Best Probate Lawyers 2022
LaRochelle Luna P.C.
LaRochelle Luna P.C. is a Houston-based practice that caters to clients throughout the metro. It guides estate administrators through the probate law process and represents them in litigation proceedings involving various issues. These include claims concerning the validity of wills or the mistreatment of trust beneficiaries. The firm also works with agents, landlords, investors, and title companies on matters related to real estate law. Its managing partner, Briseida Luna, is fluent in Spanish and serves as a Mexican American Bar Association member.
Law Office of Troy M. Moore, PLLC
Probate law is complex and usually unavoidable if it involves real estate or over five thousand dollars in the bank. With over two decades of experience practicing probate law for clients in Texas, the Law Office of Troy M. Moore, PLLC provides proven probate support in Northwest Houston. Probate case types include Administration of Estates, Probate of Wills, Heirships, Small Estate Affidavit, Probate as a Muniment of Title, and Affidavits of Heirship. The office also serves clients located Cypress, Tomball, Spring, Montgomery, Magnolia, and Jersey Village.
Schwartz Law Firm, PLLC
Schwartz Law Firm, PLLC, which has offices in Houston and Dallas, focuses on wills and estate planning and probate and estate administration. Its legal team prepares wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and HIPAA waivers. The firm also assists with estate administration, estate litigation, and probate-related concerns. In addition, it advises on guardianship of a person or estate. Steven K. Schwartz II, the firm's founder, focuses on probate, estate planning, and guardianship. He is an attorney ad litem in Galveston and Harris Counties.
Law Office of Jonathan D. Sykes
Law Office of Jonathan D. Sykes is a Houston-based practice catering to local clients with probate and estate planning needs. Head attorney Jonathan D. Sykes performs thorough case assessments and provides sound advice that can help clients make well-informed decisions during probate procedures. He develops comprehensive estate plans by drafting important documents, such as trusts, wills, and powers of attorney. Sykes has more than 22 years of experience in the practice and handles cases in other practice areas, from real estate law to bankruptcy.
Beck & Associates, PLLC Attorneys at Law
Beck & Associate, PLLC Attorneys at Law, provides legal representation for individuals located in Houston. The firm assists clients with probate law matters and ensures that the deceased person's beneficiaries receive their rightful inheritances. To ensure a smooth transfer of assets after death, it also helps clients with estate planning. Managing partner James Beck, nicknamed Randy, has been specializing in probate and estate planning since 1997. He has been invited to multiple speaking engagements such as Smith Industries and Exxon Mobil.
Morris Ostrom Law
Morris Ostrom Law is a Houston-based law firm that handles probate and estate administration cases. This firm is dedicated to helping will executors get through the probate process as quickly as possible so that the estate can be closed and assets can be distributed to rightful heirs. Attorney Jason B. Ostrom has been provided an AV-Preeminent peer-rating by Martindale-Hubbell and has received recognition from Super Lawyers, Houston's Top Lawyers, and Houstonia.
Holmes Law, PLLC
Holmes Law, PLLC, is a business law firm that serves the residents of Houston and its surrounding areas. It assists clients who have probate concerns by helping them with creating business succession plans, drafting last wills and testaments, making arrangements to protect families or heirs, and purchasing additional life insurance. Other practice areas that the firm works in include business dispute resolution, business consultation, business and LLC formation, and oil and gas laws.
Chargois Harper
Chargois Harper provides legal services in Houston such as probate, estate planning, real estate, landlord-tenant law, and family law. It guides clients through the process of probate, from identifying beneficiaries and assets to distributing inheritances. It assists in wills, estate plans, guardianship, and power of attorney. Its lawyers have over 30 years of experience in the firm’s practice areas. Partner Sherlyn Harper has 20 years of legal experience and was a licensed social worker.
The Barber Law Office
The Barber Law Office caters to clients in and around the Houston metro. It counsels and represents individuals and families dealing with the legalities of dividing and distributing their assets. It has experience handling probate cases where a will is not existing, or the beneficiaries are invalidating the will. The firm also handles claims related to estate planning and Medicaid law. Christopher J. Barber, the attorney, brings more than 20 years of experience in the legal field. He holds a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice.
The Bond & Brown Law Firm
The Bond & Brown Law Firm handles probate matters for clients in Houston. With over two decades of experience, the firm provides legal advice for family members, heirs, and executors in handling the deceased’s real estate properties, businesses, and personal possessions. It also guides clients in creating a probate avoidance plan so that the process is not necessary after death. Bob Bond, partner at the firm and a Certified Public Accountant, also handles estate planning cases.
Heights Law Group
Heights Law Group creates estate plans tailored to the needs of residents in Houston. The firm counsels clients in various contested and uncontested probate matters, including heir determination and affidavit creation. Its lawyers help clients in documenting assets for transfer and arranging for federal estate tax returns. One of these lawyers, Tom Stilwell, is a Houston local admitted to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. He previously served on the Houston Area Women’s Center Board.
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Norris & Golubovic, PLLC
Norris & Golubovic, PLLC is committed to providing affordable probate services for will executors, personal representatives, family members, and trustees in the city and throughout its nearby communities. The firm offers help with all steps in the probate process, including proving the validity of the will, notifying creditors, and distributing assets. Attorney Joel Norris is board-certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in estate planning and probate law.
Wright Abshire, Attorneys, A Professional Corporation
Wright Abshire, Attorneys, A Professional Corporation provides legal counsel for probate-related concerns. Serving the Houston area, its lawyers assist clients in distributing assets and administering trusts. They also handle estate planning services covering simple or complex wills, and special needs estate planning. Wesley E. Wright and Molly Dear Abshire, probate attorneys of the firm, are both board-certified in Estate Planning and Probate by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. They are also Certified Elder Law Attorneys by the National Elder Law Foundation.
Looney & Conrad, P.C.
Founded in 1997, Looney, Smith & Conrad PC is a law firm of probate attorneys in Houston with an additional operation in Hempstead. It handles probate court matters, such as deceased persons with no will and heirship issues. The firm's attorneys assist with trust and estate planning, including establishing constructive, credit shelter, discretionary, grantor, special needs, testamentary, and revocable and irrevocable trusts. Other services include criminal defense, personal injury, professional licenses, family, business, and appellate law.
Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry
Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry is a legal practice serving clients throughout the Houston metro area with additional locations in San Antonio, Atlanta, and Philadelphia. Founded in 1965, it provides probate and fiduciary litigation services, including prosecuting and defending matters involving asset recovery, breach of fiduciary duty, charitable gifts, fee disputes, contested guardianships, fraud, will contests, and heirship challenges. The firm's attorneys also assist with heirship determinations, spousal rights, and will and trust interpretation and construction.
Boswell Law Firm
Boswell Law Firm helps clients in and around Houston with legal matters concerning probate law. The firm is experienced in estate planning and administration, drafting wills and trusts, muniment of titles, and intestate administration. It also covers a variety of family law issues, including divorce and child support, as well as criminal law matters. Duana Boswell-Loechel, the firm's founding attorney, worked at Lone Star Legal Aid as a litigation director for family law and probate from 2009 to 2017.
Law Office of Christina Lesher, P.C.
The Law Office of Christina Lesher PC provides clients with comprehensive legal representation from a team of experienced probate attorneys in Houston. Since 2004, it has eased the minds of individuals and their families by preparing probate documents that ensure their wishes are fulfilled upon death. The firm reviews a family's financial situation to draft a will, trust, and powers of attorney that meets their needs. Its other areas of practice include elder law, veterans benefits, and Medicaid planning.
Fleming Law Personal Injury Attorneys
Michael P. Fleming & Associates PC is a law firm serving clients throughout the Houston metro. Founded in 1987, it handles probate litigation cases, such as will contests, intestate matters, improper estate administration, and reviewing non-probate assets and on death designations. The firm's probate lawyers in Houston use their knowledge and experience in the four statutory probate courts in Harris County and the surrounding counties to get clients' favorable outcomes. Other practice areas include personal injury, business litigation, and medical malpractice.
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McCulloch & Miller, PLLC
McCulloch & Miller, PLLC is a legal practice that serves individuals, families, and businesses in the Houston area. Through careful estate planning services, the team helps clients in avoiding probate court by drafting and creating wills, durable powers of attorney, revocable living trusts, irrevocable trusts, medical powers of attorney, and other relevant health care paperwork including HIPAA authorizations. Its principal estate planning lawyer, Thomas W. McCulloch, also deals with public benefits planning and Medicaid crisis planning. He brings over 35 years of experience in the industry.
Guerra | Days Law Group
Guerra Days Law Group is a law firm with offices in Houston, San Antonio, and Edinburg, that serves clients throughout the state. Founded in 2009, its probate lawyers in Houston handle probate cases involving decedents without wills. The firm's attorneys assist families and other parties through the probate process, including litigation involving will contests, beneficiary disputes, creditors' challenges, opposition to the administrator, the validity of the will, and probate bonds. Other practice areas include business, real estate, family, and bankruptcy law.
Patton Law Firm, PLLC
Patton Law Firm, PLLC, offers legal services in the Houston area. It handles probate, which is the distribution of a deceased person's assets. This includes settling outstanding debts and managing disputes among beneficiaries. The firm also assists with estate planning, which involves drafting wills and setting powers of attorney. Small businesses can get advice on forming partnerships and corporations and drafting business contracts and filings. Lead counsel Jaclyn Patton is certified to represent clients in probate proceedings.
McCulloch & Miller, PLLC
McCulloch & Miller PLLC is a law firm in Houston that assists clients with elder law, trusts, and estate planning. It helps families and other parties with the probate process, including the valuation, management, and distribution of the estate's assets, satisfying debts, and filing final documents and state and federal estate taxes. The firm's attorneys also help clients avoid probate through joint tenancy, beneficiary designations, and revocable living trusts. Other services include asset protection, business succession, and special needs planning.
Laura Dale & Associates, P.C.
Laura Dale & Associates PC is a family law firm serving clients throughout the Houston metro area. It assists families with probate and estate administration matters, including complex cases involving divorce and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. The firm's estate planning attorneys in Houston also handle family law litigation, bankruptcy, divorce, property division, appeals, and international child custody. Attorney and managing partner Laura Dale is a member of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists. Services are available in English, French, and Spanish.
Law Office of Monica R. Hennessey, PLLC
The Law Office of Monica R. Hennessey, PLLC, handles the estate planning and probate needs of individuals in Houston. It deals with various types of probate in the state, including independent and dependent administration, heirship, muniment of title, and small estate affidavit. Any conflict that may arise between representatives and receivers of the decedents' assets is also managed by the firm's legal staff. Lawyer Monica R. Hennessey has been practicing law in the area of estate planning and probate since 2016.
The Mendel Law Firm, L.P.
The Mendel Law Firm, L.P., offers a comprehensive range of legal services for clients throughout Houston. It offers probate and trust administration, handling testate and intestate estate matters. It also provides asset protection, incapacity planning, tax avoidance, and Medicaid and special needs planning services. In addition, this full-service firm handles estate planning matters for LGBTQ clients. Stephen A. Mendel, the president of the firm, is a fellow of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys and is also a real estate broker and architect.
Amaral Tellawi Law
Amaral Tellawi Law is a family-owned company helping clients in Houston and nearby areas. It assists individuals in the areas of probate and estate planning, providing services in a boutique, non-corporate firm environment. It helps young professional couples and self-employed entrepreneurs preserve wealth and protect their assets through estate plans. The private practice was established in 2010 by Thais Amaral Tellawi, who has spoken about probate, estate administration, wills, and trusts at over 40 seminars. In 2016, she appeared in Houstonia Magazine.
Law Office of Sharon C. Stodghill
Founded in 2000, the Law Office of Sharon C. Stodghill represents clients throughout the Houston metro area. It focuses on probate and estate administration services, including determining the estate's value, identifying beneficiaries, paying creditors, filing all estate taxes, appointing personal representatives, validating wills, clearing real estate titles, and distributing assets. The firm's attorneys also provide probate litigation for matters such as will contests and beneficiary disputes. Other practice areas include elder law, business formation, and guardianships.
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Lewis & Lewis Attorneys at Law, PLLC
Lewis & Lewis, Attorneys at Law, PLLC, maintains a small office in Houston to render personalized services to its clients. Its attorneys have over 39 years of combined experience in various legal disciplines, including probate. They assist the decedent's representatives with the probate procedure, which involves submitting court documents and administering the estate. If there is no will, the team helps file a guardianship petition to the probate court. Polly and Andrew Lewis, both board-certified estate planning and probate law specialists, founded the firm.
Kreig Mitchell LLC
Kreig Mitchell LLC is a law firm in Houston, Texas, assisting clients with matters involving probate administration. The team handles interstate administration, the probate of wills, property transfers, property litigation, estate planning, and guardianship. Founder Kreig Mitchell has been practicing law since 2003, and he has worked as an estate and gift tax attorney for the IRS. Besides his JD, he also has an advanced tax law degree and a Masters in personal financial planning.
Stephenson Fournier
Stephenson Fournier is a law firm serving clients throughout the Houston area. It's an estate planning and probate practice that assists families with a deceased loved one's estate, such as property destruction, trust administration, fiduciary duties, will validation, estate tax returns, and beneficiaries' rights. The firm's probate attorneys in Houston also help with asset protection by establishing trusts and preparing business succession plans. Other services include counsel for mergers and acquisitions, drafting shareholder agreements, negotiating franchise agreements, and tax planning and optimization.
Hendershot Cowart & Hisey, P.C.
Hendershot, Cowart & Hisey PC is a legal firm with offices in Houston, Austin, Sugar Land, San Antonio, Galveston, and Corpus Christi. Founded in 1984, it handles all probate matters, including trust and will contests, defense of fiduciaries, beneficiary disputes, admissions of wills, heirship determination, and notifying heirs. The firm's attorneys also handle estate administration and conflicts, such as guardianship and conservatorship probate matters, and disputes with creditors and business partners.
Nicholas Abaza - Houston
Nicholas Abaza is a probate lawyer who serves executors and administrators in Houston and its surrounding areas. He provides legal assistance during the entire process, including filing the probate application, attending hearings, drafting letters of testamentary, managing the collection and inventory of estate assets, filing notices, and performing other functions needed. Nicholas has handled over 300 cases in contested wills, probate, and fiduciary litigation. He also counsels individuals going through estate planning matters, contested or uncontested divorces, and real property issues.
Jenise J. Jackson Attorney at Law PLLC
Jenise J. Jackson, Attorney at Law, PLLC, aids Houston clients and their families in preparing for the future. Jackson renders probate services and helps individuals 18 years and older, those with minor children, and families with several assets create estate plans. She drafts documents according to clients' needs, such as healthcare decisions, financial directives, and guardianship. Jackson is also licensed to practice in Georgia and previously volunteered for the Wills Clinics of Houston Volunteer Lawyers and Legal Aid of Northwest Texas.
The Gonzalez Law Group, PLLC
The Gonzalez Law Group, PLLC brings 60 years of combined legal experience to Houston probate clients. The full-service law firm provides multilingual services for estate planning, wills, trusts, and powers of attorney as well as for the probate process involving estate administration, will contests, and guardianship. All attorneys at the firm complete continuing education to stay on top of new legislative trends, and the practice provides flexible hours and free case evaluations.
Stilwell Law Firm
Stilwell Law Firm handles contested and uncontested probate cases throughout Houston. It helps clients with matters like probating a will, determining a decedent's heirs in court, documenting asset transfers to beneficiaries, dealing with creditors in an estate, and filing a federal estate tax return. It also takes on cases related to airline accidents, slips and falls, and business disputes. Founder Tom Stilwell has served as a board member of the Houston Area Women’s Center and has written articles about the Warsaw Convention and the Air Carrier Access Act.
The Law Office of Whitney L. Thompson
The Law Office of Whitney L. Thompson serves individuals and families in Houston. It assists with probate and estate planning matters, helping develop a plan with the correct distribution of assets. It handles wills, asset protection and management, Medicaid planning, financial and medical powers of attorney, irrevocable and revocable living trusts, and guardianship designation. Its legal team also offers legal options for long-term care and special needs planning. Its founding member, Whitney, builds long-term relationships with clients to address each unique situation.
The Childs Law Firm, P.C
The Childs Law Firm, P.C, works with individuals in Houston and the surrounding areas. The office administers trusts and handles probate proceedings and advises clients on the formulation of estate plans and wealth management. The firm also delivers inheritance planning solutions to members of the queer community and holds information workshops for members of the general community who are concerned about the succession process. Counsel Eraka Childs became a lawyer in 1997 and has a bachelor's degree in business.
Nimmons & Fronterhouse
Nimmons & Fronterhouse offers legal services and advice to individuals, small ventures, and enterprises in Houston and nearby areas. It handles probate cases and guides family members or dependents in distributing the decedent's estate. Its lawyers also assist clients by furnishing estate-planning documents, including last wills and testaments; durable powers of attorney; requests for guardianship; and physician directives. The firm's experts have more than 45 years of combined experience and take on cases involving real estate law.
The Filis Law Firm, PC
The Filis Law Firm, PC, helps residents of Houston with probate-related matters. It comprises an attorney and legal professionals who guide clients in navigating through the probate process. This includes applying to the court to probate the deceased person's will or executing an affidavit to close the decedent's estate. The Filis Law Firm also offers estate planning services for parents who want to protect their children's inheritance rights and secure their future. It assists in preparing wills, revocable and irrevocable living trusts, and special needs trusts.
Bromlow Law PLLC
Bromlow Law PLLC caters to clients in and around Houston. The firm employs a family-centric approach, helping families navigate the complex probate process and advising them on different aspects of estate administration. It also deals with estate planning, assisting people to prepare for the future and protect their loved ones' welfare in the event of incapacitation or death. The legal office is led by Laura L. Bromlow, who has been in the practice since 1997. She is a certified elder law attorney.
Expert Answers To Common Questions:
- What does a probate attorney do?
- What is probate court?
- How long do you have to file probate after death?
- Does life insurance go through probate?
- Do household items go through probate?
- Do bank accounts with beneficiaries have to go through probate?
- What happens if no probate is filed?
- What is probate real estate?
- Can I probate a will or estate without an attorney?
- How many years can an estate remain in probate?
- When is a will's probate an automatic process?
- What does it mean when property is under probate?
- Q: What does a probate attorney do?
- A: Probate attorneys are licensed professionals who represent executors and heirs after someone has died. They provide personalized legal advice, assist with tax planning, settle debts, and facilitate the distribution of assets. Probate attorneys typically represent clients during administrative proceedings overseen by probate courts, although some litigators focus on handling disputes and lawsuits related to contested estates.
- Q: What is probate court?
- A: Probate court works with the family or beneficiaries of a deceased person to validate their last will and testament. The courts review the individual's will to identify and calculate assets, pay off remaining debts, and distribute the remaining property to beneficiaries per the deceased person's requests. Depending on state laws, property valued under a certain amount may not require probate.
- Q: How long do you have to file probate after death?
- A: The amount of time loved ones have to file a will after a person dies varies from state to state. While California courts require probate to be filed within one year, New York has no deadline. That being said, it's advisable to file probate as quickly as possible once a person has died, as the process itself can take anywhere from a few weeks to more than a year.
- Q: Does life insurance go through probate?
- A: Life insurance doesn't need to go through the probate courts if the deceased individual has named a beneficiary on their policy. However, life insurance policies without beneficiaries, or with beneficiaries who are either deceased themselves or cannot be contacted, go directly to the deceased individual's estate. When this happens, life insurance proceeds must go through probate court to determine how funds should be allocated.
- Q: Do household items go through probate?
- A: While the exact rules do vary from state to state, most household items don't require probate and are automatically left to immediate families unless otherwise stated in the deceased person's will. When it comes to property, only items above a certain value or held in title are required to go through probate in most states.
- Q: Do bank accounts with beneficiaries have to go through probate?
- A: In the event a beneficiary has been named, bank accounts are not required to go through probate and will be paid directly to the person designated by the deceased individual. However, should that individual be deceased themselves or if contact cannot be made after a certain period of time, funds will be allocated to the estate and put through the probate process.
- Q: What happens if no probate is filed?
- A: Depending on the circumstances, probate may not be required in all cases. If a person passes on and their remaining property is jointly owned, it automatically transfers to the other owner. However, if a property is not jointly owned and no probate has been filed, the executor of the will won't be able to transfer titles or cash assets to beneficiaries. Be aware that the specific laws surrounding probate requirements vary from state to state.
- Q: What is probate real estate?
- A: Probate real estate is the process that happens when a realtor steps in to handle the sale or transfer of a deceased person's owned home to another individual. In some cases, the house is sold as a means of liquidating assets, and proceeds from the sale are used to pay debts or are distributed to beneficiaries.
- Q: Can I probate a will or estate without an attorney?
- A: It is possible to probate a will and close an estate without hiring an attorney. However, it requires multiple steps and an understanding of the law. The first step is to petition the court to appoint a representative for the estate. Next, the executor must notify all heirs and creditors before switching ownership from the decedent to the estate. Once all debts, taxes, and final expenses have been paid, funds can be transferred to heirs. To close an estate, the executor must submit a report showing the court that all obligations and final wishes have been satisfied. While a will and estate may seem straightforward, things can get complicated quickly if multiple heirs are involved, or if disputes or disagreements arise over distribution. A probate lawyer can help navigate these disputes effectively, and take pressure off the executor when beneficiaries aren’t getting along.
- Q: How many years can an estate remain in probate?
- A: If the will or proposed distribution of property is contested, an estate may remain in probate for several years. The timeline depends on how long relatives have to initiate probate, how long creditors have to come forward, and how busy the courts are. In some states, such as Florida, relatives have just 10 days to initiate probate, and the entire process takes approximately six months. In other areas, such as Massachusetts, the process can last one to two years, although the majority of probate activities occur in the first nine months. The value of the estate also affects the duration of the case. For example, California and Texas have simplified procedures for smaller estates, such as those valued at $150,000 or less.
- Q: When is a will's probate an automatic process?
- A: Probate is the legal process of validating a last will and testament to ensure that the decedent's wishes are followed. A probate judge may automatically clear wills if they're accompanied by an affidavit from the decedent, a notary, and a witness. Some assets, including financial accounts with designated beneficiaries, and funds held by certain types of trusts don't have to go through probate.
- Q: What does it mean when property is under probate?
- A: Real estate that's under probate is typically liquidated through the court system, which is most common when someone dies without a will. Home buyers who are interested in this type of property must follow special rules regarding deposits, which are sometimes nonrefundable, and buyer's premiums. Additionally, the court must approve the purchase price.
