Working with us
What to bring to your first meeting
Updated April 21, 2026
A little preparation makes your 45-minute consultation far more useful. You don't need everything on these lists; bring what you have, and we'll help you track down the rest. Bring documents to an in-person meeting, or have them ready to share on screen for a virtual one. After you've signed an engagement letter, you'll upload documents through our secure client portal.
For every meeting
- A government-issued photo ID
- A short list of your questions and goals
- Names of the other people or businesses involved
- Any deadlines you know about
- A card or bank details for the $150 consultation fee
Estate planning
- Full legal names and dates of birth for you, your spouse, and your children, and whether any beneficiary has special needs or receives public benefits
- Any existing wills, trusts, powers of attorney, or medical directives, including documents signed in another state
- A list of what you own, with rough values: your home and other real estate, bank and brokerage accounts, retirement accounts, life insurance, business interests, vehicles, and digital assets
- Current beneficiary designations for retirement accounts and life insurance, since these usually pass outside a will
- Any prenuptial or marital property agreement, and any divorce decree
- The people you're considering as executor, trustee, guardian for minor children, financial agent, and medical agent, plus alternates
If you're married and planning together, both spouses should attend.
Probate after a death
- Several certified copies of the death certificate
- The original will and any codicils, if they exist. Don't remove staples or write on the pages. Courts generally require the original, and probating a copy is much harder
- A list of the person's assets and debts, with recent account statements, deeds, and vehicle titles
- Names and contact information for family members, heirs, and beneficiaries named in the will
- Bills, notices, or letters received since the death
If something needs attention right away, such as a vacant house or a business that needs to keep running, tell our intake coordinator on the first call.
Business formation
- Two or three possible business names
- Each owner's full name, address, ownership percentage, and planned contribution of money, property, or services
- Who will manage the business day to day, and who makes major decisions
- The principal business address and a short description of what the business does
- Whether you'd like us to serve as your registered agent
- Your CPA's contact information, if you have one
Contract review
- A description of the contract and its signing deadline. Please don't send the contract itself until your conflict check has cleared and you've signed an engagement letter
- The full legal name of the other party
- Your main concerns, and anything you've already agreed to informally, such as a term sheet or emails
Residential real estate: buyers
- Your signed Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) contract and all addenda, or the draft if you haven't signed yet
- The effective date and the date your option period ends
- Receipts for your earnest money and option fee
- Contact information for your title company, lender, and agent
- Your inspection report, the seller's disclosure notice, and any HOA documents
Residential real estate: sellers
- Your deed, any existing survey, and the owner's title policy you received when you bought
- Recent mortgage and home equity loan statements
- Contact information for your HOA, if any
- The names of everyone on the title. If the home is your homestead, your spouse may need to sign closing documents even if they aren't on the title
This is general information, not legal advice.