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TO OUR READERS: This profile is independent editorial content produced by Awesome Attorneys. Law Offices of Anthony B. Cantrell did not pay for, commission, sponsor, or review this article, and inclusion in this series cannot be purchased. Nothing here is legal advice, an endorsement, or a recommendation to hire any lawyer; readers should evaluate counsel independently and may verify any Texas attorney’s license and discipline history through the State Bar of Texas at texasbar.com. Facts are drawn from the sources identified in the Methodology section and were verified as of August 2026.
AT A GLANCE
| FIRM | Law Offices of Anthony B. Cantrell |
| ATTORNEY | Anthony B. Cantrell (J.D., University of Texas School of Law) |
| OFFICE | 111 Soledad St., Riverview Towers, Suite 1200, San Antonio, TX 78205 (also serving New Braunfels) |
| FOUNDED | 1989, San Antonio |
| PRACTICE | Criminal defense, including DWI/DUI, drug crimes, assault, sex crimes, and federal criminal charges |
| FEDERAL COURT ADMISSION | Admitted to the U.S. District Courts for the Western, Northern, and Southern Districts of Texas, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court; on the A+ Panel of Attorneys for the Western District of Texas |
I. Choosing Defense From the Start
The firm’s own site frames Anthony Cantrell’s career choice as unusual within the profession: “most criminal defense lawyers are former district attorneys,” but Cantrell “knew he wanted to practice criminal defense when he began his legal career,” rather than arriving at defense work after a stint prosecuting. He founded his San Antonio practice in 1989, and his federal-court credentials are notably deep for a solo practitioner: he holds a spot on the A+ Panel of Attorneys for the U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas, a designation the firm describes as reserved for the district’s most experienced criminal lawyers.
II. A Broader Practice Than DWI Alone
Some of the firm’s own marketing describes a criminal-defense-exclusive practice; other pages on the same site describe a broader “full-service” firm also handling sports and entertainment law, business and commercial law, family law, and personal injury matters. This profile reports both descriptions as they appear on the firm’s own site rather than resolving the discrepancy in the firm’s favor; readers evaluating fit for a non-criminal matter should confirm directly with the firm which description currently applies.
III. Practice Areas
- DWI/DUI defense
- Drug crimes
- Assault
- Sex crimes
- Federal criminal charges (all Texas federal districts)
- General criminal defense (misdemeanor and felony)
IV. Case Outcomes
The firm’s public materials list numerous case captions (e.g., State of Texas v. Buckley, State of Texas v. Burks) without attaching itemized sentencing or dismissal outcomes to each; that gap is disclosed here rather than filled in with unverified detail. One review specifically describes securing dropped federal charges without pressuring the client into an unwanted plea, but this is a single client account rather than a firm-published statistic.
V. The Client Voice
Reviews for Cantrell are genuinely mixed, and this profile discloses that rather than showing only the favorable side. One Avvo reviewer described being “wrongfully charged with a federal charge” and wrote that Cantrell “got my charges dropped” and “did not try to push me into accepting a plea but fought for me all the way until the end.” Against that, another Avvo reviewer described a more critical experience, alleging the firm was slow to assign a dedicated team member and describing friction over the frequency of client-initiated check-ins, though the same review noted the team worked intensively once fully engaged. This mixed pattern, strong outcomes praised by some clients alongside communication complaints from others, is reported here as it appears in the public record.
VI. Community and Local Presence
The firm has operated from downtown San Antonio’s Riverview Towers for decades and also serves New Braunfels. No broader civic or pro bono program is documented on the firm’s public materials as of this research date.
VII. Credentials and Recognition
Cantrell’s federal-court admissions (Western, Northern, and Southern Districts of Texas; Fifth Circuit; U.S. Supreme Court) are independently verifiable credentials distinct from marketing claims. His placement on the Western District of Texas’s A+ Panel of Attorneys is a court-administered designation rather than a self-conferred award. No State Bar of Texas board certification in criminal law was located for Cantrell as of this research date; that absence is disclosed rather than assumed to exist, and the word “board certified” is not used in this profile for Cantrell for that reason.
VIII. The Texas Legal Backdrop
In Texas, a first-offense DWI is generally a Class B misdemeanor, escalating to more serious charge tiers with aggravating factors under Texas Penal Code Chapter 49. Federal criminal charges, a documented part of Cantrell’s practice, follow an entirely separate body of federal law and sentencing guidelines distinct from Texas state criminal procedure. None of this is legal advice; consult a licensed Texas attorney about your specific situation.
IX. The Awesome Attorneys Assessment
Cantrell’s structural strength is genuine federal-court depth, an A+ Panel designation for the Western District of Texas that few solo San Antonio criminal defense attorneys can claim, paired with over three decades in practice since founding the firm in 1989. For a client facing federal charges specifically, that credential is a real, checkable differentiator from firms focused solely on state court matters.
The honest limitation is the mixed review pattern disclosed above: alongside strong outcomes some clients praise directly, other reviews describe slower initial case-team assignment and friction over communication frequency. A prospective client, especially one anticipating a fast-moving matter, should ask directly during a consultation how quickly a dedicated team member will be assigned and what the expected communication cadence looks like.
X. Methodology & Sources
This profile was researched and written independently by Awesome Attorneys in August 2026 without the participation, sponsorship, or payment of the Law Offices of Anthony B. Cantrell. Primary source: the firm’s website anthonycantrell.com (home, criminal law office page, attorney bio, contact). Verification sources: Avvo’s attorney profile for Anthony Benjamin Cantrell (practice areas, client reviews, license status); FindLaw and LawInfo attorney directory listings (federal court admissions, case history). Statutes cited in Section VIII were verified against the Texas Constitution and Statutes database (statutes.capitol.texas.gov).
Publisher Disclosure & Independence Notice
Awesome Attorneys is an independent legal-directory publisher. This profile was not paid for by the Law Offices of Anthony B. Cantrell, and inclusion in our editorial coverage cannot be purchased. Awesome Attorneys may separately offer premium sponsored placements to attorneys and firms; sponsorship status, where it exists, is always disclosed and does not alter the editorial content of a profile such as this one. Nothing in this article constitutes legal advice or an attorney referral.