Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney in Bellaire, TX

Honors/Awards:

• 2016 Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers
• Martindale Hubble AV® Peer Review Rated*
• Lawyers on the Fast Track, H Texas Magazine, 2004
• Houston's Top Lawyers for the People, H Texas Magazine, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America and Texas, Best Lawyers, 2008-2016
• Listed in Texas Super Lawyers, Estate Planning and Probate, Texas Monthly, 2007-2016
• Listed in the Top 100: Houston Super Lawyers Top List, 2014
• Listed as Lawyer of the Year in Elder Law, Texas' Best Lawyers, 2012 & 2016
• Fellow, The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel “ACTEC”

Special Licenses/Certifications:

• Accredited Claims Attorney, Department of Veterans Affairs
• Certified Elder Law Attorney, National Elder Law Foundation
• Board Certified in Estate Planning and Probate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Bar/Professional Activity:

• State Bar of Texas, Real Estate, Probate & Trust Section, Council Member
• Council Member, Houston Bar Association, Probate, Trusts & Estates Section, 2009 - Present
• Texas Chapter of NAELA, Board Member, 2005-2011
• National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Member
• The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Fellow
• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Texas
• Texas, 1993

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

• State Bar of Texas, Agricultural Law Seminar, Trespass Concerns, Austin, June 1994
• NASA/Johnson Space Center, Total Health & Safety Day, Elder Law Issues, Speaker, October 2000
• State Bar of Texas, Elder Law Course, Abuse, Neglect & Financial Exploitation of the Elderly, Co-Author, Houston & Dallas, December 2000 & February 2001
• South Texas College of Law, Wills & Probate Institute, Medicaid Planning, Speaker, Houston, September 2001
• South Texas College of Law, Representing the Elder Client: Estate Planning, Special Needs Trusts & Guardianships, Speaker, Houston, September 2002
• Halfmoon LLC Seminars: Practical Medicare & Medicaid Skills in Texas, "Planning for Medicaid Eligibility & Avoiding the Unauthorized Practice of Law, Speaker, Houston, March 2003
• South Texas College of Law, Elder Law Conference: Estate Planning, Special Needs Trusts & Guardianships, Ten Common Errors in Medicaid Planning, Speaker, Houston, May 2003
• Disability & Elder Law Attorneys Association, Basic Self-Settled SNTs/Pooled Trusts, Speaker, Houston, May 2003
• State Bar of Texas, Building Blocks of Wills, Estates & Probate Course, A Live Studio Broadcast, "Elder Law Planning & Issue Spotting," Speaker, January 2004
• National Business Institute, Estate, Financial & Health Care Planning Seminar, Speaker Houston, April 2004
• University of Houston, Wills & Probate Institute, Medicaid, Medicare & Estate Recovery: Can You Get the Benefits without Losing Everything, Speaker, Houston, May 2004
• Halfmoon LLC, Practical Medicare & Medicaid Skills in Texas, Medicaid Benefits & Eligibility, Speaker, Houston, August 2004
• University of Texas School of Law, Intermediate Estate Planning, Guardianship & Elder Law Conference, "Affordable Housing," Speaker, Galveston, August 2004
• State Bar of Texas, Advanced Drafting: Estate Planning & Probate Course, "Drafting for the Elderly: Medicaid & Other Mountains, Speaker, League City, October 2004
• State Bar of Texas, "Building Blocks of Wills, Estates & Probate Course, A Live Studio Broadcast, Elder Law Planning & Issue Spotting," Speaker, January 2005
• University of Texas School of Law, Special Needs Trusts: A Guide for Attorneys, "Financial Advisors & Trust Officers, HUD Housing," Speaker, Austin, February 2005
• Disability & Elder Law Attorneys Association, "How to Determine if Your Client Qualifies for Low-Cost Housing," Speaker, Houston, February 2005
• Attorneys in Tax & Probate, "Medicaid Update," Speaker, Houston, May 2005
• State Bar of Texas, "Elder Law Primer," Speaker, Dallas, June 2005
• University of Texas School of Law, Elder Law Conference, "Nursing Home Misrepresentations," Speaker, Galveston, August 2005
• State Bar of Texas, "Advanced Drafting: Estate Planning & Probate Course, Elder Law Drafting Considerations," Speaker, Austin, October 2005
• State Bar of Texas, "Building Blocks of Wills, Estates & Probate Course, Live Studio Broadcast, "Elder Law Planning & Issue Spotting," Speaker, January 2006
• State Bar of Texas, "Building Blocks of Wills, Estates & Probate Course, Elder Law Planning & Issue Spotting," Speaker, Houston, January 2007
• University of Texas, "Special Needs Trust Conference, Special Needs Trust Overview," Speaker, February 2007
• Houston Bar Association, "Probate, Trusts & Estates Section Meeting, Medicaid Changes & Strategies," Speaker, Houston, March 2007
• Attorney in Tax & Probate, "Supplemental Needs Trusts Overview," Speaker, Houston, April 2007
• State Bar of Texas, "Building Blocks of Wills, Estates & Probate Course," Speaker, January 2008
• Disability & Elder Law Attorneys Association, "Non-Institutional Medicaid Programs for the Elderly & Disabled," Speaker, Houston, January 2008
• State Bar of Texas, "Advanced Guardianship & Elder Law Course, When Family Law & Elder Law Intersect," Speaker, Dallas, March 2008
• "Victoria Area Regional Estate Planning Council, Wills & Supplemental Needs Trusts Overview," Speaker, Victoria, May 2008
• Houston Bar Association, "Sole-Benefit Trusts," Speaker, Houston, July 2008
• State Bar of Texas, "Medicaid Planning, What You Can Do and You Must Know," Speaker, Austin, November 2008
• State Bar of Texas, "Advanced Elder Law & Guardianship Course, "Medicaid Estate Recovery Program," Speaker, Houston, March 2009
• State Bar of Texas, "Building Blocks of Wills, Estates & Probate Course," Speaker, January 2009
• Houston Bar Association, "Guardianship Ad Litem in Probate Court & Elder Law Institute, Continuing Legal Education, Introduction To Veterans Benefits," Speaker, Houston, January 2010
• State Bar of Texas, "Building Blocks of Wills, Estates & Probate, Elder Law Planning & Issue Spotting," Speaker, Austin, January 2010
• State Bar of Texas, "Advanced Elder Law 2010, 2009 Legislative Changes," Speaker, Dallas, April 2010
• South Texas College of Law, "25th Annual Wills & Probate Institute, Medicaid Update," Speaker, Houston, September 2010
• State Bar of Texas, "Estate Planning & Probate Drafting Course, Drafting to Retain Governmental Benefits for Devisees," Speaker, Houston, October 2010
• State Bar of Texas, "Building Blocks of Wills, Estates, & Probate, Elder Law Planning & Issue Spotting," Speaker, Austin, January 2011
• Hidalgo County Bar Association, "Building a Successful Estate Planning & Probate Law Practice, Court Created Trusts in Texas, Including Ethical Considerations," Speaker, McAllen, March 2011
• State Bar of Texas, "35th Annual Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Law Course, Medicaid & VA Update," Speaker, Fort Worth, June 2011
• American Bar Association, Skills Training for Estate Planners, "Planning for Public Benefits," Speaker, New York, July 2011
• South Texas College of Law, "26th Annual Wills & Probate Institute, Medicaid & VA Updates," Speaker, September 2011
• State Bar of Texas, Medicaid 101, "Elder Law Planning & Issue Spotting," Speaker, Austin, November 2011
• State Bar of Texas, Building Blocks of Wills, Estates and Probate, "Elder Law Planning & Issue Spotting," Speaker, Austin, January 2012
• Hidalgo County Bar Association, "Special Needs Trust," Speaker, McAllen, April 2012
• Rio Grande Valley Estate Planning Council, "Elder Law Overview," Speaker, McAllen, April 2012
• South Texas College of Law, "Elder Law Symposium, Guardianship Alternatives, Including Powers of Attorney," Co-Speaker, Houston, April 2012
• State Bar of Texas, Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course, The Top Ten Things an Estate Planner Should Know About Elder Law, San Antonio, June 2012
• American Bar Association, Skills Training for Estate Planners, "Planning for Public Benefits," New York, July 2012
• Corpus Christi Estate Planning Council, "The Top Ten Things an Estate Planner Should Know About Elder Law," Speaker, Corpus Christi, October 2012
• State Bar of Texas Building Blocks of Wills, Estate and Probate Course, "Elder Law Planning and Issue Spotting," Speaker, Austin, January 2013
• Dallas Society of CPAs, "Financing Long-Term Care," Speaker, Dallas, May 2013
• Hidalgo County Bar Association, "Elder Law Planning and Special Needs Trusts," Speaker, McAllen, May 2013
• State Bar of Texas, "Advanced Estate Planning and Probate Course, Hot Topics in Elder Law," Speaker, Houston, June 2013
• American Bar Association, Skills Training for Estate Planners, "Planning for Public Benefits, Including Special Needs Trusts, Speaker, New York City, July 2013
• State Bar of Texas, 15th Annual Summer School Course, "Top Ten Things an Estate Planner Should Know," Speaker, Galveston, July 2013
• State Bar of Texas, Building Blocks of Wills, Estate and Probate Course, "Elder Law Overview," Speaker, Austin, January 2014
• University of Houston, 12th Annual Gulf Coast Regional Gift Planning Conference, The Top Ten Things a Planner Should Know about Elder Law, UH Hilton, Houston, April 2014
• American Bar Association, Skills Training for Estate Planners, "Planning for Public Benefits, Including Special Needs Trusts," Speaker, New York City, July 2014
• State Bar of Texas, 16th Annual State Bar College Summer School Course, "Elder Law and Disability Issues," Speaker, Galveston, July 2014
• State Bar of Texas, Building Blocks of Wills, Estate and Probate Course, "Elder Law Planning and Issue Spotting," Speaker, Austin, January 2015
• State Bar of Texas, Advanced Elder Law and Guardianship Course, "Initial Client Meeting for Medicaid Planning," Speaker, Houston, April 2015
• American Bar Association, Skills Training for Estate Planners, "Planning for Public Benefits, Including SNTs," New York, July 2015
• State Bar of Texas, Handling Your First (Or Next) Medicaid Case, "Creating a Plan to Achieve Medicaid Eligibility," Speaker, Austin, December 2015
• State Bar of Texas, Building Blocks of Wills, Estates and Probate 2016, "Elder Law Planning and Issue Spotting," Speaker, Austin, January 2016
• Dallas Society of CPAs, "Capacity Issues," Speaker, Dallas, January 2016
• "Assessing a Person for Nursing Home Medicaid Eligibility," The Pocket Guide, Co-Author, 1999
• "Special Trust Protects from Medicaid Rules," Houston Chronicle, 50+ Section, Co-Author, February 2000
• The University of Texas School of Law, Intermediate Estate Planning, Guardianship & Elder Law Conference, "Recognizing & Responding to Inappropriate or Illegal Estate Planning," Co-Author, Galveston, August 2000
• "Miller Trust May Help You, Loved One, Qualify for Medicaid Benefits," Houston Chronicle, 50+ Section, Co-Author, March 2001
• State Bar of Texas, Advanced Estate Planning & Probate Institute, "Report on Medicare After the HMO Retreat, What's New in Advanced Medicaid Planning Techniques & Prospective Dilemmas in Medicaid Planning," Co-Author, Houston, June 2001
• Houston Bar Association, Wills & Probate Institute, "Practical Considerations in Medicaid Planning: Twelve Things to Avoid," Co-Author, Houston, February 2002
• State Bar of Texas, Elder Law Course, "Basic Medicaid & Long-Term Care Planning," Co-Author, Austin, March 2002
• South Texas College of Law, Representing the Elderly Client: Estate Planning, Special Needs Trusts & Guardianships, "Fifteen Misrepresentations Made by Nursing Homes," Co-Author, Houston, May 2002
• "Planning Effectively to Cope with Medicaid Estate Recovery," Estate Planning, Vol. 32 No. 8, Co-Author, August 2005
• Houston Chronicle Columnist, "Elder Law Notes," Monthly, 50+ Section
• Thomson West's, Texas Elder Law, Vol. 51, Texas Practice Series, Co-Author
• Save My Home! Saving Your Home, Farm or Ranch from Medicaid Estate Recovery in Texas, Co-Author

Representative Clients:

• Medicaid planning, estate planning with an emphasis on planning for the special needs of the disabled and probate.

Other Outstanding Achievements:

• Member, State Bar of Texas, Real Estate, Probate & Trust Section
• Member, College of the State Bar of Texas
• Member, Houston Bar Association, Probate, Trusts & Estates Section
• Member, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
• Member, Texas Chapter of NAELA, Board Member, 2005 - Present

Videos:

• The issues that the practice of elder law addresses affect virtually every family at some time in their lives. Elder law consists of a variety of laws from many legal areas that concern seniors, ranging from estate planning and nursing home litigation, to health and personal care advice, to Medicare and Medicaid planning in Texas, and probate., www.wrightabshire.com/videos/elder_law.htm, Elder Law
• There are times when an individual is no longer capable of making many important decisions for themselves. As your elder law attorney, Wright Abshire can assist you in becoming appointed Guardian of your loved one, ensuring that they will be secure and cared for and that you will be in control of decisions pertaining to his or her person and property, www.wrightabshire.com/videos/guardianship.htm, Guardianship
• Probate is a process whereby matters pertaining to a decedent's estate are "proven" in court and title to assets in the estate passes to the rightful beneficiaries under a decedent's Will or by the laws of intestacy when a person dies without a Will., www.wrightabshire.com/videos/probate.htm, Probate
• The issues that the practice of elder law addresses affect virtually every family at some time in their lives. Elder law consists of a variety of laws from many legal areas that concern seniors, ranging from estate planning and nursing home litigation, to health and personal care advice, to Medicare and Medicaid planning in Texas, and probate., www.wrightabshire.com/videos/elder_law.htm, Elder Law

Newsletters:

• www.wrightabshire.com/newsletter.htm 

Educational Background:

• Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, B.A. - English, 1989