Governor Perry Appoints San Angelo Lawyer to State Commission

San Angelo attorney Carmen Dusek was appointed by Governor Rick Perry to the state’s Protect Our Kids Commission. The term expires at the discretion of the governor. The commission studies and provides recommendations to the Texas Legislature regarding best practices and evidence-based strategies to address and reduce child abuse and fatalities.

“My personal goal as a member of the state commission is to study the causes and rates of child deaths that are a result of abuse and neglect. Then with that data, try to see what legislative initiatives can be taken to combat this problem. Any child death is one too many,” Dusek said.

Dusek is well known in the region as a leader in facilitating legal representation for children in not only custody legal proceedings but also an advocate for protecting the rights of minors in general. But her law practice is diverse and also consists of civil litigation representing persons, businesses, farmers, ranchers and etc. in lawsuits of all types. She is one of the few local attorneys who are appointed to represent children in a number of Child Protective Services (CPS) cases each year.

Dusek served as Co-Coordinating Attorney Ad Litem for 400+ children from the FLDS’ YFZ Ranch in the famous Schleicher County case,  In the Interest of Children From the YFZ Ranch.

Dusek, a San Angelo Central High School alum, is a 1992 graduate of Texas Tech University and earned her law degree from her alma mater in 1996 cum laude. She has practiced law with Jackson Walker, LLP and the Texas Third Court of Appeals before becoming a partner at Symes Dusek, LLP in San Angelo.

She is a member of the National Association of Counsel for Children, Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, Defense Research Institute and State Bar of Texas. She is secretary, treasurer and Grants Committee Chair of the San Angelo Area Foundation Board of Directors, a board member and past president of the Tom Green County Children's Advocacy Center, and a member and past vice president of the Tom Green County Bar Association. She is a member of the San Angelo Rotary Club, past board member of the United Way of the Concho Valley and a graduate of Leadership San Angelo. She is also a past member of the Texas and Tom Green County Young Lawyers associations, and Junior League of San Angelo.

Dusek is of one of six that Perry appointed to the commission statewide.