Estate planning in Texas involves structuring wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and beneficiary designations under a framework shaped by the Texas Estates Code, which permits independent administration and recognizes holographic wills. Because Texas imposes no state estate tax, planning strategies often focus on asset protection, trust structuring, and minimizing federal tax exposure for larger estates.
1. Ford + Bergner LLP
Managing Partner: Don D. Ford III
Founded: 1999
Headquarters: Houston, TX
Phone: (713) 843-7796
Website: https://fordbergner.com
Office Locations:
- Houston: 700 Louisiana St, Floor 48, Houston, TX 77002 | (713) 843-7796
- Dallas: 901 Main Street, 33rd Floor, Dallas, TX 75202 | (214) 389-0887
- Austin: Austin, TX | (512) 610-1100
Practice Areas: Estate planning, probate, trust administration, guardianship, fiduciary litigation, appellate law
Firm Size: Approximately 10 attorneys
Fee Structure: Contact firm for fee details
Languages: English
About the Firm: Ford + Bergner LLP is a boutique Texas firm focused exclusively on estate planning, probate, trust, and guardianship matters, with offices in Houston, Dallas, and Austin. Founded in 1999, the firm has been operating for 27 years and has developed concentrated experience in contested probate and estate litigation. Managing Partner Don D. Ford III is board certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction held by fewer than 3% of licensed Texas attorneys. The firm also handles appellate matters in contested estate, trust, and guardianship cases. Attorneys at the firm have been recognized on the Texas Super Lawyers list, which reflects peer evaluation among the top 5% of attorneys in the state. Clients across Houston, Dallas, and Austin turn to the firm for both transactional estate planning and courtroom representation.
2. The Blum Firm, P.C.
Founder: Marvin E. Blum
Founded: 1980
Headquarters: Fort Worth, TX
Phone: (817) 334-0066
Website: https://www.theblumfirm.com
Office Locations:
- Fort Worth: 777 Main Street, Suite 550, Fort Worth, TX 76102 | (817) 334-0066
- Dallas: 300 Crescent Court, Suite 1350, Dallas, TX 75201 | (214) 751-2130
- Austin: 303 Colorado Street, Suite 2550, Austin, TX 78701 | (512) 579-4060
- Houston: 2800 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 4100, Houston, TX 77056 | (713) 489-7727
Practice Areas: Estate planning, tax planning, asset protection, business succession planning, charitable planning, probate, guardianship, fiduciary litigation, family legacy planning
Firm Size: Not publicly specified
Fee Structure: Contact firm for fee details
Languages: English
About the Firm: The Blum Firm, P.C. was established in Fort Worth in 1980 by Marvin E. Blum, giving the firm 46 years of concentrated experience in estate and tax planning. Marvin Blum is both an attorney and a Certified Public Accountant, and he is board certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. The firm has grown to serve clients from four Texas offices in Fort Worth, Dallas, Austin, and Houston. Its practice spans trust and tax planning, asset protection, business succession, charitable structures, and fiduciary litigation. The firm was ranked Tier 1 in Trusts and Estates Law in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area in the 2025 edition of Best Law Firms by Best Lawyers. Attorneys at the firm have also been recognized individually in the Best Lawyers publication for Trusts and Estates work.
3. Robbins Estate Law
Founder: Kyle Robbins
Founded: 2017
Headquarters: Austin, TX
Phone: (512) 643-9341
Website: https://robbinsestatelaw.com
Office Locations:
- Austin: 3800 N Lamar Blvd, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78756 | (512) 643-9341
- Cedar Park: 13625 Ronald Reagan Blvd, Cedar Park, TX | (888) 929-2350
- Round Rock: 1000 Heritage Center Circle, Suite 137, Round Rock, TX | (888) 929-2350
- Bellaire (Houston area): 6575 West Loop South, Suite 500, Bellaire, TX 77401 | (888) 929-2350
Practice Areas: Estate planning, wills, trusts, probate, elder law, special needs planning, Medicaid crisis planning, business succession planning
Firm Size: Not publicly specified
Fee Structure: Contact firm for fee details
Languages: English
About the Firm: Robbins Estate Law was founded in 2017 by Kyle Robbins, who earned his Juris Doctor with honors from the University of Texas School of Law. The firm has been operating for 9 years and has expanded from its original Austin base to multiple locations across Central Texas and the Houston area. Kyle Robbins focuses his practice on estate planning and probate, serving clients who need straightforward will drafting as well as those navigating more complex trust structures and long-term care planning. The firm addresses special needs planning and Medicaid crisis planning, serving families with unique circumstances that require customized estate documents. With offices in Austin, Cedar Park, Round Rock, and Bellaire, the firm is accessible to clients across a wide geographic area of Texas.
4. Hailey-Petty Law Firm, PLLC
Managing Partner: Pamela Hailey-Petty
Founded: 2013
Headquarters: San Antonio, TX
Phone: (210) 570-2458
Website: https://haileypettylaw.com
Office Locations:
- San Antonio: 17721 Rogers Ranch Pkwy, Suite 130, San Antonio, TX 78258 | (210) 570-2458
Practice Areas: Estate planning, trust planning, probate, long-term care planning, business formation
Firm Size: At least 2 attorneys
Fee Structure: Free 45-minute estate planning and probate consultations available
Languages: English; Spanish available
About the Firm: Hailey-Petty Law Firm, PLLC was founded in Austin in 2013 by Pamela Hailey-Petty and has been operating for 13 years. The firm expanded into San Antonio in 2018 and now serves clients from its San Antonio office in the Rogers Ranch area. Pamela Hailey-Petty brings a background in economics, finance, and business administration to her legal practice, having previously served as Investment Manager and Deputy Director of the Governor of Texas’s Emerging Technology Fund. Attorney Jessica Ramirez adds experience in title research and oil and gas law, providing useful perspective for clients with real property and mineral interest concerns in their estate plans. The firm assists individuals and families with wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, and long-term care planning. Free 45-minute consultations are offered to new estate planning and probate clients.
5. Jackson Walker LLP
Founded: 1887
Headquarters: Dallas, TX
Phone: (214) 953-6000
Website: https://www.jw.com
Office Locations:
- Dallas: 2323 Ross Avenue, Suite 600, Dallas, TX 75201 | (214) 953-6000
Practice Areas: Trusts and estates, trusts and estates litigation, real estate, healthcare, energy, corporate, litigation, tax
Firm Size: More than 450 attorneys firmwide
Fee Structure: Contact firm for fee details
Languages: English
About the Firm: Jackson Walker LLP was founded in 1887 and has been operating for 139 years, making it one of the longest-established law firms in Texas. With more than 450 attorneys, it is one of the largest full-service firms in the state, with offices in Dallas, Houston, Austin, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and San Angelo. The Trusts and Estates practice group advises families, individuals, and business owners on estate planning strategies designed to minimize gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer taxes, as well as family office design and governance, and charitable planning including family foundations and charitable remainder trusts. The firm also operates a separate Trusts and Estates Litigation group for contested matters. Chambers and Partners has recognized Jackson Walker’s Family Office and Trusts and Estates Litigation practices in its High Net Worth Guide. The firm is a founding member of Globalaw, a network operating across more than 65 countries.
Texas estate planning is governed primarily by the Texas Estates Code, which provides the legal framework for wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and estate administration. Texas law permits independent administration, the most commonly used form of probate, which allows an executor to settle an estate without ongoing court supervision once approved by the court. Holographic wills, meaning handwritten and signed wills without witness signatures, are valid under Texas law so long as the material provisions are in the testator’s own handwriting. Texas does not impose a state estate tax, though federal estate tax rules under the Internal Revenue Code may apply to estates above the federal exemption threshold. A comprehensive estate plan in Texas typically includes a will, a revocable living trust if appropriate, a durable power of attorney for financial matters, a medical power of attorney, and a Directive to Physicians under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 166.
The firms listed on this page represent a selection of estate planning practices operating across Texas. Each firm’s details, including office locations, phone numbers, practice areas, and background information, are based on publicly available data verified at the time of publication. Inclusion on this page does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. Individuals seeking legal representation should conduct their own research, verify current attorney licensing through the State Bar of Texas, and schedule consultations to determine the right fit for their specific situation.