Trey Yates
Top rated Family Law attorney in Houston, Texas
The Law Office of Sam M. (Trey) Yates, III, P.C.
Practice Areas: Family Law; view more
Licensed in Texas since: 1984
Education: St. Mary's University School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2015 - 2023 Call today:
713-932-7177
The Law Office of Sam M. (Trey) Yates, III, P.C.
2900 WeslayanSuite 350
Houston, TX 77027-9390 Visit website
Details
Attorney Trey Yates has served the people of Houston and surrounding southeastern Texas since 1984. In 1986, he founded his law firm, Trey Yates Law, where he has focused his practice on assisting clients who face family law challenges, particularly divorces involving complex marital property division. In 2010, he created the popular educational seminar known as The Guide to Good Divorce℠.
Mr. Yates earned his law degree from St. Mary's University School of Law in 1984, and the State Bar of Texas granted him admission that same year. In the years that have passed since he began his legal career, he has earned a reputation as a knowledgeable and experienced lawyer, and, in 2010, the Texas Board of Legal Specialization recognized him as a board-certified family law attorney.
While attorney Yates is a skilled litigator who has represented clients in courtrooms for over 35 years, he is also a skilled negotiator. Mr. Yates has been trained extensively in alternative dispute resolution methods. In 1998, he became a certified attorney-mediator and in 1999 he earned a certification as a family law mediator and is trained in the collaborative law model.
In addition to having earned multiple certifications, attorney Yates has also earned a number of honors and awards thanks to his dedication to both his clients and his community. He has long served in a leadership capacity in the local legal community. He holds a "Superb" rating from Avvo, and he has received a distinguished client rating from Martindale-Hubbell. In addition, he received the President's Award for his work with the Houston Bar Association and the Star Volunteer award for his work with Houston Volunteer Lawyers. He has been named a Super Lawyer annually since 2015.
Practice areas
Family LawFocus areas
Alimony & Spousal Support, Divorce, Marital Property, Prenuptial Agreements
- 100% Family Law
First Admitted: 1984, Texas
Professional Webpage: https://www.treyyateslaw.com/meet-sam-m-trey-yates-iii/
Honors/Awards:
- , Excellence Award, American Inns of Court Mentorship
- , David A Gibson Award of Excellence, Gulf Coast Family Law Specialist, 2023
- Board Certified Family Law - Texas Board of Legal Specialization - 2010 Recertified - 2015; 2020
- Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers since 2010
- Martindale-Hubbell CV Peer Review Rated
- Texas Super Lawyers - Family Law - 2015; 2016; 2017; 2018; 2019; 2020; 2021; 2022, Texas Super Lawyers
- Best Lawyers Recognition - 2017; 2018; 2019; 2020; 2021; 2022, Best Lawyers
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers since 2010
- Member, Family Law Section, Houston Bar Association
- Member, Probate, Trusts and Estate Section, Houston Bar Association
- Member, Collaborative Law Section, Houston Bar Association
- Former President, Burta Rhoads Raborn Family Law American Inn of Court
- Texas Probate American Inn of Court Member
- Fort Bend County Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists
- Former Chair and Member of the Board of Directors, Family Law Section, Houston Bar Association
- American Inns of Court
- Former President and Member of the Board of Directors, Gulf Coast Family Law Specialists
- The American Association of Justice
- Board of Directors, Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program, Inc
- The Collaborative Law Institute of Texas
- Member, Collaborative Law Section, Houston Bar Association
- Pro Bono College State Bar of Texas
- College of the State Bar of Texas
- United States District Court, Southern District of Texas
- Life Fellow, Houston Bar Foundation
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Committee on Pattern Jury Charges of the State Bar of Texas
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Houston Grand Opera Board of Trustees - Current
- Unity Church of Christianity, Houston - President (2 terms), Board of Directors (6 terms)
- Leaving a Legacy – Giving Beyond a Lifetime, Course Director - Current
- Dalton DeHart Photographic Foundation Board of Directors - Current
- Bering Omega Community Services - Board of Trustees (7 terms)
- Long Term Care Ombudsman Program - Certified Volunteer Ombudsman - 2000 to Current; University of Texas Houston Center for the Aging
- Raintree Place Property Homeowners Association - President, 2009, Board of Directors (2 terms)
- Multicultural Education & Counseling through the Arts - Board of Directors - Three Terms, Gala Co-Chairman "Noche de Milagros"
- AIDS Foundation Houston, Inc. - Advisory Board - Current; Vice President (2 terms), Board of Directors (5 terms), Gala Co-Chair 1997
- Hermann Park Conservancy - Board of Directors (2 terms), Advisory Board
- Hermann Park Conservancy - Luncheon Co-Chair "Picnic in the Park", 1998
- The Assistance Fund - President and Chairman of the Board (2 terms), Vice President (1 term), Board of Directors (3 terms), Former Legal Counsel
- Eagle Scout, 1969
Educational Background:
- Licensed to practice law by the Supreme Court of Texas, 1984
- St. Mary’s School of Law, San Antonio, Texas, Juris Doctor, 1984
- University of Houston, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, 1981
- American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Los Angeles, California, 1979
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- Board Certified Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2010
- Certified Attorney - Mediator (Attorney-Mediator Institute), 1998
- Certified Family Law Mediator, 1999
- Child Protective Services Mediation Training for Children First
- Houston Bar Association Peer Mediation in Schools Program Training
- Children’s Friend in Court Amicus Training
- Collaborative Family Law Attorney Training
- Certified Attorney for Applicants for Guardianship proceeding pursuant to Texas Estate Code Sec.1054.201
- Program on Negotiation - Harvard Law School
- Admitted to Practice - United States District Court - Southern District of Texas
- Member - Yarrell & Yates, LLC.
- Owner - The Guide to Good Divorce℠, Inc. - since 2011
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- “Joining Forces: When Your SAPCR Suit Requires Guardianship and Probate Expertise 2022 - 48th Annual Advanced Family Law Course - State Bar of Texas – San Antonio, 2022
- “Overcoming Family Law Presumptions” 2022 - Houston Bar Association Family Law Section, 2021
- “Marital Property Law,” 2021 Family/Probate Bench Bar Conference – 2021 – Houston, 2021
- “You Have an Addiction and You Want Me To Try Your Case,” INNOVATIONS: BREAKING BOUNDARIES IN CUSTODY LITIGATION – American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers – Texas Chapter – Houston, 2020
- "The ABCs of a Divorce Case," HVL Family Law Seminar -South Texas College of Law - Houston, 2018, 2019
- “Same-Sex Marriage Issues,” Marriage Dissolution Institute, State Bar of Texas - Dallas, 2018
- "Pidgeon v Turner: The Status of Same-Sex Marriage in the Lone Star State," Houston Bar Association Winter Seminar, 2018
- “Temporary Orders,” HVL Family Law Seminar, Houston College of Law - Houston, 2016
- “Real Property and Housewives of Harris County,” Houston Bar Association, 2016
- “Same-Sex Marriage and Parentage Update,” Highlights for the Advanced Family Lawyer - Houston, 2015
- "Sex and the Law: How Science & the Supreme Court Have Changed Your World," Houston Bar Association, 2015
- “Dog Fights and Bones of Contention - Family Law and Pets in Texas,” South Texas College of Law - Houston, 2015
- “Same-Sex Couples and Texas Family Law,” HVL Family Law Seminar, South Texas College of Law - Houston, 2015
- “Marriage and Divorce After the Demise of Doma,” 29th Annual Wills and Probate Institute, State Bar of Texas - San Antonio, 2014
- “Marriage, Divorce and Parentage After the Demise of Doma,” 40th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas - San Antonio, 2014
- “Marriage and Parentage After the Demise of Doma,” The American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, The American Academy of Assisted Reproduction Technology Attorneys, Annual Conference - New Orleans, 2014
- “Marriage Equality and Divorce Equality After the Demise of Doma,” Houston Bar Association, 2014
- “Legal Ethics Involved in Marketing Collaborative Divorce Services,” Houston Bar Association, 2014
- “Equal Protection Under the Law and the Redefinition of Marriage,” Gulf Coast Family Law Specialists, 2013
- “Marriage and Parentage After the Demise of Doma,” 28th Annual Family Law Conference, South Texas College of Law - Houston, 2013
- “So What’s Happening With Same-Sex Marriage?” 27th Annual Family Law Conference, South Texas College of Law - Houston, 2013
- “Real Estate Issues for Same-Sex Couples,” State Bar of Texas - Austin, 2013
- “Issues for Divorcing Parents with Special Needs Children Under the Texas Family Code and Texas Probate Code,” Houston Bar Association, 2012
- “Effectively Assessing Cases for ADR,” 26th Annual Family Law Conference South Texas College of Law - Houston, 2012
- Getting the Benefit of the Bargain: Drafting Enforeable Language on Temporary Orders and Final Decrees - Houston Bar Association Family Law Institute - Houston, 2012
- Support for a Disabled Adult or Minor Child and Related Issues - Inns of Court - Houston, 2012
- Getting It In and Keeping it Out – A Practical Guide to Using Evidence in Family Law Cases, Houston Bar Association, 2011
- “Who’s My Daddy? A Parentage Mystery,” HVLP Family Law Seminar - Houston, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009
- Dance With The One Who Brung Ya – A Private Practitioner’s Dance With The Office of The Attorney General and IV-D Courts of Harris County, Texas, Houston Bar Association, 2011
- The Business of Family Law, 25th Annual Family Law Conference, South Texas College of Law, Houston, 2011
- The Business of Family Law, 24th Annual Family Law Conference, South Texas College of Law, Houston, 2010
- Common Law and Same Sex Marriages, Adult Adoptions, Maternity Tests, and Other Unusual Topics, 23rd Annual Family Law Conference, South Texas College of Law, Houston, 2009
- Course Director, Ad Litem/Amicus Boot Camp 2009, South Texas College of Law, 2009
- Deciding a Child’s Fate: Child Custody Evaluations, Ethics and Investigating Allegations of Sexual Abuse, Galveston, Direct and Cross Examination of a Custody Evaluator, Deciding a Child’s Fate: Child Custody Evaluations, Ethics and Investigating Allegations of Sexual Abuse, Galveston, 2008
- Child Support Calculations: Guidelines and Above, Family Law Institute, Houston Bar Association, Houston, 2008
- Direct and Cross Examination of a Custody Evaluator, Deciding a Child’s Fate: Child Custody Evaluations, Ethics and Investigating Allegations of Sexual Abuse, Galveston, 2008
- Making Mediation Work for You, 22nd Annual Family Law Conference, South Texas College of Law, Houston, 2008
- Family Law and Fido: How to Split the Dog, Texas Dog Law Seminar, Houston, 2006, 2008
- Parenting Plans, 21st Annual Family Law Conference, South Texas College of Law, Houston, 2007
- Paternity and Co-Respondent, HVLP Family Law Seminar, Houston, 2006, 2007
- Course Director, Family Law Conference for General Practitioners and Legal Assistants, South Texas College of Law, 2004 - 2006
- Voir Dire and Opening and Closing Statements, 21st Annual Family Law Conference, South Texas College of Law, Houston, 2005
- Legislative Changes and Updates, 20th Annual Family Law Conference, South Texas College of Law, Houston, 2004
- Law Office Management Tips, 19th Annual Family Law Conference, South Texas College of Law, Houston, 2003
Selections
9 Years Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers: 2015 - 2023
Certificates and credentials
Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Family Law
Family Law
