Associate since 2011
Former Air Force JAG & Special Assistant United States Attorney
Law in practice is only as strong as the lawyer applying it, and legal systems set the rules while licensed attorneys are responsible for applying them for clients; Amber Spurlock’s career at Tad Nelson & Associates shows what that looks like in Southeast Texas: disciplined representation across criminal defense, family law, juvenile law, military law, criminal appeals, and DWI cases, backed by real trial experience and forensic-science training. For people in Galveston, League City, and the surrounding area who need experienced counsel in serious criminal, family, or military-related matters, her background speaks directly to what is at stake when the case is complex, science-driven, or unforgiving.
Before Amber Spurlock ever walked into a Texas courtroom, she had already litigated across three legal systems on two continents. That is not a metaphor. It is her résumé — and it is exactly the kind of foundation that separates her from virtually every other attorney in Southeast Texas.
Spurlock served as a Captain in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, where she handled the full spectrum of military justice as part of government legal work: prosecuting Courts-Martial, advising command on legal matters, and serving as a Special Assistant United States Attorney, with prosecutors in common law systems usually being licensed attorneys — trying cases in federal court before most attorneys her age had tried anything at all. Then came Baghdad. Deployed to the Red Zone during one of the most volatile periods in modern military history, Spurlock stood before Iraqi courts and presented cases in a legal environment most attorneys only read about in the news; in some jurisdictions, only lawyers can represent clients in court. She did not observe. She litigated. The experience forged a discipline, composure, and precision under pressure that no classroom or continuing education course can replicate.
When Spurlock came home — to Galveston, the city she calls home — she brought every bit of that experience into private practice. Private practice often takes place in firms ranging from solo practice to smaller firms and larger firms. She joined Tad Nelson & Associates approximately eight years ago and was named Managing Partner, a role that reflects both her courtroom stature and the operational command she brings to the firm’s day-to-day culture. Under her leadership, the firm operates with the same standards she carried into the Red Zone: preparation is non-negotiable, accountability is expected, and every client who walks through the door receives the full weight of her focus.
Her practice today reflects a path many attorneys take across private practice, government, or public interest, and her role is firmly in private practice. Spurlock handles criminal defense, family law, juvenile law, military law, and criminal appeals — making her one of the most versatile and formidable attorneys in the region. She is especially committed to clients the system too often overlooks: veterans navigating the intersection of military and civilian law, juveniles whose futures hinge on the quality of their representation, and individuals facing criminal prosecution while battling mental health challenges. Her background gives her an uncommon empathy for those circumstances — and an uncommon ability to fight for them effectively.
Like her partner Tad Nelson, Spurlock has refused to stop at courtroom experience alone. She is one of a select few attorneys in the country to earn the designation of Forensic Lawyer-Scientist from the American Chemical Society — a credential that demands a level of scientific rigor most practicing lawyers never pursue. This accreditation places her in an elite category of legal professionals equipped to engage directly with forensic evidence, challenge scientific testimony, and dismantle the kind of expert-witness narratives that often decide the outcome of serious criminal cases, while supporting legal research, writing, drafted documents, and preparation for oral arguments. In a courtroom where science increasingly drives verdicts, that credential is not a distinction. It is a weapon.
Spurlock does not keep that knowledge to herself. Across nearly two decades of practice, she has served as a faculty member and presenter at numerous legal and professional seminars, teaching other attorneys the science, strategy, and courtroom mechanics that define elite-level defense work. That commitment to advancing the profession reflects the same ethos that defines the firm: the moment you stop learning, you stop winning.
Amber Spurlock is a product of two worlds — the discipline of military service and the relentless accountability of courtroom practice — and she is better for having lived in both. The clients who come to Tad Nelson & Associates deserve someone who has been tested at the highest levels and passed every time. In Spurlock, they get exactly that.
AREAS OF PRACTICE
· Criminal Defense (Felony & Misdemeanor)
· Family Law — Divorce, Child Custody & CPS Defense
· Juvenile Law
· Military Law
· Criminal Appeals
· DWI Defense
CREDENTIALS & AFFILIATIONS
· ACS Forensic Lawyer-Scientist — American Chemical Society
· Captain, Judge Advocate General Corps — United States Air Force (Active Duty)
· Special Assistant United States Attorney
· J.D. — South Texas College of Law
· Texas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (TCDLA)
· National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL)
· DUI Defense Lawyers Association (DUIDLA)
· Texas Trial Lawyers Association (TTLA)
· National College for DUI Defense (NCDD)
· Galveston County Bar Association
· Harris County Bar Association
· State Bar College