Education
Duke University School of Law (J.D., 1995)
University of Texas at Austin (B.A. with high honors, Plan II program, 1990)
Professional History
Hopper Mikeska, PLLC, 2012 – Present
Hopper & Associates, P.C., 2005 – 2012
Shareholder, Graves, Dougherty, Hearon & Moody, 1998 – 2005
Law Clerk, Honorable Guy Herman, Travis County Probate Court No. 1, 1996 – 1998
Affiliations, Recognition, and Community Involvement
Board Certified, Estate Planning and Probate Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2001
Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
Member, Austin Bar Association
Member, State Bar of Texas
Member, State Bar of Texas Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section Council Member 2010 – 2014; Chair of Estate and Trust Legislative Affairs Committee 2014 – Present; Treasurer 2019-2020
Member, Estate Planning Council of Central Texas; Director 2008-2014; Chair 2012 – 2013
Member, Austin Bar Association Estate Planning and Probate Section; Director, 1999 – 2004; Chair, 2003
Texas Super Lawyers – Rising Stars, Estate Planning/Trusts (2004-2005)
Texas Super Lawyers – Estate Planning and Probate (2014-Present)
AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
Publications and Presentations
Co-Author, O’Connor’s Texas Probate Law Handbook, 2018-Present
Co-Author, Texas Guardianship Manual, State Bar of Texas, Manual Committee, 2013 – Present
Co-Author, O’Connor’s Estates Code Plus, 2012 – Present
Speaker, 2015 – 2020 Trusts and Estates Legislative Update, numerous locations in 2015 – 2020
Author/Moderator, “How 2015 [Guardianship] Changes Are Affecting Your Practice,” SBOT Advanced Guardianship Course 2016, Dallas
Panelist, “Peace Treaties: Considerations when Negotiating, Drafting & Enforcing Settlement Agreements and Releases,” SBOT Estatae Planning and Probate Drafting Course, Houston 2015
Author/Speaker, “Extraordinary Remedies in Probate Proceedings,” SBOT Probate and Estate Planning Drafting Course 2014, Dallas
Author/Speaker, “Whack-a-Mole: Handling Problem Litigants and the Occasional Overzealous Ad Litem,” SBOT Advanced Guardianship Course 2014, Dallas
Speaker, “Mock Guardianship Hearing—How and When to Put Your Ward on the Stand,” SBOT Advanced Guardianship Course 2014, Dallas; Tarrant County Bar Association Probate Litigation Seminar 2014, Ft Worth
Speaker, “Basic Guardianship,” Docket Call in Probate Court, San Antonio, Texas 2014
Speaker, “Ask the Experts” panel, University of Texas Estate Planning, Guardianship and Elder Law Conference, Galveston 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Course Director, SBOT Advanced Guardianship and Elder Law Courses, Houston, 2013
Author/Speaker, “Drafting the Estate and Trust Distribution Documents,” SBOT Advanced Drafting Course, Dallas 2011
Speaker, “Contested Guardianships,” SBOT Advanced Guardianship Course 2011, Houston; South Texas College of Law 26th Annual Wills and Probate Institute, Houston 2011
Author/Speaker, “Extraordinary Preparation for Mediation in Guardianship Disputes,” SBOT Advanced Guardianship Course 2009, Houston
Author/Speaker/Panel Member, SBOT Building Blocks of Probate and Estate Planning: Probate Administration, 2004 – 2013, 2018
Author/Speaker, “Using Independent Facilitators to Resolve Probate Disputes,” Guardianship and Elder Law Conference, Galveston, Texas, August 2004