In Texas, a will governs the distribution of a deceased person’s estate and the appointment of an executor, while a living will, formally known as a Directive to Physicians and Family or Surrogates, communicates a person’s medical wishes if they become unable to speak for themselves. Both documents are governed by separate Texas statutes and must meet specific formal requirements to be legally enforceable.
1. Bloomquist Law, PLLC
Managing Partner: Amy Peterson Bloomquist
Founded: 1991
Headquarters: Austin, TX
Phone: (512) 994-2231
Website: https://www.abloomquist.com
Office Locations:
- Austin (West Lake Hills): 614 Capital of Texas Highway South, Austin, TX 78746 | (512) 994-2231
Practice Areas: Wills, trusts, estate planning, probate, estate administration
Firm Size: Not publicly specified
Fee Structure: Free one-hour initial consultation available
Languages: English
About the Firm: Bloomquist Law, PLLC was established in 1991 and has been operating for 35 years, making it one of the longer-established estate planning boutiques in Austin. Managing attorney Amy Peterson Bloomquist has been practicing law for over 30 years and has held board certification in Estate Planning and Probate Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1996. She is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Texas, which provides clients with both legal and financial perspectives when structuring their wills and trusts. The firm assists individuals and families throughout Central Texas with will drafting, revocable and irrevocable trust planning, powers of attorney, and probate administration. Free one-hour initial consultations are available for prospective clients. The office is located in the West Lake Hills area at the intersection of Capital of Texas Highway South and Loop 360.
2. Willi Law Firm, P.C.
Managing Partner: James N. Willi
Founded: 1996
Headquarters: Austin, TX
Phone: (512) 402-6753
Website: https://www.atxelderlaw.com
Office Locations:
- Austin: 5920 W William Cannon Dr, Building 6, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78749 | (512) 402-6753
Practice Areas: Wills, living wills, trusts, firearms trusts, powers of attorney, probate and estate administration, trust administration, special needs trusts, elder law, Medicaid planning, long-term care planning, asset protection, business succession planning, charitable planning, estate tax planning
Firm Size: At least 2 attorneys
Fee Structure: Contact firm for fee details
Languages: English
About the Firm: Willi Law Firm, P.C. was founded in 1996 and has been operating for 30 years, serving individuals and families in Central Texas counties including Travis, Hays, Williamson, Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Lampasas, and Lee. Attorney James N. Willi has been licensed to practice since 1996 and focuses on estate planning, elder law, asset protection, probate, and firearms trusts. Attorney Tracy J. Willi has been licensed since 1992, brings extensive trial and appellate experience to the firm, and is a registered patent attorney with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The firm handles both standard will and trust drafting and more nuanced documents such as Directives to Physicians (living wills) and medical powers of attorney for clients concerned with long-term care planning. Special needs trusts and Medicaid crisis planning are also practice strengths of the firm.
3. Crain & Wooley
Managing Partner: Jacob Wooley
Founded: Not publicly specified
Headquarters: Mansfield, TX
Phone: (972) 945-1610
Website: https://www.estateplanningdfw.law
Office Locations:
- Mansfield: 1000 N Walnut Creek Dr, Suite 120, Mansfield, TX 76063 | (972) 945-1610
Practice Areas: Wills, living wills and advance directives, trusts, powers of attorney, guardianship, probate, Medicaid and nursing home planning
Firm Size: Not publicly specified
Fee Structure: Flat-rate pricing for wills, trusts, and Medicaid/nursing home application services; hourly rates for probate, emergency Medicaid, and guardianship; optional lifetime guarantee for will and trust updates available
Languages: English
About the Firm: Crain & Wooley is a DFW-area estate planning firm located in Mansfield, Texas, serving individuals and families throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. The firm reports more than 15 years of experience in estate planning, including will drafting and advance directive preparation. Attorney Jacob Wooley is licensed in Texas and Arkansas and focuses on estate planning for individuals, families, and business owners. The firm specifically assists clients with Directives to Physicians and Family or Surrogates, Texas’s form of advance directive, ensuring these documents meet all statutory requirements under the Texas Health and Safety Code. An optional lifetime guarantee is available to automatically update wills and trusts over time. The firm’s flat-rate pricing model is designed to provide cost predictability for clients.
4. Wilson Legal Group, P.C.
Founder: John T. Wilson
Founded: 2006
Headquarters: Dallas, TX
Phone: (972) 248-8080
Website: https://www.wilsonlegalgroup.com
Office Locations:
- Dallas: 16610 Dallas Parkway, Suite 1000, Dallas, TX 75248 | (972) 248-8080
Practice Areas: Estate planning, wills, trusts, living wills, powers of attorney, probate, business law, intellectual property, civil litigation, family law
Firm Size: Not publicly specified
Fee Structure: Contact firm for fee details
Languages: English
About the Firm: Wilson Legal Group, P.C. was established in 2006 and has been operating for 20 years. Also operating under the name Wilson Whitaker Rynell, the firm is a Dallas-based boutique that serves clients in estate planning, business law, intellectual property, and litigation. Its estate planning attorneys assist clients throughout the Dallas, Collin, Denton, Rockwall, Ellis, Tarrant, Harris, and Travis county areas with wills, living wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, and powers of attorney. The firm’s estate planning practice includes drafting Directives to Physicians as part of a complete advance planning package alongside financial powers of attorney and medical powers of attorney. Key estate planning attorneys at the firm include John T. Wilson, Leigh Whitaker, and Jennifer Rynell, multiple of whom have been recognized on the Texas Super Lawyers list.
5. 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: Wills, living wills, advance directives, 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 was founded in 1999 and has been operating for 27 years, with its entire practice focused on wills, estate planning, probate, trust, and guardianship matters. Managing Partner Don D. Ford III holds board certification in Estate Planning and Probate Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, which is held by fewer than 3% of all licensed Texas attorneys. The firm assists clients with both testamentary documents, including wills, and advance planning documents such as Directives to Physicians, which under Texas law provide legally binding instructions to healthcare providers regarding life-sustaining treatment in terminal or irreversible conditions. The firm serves clients from offices in Houston, Dallas, and Austin. Multiple attorneys have been recognized on the Texas Super Lawyers list. For clients who anticipate contested estates, the firm also provides fiduciary litigation and appellate representation.
In Texas, wills are governed by the Texas Estates Code, Chapter 251, which sets out the requirements for a valid will, including that the testator must be at least 18 years old, of sound mind, and have the will either signed by two credible witnesses or written entirely in the testator’s own handwriting. A holographic will, which is completely handwritten and signed by the testator without witness signatures, is valid under Texas law. Living wills in Texas are governed by the Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 166, which establishes the form and legal requirements for a Directive to Physicians and Family or Surrogates, also known as an advance directive. This document must be signed by the patient or a qualified relative in the presence of two witnesses who meet specific statutory disqualifications. A separate but related document, the Medical Power of Attorney, designates a healthcare agent to make medical decisions on behalf of an incapacitated person and is also governed by Chapter 166. Individuals seeking comprehensive advance planning in Texas typically execute a will, a Directive to Physicians, and a Medical Power of Attorney together.
The firms listed on this page represent a selection of wills and living wills 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.