Meet Our Team
Steven Shellist is a seasoned Houston-area trial lawyer who focuses on personal injury and wrongful death cases. As the founder of Shellist Law, he represents clients in serious injury matters, including catastrophic accidents, trucking crashes, and wrongful death claims. Through the firm’s offices in Houston and Deer Park, Mr. Shellist and his team have recovered tens of millions of dollars for injured clients, including major results of $20 million and $15 million in high-stakes cases.
Mr. Shellist built his career in the courtroom. Before founding Shellist Law, he served as a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, where he tried more than 65 jury trials and achieved a success rate of more than 90%. He later served as Chief County Court Prosecutor and was selected as one of only five prosecutors assigned to the office’s original Vehicular Accident Team. In that role, he received specialized training in accident reconstruction, DWI cases, and intoxication manslaughter.
That courtroom experience continues to shape the way he approaches every case. Mr. Shellist knows how to analyze evidence, challenge opposing narratives, prepare witnesses, and present a clear, compelling case to a jury. Over the course of his career, he has first-chaired more than 200 jury trials in state and federal courts, giving his clients the benefit of extensive trial experience and practical courtroom judgment.
At Shellist Law, clients receive the strength of an accomplished trial practice combined with the personal attention and responsiveness they deserve. From the firm’s Houston and Deer Park offices, Mr. Shellist and his team work together to provide strategic, focused representation for people and families facing life-changing injuries.
In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Shellist is a frequent speaker on trial strategy, criminal law, healthcare fraud and compliance, and personal injury litigation. He also serves as a legal analyst for ABC-13 Houston, providing commentary on significant legal issues and high-profile cases throughout the Houston area.
Sean T. McAlister is a Houston native and experienced trial lawyer with a strong background in criminal defense, civil litigation, and personal injury matters. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Mr. McAlister earned degrees in Finance and Accounting before attending Southern Methodist University School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctor in 2000.
After law school, Mr. McAlister began his legal career with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office as an Assistant District Attorney. During his six years as a prosecutor, he developed extensive courtroom experience and served as Chief Prosecutor at both the County Court and District Court levels.
While working in District Court, Mr. McAlister handled some of the most serious felony cases, including aggravated robbery, aggravated sexual assault, and murder. He also spent significant time in the Juvenile Division, where he handled all aspects of juvenile cases, from stipulations and certification hearings to trials.
Over the course of his career, Mr. McAlister has tried more than 60 first-chair trials, ranging from first-degree felonies to Class C misdemeanors. He also handled three second-chair capital murder trials while serving at the District Attorney’s Office. As a prosecutor, he earned an outstanding trial record, with only two not-guilty verdicts in District Court.
Mr. McAlister is also a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, an honorary society recognizing attorneys who are among the best trained in Texas. Today, he brings that trial-tested experience, disciplined preparation, and courtroom judgment to every client and case he handles.