Attorney Profile

Erik E. Cary born Eureka, California, March 16, 1967:

• Admitted to the State Bar of Texas, 1992; United States Supreme Court; U.S. District Courts, Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
• Southwestern University; Texas Wesleyan University (B.S. 1989)
• University of Texas School of Law; St. Mary’s University School of Law (J.D. 1991)
• Assistant Attorney General, Child Support Enforcement Division (1994 - 1995)
• Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Law Division (1995 - 2000)
• Special Assistant District Attorney (1995 - 2000)
• Associate, Minter, Joseph & Thornhill, P.C., (2000-2006)
• Substitute Judge, City of Austin, Municipal Court, (2004 - current)

While with the State of Texas Attorney General’s office, Mr. Cary became experienced in civil and criminal appellate proceedings in the courts of Texas, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. He was involved in hundreds of appellate cases in various courts including all of the United States District Courts of Texas (Eastern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, and the Western District of Texas), the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States Supreme Court, various Circuit Courts of Appeal in Texas (3rd, 7th, 9th, and 11th Judicial District Courts of Appeal), the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, and the Texas Supreme Court. Mr. Cary served as Special Prosecutor in numerous cases in various counties of Texas while with the Office of the Attorney General. While with the Attorney General’s Office, he was attorney-in-charge in numerous published appellate decisions in the various Courts of Appeals of Texas and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. From 1995 through 2000, Mr. Cary represented the State of Texas in numerous cases involving high-profile criminal defendants.

While with Minter, Joseph and Thornhill, P.C., Mr. Cary (Associate) handled civil trial litigation in the areas of banking, bankruptcy, commercial, real estate, consumer, probate, family, and various other types of civil disputes. Mr. Cary’s practice was primarily within the areas of collections, banking, bankruptcy, and Creditor’s rights. Mr. Cary has represented several Fortune 500 companies and has been a speaker and author on Creditors Rights and Collections issues in Texas with regard to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Texas Collections Act, and collection remedies.

Mr. Cary has been a member of Executive Committee of the West Austin Neighborhood Group since 2001, holding various officer positions. He currently serves as its President. Mr. Cary is a member of the Fellows of the State Bar of Texas, and is a member of various sections of the Austin Bar Association (formerly Travis County Bar Association). Mr. Cary has served for two three-year terms on the Board of Hyde Park Baptist Church’s Child Development Center in Austin. Mr. Cary now serves on a part-time basis as a Municipal Court Judge for the City of Austin adjudicating traffic cases, issuing arrest and search warrants in felony and misdemeanor cases, and serving as a magistrate for Travis County, Texas.