Job Title: Probate Litigator

Location: Houston TX 77002

Salary/Payrate: Salary Dependent on Experience

Work Environment: On-Site

Term: Fulltime OR Contract

Louisiana Bar Admission required: Yes

Referral Fee: AMS will pay $500 should the person you refer gets hired

Overview

Our client, a highly respected full-service law firm, is seeking an experienced Probate Litigator to join its Houston office. This is an important hire for the firm's probate litigation practice, and they are open to considering candidates at the Senior Attorney or Counsel level, depending on experience.

The ideal candidate will have significant experience handling contested probate, trust, estate, fiduciary, and guardianship matters and must be capable of first-chairing litigation matters. The attorney should be comfortable independently developing case strategy, managing client relationships, and handling sophisticated disputes from inception through trial and resolution.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as first-chair counsel in contested probate, trust, estate, fiduciary, and guardianship litigation.
• Independently manage sophisticated matters from initial case assessment through discovery, motion practice, mediation, trial, and resolution.
• Handle disputes involving wills and trusts, beneficiaries, executors, trustees, fiduciary duties, estate administration, guardianships, and related claims.
• Develop litigation strategy and provide strategic advice directly to clients.
• Draft and argue pleadings, substantive and dispositive motions, briefs, and other court filings.
• Take and defend depositions of parties, fiduciaries, experts, and other witnesses.
• Prepare clients, witnesses, and experts for depositions, hearings, and trial.
• First-chair hearings, mediations, settlement negotiations, and trials.
• Work collaboratively with other attorneys and professionals on complex probate and trust matters.
• Maintain direct client relationships and provide timely advice regarding litigation strategy, risk, and resolution.

Requirements:

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
• Active membership in good standing with the Texas Bar.
• Significant experience in probate, trust, estate, fiduciary, and/or guardianship litigation.
• Demonstrated ability to first-chair litigation matters.
• Strong courtroom and trial experience.
• Experience handling depositions, discovery, motion practice, hearings, mediations, and settlement negotiations.
• Ability to independently manage sophisticated litigation matters and client relationships.
• Excellent legal research, writing, analytical, and oral advocacy skills.
• Strong judgment, communication, and client-service abilities.
• Candidates at the Senior Attorney or Counsel level will be considered.