ethics, professionalism, and knowledge of the law, including attorneys I had cases against and judges I had tried cases before.

One of the areas of law I am certified as a specialist in by the State of Texas is Governmental Liability and Immunity. I have attended since the early 1980’s yearly seminars put on by the State Bar of Texas on how to sue and defend governmental entities. In my 36 years of practice, I have litigated successfully against every level of state government, including the State of Texas, county, and municipal governmental entities. Successfully suing or defending a governmental entity is a complex area of the law, full of pitfalls, mines, and loopholes, and is best left to those specially trained. I have that special training to represent clients in these areas.

Let's give the underdog some force against the powers that would otherwise take them.

I have also previously been Certified by the State Bar of Texas to be appointed as attorney ad litem in Texas courts.

I have been hand-appointed by Honorable James R. Nowlin, U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Texas to be a Committee Member for the Committee on Defender Services (Criminal Justice Act), U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas, to serve as the liaison between the civil bar and the criminal bar for the Federal District Courts of the Austin Division, State of Texas. I still maintain that position.

I am a former Trustee of the School Board of the Utopia Independent School District. I am also a former School Board member of the Dominican Academy in Austin, Texas. I am the acting President of the Vanderpool Volunteer Fire Department. I am a former director of the Bandera Business Association. I have participated locally in many volunteer functions and organizations, including River Fest. I am a frequent contributor to charities and Bandera youth-based organizations.

Should you decide to hire me to handle your legal needs and be your legal representative in any matter, I will be the attorney you can rely on and be proud of. You can rest assured I will do all I can to uphold the tremendous trust and confidence you place in me.

Thank you.

Steve Schaefer bio update.

My name is Stephen L. Schaefer. I am an attorney. I am the owner and President of the law firm of Stephen L. Schaefer, a Professional Corporation.
My office address is 410 Main Street, Bandera, Texas 78003-2676.
My telephone number is (830) 796-8888. My fax number is (830) 796-9696.

I was born April 16, 1955 in Houston, Harris County Texas. I was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1980. I was admitted to the Oregon State Bar in 1993. I am also admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of Texas. I obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration with Honors from the University of Texas in Austin in 1977. I obtained my Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Houston in 1980. I am Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. I was a speaker at the Trial of an Errors and Omissions Case, Plaintiff’s Perspective, at the Professional Insurance Agents of Texas Annual Seminar, 1988. I am a Committee Member, Committee on Defender Services (Criminal Justice Act), United States District Court, Western District of Texas, hand-appointed by the Honorable James R. Nowlin, United States District Judge, Western District of Texas. I am a member of the Austin and American Bar Associations; the State Bar of Texas; and the Oregon State Bar. I am past Vice-President of the Uvalde County Bar Association. I am a former member of the College of the State Bar of Texas; the Texas Trial Lawyers Association; and The Association of Trial Lawyers of America. I have been Certified by the State Bar of Texas to be appointed as Attorney Ad Litem in Texas courts (2002).

I have been practicing exclusively in the field of Plaintiff’s Personal Injury, Negligence, Medical Malpractice, Products Liability, Premises Liability, Automobile, Insurance Code and Deceptive Trade Practices Act Violations, Commercial Fraud, Contractual Disputes, and general civil litigation for over 35 years now. I now practice and have practiced during my tenure all over the state, and in other jurisdictions as well.