John Withers, Jr. – Balekian Hayes, PLLC Partner
Personal
Born in Dallas, Texas. Graduated from Hillcrest High School, 1979.
Areas of Practice
Criminal Law
Family Law
Juvenile Law
Education
- Texas A&M University – Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
- Southern Methodist University School of Law – Juris Doctorate
John was born in Dallas and graduated from Hillcrest High School. He attended Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, where he played football, studied engineering, and participated in the Corp of Cadets. In May 1983, John received his commission in the United States Army Reserve.
Education & Court Admissions
John graduated from Texas A&M University in December 1983 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. Following graduation, he married the former Mojgan Zarrabi. In January 1984, the two traveled to fort Sill, Oklahoma, where John attended the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course (FAOBC). Following the completion of the FAOBC, they returned to Dallas where John attended the SMU School of Law. As John’s grandfather and former president of SMU, Willis Tate used to say, he ruined a perfectly good engineer by going to law school.
He graduated from law school in May 1987, and in September 1987, John was hired as an Assistant District Attorney by Dallas County District Attorney John Vance. John worked his way through the District Attorney’s Office and became a Chief Felony prosecutor and later Chief of the Commercial Auto Theft Task Force. While at the District Attorney’s Office, he prosecuted thousands of criminals, personally participating in 185 jury trials, including two capital murder cases.
Leadership, Membership & Honors
After John left the District Attorney’s Office, he accepted a position with the law firm of Flecher & Springer, L.L.P. (now Fletcher, Farley, Shipman & Salinas, L.L.P.), which concentrates on insurance defense litigation. On April 1, 1996, John joined his father and started the law firm of Withers & Withers, P.C. focusing primarily in the area of Family Law.
In addition to the private practice of law, John served as an Associate Judge for the Town of Highland Park and a JAG officer for the Texas Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR). He retired from USAR in 2008 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. John is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff Officers’ Course and the 44th Military Judge Course.
John currently serves as a family law attorney for high-conflict divorce and child custody cases in Dallas. He also works as a criminal defense lawyer.
He is among 3% of all Texas attorneys in that he is dual board certified in Criminal Law and Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is a member of the State Bar College. John is also a qualified Family Law Mediator under Section 154.052(a) and (b) of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code. Lawyers Association.
In addition to many professional organizations, John is a member of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists and the Texas Bar Foundation.