Rick Cofer

Rick Cofer is the managing partner of Cofer & Connelly, PLLC. He has more than 17 years of experience as a felony prosecutor, judge, and defense attorney. Recognized as Best Lawyer from 2021 to 2025, by the Austin Chronicle Reader's Poll, Rick Cofer has been Texas Super Lawyers and Rising Stars. He has also been listed in the 29th, 30th, and 31st editions of The Best Lawyers in America. Martindale-Hubbell has rated him as AV Preeminent (the highest rating based on peer feedback). He is routinely Peer-rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell.

I represent people in crisis. I start from the presumption of innocence and force the State to meet its burden.

For more than twenty years, I’ve lived and worked in Austin, Central Texas, and the Hill Country. I know our region. I know the courts, the players, and the procedures, and I resolve matters discreetly. I’ve tried more than 100 cases before a judge or a jury and I know that great legal work takes persistence.

I grew up in Plano, Texas, and moved to Austin in 2000. I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas School of Law. Throughout my time in school, I worked on political campaigns and policy initiatives from local issues to presidential races.

After law school, I cut my teeth working for a prominent criminal defense attorney before starting a career in prosecution in Travis County, where I served as Assistant County Attorney and Assistant District Attorney. I handled thousands of cases, from misdemeanors to serious felonies, including violent-crime and sex-offense cases.

While most of my work involves representing adults facing serious charges, my practice also focuses on juvenile cases and mental health matters.

I’ve practiced in juvenile courts for over a decade and have extensive experience in complex juvenile law cases. Because I served as associate judge for mental health hearings and as a Travis County mental health civil prosecutor, I am often hired by families to represent loved ones with mental health diagnoses facing criminal charges.