MARK RYAN THIESSEN

Mark Thiessen was born and raised in Houston, Texas.  His mother is still a practicing dentist in Houston and his father a local radiologist.  Mr. Thiessen attended the Village School and St. Francis Episcopal Middle School before graduating from the Kinkaid School in 1996.  While at the Kinkaid School, Mr. Thiessen won State in Advanced Acting and was Captain of the Tennis Team.  Mr. Thiessen then attended and graduated from Texas Christian University in 2000 with a Bachelors of Business Administration in Marketing.  While at TCU, Mr. Thiessen was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and on the Dean’s List.

He then came back home to Houston and continued his education at South Texas College of Law (STCL) in Houston, Texas.  While attending STCL, Mr. Thiessen was active in mock trial, various law societies, and intramural football.  He also studied International Criminal Law at the University of Malta during the Summer of 2001.  Additionally, Mr. Thiessen studied abroad at the BPP Law School in London, England and at the University of Hawaii.  Studying in these unique legal environments required Mr. Thiessen to be able to adapt to various social, cultural, ethnic and economic groups, which is evident in his personality today.

After graduating from law school, Mr. Thiessen practiced civil law for three years in cases ranging from admiralty and maritime issues at Bell, Ryniker & Letourneau to toxic tort and personal injury claims at Brown Sims, P.C.  He still maintains many close connections in the civil world.  In January 2006, though, he followed his true calling to the criminal court room and became a skilled trial lawyer.

Trichter & Murphy, P.C., hired Mr. Thiessen as an associate in January 2006, where he worked for over five years.  There, he studied under one of the foremost legal authorities in Texas.

Mr. Thiessen has attended various trial colleges and training seminars:

Additionally, Mr. Thiessen has published numerous articles:

He has spoken at numerous seminars:

Furthermore, Mr. Thiessen is a member of the following organizations and committees:

Mr. Thiessen was elected to the Board of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) in 2010 and is the youngest member on the Board.  He is also a lead counsel for the HCCLA Second Chair Trial Program. He was selected by Thomson Reuters’s Super Lawyers as a Rising Star for 2010 and 2011, and Texas Monthly: Top Young Lawyers in Texas – Rising Star 2011. He was also inducted into Strathmore’s Who’s Who in 2010 and is a Lifetime Member in addition to Avvo.com rating him as “Superb” (10/10) for 2010 and 2011.

Although his practice includes all areas of criminal defense, Mr. Thiessen maintains an emphasis on DWI and drugs or controlled substances.  The trial of a DWI case dictates that on any given date, a trial lawyer must be not only well-versed in Rules of Evidence; case law pertaining to DWI’s; and constitutional law but also numerous areas of science such as anatomy, physiology, toxicology, chemistry, computer science, biology and physics.  A DWI case is the most difficult legal case to try because of the quality of adverse political sentiments against alleged drunk drivers such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), much of the offense being videotaped, and field sobriety tests that have become scientifically standardized.  Also, many DWI’s become more difficult when they are coupled with accidents that require accident reconstruction knowledge; injuries that occurred in accidents that require a working knowledge of anatomy, physiology and medicine; and chemical testing that requires breath, blood and urine.  Clearly, for the skilled DWI trial lawyer, the defense of a citizen accused of DWI is intensely complex and requires a great deal of legal and scientific preparation.  DWI defendants are unique in the criminal justice system and no greater opportunity exists for an innocent person to be convicted than with a DWI charge. 

Mr. Thiessen prides himself in being an aggressive TRIAL lawyer.  If the District Attorney will not bargain or justice will not be served by allowing the client to plead guilty, Mr. Thiessen will aggressively, passionately, and professionally represent you in trial.  He has a strong reputation as a trial lawyer and works hard to maintain that status.

Fearlessness in the courtroom is a byproduct of Mr. Thiessen’s normal routine.  Outside the courtroom, he is an avid competitor in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai.  He is a member of BAZIL-021 School of Jiu Jitsu and has won medals at the Atama Open, Abu Dabai Combat Club, Fight to Win, IBJJF Houston International Open and the Grappler's Quest Tournament. He is also a member of Team Hoger Muay Thai and is a 2010 Warrior Dash finisher.

If you have a case and want an attorney who does not back down, then you must call Mr. Thiessen.