LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL
Debbie Cartwright
Attorney at Law
Debbie Cartwright retired from employment at the end of June 2019 after a lengthy career as an attorney and administrator in the field of property taxation. She has both courtroom and appellate experience and has contributed to the jurisprudence of property tax law in Texas.
Prior to retirement, Debbie worked with the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, providing legal and legislative counsel during the 85th and 86th sessions of the Texas Legislature. Before that representation, she practiced law with three law firms, served as general counsel for the Bexar Appraisal District, and worked for the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
Debbie was the director of the Property Tax Assistance Division for Comptroller Susan Combs from 2009 to 2014. She was an assistant general counsel for Comptroller Carol Keeton Strayhorn from 2001 to 2006.
In her practice of law, Debbie represented appraisal districts in litigation and provided advice on public law and property tax administration. She received professional awards from the Texas Association of Appraisal Districts and the Texas Rural Chief Appraisers Association. She was the recipient of the Wayne Peveto Award from the Texas A&M Real Estate Center in 2013.
Starting January 1, 2021, Debbie began her work as an independent contractor for LSEJ representing the interests of the firm with the State Legislature.
Debbie received her law degree from the University of Houston and a master’s degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. Her undergraduate degree in secondary education music and history is from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas.
A native of Elgin, Texas, Debbie served as an officer of the Elgin Historical Association from 2017 through 2019. She participated in fund-raising for the restoration of the Elgin Union Depot in 1997 and 1998.
Debbie is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the International Association of Assessing Officers. She is a member of First Baptist Church of Austin and serves as a trustee for her alma mater Howard Payne University.