James H. Stilwell
Top rated Estate & Trust Litigation attorney in Conroe, Texas
Stilwell, Earl & Apostolakis, LLP
Practice areas: Estate & Trust Litigation, Business Litigation, Estate Planning & Probate; view more
Licensed in Texas since: 1995
Education: The University of Texas School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2023 - 2025 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2009 - 2010 Call today:
888-709-5019
Stilwell, Earl & Apostolakis, LLP
128 Vision Park BlvdSuite 140
Conroe, TX 77384 Visit website
Details
A highly accomplished attorney, James H. Stilwell is a legal practitioner who has been rated AV Preeminent* through Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible rating given by the prominent legal directory. He is a founding member of the Texas-based boutique legal practice Stilwell, Earl & Apostolakis LLP in Shenandoah. He functions as the firm’s managing partner and oversees a wide range of trial and litigation matters involving trusts, wills and estate planning, probate administration, business transactions, business formation and employment law.
Mr. Stilwell completed his undergraduate studies at Baylor University and graduated in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts double degree in economics and political science, where he was a top student in his political science class. He was the recipient of the presidential scholarship. He received his Juris Doctor from The University of Texas at Austin School of Law in 1995 and was admitted to practice law in the state the same year.
A competent professional, Mr. Stilwell’s numerous positive reviews and endorsements from his clients and colleagues speak for the high quality of legal representation he strives to provide. He has also been honored by The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce which bestowed upon him both the Chairman’s Award and the Volunteer of the Year award. His firm also was honored by Lone Star College as its Small Business of the Year.
Throughout his career spanning nearly three decades, Mr. Stilwell has not only focused his time on addressing the legal issues that come his way but has also remained active in various legal professional organizations. A few of the organizations where he is a member are the Woodlands Bar Association - where he was Vice President, Leadership Montgomery County - where he was Chairman, The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce, where he previously served as the chairman, and The Woodlands Arts Council where he served as President. He also attends speaking engagements, sharing his knowledge on estate planning, business formation and transactions, with both peers and the general public.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer-review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
Practice areas
Estate & Trust Litigation, Business Litigation, Estate Planning & Probate, Real Estate: BusinessFocus areas
Estate Planning, Probate & Estate Administration, Trusts, Will Contests, Wills
- 40% Estate & Trust Litigation
- 30% Business Litigation
- 20% Estate Planning & Probate
- 10% Real Estate: Business
First Admitted: 1995, Texas
Professional Webpage: https://woodlandstxlawfirm.com/attorneys/attorney-bio-james-...
- 33 Appellate Opinions (Beaumont, Houston 1st & 14th, Amarillo, Waco, and Texas Supreme Court cases)
- Parks v. Landfill Market Consultants, Inc., 2004 WL 1351545 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] June 17, 2004)
- Paul v. Merrill Lynch Trust Co. of Texas, 183 S.W.3d 805 (Tex.App. — Waco, December 14, 2005)
- Lee v. Hersey, 223 S.W.3d 439, (Tex.App. — Amarillo, March 24, 2006)
- In re Estate of Hersey, 223 S.W.3d 457, (Tex.App. — Amarillo, April 25, 2006)
- Balakrishna v. Narayan, 14-07-00914-CV (Houston [14th] Court of Appeals, filed 10/24/2007)
- In re The Methodist Hospital; 09-08-00273-CV (Beaumont, filed 6/16/2008)
- Bryer v. The Woodlands Land Development Co., L.P., 090910 TXCA, 09-09-00326-CV (Tex.App. — Beaumont, September 9, 2010)
- McDuffee v. Miller, 102810 TXCA9, 09-10-00293-CV (Tex.App. — Beaumont, October 28, 2010)
- Smalley v. Smalley, 022411 TXCA9, 09-11-00023-CV (Tex.App. — Beaumont, February 24, 2011)
- Smalley v. Smalley, 042612 TXCA9, 09-11-00023-CV (Tex.App. — Beaumont, April 26, 2012)
- Harris County Fresh Water Supply District No. 61 v. FWO Development, Ltd., 012913 TXCA14, 14-12-00496-CV (Tex.App. — Houston [14th Dist.] January 29, 2013)(Writ denied, Texas Supreme Court, 2014)
- LaChina v. The Woodlands Operating Company, LP, et al, TX CA 14, 14-12-00066-CV (Tex.App.-Houston [14th Dist.] August 8, 2013)
- Vidrine v. The Woodlands Land Development Company, LP; 09-12-00378-CV (Beaumont, filed 12/2/2013)
- Kemp v. Neyman; 09-15-00178-CV (Beaumont, filed 5/12/2015)
- Kohlhausen v. Baxendale; 01-15-00901-CV (Houston [1st] Court of Appeals, filed 10/23/15)
- Benders Landing Estates HOA v. LGI Land LLC; 09-16-00183-CV (Beaumont, filed 5/25/16)
- Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, et al v. City of Conroe, Texas et al; 09-16-00201-CV;__S.W.3d__(Tex.App.-Beaumont, 2/2/17)
- Ng v. Morgan; 09-17-00402-CV (Beaumont, filed 10/23/17)
- In the Estate of Farmer, 09-18-00314-CV (Beaumont, filed 8/21/18)
- Eaker v. Mangiameli, et al; 09-19-00036-CV (Beaumont, filed 2/11/19)
- Wisch Leasing Group v. The Woodlands Land Development Company, LP; 09-19-00050-CV (Beaumont, filed 2/21/19); and 09-18-00461-CV (Beaumont, filed 12/11/18)
- The Howard Hughes Corporation and predecessor developers of The Woodlands, Texas
- Texas Children's Hospital
- 2013-2014: Vice Chairman, Leadership Montgomery County, Inc. 2015-2016: Chairman, Leadership Montgomery County
- 2023: District Leadership Team and Trustee, Central North District of the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church
- 2019-2023: Director, The Woodlands Arts Council, Inc. 2021-2023: President, The Woodlands Arts Council, Inc. 2020-2023: President and Director, The Woodlands Arts Volunteers, Inc.
- 2017-2019: Founder, The Woodlands Charities, Inc.
- 2012-2013: Chairman, The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce
- 2009-2018: Director, Leadership Montgomery County, Inc.
- 2009-2013: Leadership Mentor, Annual LMC Classes
- 2008-2013: Wills for Heroes program of WBA; Lead Drafting Attorney
- 2006-2016: Director, The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce
- 2008-2011: Trustee, Board of Trustees, Wildwood United Methodist Church
- 2007-2012: Vice President, The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce
- 2010-2011: Two Terms as Chairman, Board of Trustees, Wildwood United Methodist Church
- 2008-present, AV Rated (Highest Ethical and Professional Rating)), Martindale-Hubbell
- Articles Editor, The Review of Litigation
- Constitutional Law Precept
- Director, Vice President; then President Woodlands Arts Council, The Woodlands Arts Council, Inc.
- Chairman, Leadership Montgomery County, Inc., LMCTX.org
- Recipient of the 2011 Volunteer of the Year Award, Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce
- Martin & Stilwell LLP was named the 2012 Small Business of the Year for Lone Star Montgomery College, by the Lone Star College System Small Business Development Center
- 2012-2013 - Received for Estate & Trust Litigation, and Commercial Litigation, Texas Top Lawyers
- Recipient of the 2005 Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce Chairman's Award
- Baylor University, B.A. Double Degree - Economics and Political Science, Honors: Top Political Science Graduate, 1992; Baylor Honor Council Presidential Scholarship; 1988 National Youth of the Year; Lyndon Baines Johnson Intern to Congressman Bill Archer, 1988-1992
- J.D. University of Texas, School of Law, 1992-1995
- "The Chicken or the Egg - Insurance and Indemnification Clauses in the Same Contract." Corporate Counsel publication (2007).
- “Opening Statements for the 21st Century,” The Jury Trial 2007 CLE, Houston & Dallas (August 2007).
- “Creditor Exempt Assets: When You Can’t Take it With You, and the Creditors Can’t Take it Either,” Wills & Probate Institute, South Texas College of Law CLE (2007).
- “What Every Lawyer Should Know about Wills and Powers of Attorney” – Presentation to Woodlands Bar Association (July 2009, 2010 and 2011).
- Opening Statements: This is not your Father’s Oldsmobile; Oral Advocacy CLE - Lone Star Corporate College (September 2010).
- Pursuing Attorneys’ Fees (Presentation for “Lawyers Who Stare at Goats” CLE Sponsored by WBA and M.C. 9th District Court – 2010).
- Rainmaking Panel (Presentation for Woodlands Bar Association, Small Firm Section 2012).
- Business Planning for Uncertain Times: Dealing with the Killer D’s – Death, Disability, Divorce, Departure and Downturn. Presented to Woodlands Chamber of Commerce, seminar series (July 2013, August, 2009).
- OMG not LOL: Employer Liability for Employee’s Who Text/Talk While Driving; Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce, Annual Employment Law Update (October 2013, October 2010).
- Business Owner Overview of the Texas Open Carry Law (Presentations to Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce – 2016; and M.C.B.A. – Law Day 2016).
- FOF & COL, not BFF LOL (Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law presentation for M.C. CCL#2 Brown Bag CLE – 2016).
- What Happens When I’m Gone? (Presentations at multiple venues in 2011-2018)
- Coordinating Client Assets (presentation at Financial Advisors Compliance meeting, Montgomery County, 2019).
- “Straddling the Wire: Electromagnetic Fields and Personal Injury Suits,” 14 Rev. Litig. 545 (1995).
- “Walking the High Wire: Practical Possibilities for Regulatory Responses to the Electromagnetic Field Quandary,” 15 Rev. Litig. 141 (1996).
- “Texas Premises Liability Jury Definitions, Instructions, and Questions for Criminal Actor Cases – A Pattern to Ease the Madness?,” 17 Rev. Litig. 259 (1998).
- “When Actions Speak Louder Than Words: The Case for a Quasi-Estoppel Exception to the Statute of Frauds.” 22 Rev. Litig. 69 (2003).
Office location for James H. Stilwell
128 Vision Park Blvd
Suite 140
Conroe, TX 77384
Phone: 888-709-5019
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2023 - 2025
- Rising Stars: 2009 - 2010
