Daniel Schwalm, founder of Texas Corners Criminal Law, PLLC, has shaped his legal practice by incorporating the invaluable lessons he learned from mentors throughout his career. Schwalm’s legal journey began in the summer of 2000 when he worked as an intern for U.S. Congressman Fred Upton. This experience provided Schwalm with his first real exposure to legislative processes and the intricacies of lawmaking, laying a foundation for his future legal career.

Later, during law school, from 2001 to 2002, Schwalm worked as an intern for Mike Duggan, who was then elected Wayne County Prosecutor. During his time in that office, Schwalm worked under Todd Flood. Flood imparted invaluable lessons to Schwalm. Todd Flood, who served as an assistant prosecutor for Wayne County, pioneered the filing of forfeiture documents for drug houses during a time when no established precedent existed. Later, as special counsel for the Flint water crisis, Flood charged top state officials with manslaughter for their alleged misconduct in handling the crisis. Schwalm also worked alongside the late Burton Farbman while in Duggan’s office. Farbman instilled in Schwalm the importance of visionary leadership and resilience, emphasizing the value of hard work and strategic thinking to navigate the complexities of legal and business matters.

After his stint in public service with Duggan, in 2002, Schwalm joined Attorney Carlo Martina in private practice in Plymouth, Michigan Martina instilled in Schwalm the importance of empathy, teaching him to treat each client as if they were a family member and to offer the same advice he would to his own relatives. This approach became the foundation of Schwalm’s practice, ensuring his clients always felt respected and cared for.

Schwalm loved the public sector, so in 2006, he then worked for the Jackson County Prosecutor. Then chief assistant prosecutor, Mark Blumer, with his vast experience trying cases in 60 of Michigan’s 83 counties, helped Schwalm hone his cross-examination techniques and the art of case preparation, emphasizing the importance of questioning every detail to uncover the truth. Judge Catherine Sala (Lenawee County, Michigan), had her first jury trial under Schwalm’s supervision as an intern while Schwalm was an assistant prosecutor for Jackson County. Current Jackson County Judge Robert K. Gaecke, Jr. faced off against Schwalm in Gaecke’s very first jury trial. At the time, Gaecke was a young defense lawyer and Schwalm was serving as an assistant prosecutor for Jackson County in a felony drug possession case. These experiences reinforced Schwalm’s belief in nurturing new talent and providing guidance to the next generation of lawyers. Attorney Steve Fishman, a formidable attorney Schwalm faced in numerous cases, taught him the importance of writing strong sentencing memorandums, which can significantly influence outcomes in both state and federal courts.