Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2027 
Erik D. Garza is the managing partner of SBSB’s Galveston office. An accomplished legal career has taken him from the courtroom to the boardroom, as he has encountered trials at both the state and federal levels and has served as General Counsel in more than a dozen board meetings. Before joining the firm in April 2024, he served as Vice President and General Counsel at ABS Group of Companies, Inc. Prior to that, he served as Associate General Counsel for the international classification society American Bureau of Shipping, supporting its Americas operations.
Mr. Garza earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University before going on to graduate with his Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall University School of Law. Today, his practice centers primarily on admiralty and maritime, energy, insurance and general counsel matters. He has represented clients from vessel owners and charterers to P&I clubs and marine insurers in all manner of marine casualty losses and contract disputes. He has represented clients in state, federal and administrative courts as well as before the United States Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board. In addition to his notoriety on Galveston Island, his work has earned national recognition, including an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Mr. Garza is admitted to the State Bar of Texas and is licensed to practice before every U.S. District Court in the state, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a certified Proctor in Admiralty with the Maritime Law Association of the United States and has been recognized as a Rising Star in Transportation and Maritime by Super Lawyers and a Houston Top Lawyer in Energy and Natural Resources by H Texas Magazine.
