Over 25 Years of Legal Service to All Residents of Milwaukee & the Surrounding Area
Biography
Criminal Defense & Family Law Attorney
Attorney Erica Young brings a distinguished blend of legal insight, investigative experience, and public service to her practice. Before earning her law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in Madison, she spent over a decade in public service roles with the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the City of Milwaukee. Her tenure in the Attorney General’s Office and the Division of Criminal Investigation offered her a front-row seat to how criminal investigations unfold—knowledge that now informs her strategic and deeply informed criminal defense work.
While serving as a legislative aide for a Milwaukee alderperson, Attorney Young also gained first-hand experience with municipal governance and the legislative process—adding yet another dimension to her legal perspective.
During law school, she sharpened her litigation skills through her work with the Economic Justice Institute. There, she filed her first lawsuit, successfully negotiated landlord-tenant disputes, and worked to improve rent abatement policies for low-income residents in Dane County.
Today, Attorney Young is known for her passionate and compassionate defense of clients facing criminal charges across Wisconsin. She is skilled in all phases of criminal litigation—from arrest and charging decisions to plea negotiations and trial. Her client-centered approach emphasizes open communication, thorough investigation, and persuasive courtroom advocacy. Judges and juries alike respect her ability to present humanizing narratives that highlight the dignity and complexity of her clients.
In addition to her criminal defense work, Attorney Young is a tenacious advocate in family law matters, handling divorce, custody, placement, and child support disputes with empathy and resolve. Whether guiding a parent through a difficult separation or defending the rights of the accused, Attorney Young is driven by a steadfast belief in fairness, due process, and the transformative power of second chances.
Education
- University of Wisconsin Law School, Madison, Wisconsin
- Juris Doctor
- University of Wisconsin - Parkside, Kenosha, Wisconsin
- B.A.
- Major: Criminal Justice and Political Science
Bar Admissions
- Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin
Professional Associations
- NAACP - Milwaukee Branch, Legal Redress Chairperson, 03/2025 to Present
Honors/Accolades
- CLEO Edge Pre-Law Scholarship Award Recipient
- G. Lane Ware Leadership Academy Participant
Languages
- English
Classes & Seminars
- Leadership Seminar, University of Wisconsin-Madison, La Follette School of Public Affairs, 2014
- Written Communications, Madison Area Technical College, 2012
Pro Bono Activities
- Madison Pentecostal Assembly, Youth Leadership Council Member Madison, WI, 2004 to 2014
- Greater Bethlehem Temple World Ministries, Volunteer Milwaukee, WI, 2017 to Present
- Disability Rights Wisconsin, Board Member Madison, WI, 2018 to 2020
- Council of Legal Education Opportunity Program, Fellow Washington, D.C., 2019
- Black Law Student Association, Member Madison, WI, 2019 to 2021
- Commonwealth Development, Board Member Madison, WI, 2020 to 2023

