Curt Schwake & Brad Zielinski: Legal Counsel and Advisory Partners
Legal counsel & advisory partners
Attorneys Curt Schwake and Brad Zielinski combined deep backgrounds in public safety enforcement, state government, and military service to provide foundational guidance to ChaplainUSA on the complex legal dynamics of law enforcement chaplaincy.
Their joint work focused on helping chaplains, peer support teams, and agency leaders understand the evolving statutory boundaries of clergy-penitent privilege, mandatory reporting requirements, and confidentiality protections. As Curt Schwake noted regarding public safety ministry: “It’s my fear that many don’t fully understand that privilege is not theirs to waive. Making sense of the ever-changing laws can be tricky for many chaplains.”
Curt H. Schwake
Curt Schwake is an experienced trial and appellate attorney, former Texas Assistant Attorney General, and retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force General Staff (Tenth Air Force). A graduate of Texas A&M University (B.S., 1982) and Baylor University Law School (J.D., 1986), Schwake’s legal practice spans complex business litigation, appellate law, administrative regulations, and emerging technologies. He currently practices with McGinnis Lochridge in Austin, Texas, representing corporate clients, financial institutions, and regional organizations.
Bradford L. Zielinski
Brad Zielinski brought direct operational law enforcement experience to his legal practice as a former Texas Highway Patrolman with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). Following his field service, Zielinski served as Deputy General Counsel for the Texas Department of Public Safety, providing executive legal guidance on departmental operations, trooper representation, and state administrative law. Leveraging his background in uniform patrol and state agency counsel, he has represented first responders, law enforcement organizations, and private clients across Texas.