Accountability.
San Antonio is the second largest city in Texas and home to one of the most culturally rich and tightly knit communities in the entire state. Military families, multigenerational households, working families — the people here look out for each other. And when a family member ends up in the TDCJ system, that community spirit kicks in fast. People start making calls. They start looking for answers.
If you are in San Antonio right now trying to find the best parole attorney in Texas for your loved one, here is what you need to know.
The top-ranked parole attorneys in Texas are not based in San Antonio. But that matters far less than you think — and we are going to explain exactly why.
The Attorneys We Recommend for San Antonio Families
The attorneys we recommend to San Antonio families are based in Austin and Georgetown — roughly an hour and a half to two hours away depending on where you are in the city.
But here is the single most important thing we can tell any San Antonio family right now:
In most cases, a parole attorney can be fully retained over the phone. No drive required. No in-person meeting necessary.
You call. You explain the situation. The attorney evaluates the case. If it is a fit, representation begins — and the attorney handles everything with the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles from there. Distance is almost never the obstacle families think it is. The obstacle is finding the right attorney. And for San Antonio families, two of the best parole lawyers in Texas are less than a phone call away.
Gary J. Cohen — Ranked #1 in Texas
Austin, Texas | The Cohen Parole Law Team | parolelaw.com
When families ask the Institute for Attorney Oversight who the best parole attorney in Texas is, Gary Cohen’s name leads the conversation. It has for over two decades.
Cohen is based in Austin and practices exclusively in Texas parole law. Not criminal defense on the side. Not a general practice that occasionally handles parole cases. This is the only thing he does — and the depth of mastery that comes from that singular focus is something that sets him apart from virtually every other parole attorney in the state.
His track record speaks directly to why families from across Texas — seek him out. Cases where the odds were long. Cases where families had already been told no. Cases where other attorneys had declined. Cohen has a documented history of finding the strategy, building the argument, and getting people home.
His fees generally reflect both the demand for his services and the complexity of the cases he accepts. For San Antonio families who can make that investment, it may be among the most consequential decisions they make for their loved one’s future. For families who need a more accessible price point, the attorneys below offer exceptional representation at significantly lower fees.
Cohen’s office is at 600 West 9th Street in Austin and can be reached at (512) 476-6201. Retention is handled over the phone in virtually every case — no trip to Austin required.
Roger M. Nichols — Ranked #4 in Texas
Austin, Texas | The Law Office of Roger Nichols | texasparolelaw.com
There is one fact about Roger Nichols that no other parole attorney in Texas can match, and every San Antonio family considering parole representation should know it.
From 2003 to 2009, Roger Nichols served as Assistant General Counsel for the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
He was on the Board’s side of the table. He spent years learning — from the inside — exactly how parole decisions are made. What the Board looks for. What moves a case forward. What buries it. How to build a presentation that gets a real human being to slow down, pay attention, and actually hear a client’s story instead of processing it like paperwork.
His experience as Assistant General Counsel for the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles gives him a perspective that is exceptionally rare among Texas parole attorneys. And when he crossed over to representing clients, he brought every bit of that institutional knowledge with him.
Recognized by the Institute for Attorney Oversight as one of the top 5 parole attorneys in Texas — ranked #4 on our list — Nichols handles both parole release cases and parole revocations. That dual expertise is particularly valuable for San Antonio families facing revocation hearings, where urgency is high and the margin for error is essentially zero.
He is located at 7000 N. Mo Pac Expressway, Suite 200 in Austin and can be reached at (512) 619-8391. Starting price is $4,500. Retention is handled over the phone in most cases.
Mark C. Morales — Ranked #5 in Texas
Georgetown, Texas | Mark Morales & Associates | markmorales.com
Mark Morales has been recognized by the Institute for Attorney Oversight as one of the top 5 parole attorneys in Texas for three consecutive years — 2023, 2024, and 2025. Sustained recognition like that does not happen by accident. It happens because of consistent, documented results over time.
His office is in Georgetown, about one hour and 44 minutes from San Antonio — but for families who have worked with him, geography becomes an afterthought almost immediately. What they remember is how his firm made them feel from the very first conversation: heard, prepared, and genuinely cared for.
Thomson Reuters and Texas Monthly have both recognized Morales as a Super Lawyer — an honor given to fewer than 5% of attorneys in Texas. His career includes over 5,000 successful client defenses, more than 1,500 case dismissals. According to his firm, Morales maintains an undefeated trial record as lead defense attorney in Williamson County. That courtroom background gives him a strategic perspective on the parole process that attorneys without trial experience simply cannot replicate.
His firm handles everything — professional introduction letters, letters of remorse and rehabilitation, detailed parole plans, comprehensive support documentation — and they approach every case with a level of personal investment that clients consistently describe as rare in the legal profession. They call their work a ministry. The families who have worked with them tend to agree.
Mark Morales & Associates is located at 601 Quail Valley Drive in Georgetown and can be reached at (512) 930-5511. Starting price is $3,500. Like every attorney on this list, retention is typically handled entirely over the phone.
Why the Drive — or the Phone Call — Is Worth It
San Antonio families sometimes hesitate when they learn that the top-ranked parole attorneys in Texas are based in Austin and Georgetown rather than right here in the city. That hesitation is understandable. But consider what is actually at stake.
A parole hearing is not a traffic ticket. It is not a minor inconvenience. It is one of the most consequential legal moments in a person’s life — and in many cases, the difference between a skilled parole attorney and an unprepared one is the difference between someone coming home and someone staying in for years longer than necessary.
The attorneys on this list are recognized among the best parole lawyers in Texas — not just in their city, not just in their region, but statewide. Families in Houston drive hours for representation they trust. Families in El Paso make phone calls to Austin. The geography does not change the outcome. The attorney does.
And remember — in most cases, you will not drive anywhere at all. A phone call is how it starts. A phone call is usually all it takes to get representation underway.
Other Top Texas Parole Attorneys Are Available to San Antonio Families
The attorneys featured above are not the only parole attorneys available to San Antonio families. Because parole representation is typically handled by phone, email, and mail, families throughout the San Antonio area can work with any attorney featured on Top Texas Parole Attorneys, regardless of where that attorney’s office is located.
Additional attorneys recognized by the Institute for Attorney Oversight in 2025 include Mary E. Samaan, Lori K. Redmond, Terry H. Peden, Mani Nezami, Cheri A. Abbage, and other experienced Texas parole advocates serving families across the state.
The most important factor is not the location of an attorney’s office. It is finding the attorney whose experience, communication style, and approach best fit your loved one’s situation.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
All three of these attorneys are featured on the Top Texas Parole Attorneys website with full profiles, complete backgrounds, and direct contact information.
Not sure which one is right for your situation? Visit toptexasparoleattorneys.org and use the “Can’t Choose an Attorney?” feature — describe your loved one’s situation and let one of the top parole attorneys in Texas reach out to you directly.
San Antonio families deserve the best parole representation Texas has to offer. It is closer — and easier to access — than most people realize.
Editorial Disclosure
The Institute for Attorney Oversight recognizes and recommends Texas parole attorneys based on factors including experience, client outcomes, professional integrity, communication, and dedication to parole advocacy. Attorneys included in this article were recognized by the Institute for Attorney Oversight (IAO) in 2025.. For full profiles and contact information, visit TopTexasParoleAttorneys.org.