He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Washington University School of Law in 1969.
Cherry began his career as a Deputy Clark County Public Defender.
Two years later he assumed the duties of the Special Master of the Las Vegas Hilton Fire Litigation.
The work he did as Special Master earned him recognition since he helped establish procedures which are now a part of mass disaster litigation.
In 1997 he was appointed to the Clark County Special Public Defender's Office to handle conflict and homicide cases.