Our StaffMeet Our Team

Allen Gardner

Allen Gardner graduated from Baylor University School of Law in 2004 and began his legal career experience across various fields, which deepened his empathy and dedication to helping others. He founded Allen Gardner Law, PLLC in 2017 in order to better serve clients throughout East Texas. He seeks to empower his clients to navigate legal challenges and is a strong advocate for our most vulnerable groups.

Allen values moments with his family and friends when he’s not in the courtroom. He’s also an avid outdoorsman and finds peace in a hunting blind or on a riverbank.

Education:

  • Baylor Law School, J.D. (2004)

      Cum Laude
      Baylor Law Review
      National Mock Trial Teams

  • Texas A&M University, B.B.A (2000)

Bar Admissions:

  • All Texas State Courts
  • U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western District Courts
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th, 9th, and Federal Circuits
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Professional & Bar Association Memberships:

  • Honorable T. John Ward American Inn of Court

      Member: 2015-Present
      President: 2017-2019
      Vice President: 2016-2017
      Secretary/ Treasurer: 2015-2016

  • State Bar of Texas

      Member: 2004- Present

  • Smith County Bar Association

      Member: 2004- Present
      Board of Directors: 2007-2009
      Co-Chair of Law Day Committee: 2006-2007

  • American Bar Association, Intellectual Property Law Section, Patent Litigation Committee

      Member: 2006-2008
      Former Co-Chair

Publications:

  • Thomson Reuters – Texas Elements of Action – 2009 - 2023
  • Intellectual Property Litigation, Vol. 21, No. 1 – Remember Your Audience and Stay Simple - 2009
  • American Bar Association – Co- Editor – Patent Obviousness in Wake of KSR International v. Teleflex, Inc. - 2008
  • Intellectual Property Litigation, Vol. 19, No. 2 – Pitfalls in Disclosing Prefiling Investigations and Ways to Lessen Them - 2008
  • Intellectual Property Litigation, Vol. 19, No. 2 – Medimmune: How to Immunize Against It - 2008
  • Intellectual Property Litigation, Vol. 18, No. 4 – The Practical Side of eBay - 2007

Awards:

  • Super Lawyer 2014 – 2023
  • Rising Star- Super Lawyers 2007 – 2013

Speaking Engagements:

  • Eastern District of Texas Bench Bar Conference – Moderator – E- Discovery. Insights from the Drafting Table & Other Views from the Bench. Come December, What will New E-Discovery Look Like – 2015
  • Eastern District of Texas Bench Bar Conference – Twombly and Rule 11 Due Diligence – East Texas Style – 2010
  • American Bar Association Annual Meeting – The Outcome of CIPRO and Its Effect on Reverse Engineering – 2010
  • Continuing Legal Education Teleconference – Microsoft v. AT&T: Does U.S. Patent Law Apply to Exported Software? – 2007

Work Experience:

  • Allen Gardner Law, PLLC – Partner: 2017 – Present
  • Gillam & Smith, LLP – Partner: 2015 – 2017
  • Potter Minton, P.C. – Partner: 2004 – 2015
  • Vaughn Construction Company – Project Engineer: 2000 – 2001

Matt Schaefer Of Counsel

Matt Schaefer is a Christian, a husband, a father, and a sixth generation Texan. He is married to Jasilyn, who directed the Apache Belles of Tyler Junior College for over a decade. They are the parents of two young children. Matt’s presence in the courtroom brings his unique experience from the private sector and public service. He was an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve and retired as a Lieutenant Commander in 2021. Matt gained trial and transactional experience as a small-town lawyer before being called to active duty. In 2010, he served in Afghanistan near the Iranian border with a provincial reconstruction team. Matt served for twelve years in the Texas House of Representatives representing Tyler and most of Smith County. He chose to return to the private sector when his sixth term ended in January of 2025.

In the Texas Legislature, Matt was often a key negotiator on major legislation and authored the landmark constitutional carry bill, which restored the freedom of law-abiding Texans to carry handguns. Matt worked directly with Governor Abbott, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, and three different House Speakers. He served as the founding chairman of the Texas Freedom Caucus, championed many pro-life measures, and was the author of legislation restoring plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and other vocational courses in public schools. Matt was named to the Texas Monthly “Best Legislators” list.

Growing up during hard financial times meant Matt learned to work at an early age. His first job was at the age of thirteen, when he hoed weeds in peanut fields for minimum wage. Throughout high school, Matt worked mowing lawns, fixing fences, hauling hay, and sacking groceries. He played football at Cisco Junior College before heading to Texas Tech. Matt paid his living expenses in college by running his own window washing business, working at an iron foundry, and as a bank clerk.

Education:

Cisco Junior College 1994-95 Football - linebacker
Texas Tech University 1998 Finance B.A.
Texas Tech University Law School 2005 Doctor of Jurisprudence cum laude

Bar Admissions:

  • All Texas State Courts

Bar Association Membership:

  • State Bar of Texas 2005 - Present