Eric was born in Saint Joseph, MO. His father, Ronald M. Sokol, was a St. Joe attorney for decades who successfully argued a U.S. Supreme Court case while in his twenties (Wilwording v. Swenson). At six, Eric moved to the Parkville area of Kansas City and later graduated Park Hill High School as one of multiple valedictorians. He received a full academic scholarship to his undergraduate studies in jazz instrumental performance and composition in Los Angeles at California State University, Northridge. While attending college, Eric concurrently studied privately with drumming icons Peter Erskine (Weather Report, Jaco Pastorious Band, Diana Krall, Elvis Costello) and Gregg Bissonette (David Lee Roth, Santana, Ringo Starr Band).
Following college, Eric taught and played gigs; first in Los Angeles and then in the Ozarks region of Missouri. He shared lineups with bands including Train, Blues Traveler, One Republic, George Strait, and more.
Eric graduated with an associate degree in paralegal studies from Drury University in 2015. He then worked for years as a paralegal for Springfield-area law firms offering services including personal injury plaintiff representation, family law, criminal defense, traffic citations, bankruptcy, worker’s compensation, business entity formation, contract formation, discrimination, and more.
Eric accepted a full academic scholarship to California Western School of Law in 2018, which he maintained throughout his studies. He graduated with honors, received three first-in-class excellence awards, and was subsequently published in a peer-reviewed law journal based out of the oldest law school in California. Eric’s article on trends in international corporate bankruptcy (insolvency) law, The Fate of Global Insolvency: Neo-Conservatism and New Horizons, was published in the January 2021 edition of the Hastings International and Comparative Law Review.
Eric became a member of the Texas Bar in 2021, and the Missouri Bar in 2022. He now owns and operates solo general practice law firm catering mainly to the Clay, Platte, and Jackson County areas of Kansas City. His practice focuses primarily on bankruptcy, family law, and criminal defense. Mr. Sokol offers free consultations and is open to clients in other practice areas, as well as bankruptcy and federal court cases in Kansas, cross-border issues, and some Texas bankruptcies.
