Deandra Grant | |
|---|---|
| Born | Deandra Michelle Grant [1] July 28, 1968 Denton, Texas, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Trinity University (BS) University of Florida (MS) |
| Alma mater | SMU Dedman School of Law (JD) |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Deandra M. Grant (born July 28, 1968) is an American lawyer and legal educator. Grant has authored several publications on driving while intoxicated (DWI) law [2] [3] [4] and serves as instructor at several forensic and legal training programs. [5] [6]
During the 2010 Texas elections, Deandra Grant was the Republican candidate for Dallas County Court Criminal Court No. 8. [7]
Grant was born in Denton, Texas, and grew up in Plano, Texas. She attended Plano Senior High School. [8]
In 1990, she graduated from Trinity University in San Antonio with a bachelor of science degree in business administration and a minor in political science. She received her Juris Doctor from the SMU Dedman School of Law in 1993 and was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in the same year. [9] [10]
After law school, Grant pursued advanced education in forensic science. She completed a graduate certificate in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, [11] and in 2016, received a master's degree in pharmaceutical science with a concentration in forensic science from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy. [12] She also completed professional training through the American Chemical Society and Axion Labs, including certification in forensic chromatography, forensic drug analysis, and other related areas. In 2015, she became an ACS-CHAL Forensic Lawyer-Scientist. [13]
During her final year of law school, Grant worked as an intern at the Dallas County District Attorney's Office. After graduation, she joined the office as an assistant district attorney, where she prosecuted DWI cases until 1994. In 1994, she founded her own law firm and was its executive until 2018. [14] Grant was a managing partner of Hamilton Grant between 2018 and 2021. Afterwards, she founded the criminal defense law firm Deandra Grant Law and became its managing partner. [15]
In 2001, Grant was a candidate for Dallas County District Attorney. [16] She was also the Republican candidate for Dallas County Court Criminal Court No. 8 during the 2010 Texas elections. [7]
Grant has held leadership roles in different professional organizations. She served as president of the Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. [17] in 2022, and previously as president of the DUI Defense Lawyers Association, [18] where she continues to serve as executive director, faculty, [19] and Chair of the DUI Board Certification Committee. [20] She is a member of various legal and scientific organizations, including the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, [21] the Dallas Bar Association, the Society of Toxicology, and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. [22] [23]
Grant has presented at legal seminars and organizes legal workshops on topics such as jury selection, trial skills, DUI, and forensic toxicology for organizations such as the American Bar Association, the DUI Defense Lawyers Association, the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. [22]
After receiving her forensic lawyer-scientist designation, she joined the faculty at Axion Analytical Labs [5] as an assistant chromatography instructor. Since 2019, she has also served on the faculty of the Robert F. Borkenstein Course on the Effects of Drugs on Human Performance and Behavior. [6]
She holds a standardized field sobriety testing instructor certification and lectures at legal and judicial seminars, as well as law schools including Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University, Texas Tech University School of Law, Texas A&M School of Law, and Texas State University.[ citation needed ]
Grant has authored and co-authored books on DWI and criminal defense, including: