# How Two Trial Lawyers Built Slingshot Law From the Ground Up
Published: 2026-10-28
Category: Business
Category URL: https://business.express/category/business/
URL: https://business.express/how-two-trial-lawyers-built-slingshot-law-from-the-ground-up/

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_Drew Gibbs and Scott Crivelli brought different courtroom backgrounds to a partnership they describe as shaped by preparation, persistence, and more than two decades of working together._

For [Drew Gibbs](https://slingshotlaw.com/about-us/meet-the-team/drew-gibbs/) and [Scott Crivelli](https://slingshotlaw.com/about-us/meet-the-team/scott-crivelli/), the name [Slingshot Law](https://slingshotlaw.com) is new, but they say the partnership behind it has been developing for more than 20 years.

According to the partners, they met while building a personal injury department at a large Texas firm. They later established Gibbs & Crivelli, grew the practice into Texas and Colorado, and announced the Slingshot Law name in August 2026. The partners describe the rebrand as reflecting their role in helping injured people pursue claims against insurers that may have greater resources.

That work draws on two distinct career paths: one through county prosecution and insurance defense, and the other through military law. Together, those experiences taught the founders how to assess an opponent, prepare for trial, and build a practice from the ground up.

## **Learning How the Other Side Thinks**

Before Gibbs represented injured plaintiffs, he worked as a county prosecutor and then in insurance defense. The experience gave him a close look at how carriers assess claims and potential liability.

“I know exactly how a carrier evaluates a file because I used to be the one evaluating it,” Gibbs said.

That knowledge now informs how he reviews evidence and anticipates the arguments an insurer may raise. His career did not follow a straight line, but each stage supplied something the previous one could not. Gibbs said he would tell his younger self to trust that progression from prosecution to defense work and, eventually, to representing plaintiffs.

According to his professional biography, Crivelli arrived at trial practice through the Army, spending four years as a JAG prosecutor and serving at Fort Sam Houston and Fort Hood. The work brought a disciplined approach to preparation and established a principle that still guides the firm: every case deserves serious preparation regardless of how it initially appears.

## **When an Opening Offer Misses the Evidence**

The partners describe a Henderson County case from 2018 as an example of their approach. In their account, the opening insurance offer did not reflect the evidence of the client’s injuries and medical expenses, and they took the case to trial rather than accepting that figure.

They say the experience reinforced a lesson they continue to follow: an initial offer should be assessed against the evidence and the circumstances of the case. Whether to settle or proceed to trial depends on the available evidence, costs, risks and the client’s objectives; past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

In Texas, that evidence can determine whether a plaintiff recovers anything at all. For claims covered by Texas’s proportionate responsibility law, a claimant cannot recover damages if their share of responsibility exceeds 50 percent. Gibbs and Crivelli therefore place particular weight on gathering facts early, often before a lawsuit is filed. The applicable threshold is set out in [Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 33.001](https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/GetStatute.aspx?Code=CP&Value=33.001).

## **Building Locally in Two States**

The partners report having served more than 1,000 injured clients combined. Crivelli’s professional biography states that Crivelli gained admission in Colorado in 2021 and began developing the firm’s presence there, including its Grand Junction office.

Although some intake and document work can happen remotely, the partners believe a trial-focused practice needs attorneys present in the communities it serves. They maintain offices in both states and prepare each case as though it may reach a courtroom.

Their work also extends beyond the firm. According to his professional biography, Gibbs has volunteered for years as a court-appointed advocate with CASA of Travis County, advocating for the interests of children in the child welfare system. The role is separate from his injury practice, but it reflects another lesson from the firm’s growth: a lawyer’s responsibilities need not end with the caseload.

For Gibbs and Crivelli, building Slingshot Law has meant combining different forms of discipline with a shared willingness to do the work behind each case. The founders describe the new name as capturing a David-and-Goliath perspective on plaintiff’s law, while emphasising preparation, evidence, and local presence as the foundations of their practice.

This article provides general information and is not legal advice.


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