Probate Lawyer Acting Badly Suspended from Law Practice

And yet another report about a probate lawyer who took at trip to the dark side and has paid the price.  The lawyer

received a 27-month, partially probated suspension effective May 5, 2006, with the first three months actively served and the remainder probated. An evidentiary panel of the District 4-B Grievance Committee found that Holliday was hired to prepare a last will and testament. In the will, Holliday named herself executrix and hired herself as an attorney to represent the estate in the probate of her client’s will. Holliday did not discuss her fees with the beneficiaries of her client’s estate. She charged $13,825 in fees, as both executrix and attorney for the estate. The value of the estate was $17,653.98. Her fees as executrix were in excess of the amounts allowed for executrix fees permitted by the Texas Probate Code. Holliday failed and refused to comply with each request until well after the probate matter had closed.

See Disciplinary Actions, 69 Tex. B.J. 802, 804 (2006).