Emily Serena Rickers

Emily S. Rickers graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in 2004 and began practicing law in the Rio Grande Valley.  She began her legal career handling probate cases and real estate matters, bringing water, wastewater, and clear title to substandard rural developments. These complex cases helped develop her creative and practical approach to solving difficult problems, working with government entities, elected officials, private landowners, and financing sources to achieve her clients’ goals.  Since then, her practice has expanded to include estate planning and administration, guardianships, and real estate litigation, as well as family law, where Emily found her experience with complex property matters valuable in resolving cases with significant community estates. During the 82nd and 83rd legislative sessions, she also represented clients’ interests before the Texas Legislature as a registered lobbyist.  She is admitted to practice before all Texas courts, as well as the U.S. Southern District of Texas.

As a former legal services lawyer, Emily believes in using her legal skills to serve the community.  Prior to attending law school, she worked as a legal advocate for residents of a family violence shelter.  In 2012, Emily founded a nonprofit with partner Carlos Salinas to advocate for low-income Texas families on matters of family violence, housing access, and property tax relief.  She is especially proud of her affiliation with the Rio Grande Valley Multibank CDFI, which during her service as a board member launched a program to replace predatory payday loans in South Texas.  She was an officer of the Poverty Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, and a subcommittee chair of the Supreme Court of Texas Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee.  Emily and earned a B.A. from Davidson College in 1998 in Political Science and a concentration in International Studies. She is fluent in Spanish and sings with the Chorus Austin Symphonic Choir.