Jessica Graf

Jessica Graf is an experienced appellate defense attorney who focuses exclusively on criminal appeals and post-conviction litigation. She has built her career around high-level appellate advocacy and has represented clients in complex state and federal cases throughout Texas and across the country. During law school, Jessica distinguished herself as an elite appellate advocate, competing in multiple national moot court competitions. She was named Best Oral Advocate and Best Brief Writer in the State of Texas and was nationally ranked for her appellate advocacy. She graduated in the top ten percent of her class and was selected for a prestigious clerkship with two judges on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the state’s highest criminal court. In that role, she gained first-hand insight into how appellate judges analyze criminal appeals and habeas corpus claims. Jessica later served for seven years as an Assistant Federal Public Defender in Dallas. In that capacity, she represented individuals challenging federal convictions and sentences before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. She litigated and won complex appeals involving sentencing enhancements under the Armed Career Criminal Act and the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. She also represented clients in federal and state habeas proceedings, including capital cases, and obtained relief for multiple clients—among them, securing a client’s removal from death row. Jessica devotes her practice exclusively to appellate and post-conviction work, including direct appeals, habeas corpus petitions, and other post-conviction remedies. Her experience as both an appellate advocate and judicial clerk allows her to provide candid, strategic advice to clients evaluating their appellate options. She is committed to guiding clients and their families through the appellate process by carefully listening to their concerns, clearly explaining complex legal issues, and providing informed, practical