Longtime Fort Bend Attorney Frederick P. "Rick" Forlano has announced his candidacy for Judge of County Court-at-Law No. 2.

Forlano has practiced law in Fort Bend and the surrounding counties for three decades, specializing in trial law in the areas of civil, family, criminal, probate and juvenile law.

He has been involved in the legal community not only as a practicing attorney and named partner in a law firm, but also as a member of the Fort Bend Bar Association, the Fort Bend County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association the Houston Bar Association, the Houston Volunteers Lawyers Association, and the Texas Bar Association, among others.

Holding the highest rating for a lawyer, AV, from the legal rating service of Martindale-Hubbell, Forlano also is listed in Who's Who, Who's Who in America, and Who's Who in American Law.

Forlano is married to Sharon Forlano, a retired teacher and has three children and one grandson. He is a member of Saint Theresa Catholic Church in Sugar Land.

Awarded a B.A. in mathematics from Adelphi University, he earned his law degree from the University of Houston College of Law. He was employed by Shell Oil Company before entering private law practice.

He is admitted to practice before all Texas state courts, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and the U.S. Tax Court, and has successfully represented clients in these courts.

He is also a life member of the Fort Bend County Fair Association, and a member of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce.

A retired Major in the United States Air Force, Forlano commanded a Mobile Aerial Port Squadron and served on the staff of the 10th Air Force.

Forlano was active in Republican politics as publicity chairman for his college Young Republicans, was the Fort Bend County Campaign Chairman for Senator John Tower's reelection in 1978, was a Delegate to the Republican State Conventions in 2000, 2002, 2004, and is a board member and parliamentarian of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Fort Bend.

Forlano believes that a dynamic, hard working judge can make a difference in the court system and have a positive impact on the juveniles that come before the court. He is looking forward to working with the other judges to make the system better and more responsive to the county's needs.

http://www.herald-coaster.com/articles/2005/10/12/news/news03.txt