Cody Cofer
Cody Cofer is a partner at the Cofer Luster Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (certified in 2013, recertified in 2018).
Before becoming a criminal defense lawyer in Texas, he prosecuted misdemeanor and felony charges, both adult and juvenile.
About Cody Cofer
As a Fort Worth criminal defense attorney, Cody Cofer has successfully defended hundreds of clients in state and federal court. He is a former prosecutor and gained terrific experience during his appointment as an Assistant Federal Public Defender in the Northern District of Texas. Cody loves fighting for his clients against the government. His reputation and passion for criminal defense have led to positions and invitations allowing him to serve as a professor, mentor, and instructor to lawyers and law students.
His trial experience includes practically every kind of criminal charge: sex trafficking, drug conspiracy, murder, theft, DWI, and white-collar crimes. He has argued appeals in state and federal court, including the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals; Fort Worth Second Court of Appeals; and the Fifth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals. Meet with Cody to talk about your Tarrant County or Federal criminal case, and to ask about his more than 15 years as a criminal trial attorney.
He is married to his law school sweetheart. They have two wonderfully sweet, smart, and beautiful children. When Cody is not working, he is hiking with his family, coaching kids’ sports, training for a powerlifting meet, or reading a good book. Staying busy keeps him out of trouble. More importantly, Cody agrees with renowned jury consultant Robert B. Hirschhorn that to be a better lawyer, you need to work to be a better husband, a better father, and a better friend.
Board Certified by Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Remarkably, after only five years of practice, Cody Cofer qualified and became Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Specialization. Of more than 100,000 licensed attorneys in Texas, less than 1% are Board Certified in Criminal Law. Only 7% are certified in any area of practice. Once certified, a lawyer must be re-certified every five years. Cody was certified in 2013 and recertified in 2018 and 2023.
Aside from the continued trust of his clients, this is Cody’s greatest achievement. To become Board Certified, a lawyer must have extensive trial and appellate experience. Once a lawyer accumulates the required experience then the lawyer must receive recommendations from judges and other lawyers.
Upon submission of these qualifications to the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) the application is reviewed. If the lawyer meets the objective experience qualifications then the Board allows the attorney to sit for the specialization exam. The Specialization Exam is often said to be harder than the Bar Exam. So, you can see, Board Certification Matters. This sets Cody Cofer apart from most other Fort Worth criminal attorneys.
Texas Tech University School of Law | Doctor of Jurisprudence
Cody Cofer obtained his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Texas Tech University School of Law. During his time as a law student represented the Law School in national mock trial competitions. He also served as an editor on the Administrative Law Journal.
As a third-year law student, he served as the Board of Barristers Vice-Chair of Mock Trial. In this position, he helped manage the mock trial program and school competitions. He received several awards for his mock trial performance, including the J. Edgar Hadley Award, the American Jurisprudence Award in Trial Advocacy, and the prestigious Order of the Barrister.
Not only was Cody a great student and great student advocate, but he also worked his way through college and law school. He carries that same work ethic into the defense of his clients.
Texas Tech University | Masters in Business Administration
While at Texas Tech for law school, Cody also obtained a Masters Degree in Business Administration. This was a great opportunity to become educated in accounting, finance, and business operations. He further developed his communication and project management skills.
Unlike law school, business school requires students to work in teams. Effective management of teams is an invaluable skill set for defending complex criminal cases.
Also, the education related to statistics and data management provided a base for handling criminal cases based on reliable data, rather than mere intuition. This part of his education influenced his data-driven approach to decision making. As an example, jury selection has traditionally been guided by “feel” rather than classifying important information about prospective jurors.
Baylor University | Bachelor of Arts
For his undergraduate degree, Cody attended Baylor University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication. This is the study of messages and their meanings. He received extensive education in persuasive communication, nonverbal communication, and small group decision-making.
Selecting this area to study was prompted by Cody’s love for the excitement of public speaking. However, it has proved to be perfectly suited for becoming a trial lawyer. Aside from studying, Cody worked in law offices and the service industry. Cody was selected as a “Bullock Scholar.” Greater detail about this honor and experience is listed below, on this page.
Partner | Cofer Luster Criminal Defense Lawyers | 2018-Present
Cody partnered with his trusted friend and colleague James Luster to start the Cofer Luster Law Firm. The two trial lawyers met at the beginning of their careers at a training event commonly called “Baby Prosecutor School.”
At the time, Cody was a prosecutor in Henderson County, and James was a prosecutor in Lubbock. As they matured as lawyers, first as prosecutors and then as defense attorneys, they remained close and realized they had shared values and complementing styles. Now they have teamed up to provide elite-level service in criminal defense.
Later, they added a partner, Daniel Collins. James and Cody knew Dan from his years as a regular at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in Tarrant County. Dan and Cody had tried cases together and become fast friends. So, when it was time to expand the leadership for the firm, Dan was a natural choice.
Adjunct Professor of Law | Texas A&M School of Law
Cody has been appointed to serve as an adjunct professor for Texas A&M’s experiential learning criminal law externship class. He teaches future attorneys the technical aspects of criminal law and counsels the students regarding their respective placements with criminal defense and prosecution externship supervisors. As of 2024, Texas A&M University School of Law ranks #29 among national law schools.
Assistant Federal Public Defender | Northern District of Texas | 2016-2018
As an Assistant Federal Public Defender, Cody Cofer had the opportunity to represent clients in more federal cases than most non-AFPD lawyers would in an entire career. While at the FPD, he developed a reputation as the go-to trial attorney for the Northern District of Texas. He tried multiple cases in Fort Worth and Dallas.
He received the highest quality training and education from the nation’s best federal defense lawyers. He also served as the co-coordinator for the FPD Criminal Justice Act Panel continuing legal education seminar directed by the FPD’s Office. Now, he has taken his experience, skill and talent back into private practice.
Managing Partner | Cofer Law, P.C. | 2011-2016
In 2011, Cody moved to Fort Worth to open his own law practice. He began practicing both criminal defense and family law. Although he already had advanced trial experience from prosecuting, Cody knew he needed to get into the courtroom to try cases as a criminal defense attorney. So, he volunteered his time to sit as second chair with many established Fort Worth criminal attorneys. Soon, Cody had a long list of felony trials including murders, sexual assaults, and a variety of other charges.
Besides his volunteer trial experience, Cody was building an impressive resume of his own complex criminal defense trials and appeals. All of the hard work has paid off. Now, Cody Cofer is Board Certified in Criminal Law, and he manages one of the most well-respected boutique criminal defense law firms in the State.
Prosecutor | Henderson County, Texas | 2009-2011
Before becoming a Fort Worth criminal attorney, Cody Cofer worked as a prosecutor. To develop trial experience early in his career Cody joined the Henderson County Attorney’s Office to prosecute criminal cases. He tried a long list of cases included DWIs, Assault Family Violence, Felony Drug Possession, and other cases.
Aside from the experience in the courtroom in front of juries, Cody was able to prosecute several appeals. This led to arguing before intermediate appellate courts and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The greatest benefit received from working in the County Attorney’s Office was the mentoring of several great lawyers and friends, including Sam Hicks (First Assistant County Attorney) and Brian Schmidt (Defense Attorney).
Bullock Scholar | Texas Legislative Internship
As a student at Baylor University, Cody was one of nine students to spend a semester working in the Texas Legislature through the Bullock Scholars Program. The Program was named to honor the memory and numerous contributions to society by Mr. Bob Bullock. Cody served in Senator Ken Armbrister’s Austin Office during the 78th Regular Legislative Session.
Cody researched legislation, represented the Senator’s position in staff committee meetings, and was involved in essentially every aspect of the “In Session” legislative process. This experience gave Cody a new understanding and appreciation for how our laws are made. The experience shaped Cody’s direction going forward. Policy is fun and rewarding, but Cody realized behind the scenes was not his place. So, he started his path to the courtroom.
Professional Affiliations
Tarrant County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association| Board of Directors
Cody Cofer is currently serving on the Board of Directors for TCCDLA. The mission of TCCDLA is to promote superior representation of persons accused of criminal offenses, to promote goodwill in the community, and to educate the public about the defense of individuals charged with crimes.
Tarrant County Bar Foundation | Board of Directors
Cody Cofer is on the board for the Tarrant County Bar Foundation. The Tarrant County Bar Foundation is a charitable organization formed under the auspices of the Tarrant County Bar Association. The Tarrant County Bar Foundation was established in 1997 to support and expand its commitments to “justice, service, and professionalism” by funding important community service projects. These projects include crucial legal services to needy citizens and education of the public about their rights and responsibilities under the law.
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association | Speaker
Cody Cofer has been a member of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (TCDLA) since 2008. TCDLA is the largest organization of criminal defense attorneys in the United States. The association started about 40 years ago. Through the years Cody Cofer has participated in hundreds of hours of criminal defense training and teaching through TCDLA. Presently, Cody is a speaker for TCDLA’s “Riding for the Defense” speaker series.
Texas Bar College | Scholar
Cody is a scholar selected for the Texas Bar College. The Texas Bar College is a professional society of legal scholars who are leaders in the Texas legal community and champions of legal education. Members are committed to high ethical standards and improved training for all legal professionals.
NACDL | Member
Cody Cofer is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL). This organization provides support for criminal defense attorneys at all levels of federal and state. NACDL promotes rational and humane criminal justice policy. We strive for a criminal justice system with: fairness; due process; and just punishment for the guilty.
NORML | Member
As an attorney on the NORML Legal Committee (NLC), Cody Cofer committed to the overall goals of NORML. As one of the top-notch criminal defense lawyers of NLC, Cody regularly defends individuals charged with marijuana offenses. This includes indigent defense and privately retained clients. NLC lawyers work to protect people from unreasonable searches and seizures.
Tarrant County Bar Association | Member & Formerly on the Board of Directors
Cody has served multiple terms on the Board of Directors for the Tarrant County Bar Association. TCBA exists to improve the administration of justice, elevate standards of professional conduct, support professional development, and promote respect for the legal profession by the public.
Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association | Member & Formerly on the Board of Directors
As a board member for Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association (TCYLA), Cody Cofer led many mentorship and networking efforts. This organization provides support for law students and young lawyers to gain valuable education and experience. Aside from helping young lawyers, TCYLA does a variety of philanthropic works in the form of volunteer work and fundraising.
Licensed By
Representative Speaking Engagements
