History
W. Steve Smith received a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 1971. Blanche D. Smith received her Juris Doctorate degree (Cum Laude) from South Texas College of Law in 1992. Together they have over 60 years of experience in assisting people in dealing with their assets and liabilities. Both attorneys are admitted to practice in the Texas county and state courts, the District Court for the Southern District of Texas and the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Steve is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court of the United States. Both are members of the Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Texas Bar Association and the Probate, Trusts and Estates Section of the Houston Bar Association. Both attorneys are accredited for the preparation, presentation and prosecution of claims for veterans' benefits before the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Specialties
Everyone needs an estate plan regardless of their age and assets. An estate plan protects you as well as your family and most often includes some form of asset protection and/or transfer. Without an estate plan, state probate laws dictate the distribution of your assets and don't take your and your family's unique situation into account. Estate planning is not simply submitting a set of documents. It's an art and a science that requires specialized counsel. It's important to understand how your assets work together and how to best protect and transfer those assets to your loved ones. A good estate plan can transfer assets, but a great estate plan will pass-on your values and leave a lasting legacy. We use plain language, professional guidance and caring counsel to assist clients in protecting their families, both financially and emotionally, since we never know what the future will bring. Prior planning saves money and preserves families.