Andrea L. Uresti Barr

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

• Texas Super Lawyers, Thomas Reuters, Rising Star, Estate & Trust Litigation Attorney, 2019-2022
• Texas Monthly: The Top Women Attorneys in Texas, Texas Super Lawyers, Thomas Reuters, 2019-2022
• Ones to Watch, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, Houston,  Best Lawyers in America, 2022-2023

COMMUNITY & PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT

• Member, Houston Bar Association, Probate Section
• Member, Houston Association of Woman Attorneys
• Member, Houston Young Lawyers Association
• Member, Texas Young Lawyers Association
• Member Disability and Elder Law Attorneys Association
• Member, UHLC Hispanic Law Alumni Steering Committee
• Member, Attorneys in Tax and Probate
• Founding Member and Associate, Texas Probate Law American Inn of Court
• Member, Provisors
• Certified Guardianship Ad Litem Attorney, Current
• Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
• Texas Super Lawyers, Thomas Reuters, Rising Star, Estate & Trust Litigation Attorney, 2019-2023

EDUCATION

• University of Houston Law Center
  Juris Doctorate
• University of Houston
  Bachelor of Science, Psychology. magna cum laude

BAR ADMISSIONS

• State Bar of Texas, Real Estate, Probate, and Trust and Litigation Sections
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Secured a summary judgment on breach of contract and prompt payment claims for damages, penalty interest, and attorneys’ fees plus, separately, appellate attorneys’ fees, and successfully defended on appeal (Albertelli Constr., Inc. v. Ram Industries Acquisitions, LLC, No. 05-18-01529-CV (Tex. App.-Dallas May 15, 2020))
• Represented former executor in ancillary proceeding and pursued enforcement of an arbitration provision contained in a will resulting in a published court of appeals opinion with dissent and subsequently, settled the $250,000 claim against her client for $3,000 (Ali v. Smith, 554 S.W.3d 755 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2018, no pet.))
• Successfully defended against $8 million dollar action for conspiracy, DTPA violations, theft, conversion, negligence, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty by summary judgment in the Southern District of Texas resulting in dismissal of all claims and recovering $91,476.30 in attorneys’ fees and expenses
• Drafted and successfully argued a motion for new trial on an equitable fee forfeiture proceeding
• Secured transfer of cases related to a probate proceeding to statutory probate court
• Drafted and argued jurisdiction briefing resulting in a statutory probate court finding the original county court lacked jurisdiction to enter certain orders under the Texas Estates Code
• Successfully represented client in compelling estate accounting for 22-year period
• Represented client in bill of review proceeding setting aside agreed judgment and family settlement and release agreement in probate proceeding
• Drafted and argued special exceptions in fiduciary claim case resulting in dismissal of all claims against client
• Negotiated a court-approved settlement of fiduciary claims valued at $250,000 against former independent executor client for $3,000
• Acted as second chair on two-week trial defending claims against former agent under statutory durable power of attorney and independent executor, including voir dire, direct examination, and drafting all pre-trial and trial materials
• Identified and secured necessary evidence prior to an alcohol provider’s server’s deposition in a wrongful death proceeding resulting in testimony showing the Safe Harbor Defense is unavailable as a matter of law
• Negotiated several purchases of acreage for series limited liability companies including easement agreements, mineral rights, and private road(s)
• Successfully examined accounting expert in fiduciary litigation to identify improper basis, ipse dixit, and to limit testimony at trial
• Represented companies and private individuals in royalty disputes
• Secured abatement of a sanctions order until motion for reconsideration was heard

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

• How to Uphold Ethical Standards, How to Administer an Estate, National Business Institute, 2021
• How to Think Like a Firm, University of Houston Law Center, Ladies’ Alliance of Recent Alumnae, 2021
• Written Discovery, Houston Association of Legal Professionals CLE, 2021
• Lunch with a Lawyer, University of Houston Law Center, 2021
• Newly Admitted Students Welcome Reception, University of Houston Law Center, 2021
• Drafting Written Discovery and Amendments to Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, Fort Bend Law Library Attorney Lectures Series, 2021
• Drafting Written Discovery, Johnson County Bar Association, 2021
• Legal Ethics, Trusts from A to Z, National Business Institute, 2021
• Social Media Initiative and Membership Recruitment of Target Demographics, Real Estate Probate and Trust Law (REPTL) Section, 2021
• Leadership Academy Presentation, Texas State Bar, 2021
• Drafting Written Discovery for Probate, Texas Probate Study Group, 2021
• Civil Trial Case Presentation, National Business Institute, 2021
• Attorneys’ Fees, Texas Probate Law American Inn of Court, 2021
• Attorneys’ Fees in Contested and Uncontested Fiduciary Matters, Attorneys Tax and Probate, 2022
• How to Get Paid, Intermediate Estate Planning and Probate, Texas State Bar, 2022
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