PETER FLOWERS
Criminal Law
1200 Milam Street.
Shreveport, LA 71101
(318) 424-1111
Peter R. Flowers is a top-notch Shreveport attorney whose practice for the past thirty years has focused on criminal defense. His practice includes many areas of criminal law such as white collar offenses, drug offenses, sex crimes, and crimes against people and property.
Mr. Flowers attended Louisiana Tech University, University of Minnesota at Minneapolis, and Loyola University Law School. He is a member of the Shreveport Bar Association (SBA), the Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA), the American Bar Association (ABA), the Criminal Defense Bar Association of North Louisiana (CDBA), and the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (LACDL). He is currently the Managing Partner of Flowers and Long Law Firm, LLP.
“At Flowers & Long, we are lawyers who care about people personally. We worry about our clients. We respect our clients and make them feel safe and comfortable. They know we care about their problems and that matters to them.”
In addition to handling cases in criminal court, Mr. Flowers negotiates resolutions for professional clients with various regulating boards that oversee their particular industry. For Example, many times doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other professionals have disputes that can be handled by entering into “Consent Agreements”. According to Flowers, “ It is not uncommon for people who work in complex and highly regulated areas to unintentionally run afoul of the rules of their profession.”
“Regardless,” says Flowers, “of what type of trouble or controversy a client finds themselves in, it is critical that they feel understood and respected and are confident that they are getting the best representation available.”
Flowers encourages people to think critically about media stories regarding people who have been arrested and not assume their guilt. “Lots of people say they believe in the presumption of innocence. But typically when people read about an incident in the paper or see it on television, they assume the person is guilty and jump immediately to what type of punishment they think is appropriate for the crime rather than considering the issue of guilt or innocence. With the presumption of innocence, as with most things, it is easier to talk the talk than it is to walk the walk” “In criminal cases, the first thing a judge will tell a jury, is that they cannot even consider the fact that a person has been arrested or indicted. This is because the judge doesn’t want the jury to form an opinion on that issue just because the person has been arrested or indicted.”
When asked about white collar crimes, Flowers said “These days, it’s easy for people to step over the line, rules and regulations governing things such as banking and the proper disbursement of government connected funds can be very complex. Many times people find themselves caught up in the judicial system for making honest mistakes with no criminal intentions whatsoever. Anyone who gets mixed up in the legal system needs a guide. And sometimes, a lawyer just needs to be that guide.”
As a single father of three children, Flowers understands the pressure of working long hours, juggling career and family, and trying to keep multiple irons in the fire. Yet, his passion for his career wouldn’t have it any other way. His advice to others looking to start a professional venture is Commitment. “Only when a person is ready to commit the time and resources to their job, do they have a chance in succeeding, law is no different. Without that commitment, your goal or whatever it is, just won’t work,” states Flowers.
His own dedication to his practice is evident in his success. When asked the favorite part of his job, Flowers didn’t have to think twice. “Winning,” he said, “and the look of relief on a client’s face when they realize that you have just stopped their worst nightmare from coming true.”
Flowers & Long is located in the Historic Red River District on the Red River at 101 Milam Street, Suite 100, Shreveport, Louisiana.
