Charns, M. Alexander

Graduating with a four year Bachelor of Arts undergraduate degree from the University of Texas, Austin campus, in January of 1974, Ms. Early went on to pick up a certificate in Lawyer's Assistant Studies from Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, TX (now Texas State University) in 1988 and was certified by the National Association of Legal Assistants as a certified legal assistant. In 1999 Ms. Early graduated from OCU Law School in Oklahoma City with a Juris Doctorate in law and passed the Texas State Bar exam opening her law office doors in San Antonio, Texas later that same year.

In the process of obtaining all of her education, Ms. Early worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone as an Outside Plant Supervisor in New Braunfels, Texas; as a Chief Assigner Austin, North at the North Loop Office, Austin, Texas; and as a Staff Antitrust Specialist for Headquarters, St. Louis, Missouri in the legal department between the years of 1973 through 1983. While in the Legal Department, Ms. Early worked with the General Counsel, Southwestern Bell and Mark Garlinghouse, Corporate Counsel AT&T on the Department of Justice case presided over by Judge Greenhill, and other corporate lawsuits. The Department of Justice case was one of the biggest antitrust suits in the Country and ultimately split off the operating companies from the parent company- that was AT&T. The cases made it into the Federal Legal Reporter system in 1984 and 1986-1988. Ms. Early later worked as a Legal Assistant for a number of Austin Firms.

Ms. Early has represented clients with serious criminal cases from her first year as an attorney, working on misdemeanors thru first degree felonies and is experienced fighting felony trials to jury. She knows the law and has the experience to work these types of cases to your best advantage.

As a civil attorney, Ms. Early has consistently worked on divorces, adoptions and other family lawsuit cases, including the removal of disabilities as a minor. In addition, Ms. Early is an experienced ad litem representing parents under investigation by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services giving her a broad spectrum of experience and widening her knowledge in these matters.

In the area of real estate law, Ms. Early has prepared deeds in relation to divorce, probate and intestate work (Estate Deeds) and has worked on eviction, landlord tenant matters. Ms. Early does accept foreclosures; however she associates in a federal attorney when and if the matter is removed to federal court. Ms. Early has prepared leases for clients.

Ms. Early does work on probating estates and intestate administrations (died without a will) and has worked on contested guardianships. Whenever the level of difficulty and complexity calls for it, and the client consents and is willing to hire an Of Counsel, Ms. Early will associate in an Of Counsel. On such cases, the other side will often have more than one attorney, and Ms. Early wants to make sure you have adequate coverage on big cases with a complexity of issues and parties who are represented by multiple counsel. Ms. Early has worked on cases that last a number of years and where there are multiple parties and attorneys on the other side.

Ms. Early is not afraid of a fight nor a case that calls for investigation. Ms. Early knows a number of well qualified and very competent private investigators to recommend to her clients when the need arises to hire a licensed investigator. Ms. Early has worked with a number of different professional mediators to use in settlement conferences before trial. She will know who to recommend to use to the client. Some cases require and can not be won without the work of a retained expert in the appropriate field. Some cases require clients to hire more than one expert. Ms. Early can help each client locate those expert witnesses. Ms. Early requires her clients to be responsible for the cost of hiring and paying for the services of their experts and other third party service providers (court reporters, videographers, etc.) for all of their service through the conclusion of the case.