Debra M. Esterak
Partner
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Ms. Esterak attended the University of Texas School of Law with the sole intent of practicing school law. While in law school, she clerked at the Texas Association of School Boards and became a staff attorney there after graduation. She joined the Firm in 1997 and practiced until 1999, at which point she was called to serve as the General Counsel for the Senate Education Committee under Senator Teel Bivins. Ms. Esterak was then hand-selected to be the Public Education Counsel for the Office of the Governor under then-Governor George W. Bush. She stepped away from her full-time practice in 2001 in order to raise a family, while continuing to focus on education legislation by working for TASB Governmental Relations for three legislative sessions. She rejoined the Firm in August 2014 as a partner in the Firm’s Austin office.
Practice Areas
- Civil Rights Law
- General School Law
- Labor and Employment Law
- School Consulting
- Board Governance and Policy Development
- Open Government
- Contract Review
- Student Matters
- Employment Issues
- Elections
- Technology
Education
- The University of Texas at San Antonio (B.A., 1990)
- The University of Texas School of Law (J.D., 1995)
- Award for Highest Achievement in Mediation
Activities and Affiliations
- State Bar of Texas School Law Section
- Texas Council of School Attorneys
- National School Attorney Association
- National Association of Parliamentarians
- Austin Women’s Symphony League
- Highland Park Elementary PTA President 2012-13, Executive Board 2010-2014
- Co-Editor, State Bar of Texas School Law Newsletter, 2000-2002
- Board Member, Austin Recovery Network
Bar/Court Admissions
- All state courts of Texas