Eraka L. CHILDS

Eraka is an estate planning, probate, guardianship and family law attorney. As an experienced trial attorney, her practice emphasizes helping people to build, preserve and pass on their wealth. She works with her clients to accomplish their goals while avoiding unnecessary court proceedings and minimizing or eliminating exposure to death taxes.

Her estate planning practice includes the drafting of Wills, Revocable Living Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, Designations of Health Care Surrogate, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts, Charitable Trusts and Foundations, Antenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements, Special Needs Trusts and numerous other estate planning trusts and documents. She also advises clients on Estate and Gift Tax planning, Business Succession Planning and Retirement Benefit Planning.

Born in Galveston, Texas, Eraka is a fifth generation Texan whose father, Samuel L. Childs, Sr. founded the law firm in which she is the principal shareholder. After law school, Eraka practiced labor and employment law nationally for ten years and traveled internationally to conduct employee relations investigations in the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Afghanistan.


Her corporate clients have included Honeywell, Union Carbide, Monsanto, Walmart, Lucent Technologies, KBR, Halliburton, Shell, and Lyondell among many others. Her best memories from that time period center around the people she met and the trial experience she gained. Her corporate clients gave her international exposure; sharpened her investigatory skills, and increased her love of international travel.

BOOK ERA

Eraka is a frequent public speaker, an author, (according to her 1st and 2nd grade Sunday School students) "the Best Sunday School Teacher EVER" (probably because of the cupcakes she brings to class), a member of Jones Memorial Methodist Church, a member of The Links, Incorporated, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, an associate member (a mother whose child has graduated) of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated, a member of The Junior League of Galveston County, Incorporated, and a co-founder of The Houston Family Law Group...But her greatest achievement is being the proud mother of Alexandra, a civil engineering major at Prairie View A&M University and maintaining her friendships of more than thirty years.

Eraka hopes the hallmarks of her life will be her public service, her devotion to herChurch, family and friends, her zealous advocacy for her clients, and her helping thousands of families generate and protect their wealth and legacies.

  • BACKGROUND

    EDUCATION:

    • South Texas College of Law (J.D. 1997)
    • Southwestern University (B.A. 1994)

    LICENSE:

    • Supreme Court of Texas

    FORMERLY PRACTICED IN:

    • U.S. Court of Appeals - Fifth Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals - Fourth Circuit
    • U.S. Court of Appeals - Federal Circuit
    • U.S. District Court - Southern District of TX
    • U.S. District Court - Eastern District of TX
    • U.S. District Court - Colorado

  • PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

    • State Bar of Texas
    • American Bar Association
    • Labor and Employment Law Section
    • Texas Young Lawyers Association
    • Houston Young Lawyers Association
    • Houston Bar Association
    • Association of Women Attorneys
    • Houston Lawyers Association
    • Galveston County Bar Association
    • Galveston County Young Lawyers Association
    • American Inns of Court
    • Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program
    • Texas Bar Foundation
    • National Bar Association Foundation
    • Houston Bar Association Foundation
    • Houston Young Lawyers Bar Association Foundation

  • COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

    • The Links, Incorporated
    • Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
    • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
    • Junior League of Galveston County
    • Southwestern University Alumni Association, Board of Directors
    • Southwestern University, Class Agent
    • Fresh Arts Coalition, Board of Directors
    • Bay Area Council on Drugs & Alcohol, Board of Directors
    • Galveston Historical Foundation Historic Homes Tour Committee Co-Chair
    • Girls Incorporated, Leadership Council
    • Volunteers of America, Advisory Council

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