Today we’d like to introduce you to D’Angelo M. Lowe.
D’Angelo, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I always wanted to start my own law firm and planned to fresh out of law school however, I found myself working at an immigration law firm after taking the bar exam. Before entering law school the plan was to practice criminal and family law, however, I found myself in love with the law in general in law school and wanted to experience other areas of the law before opening my own firm. I interned and clerked for judges and firms in the areas of employment law, personal injury, medical malpractice, juvenile law, and immigration law as a law student to make sure I truly wanted to practice family and criminal. I also participated in mock trial, moot court, and mediation and arbitration intramurals as a law student to ensure I truly wanted to go into litigation as solo lawyer. I liked them all but seemingly had a great offer to work as a lawyer at the immigration firm I was employed with while waiting on bar results. I did not have the privilege of not working like some students, I was/am a first generation college and law school graduate from a poor Chicago family.
Long story short, I found myself learning that I passed the bar November 2015 after taking it that July but not being licensed to practice law until January of 2016. As previously stated, I grew up impoverished, which I will go into below, but as a result of my past I had various criminal charges and arrests on my background and was required to argue my case for being issued a license to practice law before the State Bar of Texas. I was once embarrassed of my past and did not tell my employer of the problem with my license, I simply informed him I had a few things to clear up and would have it early January. My employer and I eventually parted ways on a mutual basis January 11, 2016, the exact date I was issued a “probationary” license after coming out victorious at my hearing before the State Bar. I was candid with my employer about wanting to start my own firm and set out to do so immediately.
I decided to stick with the areas of criminal and family law in the beginning of my practice, although I did do a little contract and employment law as well. I even found myself working as a contractor for the immigration firm I was employed with after they reached out to me. During my third year of practice I moved into practicing primarily Criminal and Personal Injury law, specifically car accidents. I started as a true solo attorney borrowing office space from other attorneys that were gracious enough to give me space in return for occasional appearances. I eventually moved into my own office after developing the need for my first part time employee. I have currently been in practice for 3 1/2 years and have a full time paralegal and two interns to help with my caseload.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I was raised by a single parent of 4, having me, her oldest child, at the age of 15. My father was not in my life after my mother moved from the South Side of Chicago to a South Suburb by the name of Harvey, Illinois. I was conceived there and raised there for the most part but found myself attending 13 different schools in 3 different states before entering the 9th Grade. The father of my mother’s 3rd child, who pretty much raised us all during the early years of my life, constantly abused my mother. He was also a high ranking member of the Black Disciple Nation (BD’s) and stayed in a lot of drama. There were many times his violence spilled over into our lives but thats a different story. He was murdered in Harvey after breaking into a home when I was 13. The same summer my Uncle, probably the most positive male figure in my life died. I began smoking weed and engaging in various criminal acts from that point until my early 20’s being arrested over 17 times and picking up around five criminal charges. I grew up with little guidance and no true positive role models. I did manage to fill out one college application, got accepted and graduated, despite nearly being expelled four times. After graduating and having a life changing encounter with law enforcement while being arrested, I promised a family member I would get on the right track and become a lawyer as I had always said I wanted to be. I was required to do a 40 day sentence in the county jail only to be released days before the unexpected birth of my daughter September 20, 2010. Two years later I moved to Houston to attend South Texas College of Law, graduating May 2015 and taking the bar exam in July 2015.
Please tell us about Lowe Law, PLLC.
Lowe Law, PLLC is a law firm primarily engaging in Criminal and Personal Injury Law but also handling select family law cases. The law firm will eventually become a full purpose law firm with lawyers specializing in various areas of the law. I am currently most known for my work in the area of criminal and family law, although most of my current caseload is auto accident cases. What sets my firm apart from others is the amount of care and concern we show for our cases. Further, we truly understand the ramifications of criminal charges and records and approach our criminals as such.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
It has to be when I was 13, bittersweet age. My mom and her four kids, lived in a four bedroom home with my aunt and her eight kids the summer both families lost their fathers/husbands. We were gifted a trampoline from a family member that owned the home and most of the kids on the block would come over and hangout in the backyard. We had a lot of great times together, both good and bad.
Contact Info:
- Address: 7322 Southwest Frwy., Suite 1065 (Arena Towers), Houston, TX. 77074
- Website: www.lowelaws.com
- Phone: (832)953-5693
- Email: lowelaw@lowelaws.com
- Instagram: @tha_kounsel
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lowelawpllc/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lowe-law-houston
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