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2024

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Best Estate Planning Lawyers in Houston, TX

Our Recommended Top 13

We did the research for you!

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Our goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Houston Estate Planning Lawyers on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.

558Reviewed

340Curated

13Top Picks

Learn about our selection process.

Providers

featured provider = Featured Provider

1150 Clear Lake City Blvd. Suite 100, Houston, TX 77062

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Facebook
4.3 (15)
Yelp
3.7 (6)
Avvo
5.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

Your Legacy Legal Care serves individuals and families in Houston. It offers estate planning services to help people secure their family's future and protect their accumulated assets. The team assists clients in developing strategies on how they can reduce the chances of getting sued for fraud, malpractice liability, and personal injury lawsuits for liability in vehicular accidents. It also deals with long-term care and Medicaid planning matters. The firm's managing partner, Kimberly Hegwood, is a member of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys - Texas Chapter.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Kimberly Hegwood - PrincipalActive27 yrs

Houston, TX 77056

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (15)
Avvo
5.0 (4)

Why choose this provider?

W. Timothy Weaver takes a hands-on approach to working directly with clients in the Houston and surrounding areas. The firm focuses on taking the mystery out of legal matters with clear and understandable terms, advising clients of the most cost-effective and least intrusive route, listening carefully to each client’s needs and wants, a personalized approach, and attention to detail. The company provides legal services for matters that include estate administration, elder law issues, will contests, trust issues, estate planning, wills, guardianship litigation, and more. The firm is Lead Counsel Rated, and W. Timothy Weaver is a member of the Houston Bar Association, State Bar of Texas, and the Houston Bar Association.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Kreig Mitchell - PrincipalActive20 yrs

6528 Greatwood Parkway, Sugar Land, TX 77479

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (12)

Why choose this provider?

Founded in 2007 and located in the heart of Sugar Land, The Dean Law Firm, PLLC is a boutique firm originally founded by Julia Dean who holds over 29 years of experience working with highly respected law firms and for her own firm. They focus on serving each client with a high standard of integrity and ethics. The company provides legal services for matters that include estate planning, civil appeals, probate and estate administration, elder law, and more. The firm abides by the Texas Lawyer’s Creed.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Julia Dean - PrincipalActive36 yrs

1500 S. Dairy Ashford, Suite 325, Houston, TX 77077

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

May Law Firm provides estate planning solutions to individuals and families in Houston. Its attorneys assist clients in preparing, reviewing, and updating wills, advanced healthcare directives, and financial powers of attorney. They additionally help parties protect their interests through pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements and guardianships. Beyond these, the team offers probate services. Lead attorney Harold "Hap" May has over 30 years of legal experience. He is also a certified public accountant and is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court and Tax Court of the U.S.

Houston, TX 77079

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

Since 2005, The Law Office of Kristin Kline focuses on giving each client personalized attention for each case with highly-skilled representation. The firm holds convenient evening and weekend hours to accommodate clients throughout the Houston and surrounding communities. The company provides legal services for matters that include estate planning, probate, family law, prenuptial agreements, wills, child custody and visitation, and more. They are a member of the American Bar Association, Katy Bar Association, Fort Bend County Bar Association, Houston Bar Association, Texas State Bar, U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Southern District of Texas.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Kristin Kline - OwnerActive21 yrs

Sugar Land, TX 77479

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
3.5 (3)

Why choose this provider?

Located in Sugar Land since 2012, Romano & Sumner, PLLC focuses on offering effective and efficient legal solutions for each client with high-quality service and attention. The firm promises each client individual consideration and attention to detail, prompt responses to emails and calls, clear answers to questions rather than “legal speak,” completing each case promptly, and urgent legal services. The company provides legal services for matters that include estate planning, asset protection, estate taxes, gift taxes, probate, guardianships and contested guardianships, business law, will contests, estate litigation, trust litigation, and more. They are rated by AVVO, are rated by SuperLawyers, and are members of the Texas Bar College.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Paul Romano - PartnerActive22 yrs

Sugar Land, TX 77479

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (2)

Why choose this provider?

Specializing in elder law, estate planning, and Medicaid planning, The Stone Law Firm serves the state of Texas. They focus on helping clients navigate the confusing eligibility and legal issues to receive access to long-term and medical care for services they can’t afford on their own without assistance. The company also provides legal services for matters that include health insurance, social security, disability and special needs planning, veteran’s benefits, and more. They are accredited by the Better Business Bureau, are a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, and are a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Inc.

Houston, TX 77079

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
4.6 (11)
Facebook
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

The Mendel Law Firm, L.P. is a Medicaid and estate planning firm serving the Houston and surrounding areas. They focus on making each client feel comfortable discussing important issues and offering enough information in each case to make informed decisions in regards to the family’s future. The company provides legal services for matters that include estate planning, financial planning, trust administration and probate, special needs planning, asset protection, business planning, legacy planning, and more.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Stephen Mendel - President & FounderActive37 yrs

3355 W Alabama St Ste 640, Houston, TX 77098

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Based in Houston, Stephenson Fournier serves individuals, business owners, and corporate clients throughout the state of Texas. They focus on working collaboratively and individually to achieve timely results that value each client’s case. The company provides legal services for matters that include estate planning, probate, business law, commercial real estate, business transactions, trusts and wills, and more.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Juli Fournier - Managing PartnerActive38 yrs
James Stephenson - FounderActive49 yrs

Houston, TX 77065

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.7 (29)
Avvo
5.0 (10)
Yelp
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

Founded in 1998, the Law Office of Keith D. Peterson CPA, J.D. serves individuals and businesses in the Houston and surrounding areas. They focus on providing quality representation for small to medium-sized businesses. The company offers legal services for matters that include estate planning, taxation, construction and collection, business formations and contract law, and more. They are rated by AVVO as a Featured Attorney in Construction.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Keith Peterson - PrincipalActive34 yrs

Houston, TX 77098

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
5.0 (22)

Why choose this provider?

Located in Houston, Adair Myers Graves Stevenson serves individuals and businesses in the surrounding area since 1981. Serving clients with a small-firm nature and big-firm experience and skills, they focus on supporting each client with highly experienced support staff, advanced legal software programs, and state-of-the-art technology while respecting the community and creating long-lasting relationships. The company offers legal services for matters that include estate planning, family law, general counsel, intellectual property, real estate, bankruptcy, business litigation, general counsel, and more.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Christopher Stevenson - PartnerActive18 yrs
Christopher Stevenson - Managing PartnerActive18 yrs

927 Main Street, Bastrop, TX 78602

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.8 (9)

Why choose this provider?

Dawson Law LLP is an Austin-based law firm providing Houston clients with services exclusively focused on estate planning, probate and estate administration, and related areas such as business planning. The firm's founder, Matthew Dawson, has more than 15 years of experience in both estate planning and the financial services industry. He takes on even the most complex estate or asset protection cases, and he also has experience creating estate plans for special needs families.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Match Dawson - PrincipalActive10 yrs

6575 West Loop S., #250, Bellaire, TX 77401

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (9)

Why choose this provider?

Nick C. Caridas, Attorney at Law serves Houston and the surrounding areas. He helps individuals and families create estate planning tools, including wills, trusts, healthcare directives, and medical releases. He also assists with medical and durable powers of attorney. In addition, the firm provides estate administration and probate services. His other practice areas are business and real estate law. Founding attorney Nick C. Caridas has been practicing law for more than four decades. He also accommodates clients in Greek.

  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Nick Caridas - PrincipalActive43 yrs

Compare our Top Estate Planning Lawyers

NameExpertise RatingAddressPromotionsLearn more
Your Legacy Legal Care™
1150 Clear Lake City Blvd. Suite 100, Houston, TX 77062
W. Timothy Weaver
Houston, TX 77056
The Dean Law Firm, PLLC
6528 Greatwood Parkway, Sugar Land, TX 77479
May Law Firm
1500 S. Dairy Ashford, Suite 325, Houston, TX 77077
The Law Office of Kristin Kline
Houston, TX 77079
Romano & Sumner, PLLC
Sugar Land, TX 77479
The Stone Law Firm
Sugar Land, TX 77479
The Mendel Law Firm, L.P.
Houston, TX 77079
Stephenson Fournier
3355 W Alabama St Ste 640, Houston, TX 77098
Law Office of Keith D. Peterson CPA, J.D.
Houston, TX 77065
Adair Myers Graves Stevenson
Houston, TX 77098
Dawson Law, LLP
927 Main Street, Bastrop, TX 78602
Nick C. Caridas, Attorney at Law
6575 West Loop S., #250, Bellaire, TX 77401

Disclaimer:  Consumers utilizing Expertise.com are free to communicate and contract with any lawyer they choose. Expertise.com is not involved in the confidential attorney-client relationship. Featured lawyers pay a reasonable advertising cost to market their legal services with Expertise.com and must meet similar selection criteria as other lawyers. All cases are different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

FAQs

  • What does an estate planning attorney do?

    An estate consists of the total assets that form an individual’s net worth, no matter how large or small. Estate planning attorneys use their in-depth knowledge of state and federal laws to help people best manage what will happen with their estates after they die or become incapacitated. Estate planning attorneys can prepare wills, form trusts, reduce estate tax burdens, and decrease or eliminate the need for probate court.

  • What are valuable estate planning services an attorney can provide?

    With the many intricacies of assets, taxes, and state and federal laws that can affect a person’s estate, an estate planning lawyer can be a valuable professional asset, no matter how large or small a person’s estate may be. An estate planning attorney can:

    • Create a comprehensive plan to protect a client's legacy, that includes a will, power of attorney, trusts, life insurance, and advanced medical directives
    • Optimize an estate plan as tax laws, life events, assets, and goals change over time
    • Protect a client’s loved ones by preventing assets from entering probate
    • Help clients designate a person to make important health decisions for them if they become incapacitated

  • Can estate planning attorneys help create trusts/wills?

    Estate planning attorneys can create trusts and wills. Through a will, an attorney can help a client designate their estate’s beneficiaries and assign an executor to represent the will in probate court. These attorneys can also create trusts, allowing a client to assign a trustee to oversee the estate, potentially avoiding probate court and holding assets to be distributed over time.

  • Is estate planning the same as drafting a will?

    While both estate plans and wills officially document how their owners wish to allocate certain assets after their death, there are key differences. In estate planning, a will is often just one of several documents that form a comprehensive plan. In a will, people must designate a person responsible for executing their will after their death. The will can include guardians for their children when they die and beneficiaries to receive an inheritance of money, property, and other assets.

  • What are the steps involved in estate planning?

    To create a thorough and effective estate plan, individuals should follow these steps:

    • Prepare a will that designates an estate executor; indicate who will receive what assets, and assign a trust and guardians for any children. Consider using an attorney if the will is in any way complex.
    • To avoid probate, have an attorney create a revocable living trust.
    • Assign beneficiaries to other assets, such as life insurance policies, retirement plans, and securities.
    • Use an attorney to prepare a living will, name a health care proxy, and create a HIPAA release form.
    • Update the plan every five years.

  • How long does the estate planning process last?

    The length of the process can vary greatly depending on the size and complexity of the estate, the specific law office, and whether there’s an emergency or urgent need. If you’re using an attorney, you can generally expect it to take one to five weeks. You may be able to speed up the process by immediately providing your attorney with any bank statements or other documents they need.

  • What is a trust?

    A trust is an agreement between a grantor, a trustee, and a beneficiary. In this agreement, the grantor allocates funds or real property assets to the trustee to be held either until the grantor passes away or until a specific, agreed-upon date. At that point, it's the responsibility of the trustee to distribute funds or property to the beneficiary or beneficiaries. While there are similarities between a will and a trust, a will is a more comprehensive document that typically requires probate court, while a trust allows assets to pass to the beneficiary without probate.