Meet Rick Oliver | Attorney at Law

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rick Oliver and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rick, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
I think there are maybe three main habits that have allowed me to succeed: (1) I’m an effective communicator, (2) I’m honest, (3) I’m reliable.

I’m an effective communicator. I don’t want to confuse that with the suggestion or claim that I believe I’m the best communicator, or the most rhapsodic, because I’m not either of those things. But I’m effective. Most of the time what that means is I speak in terms that are simple, direct, and honest. I don’t bother with a lot of niceties, and I’m no politician. I’ve never had much of an aptitude for telling folks what they want to hear, so I long ago gave up the effort of trying to discern what that might be. I just try to tell the truth. It doesn’t matter to me whether the information I’m about to convey is good or bad, or very complex. What matters is that I deliver it as simply as possible with as few opportunities as possible to misconstrue or misunderstand what I’m trying to say. Generally, if it’s true, I’m perfectly at ease saying it. How it lands on the other end isn’t something I spend a lot of time worrying about.

I’m honest. A lot of what I do for a living requires me to deliver bad news. When folks find themselves in the gears of the justice system, there aren’t always “good” and “bad” options. Too often, there’s only bad options, and my job is to help them pick the best of the bad options. I’m upfront with my clients about those prospects, and feel like the lawyers that trivialize the system or lionize themselves are liars; most of them hacks. What I tell my clients is this: information is clarity; clarity is comfort. My job isn’t to make the bad sound good, or the good sound amazing. My job is to provide clarity. You can’t do that if you’re not being honest.

I’m reliable. If I tell you a trial is the only option, I’ll show up armed for bear; that means more than just showing up in a nice suit. I’ll know the facts. I’ll know the law. And I’ll be ready for war. Every single time. But, reliability means more than just what we do in the context of trials, though. It means I show up to work every day. It means I study the law as it evolves. It means I’m answerable to my clients, and often their loved ones. It means you can rely on me to do what I tell you I will do.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Cockrell, Oliver, and Zamora, is a 3-person firm that is about people. We’re not corporate automatons, and we’re not fake. None of us has had an easy ride. That’s largely what drew us together. It wasn’t the challenges we faced that brought us together, but rather the fact that we’ve all done the basic things a person has to do to overcome challenges: show up and never quit.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’d be terrible at this. I’m a homebody. My best friend lives in Austin. On the rare occasion we get together anymore, I go there to visit he and his family, on account of my lack of talent for tour guiding.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association. I wouldn’t know two things about criminal law or procedure I could rub together for warmth were it not for HCCLA.

Website: https://cockrelloliver.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cockrelloliverlaw/

Other: The Cockrell, Oliver, & Zamora site and social media accounts are currently under construction.