David Cabrales

Advisor

David Cabrales is a renowned trial lawyer with broad experience representing clients in commercial, governmental, and public policy disputes. David previously served as General Counsel to Texas Governor Rick Perry from 2007 to 2009, advising the governor and his staff on a variety of topics at the intersection of law and public policy. He also served as principal economic development advisor for the governor and helped administer the Texas Enterprise Fund, the Emerging Technology Fund, the Texas Economic Development Corporation, and other programs in the governor’s economic development portfolio. Governor Perry appointed David to the Texas Economic Development Corporation in 2010 and in 2014, and David served as chairman from 2010 to 2012. David was previously appointed by Governor Perry to the board of the Texas Racing Commission.

David is on the board of Associated Republicans of Texas (ART), where in 2007 he helped launch ART’s Latino Voter Initiative as a means to begin a conversation with Latino voters about the commonality between their values and priorities and those of the Republican Party. David is also a member of the bipartisan Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee (FJEC), which is composed of leading Texas attorneys who screen and recommend to U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz nominees for vacancies on the federal bench and in U.S. attorney offices in Texas.

During his time at the SMU Dedman School of law, David was the first Latino recipient of the prestigious Hatton W. Sumners Scholarship. David began his legal career as a briefing attorney to Texas Supreme Court Justice Raul Gonzalez in 1993.