David G. Cabrales
Of Counsel
David Cabrales is an attorney and lobbyist in the Austin and Dallas offices of Foley & Lardner. He is co-chair of the firm’s Texas State Government Solutions practice group, as well as co-chair of its Economic Development and Government Incentives practice group, and a member of the Texas Corporate Governance Team.
David has been immersed in Texas state government matters for over 20 years, including time spent as a Texas Racing Commissioner, as General Counsel to Governor Rick Perry, and as chairman of the Texas Economic Development Corporation. He represents clients at the intersection of law and public policy, both at the Legislature as well as in front state agencies and local governments. He has particular expertise in resolving matters before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the Texas Department of Insurance, The Texas Railroad Commission, and the Texas Racing Commission.
David is a member of the bipartisan Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee (FJEC), which is composed of leading Texas attorneys who screen and recommend to U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz nominees for vacancies on the federal bench and in U.S. attorney offices in Texas
David started his career as a briefing attorney for Texas Supreme Court Justice Raul Gonzalez. He has an undergraduate degree in International Trade from Texas Tech University and a law degree from SMU, where he attended as a Hatton W. Sumners Scholar.
Awards and Recognition
- Outstanding Clinic Coordinator Pro Bono Award, Dallas Bar Association (2025)
- Selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of Commercial Litigation (2013-2024, 2027)
- Recognized, Top Latino Lawyers, Latino Leaders Magazine (2017)
Affiliations
- Member, State Bar of Texas
- Member, Dallas Bar Association – Securities Section, Chairman (2004)
- Member, Dallas Hispanic Bar Association
Community Involvement
- Board Member, United Way of Texas
- Member, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas Foundation
- Member, Salesmanship Club of Dallas
- Member, Texas Economic Development Corporation (2014)
- Chairman, Board of Directors (2009-2012)
- Appointed to Texas Racing Commission by Gov. Rick Perry (2006-2007)
Presentations and Publications
- Co-Author, “Beyond Management-Friendly: The Shareholder Case for Texas’ 2025 Corporate Governance Reform,” SMU Law Review Forum (2026)
- Quoted, “Project Vault Send Positive Signals To Stakeholders, But They Want More Details,” Inside U.S. Trade (February 27, 2026)
- Presenter, “Update on The Trump Administration’s Push To Domesticate The U.S. Nuclear Fuel Supply – And How Texas Fits In,” Energy Law Section of the Dallas Bar Association (February 18, 2026).
- Presenter, “A Roundtable Discussion of the Future of the Texas Corporate Legal Ecosystem,” Dallas Bar Association (February 10, 2026).
- Guest, “Inside the Short Sell Wars: A Business Lawyer Money Tips,” Business Decoded Podcast (November 18, 2025).
- Presenter, “Texas Business Law Legislative Update 2025,” State Bar of Texas (June 24, 2025).
- Presenter, “(Almost) Everything You Need to Know About The Texas Business Courts,” 39th Texas Forum for Paralegals and Attorneys: Brave New (Legal) World (March 28, 2025).
- Interviewed, “Developers Lie In Wait For Texas Gambling’s Passage,” Law360 (March 5, 2025).
- Guest, “Decoding the Legal Landscape: How Lobbyists Help Businesses Thrive,” Business Decoded Podcast (February 10, 2025).
- Quoted, “Real Estate Attys Eye Busy Texas Legislative Session,” Law360 (January 15, 2025).
- Quoted, “6 Pivotal Texas Bills To Watch In 2025,” Law360 (January 1, 2025).
- Presenter, “Economic Incentives for the Texas Hydrogen Industry,” Texas Hydrogen Alliance (November 13, 2024).
- Presenter, “(Almost) Everything You Need to Know About The Texas Business Courts,” Energy Law Section of the Dallas Bar Association (September 18, 2024).
- Presenter, “A Comparison of Key State and Local Tax Incentive Tools Through Case Studies (Texas Incentives),” Southern Economic Development Council (May 8, 2023).
- Presenter, “The Texas Economy,” Republic of Finland Trade Delegation to Texas (March 27, 2022).
Texas Governor Abbott Directs TCEQ to Freeze All Data Center Permits in a Whole-of-Government Action
Governor Abbott Directs the Texas Department of Insurance to Address Rising Property and Casualty Insurance Costs: What Insurers Need to Know Now
David Cabrales Quoted on Data Center Development Trends in Texas
Governor Abbott Pauses Texas Data Center Interconnections And Calls For Verification and Audit; What Data Center Developers Need to Know Now
Exxon Shareholders Approve Redomestication to Texas: A Milestone for Corporate Mobility
