Biography
Donna brings 24 years of experience guiding clients through complex legal issues in estate administration, as well as litigation involving will contests, trusts, and all aspects of estate guardianships.
Her extensive work in estate and trust litigation includes securing temporary administrations to prevent the dissipation of estate assets, removing and defending executors and trustees, proving common law spousal relationships for inheritance claims, and defending and contesting wills.
Additionally, Donna has managed all facets of guardianship litigation, such as representing applicants, contesting applications, defending proposed wards, obtaining emergency guardianships, facilitating divorces within guardianship proceedings, and securing Temporary Restraining Orders.
Donna has litigated several unique cases during her career, even some that required exhumation of a body to prove heredity via DNA evidence, obtaining essential photos from the Dallas Police Department and the Dallas Medical Examiner’s Office, persuading a judge to hold a guardianship hearing at the home of the proposed ward and obtaining a temporary restraining order to stop a funeral.
Donna is a frequent speaker and author on estate administration issues and has been featured in several publications and conferences. She is certified by the State Bar of Texas to serve as an attorney ad litem in guardianship proceedings.
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
Education
- J.D. Loyola University New Orleans College of Law
- B.A. Southern Methodist University
Memberships
- Dallas Bar Association, Real Estate, Probate, and Trusts Sections
- Collin County Bar Association
- Probate Bench Bar, Co-Chair, 2020; committee member, 2019
- State Bar of Texas
Achievements
- Texas Super Lawyers©, Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers®; selected for inclusion, 2021-2024
- Top Women Attorneys – Texas, Texas Monthly, 2023- 2024
- Top Attorneys in Texas, Texas Monthly, 2022, 2024
Speaking Engagements
- “Will Contests” – Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program and the J.L. Turner Association, December 2015
- “Down and Dirty of Guardianship” with Judge Nikki DeShazo, Probate Section meeting, Dallas Bar Association, February 2011
Publications
- “Why Insurance Companies Won’t Pay Out Insurance Policy Proceeds to Minors” Dallas Bar Association Headnotes, December 2024
- “You’ve Been Appointed Executor, Now What?” Dallas Bar Association Headnotes, December 2015
- “Risks Involved with Witnessing Documents,” Dallas Bar Association Headnotes, April 2012
- “Eight Essentials of Guardianships,” author, Dallas Bar Association, Headnotes, May 2011
- “Guardianships: Is the Proposed Ward Incapacitated?” Dallas Bar Association, Headnotes, August 2007
- “Obtaining an Emergency Temporary Guardianship for a Client,” Dallas Bar Association, Headnotes, March 2006
- Video, producer, on behalf of disabled client seeking insurance coverage in a guardianship matter, 2002