Tara R. Burd
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Our Awards
Overview
Tara R. Burd is the Managing Partner of RMO LLP’s San Diego office. With more than 15 years of experience, her practice focuses on representing heirs, beneficiaries, fiduciaries, creditors, and other interested parties in litigated probate, contested conservatorships, and financial elder abuse matters.
Throughout her career, Tara has handled a broad range of complex matters, including Marvin actions, community property disputes, employment and property disputes, antitrust matters, mass torts, civil rights cases, and breach of contract litigation in state, federal, and out-of-state courts. She brings this depth of experience to RMO with a precision-driven, results-oriented approach, guiding clients through complex legal challenges with strategic, efficient, and compassionate counsel.
Bar Admissions
- Member, State Bar of California
- Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law
Education
California Western School of Law
Juris Doctor
San Diego State University
BS
Awards & Recognition
- Ones to Watch, Trusts and Estates Litigation, Best Lawyers, 2025 -2026
- 500 X -The Next Generation, Lawdragon, 2025
Community & Professional Involvement
- Board Member – Probate Section, Collin County Bar Association
- Member, Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners
- Member, Trusts and Estates Section, Dallas Bar Association
- Member, Dallas Estate Planning Council
- Executive Committee Member, ProVisors
- Member, Independent Trustee Alliance
Representative Matters
- Helped clients whose stepmother procured an invalid will from their dementia-stricken father, prevailing at trial and securing findings of bad faith, which prevented stepmother from recovering her attorney’s fees from the estate.
- Obtained emergency guardianship order for client whose rogue brother planned to kidnap their mentally incapacitated father and move him to an unsafe environment.
- Removed executor who stole several hundred thousand dollars in estate funds, preserving the remainder of the estate for national charity organization clients.
- Secured injunctive relief requiring the return of $2,000,000 in unlawfully distributed estate funds held by the business partner of client’s deceased mother.
- Defended elderly client against guardianship proceedings masterminded by her greedy son-in-law who attempted to take control of her multi-million-dollar estate. Proved that son-in-law acted in bad faith and forced him to pay fees and costs.
- Protected client’s six-figure inheritance from her beloved grandmother by defending grandmother’s will against client’s spiteful aunts and uncles.
- Defended trustee against false accusations of mismanagement and theft initiated by her son’s ex-wife; secured settlement that fully exonerated client.
- Secured highly favorable settlement over the estate of client’s sister after sister’s new neighbor, a non-English speaker and supposed “best friend” produced a suspicious handwritten will written in broken English.
- Obtained summary judgment proving common law marriage when client’s common-law husband died in a trucking accident, which allowed client to pursue wrongful death claims worth millions.
- Won a judgment to invalidate a ladybird deed, impose a permanent injunction, award attorney’s fees, and establish a widower’s right to own and possess his homestead after his own son had removed him from his home based on the illegally procured deed.
- Negotiated family settlement agreement while navigating complex family dynamics to avoid a contentious and costly trust modification proceeding.
- Engineered a take-nothing settlement defeating claim of co-tenant for improvements and repairs of inherited property.
Appellate Opinions
- Williams v. Tanner, No. 05-23-00080-CV, 2023 WL 8519064 (Tex. App.—Dallas Dec. 8, 2023, no pet.)
- Golfis v. Houillion, No. 05-15-00036-CV, 2016 WL 6236842 (Tex. App.—Dallas Oct. 25, 2016, no pet).
- Transitional Entity, LP v. Elder Care, LP, No. 05-14-01615-CV, 2016 WL 3197160 (Tex. App.—Dallas May 27, 2016, no pet.).
- Sherrill v. Williams, No. 05-14-00847-CV, 2015 WL 1910015 (Tex. App.—Dallas Apr. 28, 2015, pet. denied).
- Golfis v. Houillion, No. 05-13-01330-CV, 2014 WL 4090141 (Tex. App.—Dallas Aug. 19, 2014, no pet.).
Speaking Engagements & Publications
Fiduciary Litigation Risks and Protections for CPAs; co-presenter, Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants 2025 TXCPA Summit, San Antonio and Dallas, Texas (2025).
Closing the Estate: Guidance on Executor Responsibilities; presenter, Strafford, webinar (2025).
Dear Prudence: an examination of the legal standards, practical applications, and historical backdrop of the Uniform Prudent Investor Act; presenter, Independent Trustee Alliance Annual Conference, Dallas, Texas (2025).
Best Laid Plans: When Well-Intentioned Estate Plans Go Awry; presenter, Engage Workspace for Lawyers, Dallas, Texas (2025)
Best Laid Plans: When Well-Intentioned Estate Plans Go Awry; presenter, Tarrant County Probate Bar Association, Fort Worth, Texas (2025)
Representing Fiduciaries: Legal Ethics for Counsel and Pitfalls to Avoid; co-presenter, Strafford, webinar (2025)
Navigating Breach of Trust Claims Under the Uniform Trust Code; co-presenter, Strafford, webinar (2025)
Duties to Disclose in Estate and Trust Administrations; author, Dallas Bar Association DBA Headnotes (2024)
Protect Your Aging Clients with Capacity-Planning Tools; presenter, Hopkins County Bar Association, Sulphur Springs, Texas (2024)
Responsibilities of Fiduciaries in Administering Trusts and Estates; presenter, Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants 2024 TXCPA Summit, San Antonio, Texas (2024)
Protect Your Aging Loved Ones with Capacity-Planning Tools; presenter, WealthWise Financial Services WealthWise Webinar, webinar (2024)
No, Someone Cannot Assume Ownership of a Piece of Real Estate by Paying Delinquent Property Taxes in Texas; featured interviewee, KHOU News, Houston, Texas (2024)
Find the Edge: Shifting Burdens in the Probate World; presenter, Hopkins County Bar Association (2022)
Probate Pitfalls for PI Lawyers: How to Protect Your Case, Your Clients, and Yourself; co-author, Advanced Personal Injury Course 2020, webinar (2020).
A Mother Struggles To Care For Her Adult Son with Schizophrenia; featured interviewee, KERA News, Dallas, Texas (2019)
Telemedicine in Texas: Opportunities and Practice Pointers from a Legal Perspective; panelist, Texas Medical Association TexMed Conference, Dallas, Texas (2019)
Probate Pitfalls for PI Lawyers; co-author, Dallas Bar Association DBA Headnotes (2016)
Probate Considerations that Every Personal Injury Lawyer Should Know; co-author, 31st Annual Advanced Personal Injury Course, Dallas, Texas (2015)
Probate Pitfalls for Personal Injury Lawyers; co-author, State Bar of Texas CLE – 31st Advanced Personal Injury Law Course (2015)
Awards & Recognition
- Best Lawyers in American, Consumer Law, 2022-2026
- “Super Lawyer”, Super Lawyers, San Diego, Estate & Trust Litigation, 2022-2025
- “Rising Star”, 2017-2021
- “Women of Influence in Law”, San Diego Business Journal, 2024
- Reisman Award for Best Growth Story, 2018
- “Best of the Bar”, San Diego Business Journal, 2016-2017
- AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated, by Martindale-Hubbell
Community & Professional Involvement
- Past Co-Chair, The State Bar of California: Access Through Innovation of Legal Services (ATILS) Task Force Rules Subcommittee
- Past Chair Board, California Lawyers Association
- Member, La Jolla Bar Association
- Member, Probate Attorneys of San Diego
- Barrister, Hon. J. Clifford Wallace Inn of Court
- Member, San Diego County Bar Association: Member of Civil Litigation, Real Property, and Estate Planning, Trusts and Probate Law Sections
- Former President and Member, Irish-American Bar Association
- Former Member, Association of Business Trial Lawyers
Thought Leadership
Latest News About Matthew
- News
- 2 min read
- Published on
Trust and estate litigation law firm RMO LLP announced that it has elevated attorney Matthew A. Bourque to Partner, where he will serve as [...]
Trust and estate litigation law firm RMO LLP announced that it has elevated attorney Matthew A. Bourque to Partner, where he will serve as […]
- News
- 1 min read
- Published on
California and Texas probate litigation law firm RMO LLP announced today that 7 of our attorneys have been included in the 2026 edition of [...]
California and Texas probate litigation law firm RMO LLP announced today that 7 of our attorneys have been included in the 2026 edition of […]
- News
- 1 min read
- Published on
California and Texas trust and estate litigation law firm RMO LLP is proud to announce that 3 of our partners have been included in [...]
California and Texas trust and estate litigation law firm RMO LLP is proud to announce that 3 of our partners have been included in […]
- News
- 1 min read
- Published on
Matthew A. Bourque, Managing Attorney of RMO LLP’s Dallas office, has been named to the 2025 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation list. [...]
Matthew A. Bourque, Managing Attorney of RMO LLP’s Dallas office, has been named to the 2025 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation list. […]
- News
- 1 min read
- Published on
Matthew Bourque, Managing Attorney of RMO LLP’s Dallas office, was featured in Houston local television station KHOU 11’s VERIFY segment. Providing fact-checked stories and [...]
Matthew Bourque, Managing Attorney of RMO LLP’s Dallas office, was featured in Houston local television station KHOU 11’s VERIFY segment. Providing fact-checked stories and […]
- News
- 1 min read
- Published on
Matthew Bourque, Managing Attorney of RMO LLP’s Dallas office, contributed to the December edition of the Dallas Bar Association’s monthly publication, Headnotes. The association’s [...]
Matthew Bourque, Managing Attorney of RMO LLP’s Dallas office, contributed to the December edition of the Dallas Bar Association’s monthly publication, Headnotes. The association’s […]
Speaking Engagements
Fiduciary Litigation
TXCPA - Summit San Antonio
Texas
|
Fiduciary Litigation
TXCPA - Summit DFW
Texas
|
Closing the Estate: Guidance on Executor Responsibilities, Probate, Asset Distribution, and More
Strafford Live Webinar
|
Dear Prudence: an examination of the legal standards, practical applications, and historical backdrop of the Uniform Prudent Investor Act
Independent Trustee Alliance - Annual Conference
|
Best Laid Plans: When Well-Intentioned Estate Plans Go Awry
Engage Workspace for Lawyers
|
Representing Fiduciaries: Legal Ethics for Counsel and Pitfalls to Avoid
Strafford Live Webinar
|
Best Laid Plans: When Well-Intentioned Estate Plans Go Awry
Tarrant County Probate Bar Association
Fort Worth, TX
|
Navigating Breach of Trust Claims Under the Uniform Trust Code
Strafford Live Webinar
|
Protecting Your Aging Clients with Capacity-Planning Tools
Hopkins County Bar Association
|
Responsibilities of Fiduciaries in Administering Trusts and Estates
TXCPA - Tax & Estate Planning Summit
|
Protect Your Aging Loved Ones with Capacity-Planning Tools
WealthWise Webinars
|
Find the Edge: Shifting Burdens in the Probate World
Hopkins County Bar Association
|
Probate Pitfalls for PI Lawyers: How to Protect Your Case, Your Clients, and Yourself
State Bar of Texas CLE – Advanced Personal Injury Law Course
TX
|
Telemedicine in Texas: Opportunities and Practice Pointers from a Legal Perspective
Texas Medical Association TexMed Conference
TX
|
Probate Considerations that Every Personal Injury Lawyer Should Know
State Bar of Texas CLE – 31st Advanced Personal Injury Law Course
TX
|
Latest News About Matthew
- News
- 2 min read
- Published on
Trust and estate litigation law firm RMO LLP announced that it has elevated attorney Matthew A. Bourque to Partner, where he will serve as [...]
Trust and estate litigation law firm RMO LLP announced that it has elevated attorney Matthew A. Bourque to Partner, where he will serve as […]
- News
- 1 min read
- Published on
California and Texas probate litigation law firm RMO LLP announced today that 7 of our attorneys have been included in the 2026 edition of [...]
California and Texas probate litigation law firm RMO LLP announced today that 7 of our attorneys have been included in the 2026 edition of […]
- News
- 1 min read
- Published on
California and Texas trust and estate litigation law firm RMO LLP is proud to announce that 3 of our partners have been included in [...]
California and Texas trust and estate litigation law firm RMO LLP is proud to announce that 3 of our partners have been included in […]
- News
- 1 min read
- Published on
Matthew A. Bourque, Managing Attorney of RMO LLP’s Dallas office, has been named to the 2025 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation list. [...]
Matthew A. Bourque, Managing Attorney of RMO LLP’s Dallas office, has been named to the 2025 Lawdragon 500 X – The Next Generation list. […]
- News
- 1 min read
- Published on
Matthew Bourque, Managing Attorney of RMO LLP’s Dallas office, was featured in Houston local television station KHOU 11’s VERIFY segment. Providing fact-checked stories and [...]
Matthew Bourque, Managing Attorney of RMO LLP’s Dallas office, was featured in Houston local television station KHOU 11’s VERIFY segment. Providing fact-checked stories and […]
- News
- 1 min read
- Published on
Matthew Bourque, Managing Attorney of RMO LLP’s Dallas office, contributed to the December edition of the Dallas Bar Association’s monthly publication, Headnotes. The association’s [...]
Matthew Bourque, Managing Attorney of RMO LLP’s Dallas office, contributed to the December edition of the Dallas Bar Association’s monthly publication, Headnotes. The association’s […]
Latest Articles
Insights and advice on trust and probate estate litigation from our blog.
The Use of Trust Protectors in High-Value Estate Planning
Key Takeaways Introduction A trust protector is a third-party individual who is given expanded powers over the management of a
RMO LLP Welcomes Tara R. Burd as Managing Partner – San Diego
Trust and estate litigation law firm RMO LLP announced that Tara R. Burd has joined the firm as a Partner
RMO LLP Elevates Matthew A. Bourque to Managing Partner – Dallas & Houston
Trust and estate litigation law firm RMO LLP announced that it has elevated attorney Matthew A. Bourque to Partner, where
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